Michael T. Hannan

Professor Emeritus, Organizational Behavior

Michael T. Hannan

The StrataCom Professor of Management and Professor of Sociology, Emeritus

Academic Area:

Research Statement

Michael Hannan investigates change in the world of organizations. This work involves both formal theoretical treatments of organizational change and empirical studies of the emergence, change, and dissolution of categories and populations of organizations. His current theoretical research involves applications of dynamic logics and Bayesian models to sociological theory, exploration of the emergence of categories, and typecasting processes. His current empirical research investigates the dynamics of collective concepts ("genres") in market contexts.

Bio

Michael Hannan is the Stratacom Professor of Management Emeritus at Stanford Graduate School of Business and Professor of Sociology Emeritus in the School of Humanities and Sciences at Stanford University.

He received his PhD in sociology from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill in 1970. He came to Stanford as assistant professor of sociology in 1969, moved to Cornell in 1984 where he was the Scarborough Professor of Social Sciences, and returned to Stanford in 1991.

His major research interests include categories in markets, organizational ecology, sociological methodology, and formal sociological theory. His current theoretical and empirical research investigates the emergence of organizational categories and the implications of category membership for organizational identity in several domains, including winemaking in the Italian regions of Piedmont and Tuscany as well as Alsace in France.

Professor Hannan has published more than 150 articles in scholarly journals. Two of his books have received best book awards from the American Sociological Association. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, has been a fellow at the Center for Advanced Study in Behavioral Sciences, the Netherlands Institute of Advanced Study, and the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, and he received a Guggenheim fellowship.

Academic Degrees

  • PhD in sociology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 1970
  • MA, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 1968
  • BA, College of the Holy Cross, 1965

Academic Appointments

  • At Stanford since 1991, Emeritus since 2015
  • Scarborough Professor of Social Sciences, Cornell University, 1984–1991
  • Assistant Professor of Sociology to Professor of Sociology, Stanford University, 1969–1984
  • Professor of Organisation Theory, Durham University Business School 2005–2019

Awards and Honors

  • Fellow, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1991
  • Max Weber Award, American Sociological Association, 2002
  • Max Weber Award, American Sociological Association, 1991
  • Distinguished Scholar, Organization Theory and Management Division, Academy of Management, 1991
  • Best Paper Award in Mathematical Sociology, American Sociological Association, 2003
  • Theorodology Prize, Princeton Sociology Department, 2014

Publications

Journal Articles

Gaël Le Mens, Balázs Kovács, Michael T. Hannan, Guillem Pros
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
November 2023 Vol. 120 Issue 49
Gael Le Mens, Balazs Kovacs, Michael T. Hannan, Guillem Pros
Sociological Science
2023 Vol. 10 Pages 82-117
Michael T. Hannan
Sociological Science
2022 Vol. 9 Pages 473-492
Amir Goldberg, Michael T. Hannan, Balazs Kovacs
American Sociological Review
April 2016 Vol. 81 Issue 2 Pages 215-241
Gael Le Mens, Michael T. Hannan, Laszlo Polos
Organization Science
2015 Vol. 26 Pages 756-773
Balazs Kovacs, Michael T. Hannan
Sociological Science
2015 Vol. 2 Pages 252-286
Giacomo Negro, Michael T. Hannan, Magali Fassiotto
Organization Science
September 25, 2014 Vol. 26 Issue 2 Pages 584-600
Elizabeth Pontikes, Michael T. Hannan
Sociological Science
2014 Vol. 1 Pages 311-343
Ozgecan Kocak, Michael T. Hannan, Greta Hsu
Organisation Studies
2014 Vol. 35 Pages 765-790
David G. McKendrick, Michael T. Hannan
Organization Science
2014 Vol. 25 Pages 1272-1286
Gael Le Mens, Michael T. Hannan, Laszlo Polos
Organization Science
2014 Vol. 26 Issue 2 Pages 550-570
Giacomo Negro, Michael T. Hannan, Hayagreeva Rao
Organizational Science
2011 Vol. 22 Issue 6 Pages 1449-1463
Gael Le Mens, Michael T. Hannan, Laszlo Polos
Administrative Science Quarterly
2011 Vol. 56 Pages 95-126
Greta Hsu, Michael T. Hannan, Laszlo Polos
Sociological Theory
2011 Vol. 29 Pages 97-123
Giacomo Negro, Michael T. Hannan, Hayagreeva Rao
Industrial and Corporate Change
2010 Vol. 19 Pages 1397-1425
Balazs Kovacs, Michael T. Hannan
Research in the Sociology of Organizations
2010 Vol. 31 Pages 1397-1425
Greta Hsu, Michael T. Hannan, Özgecan Koçak
American Sociological Review
February 2009 Vol. 74 Issue 1
James N. Baron, Michael T. Hannan, G. Hsu, O. Kocak
Work and Occupations
January 2007 Vol. 34 Issue 1 Pages 35-66
Michael T. Hannan, David P. Baron, Greta Hsu
Industrial and Corporate Change
October 2006 Vol. 15 Issue 5 Pages 755-784
Michael T. Hannan, László Pólos, Glenn R. Carroll
Industrial and Corporate Change
2004 Vol. 13 Issue 1 Pages 213-242
Michael T. Hannan, Glenn R. Carroll, László Pólos
Sociological Theory
December 2003 Vol. 21 Issue 4 Pages 309-340
Michael T. Hannan, László Pólos, Glenn R. Carroll
Administrative Science Quarterly
September 2003 Vol. 48 Issue 3 Pages 399-432
Michael T. Hannan, László Pólos, Glenn R. Carroll
Organization Science
2003 Vol. 14 Issue 5 Pages 463-482
László Pólos , Michael T. Hannan, Glenn R. Carroll
Industrial and Corporate Change
2002 Vol. 11 Issue 1 Pages 85-115
Glenn R. Carroll, Michael T. Hannan, Arjen van Witteloostuijn
Bedrijfskunde
2001 Vol. 73 Issue 4 Pages 31-37
Glenn R. Carroll, Michael T. Hannan
California Management Review
2000 Vol. 42 Issue 3 Pages 148-163
Michael T. Hannan
American Journal of Sociology
July 1998 Vol. 104 Issue 1 Pages 126–164
Michael T. Hannan, Glenn R. Carroll, Stanislav Dobrev , Joon Han
European Sociological Review
1998 Vol. 14 Issue 3 Pages 279-302
Michael T. Hannan, Glenn R. Carroll, Stanislav Dobrev , Joon Han, John C. Torres
European Sociological Review
1998 Vol. 14 Issue 3 Pages 303-313
Michael T. Hannan, Glenn R. Carroll
American Sociological Review
August 1995 Vol. 60 Issue 4 Pages 539-544
Michael T. Hannan, Glenn R. Carroll, Elizabeth A. Dundon , John C. Torres
American Sociological Review
1995 Vol. 60 Issue 4 Pages 509-528
John Freeman, Glenn R. Carroll, Michael T. Hannan October 1983 Vol. 48 Issue 5 Pages 692–710

