Robert E. Quinn

Robert E. Quinn is a scholar, author, and thought leader whose work has shaped the understanding of organizational culture, leadership, and change management. Quinn serves as the Margaret Elliott Tracy Collegiate Professor Emeritus at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business and is a leader in the field of positive organizational scholarship. He is a cofounder of the Center for Positive Organizations at the University of Michigan. His research and writing focus on purpose, leadership, culture, and organizational change.

Quinn is known for developing the Competing Values Framework, a contribution to organizational science that classifies four corporate culture types, illustrating how companies operate, how employees collaborate, and what corporate values are. As a consultant, Quinn has more than three decades of experience and is recognized for the Competing Values Framework, a tool used by thousands of managers in change management and organizational development.

He has published 18 books, including "Deep Change," "The Positive Organization," and "The Economics of Higher Purpose." His book "The Best Teacher in You" received the Ben Franklin Award for best book in education. Quinn also co-authored "Diagnosing and Changing Organizational Culture," which provides a framework and methodology for managers to analyze and alter organizational culture.

Quinn is among the most cited professors in organizational behavior textbooks. Harvard Business Review selected his paper, "Moments of Greatness: Entering the Fundamental State of Leadership," as one of its 10 Must Reads on Managing Yourself. His Fundamental State of Leadership framework is widely used to help leaders shift from reactive to purpose-centered modes of operating. Through writing, speaking, and consulting, Quinn contributes to the fields of organizational behavior, leadership development, and positive organizational change.