Head shot of Brad Agle

Brad Agle

Professor and George Romney-Professorship,
Romney Institute of Public Service and Ethics

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Biography

Brad Agle is the George W. Romney Endowed Professor, and Professor of Ethics and Leadership in the Marriott School of Business at Brigham Young University (BYU). He currently serves on the editorial board of Business Ethics Quarterly, the board of directors of the BYU Management Society and New England Science and Sailing, the BYU Faculty Advisory Council, as President of the Fellows of the International Association for Business and Society (IABS), as a Fellow of the Ethics and Compliance Initiative, as the Founding Organizer of the Conference on the Teaching of Business Ethics, and on the Advisory Board of the RLG Group. He is founder, chairman, and chief scientist at Merit Leadership.

Previous to his appointment at BYU in 2009, he spent 17 years as a professor of Strategy, Organizations, and Environment in the Katz Graduate School of Business at the University of Pittsburgh, where he also served for eight years as the inaugural director of the David Berg Center for Ethics and Leadership. During his time in Pittsburgh, he also served on the Board of Directors of the Oncology Nursing Society, the Executive Committee of the Social Issues in Management Division of the Academy of Management, the Executive Board of IABS, as a Senior Research Fellow with the Ethics Resource Center in Washington, D.C., as Co-chair of the Pittsburgh Business Ethics Awards, and as a judge for the American Business Ethics Awards. Earlier in his career he was the Andersen Fellow for Chief Executive Studies and Research Director at the Center for Leadership and Career Studies at Emory University (currently the Chief Executive Leadership Institute at Yale).

Since arriving at BYU he has served as a Fellow and chair of the BYU Wheatley Institution Ethics Initiative from 2008 - 2020, which provided the foundation and vision for the new BYU Sorensen Center for Moral and Ethical Leadership; on the ethics committee of USA Synchro from 2010 - 2018; and as President of IABS in 2017-2018.

Dr. Agle is an active researcher concentrating on business ethics, stakeholder management, CEO leadership and religious influences on business. His writings appear in journals such as the Academy of Management Review, Academy of Management Journal, Business Ethics Quarterly, Journal of Business Ethics, Business and Society, Harvard Business Review, Human Relations, Sloan Management Review, Leadership Quarterly, and Organizational Dynamics. His work has been featured in various media outlets including the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, USA Today, and CNN; and he has been a guest on CNBC’s Morning Call, Power Lunch, and Closing Bell. His publication awards include the IABS Best Article award, and the ANBAR citation of excellence. His 1997 article on stakeholder identification and prioritization has been found to be the most heavily cited article in both the fields of corporate social responsibility and stakeholder management.

He has published multiple books including Research Companion to Behavioral Ethics in Organizations: Constructs and Measures (2014), The Business Ethics Field Guide (2016), and at the invitation of and in cooperation with U.S. Special Operations Command, as the lead author of the U.S. Special Operations Forces Ethics Field Guide (2021).

A recipient of multiple teaching awards, including Distinguished Professor of the Year honors, Dr. Agle teaches courses in business ethics and strategic leadership, and he has taught in Brazil, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. His teaching brought the University of Pittsburgh the distinction of being the #2 ranked executive MBA program in the world in business ethics by Business Week. He also created the Certificate Program in Leadership and Ethics, the world’s first integrated undergraduate specialty in ethical leadership in business. Dr. Agle has served as a Visiting Fellow at Harvard University's Safra Center for Ethics and Duke University's Kenan Institute for Ethics, and as a Visiting Professor at the University of Bath and Thailand's National Institute of Development Administration Business School.

He has provided board training, executive level seminars, and top executive consulting to organizations including Alcoa, Ceska Sporitelna, Federated Investors, Giant Eagle, Mellon Financial, Marathon Petroleum, St. Clair Hospital, USAA, US Steel, U.S. Marine Corps, and Wabtec. He has also served as an expert witness on business ethics in multiple cases. In 2005 he was honored by the Pittsburgh Business Times with their Fast Tracker award as one of the young people making significant contributions to his/her profession and community. His community involvement included service with the Woodlands Foundation, Boy Scouts, and as Bishop of the Cranberry Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

Dr. Agle received a Ph.D. in Business Management from the University of Washington and a B.S. in Information Management from BYU. Prior to his academic career, he worked for Seattle First National Bank and IBM. Brad and his wife Kristi are the parents of Erik, Lindsay, Christian, and Amanda, and have nine spectacular grandchildren.

