Kwon, D. & Sorenson, O. 2023. “The Silicon Valley Syndrome.” Entrepreneurship Theory & Practice, 47(2), 344-368.
• Summarized in Yale Insights, January 2020
• Summarized in UCLA Anderson Review, January 2021
Kwon, D. & Steemers, F., "Perpetually in Dispute: Jurisdictional Overlap and Task Changes in Occupations" [Revise & Resubmit at Organization Science]
• Winner, OMT Best Paper Award, Academy of Management Conference (2024)
• Presented at the 16th Annual People and Organizations Conference (2023)
Abstract: In this project, we examine how jurisdictional overlap, measured as task similarity between occupations, affects the tasks performed in occupations. Specifically, we examine how jurisdictional overlap affects the core and peripheral tasks of an occupation and whether it affects high- and low-education occupations differently. Using data from online job postings, we show that when task similarity with other occupations increases, low-education occupations tend to lose their tasks more than high-education occupations. Notably, low-education occupations appear to lose their peripheral tasks as well as their more complex core tasks. We suggest that this process could contribute to the widening of task and skill disparities between occupations.
Kwon, D. & Bidwell, M., “Brought In or Brought Up: The influence of Manager Origin on Subordinate Career Outcomes" [In preparation for Organization Science]
• Presented at the 18th Annual People and Organizations Conference (2025)
Abstract: There is growing concern that frontline jobs in retail and other service sectors offer limited opportunities for upward mobility, frequently being described as "dead-end” jobs. Recognizing that managers act as crucial gatekeepers to advancement in these positions, we examine how a manager's background shapes the career outcomes of their subordinates. Specifically, we focus on how the manager's career origin, whether brought in internally or hired externally, affects subordinates' promotions. Using 10 years of personnel data from a large U.S. retailer, we find that subordinates working under internally hired managers are more likely to be promoted compared to those working under externally hired managers. These effects are strongest when the manager was promoted from within the same unit. