BIO

Professor Wowak’s research interests lie within the field of strategic management, particularly on issues concerning top executives and their influences on organizational outcomes. In recent studies, he has focused on matters related to compensation, including both the causes and consequences of executive pay. He is also currently studying how executive personality manifests in firm strategies and performance. His research has been published in Academy of Management Journal, Strategic Management Journal, and several edited volumes. His teaching experience is also within the strategic management area, and he was twice nominated for teaching awards as a doctoral student. Professor Wowak holds a Ph.D. in management, as well as a B.S. in finance, from the Pennsylvania State University. Prior to entering academia, he worked in the investment banking industry.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

• Strategic management, with a focus on top executives and their effects on organizational outcomes

EDUCATION

• Ph D, Pennsylvania State University
• BS, Pennsylvania State University

TEACHING

• Strategic Management

PUBLICATIONS

"Do CEOs encounter within-tenure settling up? A multiperiod perspective on executive pay and dismissal," (with Donald C. Hambrick, Andrew D. Henderson),  Academy of Management Journal, 54, 2011, 719-739.

"A model of person-pay interaction: How executives vary in their responses to compensation arrangements," (with Donald C. Hambrick),  Strategic Management Journal, 31, 2010, 803-821.

Book Articles and Chapters

Whom do we want as our business leaders? How changes in the corporate milieu have brought about a new breed of CEOs, (with Donald C. Hambrick, ), In J. E. Ricart, & J. M. Rosanas (Eds.), Towards a New Theory of the Firm (2012).

Who's the new kid? The process of developing centrality in venture capitalist deal networks, (with Bret R. Fund, Timothy G. Pollock, Ted Baker, ), In J. A. C. Baum, & T. J. Rowley (Eds.), Advances in Strategic Management, Vol. 25 (2008).

PRESENTATIONS

Adam J. Wowak, Michael Mannor, Mathias Arrfelt, Strategic Management Society Annual Conference, Strategic Management Society, Prague, Czech Republic, "Can’t buy me love? How charismatic CEOs curry favor with firm stakeholders," (October 2012).

Eric A. Fong, Adam J. Wowak, Vilmos F. Misangyi, Wafa Orman, Strategic Management Society Annual Conference, Strategic Management Society, Prague, Czech Republic, "Hit or miss? The effects of CEO over- and underpayment on corporate financial reporting," (October 2012).

Michael Mannor, Mathias Arrfelt, Adam J. Wowak, Academy of Management Annual Conference, Academy of Managment, Boston, MA, "Arrogant but not ignorant? How CEOs manage their own hubris with conservative coping mechanisms," (August 2012).

Eric A. Fong, Adam J. Wowak, Vilmos F. Misangyi, Wafa Orman, Academy of Management Annual Conference, Academy of Management, Boston, MA, "Hit or miss? CEO over- and underpayment and earnings management," (August 2012).

Donald C. Hambrick, Adam J. Wowak, The 2nd International Conference on Humanizing the Firm and the Management Profession, IESE Business School, University of Navarra, Barcelona, Spain, "Whom do we want as our business leaders? How changes in the corporate milieu have brought about a new breed of CEO," (July 2011).

Adam J. Wowak, Donald C. Hambrick, Academy of Management Annual Conference, Academy of Management, Montreal, Canada, "Do higher-paid CEOs deliver the goods? On the link between CEO pay and subsequent performance," (August 2010).

Adam J. Wowak, Donald C. Hambrick, Academy of Management Annual Conference, Academy of Management, Chicago, IL, "Do CEOs encounter within-tenure 'settling up'? A multiperiod perspective on executive pay and dismissal," (August 2009).

Adam J. Wowak, Donald C. Hambrick, Academy of Management Annual Conference, Academy of Management, Anaheim, CA, "How executives vary in their responses to compensation arrangements: Development and illustration of a theory of person-pay interaction," (August 2008).

Bret R. Fund, Timothy G. Pollock, Ted Baker, Adam J. Wowak, Academy of Management Annual Conference, Academy of Management, Anaheim, CA, "Who's the new kid? The process of developing centrality in venture capitalist deal networks," (August 2008).

Adam J. Wowak, Academy of Management Annual Conference, Academy of Management, Philadelphia, PA, "Win, lose, or draw: How attributions of causality shape the development of TMT potency," (August 2007).