​​​​Timothy Gubler

My research lies at the intersection of strategy, human capital, and human resources, and investigates the role of individuals in firm performance and strategy. I focus on micro-macro links between individuals and organizations, and consequently study the organization at all levels, from its boundary, organizational design, and human resource policies to the productivity, motivations, mobility, and health of its employees. Much of my work explores these questions in service or knowledge-intensive settings, which by one estimate now account for 68% of US GDP. 

While my research focuses on how organizations influence individuals, such as through incentives or HR policies, I also study how individual behaviors aggregate up to influence organizational and market outcomes. Individuals are typically the firm’s most valuable and costly resource, and regardless of the strategy a firm chooses it ultimately relies on people to carry it out. Yet individuals may also be the most difficult resource to manage because they respond to extrinsic motivations, such as incentives, compensation, and awards, as well as intrinsic motivations, social comparisons, cognitive biases, and social pressures. Moreover, talented individuals may choose to leave the firm at any time, taking their valuable knowledge and skills with them. 

My research approach largely relies on the econometric analysis of archival field data. While I heavily draw on economic methods and strategy/management theories, I also incorporate literature and insights from sociology, organizational behavior, and social psychology. My work to date has largely focused on four settings: 1) Industrial laundry cleaning, 2) Real estate brokers/agents, 3) Emergency Medical Service providers (i.e. ambulances), and 4) US Government Employees.