PhD
Institute for Work & Employment Research
The Institute for Work and Employment Research (IWER) is dedicated to advancing research that enhances the well-being of workers and their loved ones while guiding managers towards creating an inclusive and successful future of work. Comprising sociologists, labor economists, and employment scholars, this multidisciplinary group offers a collaborative environment where PhD students work closely with core faculty. IWER provides an interdisciplinary environment deeply rooted in sociology, labor relations, and labor economics, preparing students for innovative empirical research and impactful contributions to policy and practice. Notable faculty members include Erin Kelly, Thomas Kochan, Susan Silbey, and Emilio J. Castilla.
Research from IWER Faculty
MIT Sloan reading list: 7 books from 2024
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New books this year include a retirement how-to, the reissue of a classic entrepreneurship guide, and a look back at the California energy crisis.
AI Expert Spotlight: Kate Kellogg
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Kate Kellogg studies the implementation of narrow AI—AI systems designed to perform specific tasks—as well as generative AI, among frontline knowledge workers. She’s exploring the barriers to AI implementation and the mechanisms for addressing them.
The rise of the union-curious worker, and how to win them over
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In the U.S., front-line workers’ attitudes toward unions are softening, especially among people under 30. Here’s what they want from their workplaces.
Download: Insights for success in AI-driven organizations
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From MIT Sloan experts, innovative ideas for using artificial intelligence to solve critical business problems and deliver on strategy.
4 developmental tasks you — and everyone else — will face in retirement
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First: Deciding to retire.
The risk of letting junior professionals teach AI to senior colleagues
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Generative AI’s broad accessibility and applicability make it a vital tool for businesses — but those traits can also cause trouble when upskilling employees.
Integrate worker voices to maximize generative AI’s benefits
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From ChatGPT to advanced industrial design AI tools, companies in every industry are turning to generative AI to cut costs and increase productivity.
Conference at MIT Sloan Honors Professor Susan Silbey
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Distinguished scholars from across the U.S., Canada, and Europe came together at the MIT Sloan School of Management in early June for a two-day conference in honor of Professor Susan S. Silbey.
The secret to successful AI implementations? Worker voice
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When stakeholders become more involved in generative AI design and implementation, it’s more likely that such tools will augment work rather than displace workers.
How BLM movement impacts attitude toward minority actors in movies
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New MIT Sloan research found that while movie viewers react negatively to increased racial representation in movie casting, the Black Lives Matter movement mitigated this bias against racial minority
Select IWER Faculty
IWER Co-Directors
Emilio J. Castilla
NTU Professor of Management
Emilio J. Castilla is the NTU Professor of Management and a Professor of Work and Organization Studies at the MIT Sloan School of Management.Castilla is currently the co-director of the Institute for Work and Employment Research. He joined the MIT…
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Erin Kelly
Sloan Distinguished Professor of Work and Organization Studies
Erin L. Kelly is the Sloan Distinguished Professor of Work and Organization Studies at the MIT Sloan School of Management and Co-Director of the MIT Institute for Work and Employment Research. Kelly’s research has been published in many top…
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Anna Stansbury
Class of 1948 Career Development Assistant Professor
Anna Stansbury is the Class of 1948 Career Development Assistant Professor and an Assistant Professor of Work and Organization Studies at the MIT Sloan School of Management, and is in the core faculty of the MIT Institute for Work and Employment…
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Nathan Wilmers
Sarofim Family Career Development Associate Professor
Nathan Wilmers is the Sarofim Family Career Development Associate Professor and an Associate Professor of Work and Organization Studies at the MIT Sloan School of Management. He is in the core faculty of the Institute for Work and Employment…
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Thomas Kochan
George Maverick Bunker Professor of Management, Emeritus
Thomas A. Kochan is the Post-Tenure George Maverick Bunker Professor at the MIT Sloan School of Management and a faculty member in the MIT Institute for Work and Employment Research.Kochan focuses on the need to update America's work and employment…
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Paul Osterman
Nanyang Technological University Professor Emeritus
Paul Osterman is a Professor Emeritus of Human Resources and Management at the MIT Sloan School of Management as well as a member of the Department of Urban Planning at MIT. From July 2003 to June 2007 he also served as Deputy Dean at the MIT Sloan…
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Susan Silbey
Leon and Anne Goldberg Professor of Humanities
Professor Susan S. Silbey is Leon and Anne Goldberg Professor of Humanities, Professor of Sociology and Anthropology, and Professor of Behavioral and Policy Sciences, Sloan School of Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.Silbey is…
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Mary Rowe
Adjunct Professor, Work and Organization Studies
Mary P. Rowe is an Adjunct Professor of Negotiation and Conflict Management at the MIT Sloan School of Management and taught these topics for twenty years. She served for almost 42 years as an organizational ombuds reporting directly to five…
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Robert B. McKersie
Professor Emeritus of Management
Robert McKersie is Professor Emeritus of Management at the MIT Sloan School of Management.McKersie is an expert source on industrial and labor relations with a focus on bargaining. He researches strategies being pursued by different industries to…
Learn MoreExample PhD Thesis Topics
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Claire McKenna (2024)
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Alexander Kowalski (2022)
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Duanyi Yang (2020)