PDF: Curriculum vitae
Education
PhD
Strategic Management, University of Toronto, Joseph L. Rotman School of Management, 2015
MBA
Strategy (First Class Honors), University of Toronto, Joseph L. Rotman School of Management, 2006
BEng
Chemical and Materials Engineering, Royal Military College of Canada, 1992
Employment History
2020- Faculty Lead — Prince’s Trust Canada
Kenneth C. Rowe School of Business, Faculty of Management, Dalhousie University, NS
2016-19 Director — International Student Success Program
Kenneth C. Rowe School of Business, Faculty of Management, Dalhousie University, NS
2015- Assistant Professor — Strategic Management
Kenneth C. Rowe School of Business, Faculty of Management, Dalhousie University, NS
Research fields of interest
social networks, organizational strategy and strategic change, complexity, embeddedness
Teaching interests
strategy (core and organizational), organizational theory, social networks, organizational sociology
Research
Published Papers
1 Cunningham, P, Drumwright, ME, Foster, KW. 2019. Networks of complicity: Social networks and sexual harassment. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, 40(4): 392-409. https://doi.org/10.1108/EDI-04-2019-0117
2 Foster, KW. 2015. A network-learning model of strategic change. Academy of Management Proceedings, 1: 17177.
Working Papers
1 Shades of organization past: The influence of organizational membership on new network formation
theory paper from dissertation (under revision for submission)
2 Twists and turns, starts and stops: Understanding the transgenerational paths of family firms
empirical paper with Albert James & Binod Sundararajan (under revision for submission)
3 The story of embeddedness and reciprocity
theory, literature review, future directions (under revision for submission)
Work in Progress
1 Organizational social networks and interdependence
theory paper from dissertation (under revision for submission)
2 An NK-landscape model of network search
theory paper from dissertation (under revision for submission)
3 Network search and optimization of leaders and followers
theory paper with Bill McEvily & Mike Ryall (revising theory)
4 The role of identity in leadership emergence in innovative collectives
empirical network paper with Kristin Cullen (analyzing data)
Conference presentations
2019 7th International Symposium on Marketing Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility, Karlstad, SE
Networks of complicity and empowerment: Social networks and sex harassment
2019 Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology 34th Annual Conference, Washington, DC
Sex harassment: Networks of complicity and empowerment
Session 293: From #MeToo to What Now — The Problem of Sex Harassment
presented by co-author
2018 Canadian Council for Small Business Enterprise, Halifax, NS
Social capital and the family business: A typology of transgenerational succession
Session 2.2: Family Business Succession Planning
Live cases and the integration of theory and practice in strategy education
Session 4.2: Entrepreneurship Education & Pedagogy II
2018 14th Family Enterprise Research Conference (FERC), Universidad Panamericana, Guadalajara, Mexico
Social capital and the family business: A typology of transgenerational succession
presented by co-author
2018 6th International Symposium on Marketing Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility, Nottingham, UK
Networks of complicity and empowerment: The influence of social networks on ethical decision-making
2017 Academy of Management 77th Annual Meeting, Atlanta, GA
Organizational strategic change and self-organizing networks
BPS/OMT division session 1488: Linking Formal Organization and Informal Social Structure
AoM Showcase Symposium
Social networks in the family business context
ENT/MC/ODC division session 1838: Longevity and Resilience at the Interface of Family, Business and the
Environment
2017 International Multidisciplinary Academic Conference, Orlando, FL
Live cases and the integration of theory and practice in strategy education
2017 2nd Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Leadership Symposium
The role of identity in leadership emergence in innovative collectives
accepted, unable to attend
2016 Atlantic Schools of Business Conference, 46th Annual Conference, Halifax, NS
Trust, family, and networks: Why do some family businesses stay and others go
Entrepreneurship session
A network-learning model of strategic change
Strategy session
2015 Academy of Management, 75th Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC
A network-learning model of strategic change
OMT division session 2126 – Hierarchy, Politics and Organizational Learning: Four Simulations