Education

  • PhD, Organization & Environment, University of Washington, 1993
  • B.S., Information Management, Brigham Young University, 1986

Group Affiliations

  • Society for Corporate Compliance and Ethics — Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics (SCCE) is a 501(c)(6) member-based association for regulatory compliance professionals. — 2017–0
  • Association for Practical and Professional Ethics — The Association for Practical and Professional Ethics (APPE) is a comprehensive, international organization advancing scholarship, education, and practice in practical and professional ethics. — 2016–0
  • Ethics and Compliance Initiative — ECI is devoted to the advancement of high ethical standards and practices in public and private institutions, and provides research about ethical standards, workplace integrity, and compliance practices and processes — 2015–0
  • International Society for Business Ethics and Economics — The first world-wide professional association to focus exclusively on the study of business, economics, and ethics. — 2008–0
  • Society for Business Ethics — Primary professional association for professors of business ethics — 1993–0
  • International Association for Business and Society — Primary professional association for professors in the field of business and society — 1990–0
  • Academy of Management — Primary professional organization for professors of management — 1989–0

Selected Publications

  • "From Profit Maximization to Social Welfare Maximization: Reclaiming the Purpose of Business and Business Education", Futures, 2023
  • "Building value through sales ethics", Journal of Creating Value, Edition 1, Volume 8, Pages 10-24, Sage, Thousand Oaks, CA, Gautam Mahajan, 2022
  • "Wealth as the Path to Heaven or Hell: A Latter-day Saint Perspective on the Spirit of Conscious Capitalism", The Spirit of Conscious Capitalism, 2021
  • "Checkmates and Ethical Dilemmas", Ethikos, Edition 4, Volume 35, SCCE, 2021
  • "Pathways in Stakeholder Research.", Oxford Encyclopedia of Management, Oxford University Press, Oxford, MIchael Hitt and Ramon Aldag, 2021
  • "A Special Operations Forces Ethics Field Guide", US Special Operations Command, Tampa, FL, 2020
  • "A U.S. Special Operations Forces Ethics Field Guide", Page 60, U.S. Special Operations Command, Tampa, FL, 2020
  • "Out for Blood: Tyler Shultz and Theranos", Page 35, Darden Publishing, 2020
  • "Fostering an ethical culture on your sales team", Harvard Business Review, Edition June, Page 3, Harvard Business School, Cambridge, MA, 2019
  • "Stakeholder Identification and Salience After 20 Years: Progress, Problems, and Prospects.", Business and Society, Sage, Thousand Oaks, CA, Andrew Crane, Irene Henriques, Bryan Husted, and Dirk Matten, 2018
  • "The Business Ethics Field Guide", Page 340, Allegory Press, Provo, UT, 2016
  • "Stakeholder Agency and Social Welfare: Pluralism and Decision Making in the Multi-Objective Corporation.", Academy of Management Review, Academy of Management, 2016
  • "Research Companion to Behavioral Ethics in Organizations: Constructs and Measures", Page 420, Edward Elgar Publishing Inc, Cheltenham, 2014
  • "The Importance of Understanding the Students in Our Business Ethics Classes.", Journal of Business Ethics Education, Volume 9, Pages 469-472, 2013
  • "Negotiating Ethically: Resilience, Moral Identity, and Power in Negotations. Proceedings of the International Association for Business and Society, 24: 6-17.", Proceedings of the International Association for Business and Society, International Association for Business and Society, 2013
  • "The Impact of Moral Stress Compared to Other Stressors on Employee Fatigue, Job Satisfaction, and Turnover: An Empirical Investigtion", Journal of Business Ethics, Edition 3, Volume 110, Pages 377-391, Springer, 2012
  • "“He’s a real dude:” Tributes to Tom Jones", Business and Society, Edition 2, Volume 51, Pages 310-334, Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, CA, 2012
