Jonathan Cromwell headshot

Johnathan Cromwell

Associate Professor

Full-Time Faculty

Biography

Associate Professor Johnathan Cromwell's research focuses on how people collaborate with each other as they define, solve, and change problems while working on creativity and innovation projects in organizations. This work helps advance a nascent theoretical framework called "dynamic problem solving," which aims to explain when, why, and how people can fluidly shift between different models of problem-solving as they work within various constraints in organizations.

Cromwell's teaching focuses on helping students learn how to understand and apply multiple perspectives during problem-solving so that they can become a bridge between organizational silos in their future careers. To this end, Cromwell teaches an exciting new course called Product Engineering, which aims to give non-technical students a better understanding of how engineers think, solve problems, and view the world around them. He also teaches a course on Creativity, Innovation, and Applied Design, in which students learn the theory and application of various models of problem-solving.

Expertise

  • Entrepreneurship
  • Innovation
  • Creativity
  • Organizational behavior

Research Areas

  • Creative thinking
  • Creative problem solving
  • Innovation in teams

Appointments

  • Affiliated faculty member of the Department of Engineering

Education

  • Harvard Business School, DBA Management, 2018
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology, S.B. in Chemical-Biological Engineering, 2009

Awards & Distinctions

  • Editorial Board, Academy of Management Review: 2023-2026
  • Outstanding Conference Paper, INGRoup Conference: 2021
  • Best Paper Award, Academy of Management, OB Division: 2018
  • Conference Proceedings (x6), Academy of Management: 2017 (x2), 2018, 2020 (x2), 2022
  • Academy of Management Review Outstanding Reviewer Award: 2020

Selected Publications