Books

Giacomo Negro, Michael T. Hannan, Susan Olzak
Columbia University Press
New York
2022
Michael T. Hannan, Gael Le Mens, Greta Hsu, Balazs Kovacs, Giacomo Negro, Laszlo Polos, Elizabeth Pontikes, Amanda Sharkey
Columbia University Press
New York
2019
Michael T. Hannan, László Pólos, Glenn R. Carroll
Princeton University Press
Princeton
2007
Glenn R. Carroll, Michael T. Hannan
Princeton University Press
Princeton
2000
Glenn R. Carroll, Michael T. Hannan
Oxford University Press
March 30, 1995
Michael T. Hannan
Lexington Books
July 1, 1992
Michael T. Hannan, Glenn R. Carroll
Oxford University Press
1992
Nancy Brandon Tuma, Michael T. Hannan
Academic Press
Orlando
June 1984

Book Chapters

James N. Baron, Michael T. Hannan, Greta Hsu, Ozgecan Kozak
The New Economic Sociology: Developments in an Emerging Field
2002 Pages 245-273
Michael T. Hannan, Glenn R. Carroll
Organizations in Industry: Strategy, Structure and Selection
1995 Pages 17-32
Glenn R. Carroll, Michael T. Hannan
Organizations in Industry: Strategy, Structure and Selection
1995 Pages 195-214
Glenn R. Carroll, Michael T. Hannan
Organizations in Industry: Strategy, Structure and Selection
1995 Pages 3-16

Working Papers

Min Lui, László Pólos, Michael T. Hannan September 6, 2019
Giacomo Negro, Michael T. Hannan, Magali Fassiotto November 2012
Michael T. Hannan, Elizabeth Pontikes 2012
Michael T. Hannan, Balazs Kovacs 2011
Michael T. Hannan, Laszlo Polos 2011
Michael T. Hannan, Gael Mens, Laszlo Polos 2010
Michael T. Hannan, Greta Hsu, Laszlo Polos 2009
Michael T. Hannan, James Baron, M. Burton 1998

Academic Publications

Glenn R. Carroll, Michael T. Hannan
International Encyclopedia of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Second Edition
2015 Vol. 17 Pages 358-363

Teaching

Other Teaching

Programs and Non-Degree Courses

Stanford Case Studies

Michael Hannan, Greta Hsu
2004
Michael Hannan, Greta Hsu
2004
Michael Hannan, John McMillan, Joel Podolny, Mary Ann Warren
2002
Michael Hannan, Joel Podolny, John Roberts
1999

Stanford University Affiliations

  • Professor Sociology Department, School of Humanities and Sciences 1969–1984, 1991-present
  • Professor Emeritus Sociology Department, School of Humanities and Sciences 2015–present

Service to the Profession

Part-time Appointments

  • Professor of Organization Theory (part-time): Durham University, UK (2005–present)

Fellow

  • American Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1991–present
  • Netherlands Institute of Advanced Study, 2000–2001
  • Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences, 1977–1978

In the Media

Insights by Stanford Business

August 26, 2021
A study of motorcycle makers shows how focusing on one market for too long can reduce companies’ ability to survive.
May 27, 2016
A professor finds that so-called cultural leaders aren’t leading at all.
August 07, 2015
Combining categories makes it harder for people to understand what you are doing.
February 04, 2013
Research from Stanford’s Michael Hannan examines how consumers perceive the value of organic and biodynamic Alsatian wines.
June 01, 2009
A study suggests that focus pays off.
February 01, 2007
A study looks at the factors that can predict how hospitable firms are to women.
January 01, 2007
How companies manage their employees turns out to be critical to their long-term success.
August 01, 2002
Researchers in the growing field of organizational ecology say it's vital to look at the entire life cycle of the business, including the failures.