  • "Mortal Ministry: Seeking After Virtue in Business", Virtue and the Abundant Life, Pages 240-259, Deseret Book/Wheatley Institution, Salt Lake City, UT, Lloyd Newell, Richard Williams, Emily Reynolds, Terry Olsen, 2012
  • "Meeting the Objectives of Business Ethics Education Utilizing the Complete Collegiate Educational Experience", Management Education for Integrity, Pages 217-242, Emerald, Charles Wankel, 2011
  • "Meeting the Objectives of Business Ethics Education: The Marriott School Model and Agenda for Utilizing the Complete Collegiate Educational Experience", Management Education for Integrity: Ethically Educating Tomorrow's Business Leaders, Pages 217-242, Emerald Publishing, C. Wankel and A. Stachowicz-Stanusch, 2011
  • "Toward a theory of stakeholder salience in family firms", Business Ethics Quarterly, Edition 2, Volume 21, Pages 235-256, Gary Weaver, 2011
  • "Dialogue: Toward Superior Stakeholder Theory", Business Ethics Quarterly, Volume 18, 2008
  • "Relational Ties that Bind: Leader-Follower Relationship Dimensions and Charismatic Attribution", Leadership Quarterly, Volume 19, Pages 556-568, 2008
  • "Improving the Performance of Top Management Teams", Sloan Management Review, Volume 48, Pages 85-90, 2007
  • "Does CEO Charisma Matter? An Empirical Analysis of the Relationships Among Organizational Performance, Environmental Uncertainty, and Top Management Team Perceptions of Charisma", Academy of Management Journal, Volume 49, Pages 161-174, 2006
  • "Examining the Impact of Organizational Dissimilarity in Top Management Teams", Journal of Managerial Issues, Volume 19, Pages 11-34, 2006
  • "Somebody I Look Up To: Ethical Role Models in Organizations", Organizational Dynamics, Volume 34, Pages 313-330, 2005
  • "Mapping our Progress: Comparing the Development of Universities' Ethics Infrastructures to those of Businesses", Journal of Academic Ethics, Volume 3, Pages 205-229, 2005
  • "Religiosity as an Influence on Ethical Behavior in Organizations: A Theoretical Model and Research Agenda", Academy of Management Review, Volume 27, Pages 77-97, 2002
  • "Validity in the Measurement of Corporate Social Performance: Lessons from Corporate United Way and PAC Campaigns", Journal of Business Ethics, Volume 31, Pages 271-284, 2001
  • "Who Matters to CEOs? An Investigation of Stakeholder Attributes and Salience, Corporate Performance, and CEO Values", Academy of Management Journal, Volume 42, Pages 507-525, 1999
  • "Understanding Research on Values in Business: A Level of Analysis Framework", Business and Society, Volume 38, Pages 326-387, 1999
  • "The Relationship Between Financial and Social Performance: Repainting a Portrait", Business and Society, Volume 38, Pages 109-125, 1999
  • "Toward a Theory of Stakeholder Identification and Salience: Defining the Principle of Who and What Really Counts", Academy of Management Review, Volume 22, Pages 853-886, 1997
  • "Doing Stakeholder Work.", Business and Society 360 Book Series on Stakeholder Management, Emerald
  • "Business Ethics Education: Current Approaches and Future Directions", Routledge Companion to Business Ethics, Routledge, Eugene Heath, Byron Kaldis, Alexei Marcoux
  • "Value Congruence and Charismatic Leadership in CEO - Top-Manager Relationships: An Empirical Analysis", Journal of Business Ethics
  • "BUSINESS ETHICS EDUCATION, WHY BOTHER? OBJECTIVES, PEDAGOGIES, AND A CALL TO ACTION", Proceedings of Leveraging Change - The New Pillars of Academic Education

Experience

Other

  • Associate Professor, University of Pittsburgh, 2000–2009
  • Director of the David Berg Center for Ethics and Leadership, University of Pittsburgh, 2000–2007
  • Assistant Professor, University of Pittsburgh, 1994–2000
  • Instructor, University of Pittsburgh, 1992–1994
  • Research Director & Instructor, Chief Executive Leadership Institute, Emory University, 1990–1992

