About Robert M Yawson Consulting

Robert M. Yawson, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Management and the Graduate Programs Assessment Coordinator at the School of Business, Quinnipiac University, CT. He is an active member of the Quinnipiac University community. Robert serves on the Faculty Senate. He is the Chair of the University Education Committee, member of the Research Policies Committee, member of the University Learning Assessment Council, and a member of the Board of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Service to Students.

Robert has a BS in Chemistry and MPhil in Biochemistry, University of Ghana; Post Graduate Certificate in Food Management, Hebrew University of Jerusalem; MS in Science, Technology and Environmental Policy, Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota; and PhD in Organizational Leadership, Policy and Development, University of Minnesota. 

Prior to joining Quinnipiac University, he worked as Quality Control Officer of S. C. Johnson Wax (Ghana) Ltd.; General Manager of Animens Industries Limited, Ghana; Scientific Secretary and later as Head of Administration (HR) of the Food Research Institute (FRI), Ghana; a Research Analyst for the BioBusiness Alliance of Minnesota; Instructor at the Department of Organizational Leadership, Policy and Development, University of Minnesota; and a Senior Research Fellow with the International Consulting firm, Partners for Change. Robert has consulted for the World Bank and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and has worked on several multilateral and bilateral projects in Africa. As a Research Analyst for the BioBusiness Alliance of Minnesota, Robert worked with a team of Consultants from Deloitte, LLC on the Destination 2025 project: a state-wide 20-year visioning initiative and roadmap to help give clarity to the nature and timing of investments that are needed for Minnesota to sustain a long-term competitive position in the biosciences industry. 

Robert is a member of the Connecticut Academy of Arts and Sciences and several other professional bodies. Robert is Co-Editor of the Organization Management Journal, Associate Editor of the Human Resource Development Quarterly, Associate Editor of the International Journal of Business and Systems Research, and Editorial Board Member of the Advances in Developing Human Resources. He has served as the Track Chair Editor of the Organization Development and Change Track of the 2015 Academy of Human Resource Development (AHRD) Conference in the Americas, the Associate Proceedings Editor of the 2016 Conference, the Proceedings Editor of the 2017 Conference, and the Program Chair of the 2018 Conference. Robert was the Track Chair Editor of the Business Strategy Track of the 54th Annual Eastern Academy of Management 2017 Conference and the Track Chair Editor for the Leadership Track of the 56th Annual Conference in 2019. Robert also serves as an Associate Editor for the Social Issues in Management Division of the Annual Academy of Management Conferences.

Robert is a member of the Board of Directors of the Academy of Human Resource Development; member of the Board of Governors of the Eastern Academy of Management; and served as a member of the Executive Committee of the Public and Nonprofit Division of the Academy of Management as the Chair of the 2019 Best Book Award Committee. He has also served on the Wayne R. Pace Book of the Year Committee of the AHRD since 2014. In 2015, Robert served as Grant Applications Reviewer for the Israeli Ministry of Science, Technology, and Space. 

Robert has over 80 publications including peer review papers in leading academic journals such as the Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Human Resource Development Quarterly, R & D Management Journal, Human Resource Development Review, Journal of Vocation Education Training, among several others. His current research is on using the "wicked problem construct" for leading organizational development and change, and using a systems approach to human resource development for emerging technologies.