Christopher Porter

Research Area(s)

goals and motivation, work-nonwork interface, collaborative behaviors 

Biography

Christopher O. L. H. Porter is the Strickler Professor of Management in the Pamplin College of Business at Virginia Tech. His primary research interests concern the challenges employees experience when they pursue multiple goals. He is particularly interested in the simultaneous pursuit of goals in work and nonwork settings. Christopher’s other research interests include work motivation, including the role that leaders play in motivating employees, and collaborative behaviors at work.

Christopher’s research has been published in a number of journals, including Academy of Management Journal, Academy of Management Review, Journal of Applied Psychology, Journal of Management, and The Leadership Quarterly. He currently serves on the editorial boards of Academy of Management Journal, Journal of Management, and The Leadership Quarterly. He has served as an Associate Editor at Africa Journal of Management and Journal of Management. He is currently an Associate Editor at Journal of Applied Psychology, which is one of the premier journals of the American Psychological Association.

Prior to joining Virginia Tech, Christopher was a OneAmerica Endowed Chair and Professor of Management at the Kelley School of Business (Indiana). While at Kelley, he served as a Faculty Coordinator with tenure-track faculty in Management, Marketing, and Operations under his portfolio. He also served a term as the Chair of Kelley’s Physician MBA Program. Prior to joining Kelley, Christopher was an Associate Professor of Management at Mays Business School (Texas A&M).

In addition to his Ph.D. in Business Administration from Michigan State University, Christopher holds a master’s degree in Criminal Justice with a specialization in policing and law enforcement (Michigan State University) and a bachelor’s degree in Psychology (Morehouse College). In addition to his academic experience, Christopher worked as a consultant with the National Juvenile Detention Association and the Michigan Council on Crime and Delinquency. He has and continues to consult with criminal justice agencies and with private and public sector companies on issues such as leadership, team composition, performance management, organizational entry, turnover, and reemployment among others.