Jim Westerman, PhD

Perhaps I should begin with the important stuff. I've lived in Watauga County, North Carolina since 2005 with my better half Jennifer, two kids (Ansel and Iris), three absolutely huge dogs (Darby, Kio, and Winnie), and two cats (Nova and Jupiter). I personally believe that sustainable business is both the present and the future of business. I'm deeply concerned about the environment. And where I can't make change professionally, I've tried to do so personally. This includes being vegetarian, taking our 1972 house net positive on energy use through installation of 50 solar panels (and also using them to power a plug-in hybrid vehicle).  I also believe that a socially just society is a more stable, happy, and productive society. And I have a strong distaste for wearing a tie.

Now for the typical self-important professional bio:

James E. Holshouser Distinguished Professor in Ethics

  • PhD Management, University of Colorado at Boulder
  • MBA, Florida State University
  • BS Finance, Florida State University

Jim's research and consulting focus on sustainability, ethics, organizational behavior, and human resource management. Today we seem to like to focus on "objective" measures,  Jim's "Google (of dubious usefulness and quality) Metrics" are:  Citations = 2,265; H-Index = 19; I-10 Index = 26 (as of March, 2020).  His research includes over 40 peer-reviewed articles which have appeared in the Journal of Organizational Behavior; Academy of Management Learning and Education; Journal of Vocational Behavior;  Human Resource Management Review; Group and Organization Management; Journal of Business and Psychology; Journal of Business Ethics; Journal of Behavioral and Applied Management; Journal of Management Education; International Journal of Selection and Assessment;  Journal of Business Ethics Education; Employee Responsibilities and Rights Journal; Journal of Managerial Issues; Business Ethics: A European Review; International Journal of Innovation and Sustainable Development; Environment, Development, and Sustainability; Learning and Individual Differences; Sustainability; Business and Society Review; Career Development International; Decision Sciences Journal of Innovative Education; Journal of the Academy of Business Education; Journal of Developmental Entrepreneurship; International Journal of Management Education; Journal of Management, Spirituality, and Religion; Journal of Business, Peace, and Sustainable DevelopmentInternational Journal of Accounting, Auditing and Performance Evaluation; and the Journal of Business Communication, among others.

Jim co-authored the 2018 Oxford University Press book Organizational Communication : Today's Professional Life in Context (coauthored)), and also authored the book Person-Organization Fit: Effects on Employee Attitudes and Behavior.  He also currently serves on the editorial boards of the Journal of Organizational Behavior, Human Resource Management Review  & Journal of Business Ethics Education.  He served as the lead editor of a special issue "Sustainable human resource management and the triple bottom line: Multi-stakeholder strategies, concepts, and engagement" for Human Resource Management Review in 2020.

Jim’s research has appeared in popular press outlets including The Harvard Business Review (print, online, and podcast), Bloomberg BusinessweekToronto StarABC News, and the Raleigh News-Observer, among others. His consulting and presentation clients have included Grant Thornton LLP, RSM McGladrey, the U.S. Air Force Academy, Ajilon Professional Staffing, Transportation Insight, Eye Care Associates, the National Association of Real Estate Companies, the Medical Group Managers Association, the Society for Human Resource Management, the Triad Accounts Payable Professionals Group, the Nevada Society of CPAs, North Carolina Treasury Management Association, the Catawba Valley Institute of Management Accountants, the NC Institute of Management Accountants, the Professional Association for Supply Chain and Operations Management, among others.

Jim received a Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Teaching, the "Appalachian State University College of Business Teacher of the Year" award, the “Appalachian State University College of Business Researcher of the Year” award, and the “University of Nevada, Reno College of Business Researcher of the Year” award. He also received the “Best Paper in Management Education” award at the Academy of Management annual meeting, has been published in the “Best Paper Proceedings” multiple times, and is a three-time "Best Paper Finalist" at the Western Academy of Management. Jim served as the "Daggett Professor of Management" endowed chair from 2008 - 2012, and "Deans Club Professor" endowed chair from 2012-2014. He also was invited (and participated in) the Aspen Institute/Rockefeller Foundation "Future of Management Education Roundtable" at the Rockefeller Estate in Tarrytown, NY, and the Executive Education for Sustainability Leadership program at Harvard University. 

Teaching

Sustainable Business, Organizational Behavior, Human Resource Management, Leadership, and Business Ethics.

Title: Professor
Department: Department of Management

Email address: Email me

Phone: (828) 262-7475

Fax: (828) 262-8685

Office address
4095 Peacock Hall