Biography
Brad Agle is the George W. Romney Endowed Professor, and Professor of Ethics and Leadership in the Marriott School of Management at Brigham Young University (BYU). He also serves as a Fellow, and Chair of the Ethics Initiative in the Wheatley Institution at BYU; as Chair of the biennial Teaching Ethics in Universities conference; as Past President of the International Association for Business and Society; on the editorial board of Business Ethics Quarterly; and on the Advisory Board of RLG Group.
Previous to his appointment at BYU in 2009, he spent 17 years as a professor of Strategy, Organizations, and Environment in the Katz Graduate School of Business at the University of Pittsburgh, where he also served for eight years as the inaugural director of the David Berg Center for Ethics and Leadership. During his time in Pittsburgh, he also served on the Board of Directors of the Oncology Nursing Society, the Executive Committee of the Social Issues in Management Division of the Academy of Management, the Executive Board of the International Association for Business and Society, as a Senior Research Fellow with the Ethics Resource Center in Washington, D.C., as Co-chair of the Pittsburgh Business Ethics Award, and as a judge for the American Business Ethics Awards. Earlier in his career he was the Andersen Fellow for Chief Executive Studies and Research Director at the Center for Leadership and Career Studies at Emory University (currently the Chief Executive Leadership Institute at Yale).
Dr. Agle is an active researcher concentrating on business ethics, stakeholder management, CEO leadership and religious influences on business. His writings appear in journals such as the Academy of Management Review, Academy of Management Journal, Business Ethics Quarterly, Journal of Business Ethics, Business and Society, Harvard Business Review, Human Relations, Sloan Management Review, Leadership Quarterly, and Organizational Dynamics. His work has been featured in various media outlets including the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, USA Today, and CNN; and he has been a guest on CNBC’s “Morning Call”, “Power Lunch”, and “Closing Bell”. His publication awards include the Best Article award from the International Association for Business and Society, and the ANBAR citation of excellence. His 1997 article on stakeholder management has been found to be the most heavily cited article in the field of corporate social responsibility.
A recipient of multiple teaching awards, including Distinguished Professor of the Year honors, Dr. Agle teaches courses in business ethics and strategic leadership, and he has taught in Brazil, China, Britain, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. His teaching brought the University of Pittsburgh the distinction of being the #2 ranked executive MBA program in the world in business ethics by Business Week. In the undergraduate area, Dr. Agle created the Certificate Program in Leadership and Ethics, the world’s first integrated undergraduate specialty in ethical leadership in business. He has provided board training, executive level seminars, and top executive consulting to organizations including Alcoa, Ceska Sporitelna, Federated Investors, Giant Eagle, Mellon Financial, Marathon Petroleum, St. Clair Hospital, US Steel, U.S. Marine Corps, and Wabtec. He has also served as an expert witness on business ethics. In 2005 he was honored by the Pittsburgh Business Times with their Fast Tracker award as one of the young people making significant contributions to his/her profession and community. His community involvement included service with the Woodlands Foundation, Boy Scouts, and as Bishop of the Cranberry Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
Dr. Agle received a Ph.D. in Business Management from the University of Washington and a B.S. in Information Management from BYU. Prior to his academic career, he worked for Seattle First National Bank and IBM. In 2014 he published the book “Research Companion to Behavioral Ethics in Organizations: Constructs and Measures.” In 2016 he published the book "The Business Ethics Field Guide." Brad and his wife Kristi are the parents of Erik, Lindsay, Christian, and Amanda.
Research Interests
Stakeholder TheoryEthics Education
Business Ethics
Religion and Business
Teaching Interests
Business EthicsCharacter Development
Philosophy of Science and Research Methods
Strategic Leadership
Education
- PhD, Organization & Environment , Business Strategy, Research Methods, University of Washington (1993)
- B.S., Information Management , Brigham Young University (1986)
Honors and Awards
- George W. Romney Endowed Professorship, Brigham Young University (2009 - Present)
- Fellow, International Association for Business and Society (2020 - 2020)
- Lowell Benson Lifetime Service Award, BYU Management Society (2020 - 2020)
- Fellow, Wheatley Institution (2009 - 2020)
- Best Article Award, International Association for Business and Society (2018 - 2018)
- South Zone Contributor Award, USA Synchro (2018 - 2018)
- Finalist for Best Book Award, Social Issues in Management Division of the Academy of Management (2016 - 2016)
- Outstanding Citizenship Award, Marriott School of Management (2016 - 2016)
- Distinguished Professor of the Year, University of Pittsburgh EMBA program - Sao Paulo (2009 - 2009)
- Excellence in Teaching Award, University of Pittsburgh, EMBA program, Undergraduate Program (2008 - 2008)
- Excellence in Teaching Award, University of Pittsburgh, EMBA program (2007 - 2007)
- Excellence in Teaching Award, University of Pittsburgh, EMBA program (2005 - 2005)
- Fast Trackers - Young people making significant professional and community contributions, Pittsburgh Business Times (2005 - 2005)
- Best Article Award, International Association for Business and Society (1999 - 1999)
Memberships
- Society for Corporate Compliance and Ethics (2017 - Present)
- Association for Practical and Professional Ethics (2016 - Present)
- Ethics and Compliance Initiative (2015 - Present)
- International Society for Business Ethics and Economics (2008 - Present)
- Society for Business Ethics (1993 - Present)
- International Association for Business and Society (1990 - Present)
- Academy of Management (1989 - Present)
Professional Citizenship
- Editorial Review Board Member, Business Ethics Quarterly (2015 - Present)
- Conference-Related Role, Society for Business Ethics (2014 - Present)
- Board Member, BYU Management Society (2010 - Present)
- Officer (specify in Other), Society for Business Ethics and the Wheatley Institution (2009 - Present)
- Reviewer, Ad Hoc Reviewer, Academy of Management (2009 - Present)
- Reviewer, Ad Hoc Reviewer, International Association for Business and Society (2009 - Present)
- Board Member, New England Science and Sailing (2022 - 2024)
- Conference-Related Role, Association for Practical and Professional Ethics (2017 - 2020)
- Conference-Related Role, Academy of Management (2010 - 2019)
- Officer, International Association for Business and Society (2014 - 2019)
- Officer (specify in Other), International Association for Business and Society (2017 - 2018)
- Committee/Council Member, USA Synchro (2011 - 2018)
- Reviewer, Ad Hoc Reviewer, Strategic Management Society (2009 - 2014)
- Other, Brigham Young University and Notre Dame University (2011 - 2013)
- Other, Invited Conference on Stakeholder Theory (2009 - 2010)
- Other, Society for Business Ethics (2009 - 2010)