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Sarah Otner
Associate Professor of Innovation Management | PhD FHEA CMBE AcadMCIPD FRSA
Sarah Otner is an Associate Professor of Innovation Management at the University of Sussex Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU).25 She is a behavioral scientist with a focus on how individuals gain and maintain social status, as well as how they judge deservingness in allocating social status to others.1
Research Interests and Expertise
Dr. Otner's principal research interests combine:
- Organization theory
- Strategy
- Networks
- Innovation
She approaches these topics using methods from economic sociology, social psychology, and economics.1 Her research specifically focuses on:
- Awards and prizes
- Design and mechanisms of competitions
- Peer effects among elites
- Invisible status effects during blinded judging
- Innovation tournaments and Grand Challenge prizes1
Academic Background and Affiliations
Dr. Otner holds several academic qualifications and professional memberships:
- PhD
- Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
- Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CMBE AcadMCIPD)
- Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA)2
Teaching and Leadership
Sarah Otner teaches courses at various levels, from undergraduate to Executive MBA, covering subjects such as:
- Organizational behavior
- Organization theory
- Negotiations
- Networks
- Innovation
- Leadership1
She has also served as a Research Mentor and Staff Development Lead.3
Current Projects and Initiatives
Dr. Otner is currently involved in several ongoing projects, including:
- Prize scarcity
- Prize sharing
- Establishment of new prizes
- Prize refusals1
She is also a British Academy Innovation Fellow4 and is associated with the Innovation Caucus.6
In summary, Sarah Otner is a multifaceted academic with a strong focus on innovation management, social status dynamics, and the impact of awards and prizes in organizational settings.
Highlights
I have just turned on my "out of office" auto-reply message. Bookended by a few days of annual leave, I will travel to the US for the Junior Faculty Organizational Theory Conference (Harvard Business School); the Summer Institute of Computational Social Science (Northwestern University); the Academy of Management annual meeting (Chicago); some top-up teacher training (Kellogg School of Management); and data collection for The #PerfumeProject. These are the final (funded) activities of my fellowship from The British Academy, for which I am eternally grateful.
After that, my OOO will become a permanent re-direct: I am moving to Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU) at University of Sussex Business School, where I will be Associate Professor (with tenure) of Innovation Management! ("College sweatshirt" photo taken on Brighton beach, in front of Eugenius Birch's West Pier remains.)
My #research portfolio on #awards, #careers, and the #CreativeIndustries will expand. We will have new projects on #fragrance, #architecture, #FineArt, #wine - with a core of #Sustainability - and deep connections to the local economy and its expertise. We are actively seeking #industry partners for knowledge exchange and executive development.
My teaching will return to the foundations (quantitative research methods, networks, infographics, and doctoral education), and I am excited about the new opportunities for leadership and service.
My new inbox is open.
Winding down from a productive and intense week in #Newcastle.
Best breakfast meeting with Jenny Davidson. She's achieving things that I have only just started envisioning.
Thank you to the Entrepreneurship & Innovation Group at Newcastle University Business School for hosting my #research seminar! Paul Richter & Jonathan Sapsed
A wildly generative #KnowledgeExchange event, with Fiona Whitehurst, Holly Patrick-Thomson, & Holly Ball
True peer development - and great fun with Professor Ron Beadle & Dr. Jacqueline Holland - during External Examiner scrutineering.
Very deep thanks to Emily Yarrow for her hospitality. It was so special to see your hometown and the places that are meaningful to you, with you. Lovely session of "setting the world to rights" as only we can do. I can't wait until the next one!
Thank you to The British Academy for making this possible.
