Laudatio by Mitchell P. Koza
It is great privilege and honor to welcome Bob Hinings as Honorary Member of EGOS.
Bob is a productive and esteemed scholar, leader in the field of organizational studies, and a much valued member of EGOS. His record, of course, is exceptional. Bob is the Thornton A. Graham Professor of Business in the Department of Organizational Analysis, Faculty of Business, University of Alberta, and Director of the Centre for Professional Service Firm Management. He was appointed to the Graham Chair in January, 1988. In 1986–87 he held a McCalla Professorship, and from 1999–2000 he was a Killam Professor. From 1987–88 he was Chairman of the Department of Organizational Analysis.
In 1999 he was the recipient of the Distinguished Scholar Award from the Organization and Management Theory Division of the U.S. Academy of Management. In the same year he was the Distinguished Speaker in Organization Theory at the Administrative Sciences Association of Canada. In 2000 he was made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada in the Academy of Humanities and Social Sciences. He was also made a Fellow of the U.S. Academy of Management in that year. He received the Kaplan Award for Excellence in Research from the University of Alberta in 2000.
He is currently Co-Editor of our own Organization Studies and a member of the Editorial Board of Administrative Science Quarterly and Advances in Comparative Management. From 1988–1994 he was Editor, Organizational Behaviour, for the Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences. He is a regular reviewer for the SSHRC, Academy of Management Journal, Academy of Management Review, Organization Science, and the Journal of Management Studies.
He has been a member of the Executive Committee of the Administrative Sciences Association of Canada, and has held visiting professorships at Griffith University, Brisbane, the University of New Brunswick, Tampere University, Copenhagen Business School and the University of Western Sydney, Macarthur.
Prior to coming to Canada in 1983, Bob Hinings was Associate Director of the Institute of Local Government Studies, University of Birmingham, England, responsible for an extensive research programme in organizational change, and held the Chair of Organizational Studies. He has published 8 books and more than 100 papers.
In addition to the significant academic accomplishments, Bob is a scholar and teacher in the oldest and best sense of those words. In talking to many senior and more junior members of the profession, I was struck with the unanimity of opinion, from those he has worked with closely. Bob is always described in glowing terms. Some quotes:
'always carries and exceeds his contribution'; 'always sensitive to citation and giving credit where due'; 'willing, indeed eager, to work collectively in a team'; 'careful to attribute good ideas to others (even when he has had a major influence)'; 'a gentleman of the old school'.
I can think of no greater accolades for a scholar.
It is a privilege and honor to welcome Bob Hinings as the 2003 Honorary Member of the European Group for Organization Studies. He is a true EGOSian and sets a standard for us all.