2014 Collective Intelligence Conference, MIT, Boston, MA
Modeling dynamic network evolution in the context of strategic change
2014 Organization Science Winter Conference XX, Steamboat Springs, CO
Modeling dynamic network evolution in the context of strategic change
2011 Academy of Management, 71st Annual Meeting, San Antonio, TX
Predicting tie strength from organizational identification: A theory and empirical test
OMT division session 1172 – Organizational Identity
2009 Medici Summer School in Management Studies, La Pietra (NYU), Florence, Italy
Social capital and organizational identity
2005 NATO Operational Analysis Seminar, The Hague, The Netherlands
Operational analysis for force-on-force conflicts (Air): Methods and lessons learned
Invited presentations
2021 Faculty of Management (Research Day), Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS
Twists and turns, starts and stops: Understanding the transgenerational paths of family firms
2018 Faculty of Management (Research Day), Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS
Networks of complicity and empowerment: The influence of social networks on ethical decision-making
2016 Rowe School of Business, Faculty of Management, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS
An NK-landscape model of network search
2015 Rowe School of Business, Faculty of Management, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS
Informality rising: Organizational change and self-organizing networks
2015 IAE Toulouse School of Management, Toulouse 1 Capitole University, Toulouse, FR
Informality rising: Organizational change and self-organizing networks
2014 Raj Soin College of Business, Wright State University, Dayton, OH
Informality rising: Organizational change and self-organizing networks
Invited consortia
2018 Canadian Council for Small Business Enterprise, Halifax, NS
Paper Development Workshop organized by Journal of Small Business and Entrepreneurship
2014 Academy of Management, 74th Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, PA
BPS Dissertation Consortium
(session with Hart Posen, Wisconsin)
2011 Academy of Management, 71st Annual Meeting, San Antonio, TX
OMT Doctoral Student Consortium
(session with Michael Pratt, Boston College; and Anne Bowers, UofT)
2011 Reputation Institute, 15th Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA
Doctoral Student Pre-Conference Consortium
(with David Deephouse, UAlberta; Naomi Gardberg, CUNY-Baruch; and Davide Ravasi, Bocconi)
2009 Academy of Management, 69th Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL
OMT Dissertation Proposal Workshop (session with David Whetten, BYU)
2009 Medici Summer School in Management Studies, La Pietra (NYU), Florence, Italy
Organizational categories and identities
Conference Participation
2019 7th International Symposium on Marketing Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility, Karlstad, SE
2019 Society for the Advancement of Management Studies Forum, Cambridge, UK
2018 Canadian Council for Small Business Enterprise, Halifax, NS
2018 6th International Symposium on Marketing Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility
2017 Academy of Management, 77th Annual Meeting, Atlanta, GA
2016 Atlantic Schools of Business, 46th Annual Conference, Halifax, NS
2015 Academy of Management, 75th Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC
2014 Facilitating the Creation and Transfer of Knowledge (NSF), The Wharton School, University of
Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
2014 Academy of Management, 74th Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, PA
2014 Collective Intelligence Conference, MIT, Boston, MA
2014 Organization Science Winter Conference XX, Steamboat Springs, CO
2011 Academy of Management, 71st Annual Meeting, San Antonio, TX
2011 Reputation Institute, 15th Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA
2009 Academy of Management, 69th Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL
2007 Identity, innovation and learning, Tepper School of Management, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
Teaching
Course development and delivery
2015- Rowe School of Business, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS
COMM 1010 Global business (first-year core; winters 2021, 2022; COVID not rated)
COMM 4351 Competitive strategy (fourth-year core; fall 2018; 4.64)
COMM 4352 Strategic management (fourth-year core; winters 2016-2023; 4.93)
BUSI 6005 Strategy implementation (second-year core; winters 2018-2023; 4.88)
BUSI 6914 How to get ahead: Social capital (elective; winter 2021; COVID not rated)
MGMT 6735 Public Service leadership (executive education; summers 2021, 2023; COVID not rated)
