Strategic Organization Design Certificate Program

Deepen your understanding and sharpen your skills: Organizational design is a cornerstone of competitive advantage and performance.

Part 1: Strategic Organization Design
(3/3/26-3/6/26)

Part 2: Strategic Organization Design Activation
(5/19/26-5/21/26)

From Strategy to Impact,
Powered by Science

We deliver high impact knowledge that turns the complex challenges of today into competitive advantages for the future.

The Well-Being Learning Project

Taking Well-Being to the Next Level

In partnership with PwC, we investigated the connections between well-being practices and important business consequences, such as the likelihood of employees staying with the business, the effectiveness of teams and the impact of well-being behaviors on client relationships. The project revealed definitive links between well-being and performance.

View the Results

From Strategy to Impact, Powered by Science

We deliver high impact knowledge that turns the complex challenges of today into competitive advantages for the future.

Our Expertise

For over 45 years, USC Marshall’s Center for Effective Organizations has helped Fortune 500 companies redesign for growth, innovation, and the future of work. Our world-renowned researchers and practitioners provide leading-edge evidence based research, practical tools, and education to help mid to large sized organizations turn strategy into action through:

Organization Design

Transformation

Humans@Work

Organization Design

Transformation

Future of Work

In good company

For decades, we’ve partnered with Fortune 500 companies across industries to bridge research and practice, creating measurable improvement in performance and capability.

Get Connected

Featured Initiatives Driving Transformation & the Future of Work

RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT
DR. SHARNA WIBLEN

Who’s Making Your Talent Decisions?

Talent decisions shape not just today, but the future of every organization. In her latest article, published in MIT Sloan Management Review, Sharna Wiblen challenges us to reflect on the often-hidden influence of technology—algorithms, vendors, and systems—on talent decisions. Are these frameworks designed to drive business outcomes? READ MORE >

Dr. Sharna Wiblen is a globally recognized thought leader and award-winning executive educator in talent management, technology, and the future of work. With a deep academic foundation and practical expertise, she researches and advises executives on strategically aligning talent, technology, and decisions for strategy execution.

RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT
DR. JOHN BOUDREAU

The Future of HR: Five Essential but Overlooked Questions

The future of HR is inextricably entwined with the future of work, leadership, society and organizations. It has long been insufficient to consider the future of HR strictly from the perspective of changes in the HR function, its organization, its operating model and its technology. READ MORE >

Dr. John Boudreau is recognized worldwide for breakthrough research on the bridge between superior human capital, talent and sustainable competitive advantage. His research has received the Academy of Management’s Organizational Behavior New Concept and Human Resource Scholarly Contribution awards.

RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT
DR. ALEC LEVENSON

Driving Organizational Change with Data – in the Age of AI

Over the past quarter century, workforce/people analytics has become central to the work of HR. Yet good analytical work often fails to gain traction. And even though AI is poised to transform how analytics is conducted, it cannot solve the challenge of integrating data-based insights with effective organizational change. Integrating analytical practices with organization development and change practices can help each of these HR specialties be stronger, driving better overall outcomes for the organization, and make the best use of what AI has to offer. READ MORE >

Dr. Alec Levenson has been featured in numerous academic and business publications, and in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, The Economist, CNN, Associated Press, U.S. News and World Report, National Public Radio, Los Angeles Times, USA Today, Marketplace, Fox News, and many other news outlets. Alec has received research grants from the Sloan Foundation, Russell Sage Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, U.S. National Science Foundation, China National Science Foundation, and National Institute for Literacy.

RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT
DR. ALEXIS FINK

Uncertain Times Call for Analytics

We are living through a tornado of change in organizations. When things change, our old practices often don’t work as well – or, we’re worried that they won’t work as well. So, we change them – often on pretty shaky evidence. But most of the time when we do this, we are looking at a symptom – not at the root cause. Like a Sisyphean game of whack-a-mole, that root cause keeps throwing up problems in new places. READ MORE >

Dr. Alexis Fink is a seasoned technology executive and scholar. Her corporate career spans senior roles at Microsoft, Meta, Intel and BASF, most recently as VP of People Analytics and Workforce Strategy at Meta. She has spent her career leading through technical and organizational transformations. She’s recognized as a thought leader in Future of Work, People Analytics, AI activation, leadership and organizational change..

RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT
DR. JENNIFER DEAL

Generational Differences are Vastly Exaggerated

In this episode of WorkLife with Adam Grant, Jennifer Deal explores the root causes of age-related stereotypes, how they hinder everyone, and what we can do to bridge generational divides in the workplace. Drawing from over two decades of research across industries and geographies, she found that while people of different generations may bring unique experiences, they share far more in common than we often assume, especially when it comes to what they want from work.. LISTEN >

Jennifer J. Deal is a senior research scientist at the Center for Effective Organizations and a contributor to The Wall Street Journal’s “Experts” panel on leadership. Her work focuses on global leadership and generational differences, and has been featured in such media outlets as the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, The Economist, The Guardian, Harvard Business Review, strategy+business, Forbes, South China Morning Post, Globe and Mail, and Training Development Magazine..

RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT
DR. JOHN BOUDREAU

The Future of HR: Five Essential but Overlooked Questions

Shape Strategy & Drive Impact with Our Learning Experiences

We broaden your access
and extend your reach.

Meeting and working with prominent leaders in the field doesn’t end at the completion of research, a project, or a program. Everyone who engages with CEO becomes part of an ever-growing, highly-influential community that includes a robust network of business and academic leaders, as well as the entire alumni organization of the USC Trojan family.

600+

articles written by our research scientists and affiliated faculty

30+

books published by our research scientists

#7

worldwide in the UT Dallas Top 100 Business School Research Rankings for 2025
(#7 in the US)

Deepen your understanding and sharpen your skills: Organizational design is a cornerstone of competitive advantage and performance.

From Strategy to Impact, Powered by Science

Taking Well-Being to the Next Level

Our Expertise

In good company

Featured Initiatives Driving Transformation & the Future of Work

Who’s Making Your Talent Decisions?

The Future of HR: Five Essential but Overlooked Questions

Driving Organizational Change with Data – in the Age of AI

Uncertain Times Call for Analytics

Generational Differences are Vastly Exaggerated

RESEARCH SPOTLIGHTDR. JOHN BOUDREAU

The Future of HR: Five Essential but Overlooked Questions

Shape Strategy & Drive Impact with Our Learning Experiences

We broaden your access and extend your reach.

600+

30+

#7

From Strategy to Impact,
Powered by Science

RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT
DR. JOHN BOUDREAU

We broaden your access
and extend your reach.