Awards

  • Fellow, International Association for Business and Society, 2020
  • Lowell Benson Lifetime Service Award, BYU Management Society, 2020
  • Best Article Award, International Association for Business and Society, 2018
  • South Zone Contributor Award, USA Synchro, 2018
  • Finalist for Best Book Award, Social Issues in Management Division of the Academy of Management, 2016
  • Outstanding Citizenship Award, Marriott School of Management, 2016
  • George W. Romney Endowed Professorship, Brigham Young University, 2009
  • Fellow, Wheatley Institution, 2009
  • Distinguished Professor of the Year, University of Pittsburgh EMBA program - Sao Paulo, 2009
  • Excellence in Teaching Award, University of Pittsburgh, EMBA program, Undergraduate Program, 2008
  • Excellence in Teaching Award, University of Pittsburgh, EMBA program, 2007
  • Excellence in Teaching Award, University of Pittsburgh, EMBA program, 2005
  • Fast Trackers - Young people making significant professional and community contributions, Pittsburgh Business Times, 2005
  • Best Article Award, International Association for Business and Society, 1999

Languages

  • German

BYU Citizenship

  • Faculty Advisory Council — Committee/Council Member — August 2022–July 2025
  • Ethics Committee — Committee/Council Member — January 2015–July 2024
  • University Honor Code Advisory Committee — Committee/Council Member — September 2011–July 2024
  • Promotion and CFS Committee — Committee/Council Chair — July 2015–July 2023
  • Ethics Initiative in the Wheatley Institution — Committee/Council Chair — January 2009–June 2020
  • Faculty Advisory Council — Committee/Council Member — September 2015–May 2018
  • Mentoring — New Faculty Mentor — March 2010–December 2016
  • Pre-PhD Student Organization — Student Org Advisor — January 2010–October 2015
  • Promotion and CFS Committee — Committee/Council Member — September 2012–September 2015
  • MBA Committee — Committee/Council Member — September 2009–August 2013
  • Ethics Strategy and Integration in the Marriott School — Other — July 2009–0

Professional Citizenship

  • Business Ethics Quarterly, Editorial Review Board Member, November 2015–0
  • Society for Business Ethics, Conference-Related Role, August 2014–0
  • BYU Management Society, Board Member, September 2010–0
  • Society for Business Ethics and the Wheatley Institution, Officer (specify in Other), July 2009–0
  • Academy of Management, Reviewer, Ad Hoc Reviewer, January 2009–0
  • International Association for Business and Society, Reviewer, Ad Hoc Reviewer, January 2009–0
  • New England Science and Sailing, Board Member, January 2022–December 2024
  • Association for Practical and Professional Ethics, Conference-Related Role, February 2017–February 2020
  • Academy of Management, Conference-Related Role, August 2010–August 2019
  • International Association for Business and Society, Officer, March 2014–March 2019
  • International Association for Business and Society, Officer (specify in Other), June 2017–June 2018
  • USA Synchro, Committee/Council Member, May 2011–March 2018
  • Strategic Management Society, Reviewer, Ad Hoc Reviewer, January 2009–January 2014
  • Brigham Young University and Notre Dame University, Other, January 2011–November 2013
  • Invited Conference on Stakeholder Theory, Other, September 2009–December 2010
  • Society for Business Ethics, Other, January 2009–December 2010

Consulting

  • Fabian VanCott — Expert Witness on Business Ethics — November 2020–0
  • National Filter Media — Provide ethics training for sales professionals across the company — June 2018–June 2018
  • Thorpe, North & Western — Provided services as an expert witness in a lawsuit — October 2016–December 2017
  • Qualtrics — Provided a training session on executive leadership to visiting speakers at their annual customer forum — November 2017–November 2017
  • Marathon Petroleum — Provided ethics training for the ethics and compliance officers and liaisons at Marathon Petroleum — October 2017–October 2017
  • Squires Accounting — Providing Ethics Training for professionals in a regional accounting firm — December 2010–January 2017
  • Anderson/Kidman — Expert Witness in Business Ethics — September 2013–March 2014
  • Parr, Brown, Gee & Loveless — Expert Witness Work in Business Ethics — October 2012–May 2013