A Top Publisher

The research of Alex Bolinger, an associate professor of management, was published in one of the top management journals in the world, the Academy of Management Review (AMR), last October.

The article, entitled, “Contributing from Inside the Outer Circle: The Identity-Based Effects of Noncore Role Incumbents on Relational Coordination and Organizational Climate,” explains the contributions of team members in “noncore” roles. These noncore members may receive little recognition or individual rewards, but their work is critical – they are often the “glue” that holds the team together.

Drawing on various examples, the paper theorizes how the quality of relationships between noncore team members and members who occupy more visible, core roles (e.g., the surgeon on a surgical team) facilitate or hinder work coordination and team performance.“ I believe there are people who are essential to teams in every kind of organization, and our goal was to shine a light on how they contribute,” said Bolinger. AMR is unique in that it publishes conceptual articles which highlight cutting edge ideas to guide future organizational research. AMR is the second-ranked management journal in the world, according to Journal Citation Reports, and is listed by the Association of Business Schools as one of only four “world elite” management journals. Statistically, AMR only accepts about six percent of all submissions. Bolinger collaborated with co-authors Anthony Klotz and Keith Leavitt fromOregon State University throughout the project.