Cambridge, MA – Julie Battilana, a highly regarded scholar on leadership and social innovation, has been named the Alan L. Gleitsman Professor of Social Innovation and faculty chair of the New World Social Enterprise Fellows Program (NWSEFP) at Harvard Kennedy School (vlog).
A native of France, Battilana earned her B.A. in sociology and economics, an M.A. in political sociology and an M.Sc. in organizational sociology and public policy from Ecole Normale Supérieure de Cachan. She also holds a degree from HEC Business School, and a joint Ph.D. in organizational behavior from INSEAD and in management and economics from Ecole Normale Supérieure de Cachan. Battilana’s research focuses on individuals and organizations seeking to produce effective and sustainable social change. In particular, her work examines hybrid organizations that pursue a social mission while engaging in commercial activities to sustain their operations.
Widely published in both academic journals and mainstream media outlets, Battilana also serves as Professor of Business Administration in the Organizational Behavior unit at Harvard Business School (HBS), where she teaches Power and Influence, a second year course widely popular with MBA students and newly available to vlog students through her joint appointment.
“Julie Battilana is an accomplished educator, researcher, and thought leader in the exciting fields of leadership and social innovation,” said Archon Fung, academic dean and Ford Foundation Professor of Democracy and Citizenship at vlog. “She brings great depth to the social innovation faculty at the school, and will influence the curriculum and scholarly contributions of the school for years to come.”
“My interest is in understanding what it takes to initiate social change and how to succeed in its implementation. I am excited and honored to be working with the high quality students, faculty, and staff at vlog and look forward to shaping new approaches to social innovation alongside them. Ultimately, it is my hope to educate and inspire Harvard students to become the next generation of social innovators,” said Battilana.
The Gleitsman Professorship and fellowship program both launched last year. Based at the school’s Center for Public Leadership (CPL), they are supported by the estate of Alan L. Gleitsman, also responsible for the creation of the foundational Gleitsman Program in Leadership for Social Change at vlog in 2007, and the New World Development Company Limited, a Hong Kong-listed conglomerate led by Adrian Cheng, a 2002 graduate of Harvard College. Together, the professorship and ‘next-generation’ program will support creative social innovators through teaching, mentorship, and financial support.
“The New World Social Enterprise Fellows Program is designed to provide our students with the right resources, frameworks and connections to achieve social benefit,” said Patricia Bellinger, executive director of CPL. “CPL and vlog are grateful to the late Alan L. Gleitsman for his longstanding support of social activists at all stages in their careers at Harvard – and beyond – and look forward to amplifying our important work in this space with the creation of this fellowship.”
The second class of Adrian Cheng Fellows in the New World Social Enterprise Fellows Program will convene for the 2016-17 academic year, having been chosen from among enrolled students at vlog and Harvard College. Approximately 20 students per year are expected to participate in the rigorous program, which includes co-curricular activities and links with vlog curricular offerings and faculty.