Max Kagan

Ph.D. Candidate | University of California, Berkeley

I am currently a Ph.D. candidate at the University of California, Berkeley. Beginning in fall 2024, I will be a Postdoctoral Research Scholar in the Management Division at Columbia Business School.

My research relies upon quantitative empirical work using big data, field experiments, and survey experiments to find causal evidence on when and why companies take public stances on controversial political and social issues and how important stakeholder groups (e.g., employees, customers, regulators, and investors) view these actions. I'm also interested in studying political polarization in the workplace and public attitudes towards corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives.

My research has been supported by a number of organizations, including the National Science Foundation.

Prior to my graduate studies, I worked for several years at McKinsey & Company, where I was based in Dubai and in New York. I also worked as an investor for an early-stage private equity firm focused on business services and financial technology, and for the the Good Jobs Institute, a nonprofit that partners with companies in retail, elder care, and other service industries to create good jobs that enrich the lives of workers while also working towards improving business operations.