McLean Parks was named to the professorship in July 2002.

The late Reuben C. Taylor Jr., a 1936 business school alumnus, and his first wife, Anne Greeley Carpenter, established the professorship in 1986. Gary J. Miller, Ph.D., professor of political science in Arts & Sciences, first held the position from 1988-1998.

"Professor McLean Parks is a formidable scholar and the most senior female faculty member at the Olin School," said Stuart I. Greenbaum, Ph.D., dean of the Olin School. "As such, her leadership has set the standard for inclusivity and the nurturing environment that distinguishes Olin among business schools."

Photo by Mary Butkus

Judi McLean Parks, Ph.D., is congratulated by Olin School of Business Dean Stuart I. Greenbaum, Ph.D., at her installment as the Reuben C. and Anne Carpenter Taylor Professor of Organizational Behavior Sept. 4 at the Charles F. Knight Executive Education Center.

McLean Parks' research focuses on the "psychological contract" between employers and employees, in the context of conflict resolution. Her research has examined the impact of perceived injustice and its implications in terms of employee behaviors, organizational identification and workplace violence and revenge.

An important part of her research has centered on the various ways, or identity frames, through which those organizational identities are communicated and interpreted. She recently co-authored the study "Identity Creation: How Organizational Identity Is Created Through Dynamic Communication Processes" with faye l. smith.

Her current research examines the link between organizational identity, over-identification and "crimes of obedience," in which loyal and overzealous employees in organizations obey unethical orders or comply to corrupt norms.

McLean Parks joined the Olin School as assistant professor of organizational behavior in 1995 and was made a full professor in 1999.

"Caring and engagement are hallmarks of Professor McLean Parks' style of interaction with all she touches," Greenbaum said. "We are privileged to count her among our faculty and appreciative of all she brings to our community."

She previously had taught at the Industrial Relations Center at the University of Minnesota, Cornell University and the Institute d'Administration des Entreprises at the Université Jean Moulin Lyon III in Lyon, France.

McLean Parks earned a master's degree and doctorate in organizational behavior from the University of Iowa and a bachelor's degree in business administration from Iowa State University.

She is the author of studies and articles that have appeared in the Academy of Management Journal, Journal of Applied Psychology, Journal of Management, Journal of Organizational Behavior, Research on Negotiation in Organization and Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes.

McLean Parks has also served as the program chair of the Conflict Management Division for the Academy of Management and on the editorial board of the Academy of Management Review. She is editor of the International Journal of Conflict Management.

In 1987, Reuben Taylor established the Taylor Experimental Laboratory in Business Economics in the Olin School.