Brenda Jaewon Myung

I am a Ph.D. Candidate in Strategy at The Ross School of Business, University of Michigan, and a research fellow at the Ross Equitable Opportunity Lab. 

I am on the 2025-2026 academic job market. 

My research explores the social construction and evolution of organizational performance. Specifically, I examine why and how organizations come to pursue dimensions that they did not initially consider relevant for performance, such as diversity or sustainability. 

My dissertation develops and empirically tests a novel Theory of Performatization. Integrating insights from the behavioral theory of the firm and social movement research, I propose that dimensions are performatized—pursued as performance—through a feedback process between organizations and society as organizations align their goals with evolving societal aspirations. Collectively, my research program shows that performance is multidimensional and evolving, shaped through ongoing interactions between firms and society. 

Empirically, I employ a mixed-methods approach with a focus on econometric analyses of archival data and natural language processing. I test my theory using corporate board appointments of firms on the S&P 1500 and their SEC filings from 2008 to 2025. 

I received my M.S. in Strategy from Seoul National University and my B.S. in Human Development & Business from Cornell University. Outside of research, I enjoy running, traveling, and cooking for dinner parties I host with family and friends. 

You can find my CV here and contact me at bmyung@umich.edu