The management department would like to highlight faculty member Dr. Jeffrey B. Arthur.

Dr. Jeffrey B. Arthur is an Associate Professor in the Management Department. He teaches graduate and undergraduate classes in strategic human resource management, compensation and performance management, and employee and labor-management relations. Dr. Arthur received his undergraduate degree in Political science from the University of California, Santa Cruz and went on to Cornell University to complete his Master’s and Ph.D. degrees in Industrial Relations. Dr. Arthur has taught at Purdue University and Fairfield University and has been at Virginia Tech since 2000. Dr. Arthur says teaching here has been a great experience. Virginia Tech was a place where he could go and do the things he wanted such as doing research and raising a family. He says the Management Department is a good fit for his Ph.D. and interests.

Dr. Arthur’s research is currently focused on a couple of projects. The first is understanding the effects of public employee recognition programs and customer satisfaction. He is currently conducting empirical research on a hospital program where patients can provide written recognitions for acts of care givers that go “above-and-beyond” formal job duties. Employees receiving these written patient recognitions are then publicly recognized at a monthly luncheon with the hospital CEO. He wants to learn what the relationship is between monthly changes in the number of employee recognitions and average patient satisfaction over time. Dr. Arthur is also conducting research that will help him understand the impact of U.S. state-level income inequality on employees’ job satisfaction and wellbeing and how the types of HR practices in the organization affect this relationship.

Dr. Arthur’s favorite part about his job is teaching in areas that he is passionate about and conducting research. Dr. Arthur says he has been teaching for 30 years and has enjoyed seeing how the content of the topics he teaches as well as student interest in these topics has evolved over time. Outside of work, Dr. Arthur likes to ride bikes and exercise. He enjoys doing home improvement and spending time with his two grandchildren as well as his two sons. He also enjoys going to Cabo Fish Taco, Mellow Mushroom, and The Palisades Restaurant.

When asked what advice he would give to incoming Pamplin freshmen, he said ““some students will come in and know what they want to do and they should find the major, area, and people they want to work with and pursue it right away. Other students are less clear on what they want to do. They should explore and find out more about the different majors as well as become involved in student clubs and engage with professionals working in the area.  Figure out what interests you and try classes in that area to see if you like them or not. Find something that you can be passionate about.”