2014-2015 TA, Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON
RSM 1213 Model-based decision-making
RSM 2023 Strategic change and implementation
RSM 2061 Leveraging strategic networks
2000-2006 Canadian Forces College, Toronto, ON
National Security Studies Program — Master of Defence Studies
cap-stone lectures and case-study
Advanced Military Studies Program — Master of Defence Studies
cap-stone lectures and simulation case study
Joint Command and Staff Program — Master of Defence Studies
cap-stone lectures and simulation case study
European field study (“staff ride” — planned learning event)
Professional development
2018- Dalhousie Faculty Certificate in Teaching and Learning (enrolled)
Core course: Learning focused course design (completed 2019)
Studio course: Beyond content (completed 2019)
Studio course: Engaging in the scholarship of teaching and learning (completed 2019)
Studio course: Teaching dossier workshop (completed 2019)
Studio course: Foundations in online course design (completed 2020)
Instructor
1998-1999 Royal Canadian Air Force, 415 (Maritime Patrol) Squadron, Greenwood, NS
Navigator professional category training (progression, and annual theory and practical exams)
Service
Reviewing Experience
Academy of Management (OMT Division) — 2011 to present
Canadian Journal of Small Business and Entrepreneurship — ad hoc
Administrative Science Quarterly — ad hoc
Journal of Management Studies — ad hoc
Journal of Small Business and Entrepreneurship — ad hoc
Management Science — ad hoc
Personnel Review — ad hoc
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada — ad hoc
Southern Management Association — 2021 to present
Dalhousie University institutional committees (internal)
Dalhousie University Senate — member
Dalhousie University Senate Appeals Committee — Panel Chair, and member
Dalhousie University International Student Support Team — member
Faculty of Management (FoM) BCOMM Program Review Committee — member
FoM BMGMT Program Committee — member
FoM Strategy and Structural Change Committee — member
Rowe School of Business (RSB) Strategic Renewal Steering Committee — member
RSB Rank, Appointment, Tenure, and Salary Committee — member
RSB BCOMM Program Committee — member
RSB Prince’s Operation Entrepreneur (POE) — Faculty Lead, and mentor
RSB BCOMM International Student Case Competition — faculty advisor
RSB BCOMM Jeux du Commerce Central (JDCC) — Strategy team faculty coach; RSB Faculty Co-captain
RSB BCOMM Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) — faculty advisor
RSB Tenure-track Faculty Search Committee (OB hire, Strategy LTA hire) — member
Memberships
Academy of Management (BPS, OMT)
Administrative Sciences Association of Canada
European Group for Organization Studies
Informs (Management Science, Organization Science, Strategy Science)
Industry Experience
2011-2013 Director – Subsidized Education Programs, Canadian Forces Recruiting Centre, Toronto, ON
2009-2011 Director – Strategic Plans, Joint Task Force Central/Land Force Central Area, Toronto, ON
2006-2009 PhD Student, Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON
2000-2006 Strategic Planning Analyst/Project Manager/Modeling and Simulation Manager,
Canadian Forces College, Toronto, ON
1995-2000 Tactical Navigator/Crew Lead Navigator, 415 (Maritime Patrol) Squadron, Greenwood, NS
1992-1995 Air Navigator Training, Winnipeg, MB
Awards
Outstanding Service Award, Nova Scotia School Athletic Federation
Rocky Lake Junior High School, 2020
Faculty of Management Teaching Excellence Award (Finalist)
Faculty of Management, Dalhousie University, 2018, 2019
Insight Development Grant
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, 2018
KPMG Family Business Centre research grant, Rowe School of Business, Dalhousie University, 2018
Rowe School of Business, Dalhousie University, 2016
Research Development Fund grant
Rowe School of Business, Dalhousie University, 2016
School of Graduate Studies Conference Travel Grant
University of Toronto, 2011
Clasp to Canadian Forces Decoration (22 years of distinguished service)
Royal Canadian Air Force, 2010
Canadian Forces PhD scholarship
Department of National Defence, 2006-7, 2007-8, 2008-9
Bregman Scholar and Dean’s List (Top 10% – MBA Graduation)
Rotman School of Management, UofT: 2006
Dean’s List (First Class Honours – MBA First Year)
Rotman School of Management, UofT: 2003
Canadian Forces Decoration (12 years of distinguished service)
Royal Canadian Air Force: 2000
Swordfish of the Year (Commanding Officer’s award for operational and service excellence)
Royal Canadian Air Force, 415 (Maritime Patrol) Squadron: 1999
Languages
Fluent in French
Bill Foster, CD, PhD 