Michael T. Hannan

The StrataCom Professor of Management and Professor of Sociology, Emeritus
Academic Area:
Michael T. Hannan

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.

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

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

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

      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.

      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

      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

      Other Publications

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

      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

      Non-Degree Courses

      Programs and Non-Degree Courses

      Cases

      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

      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.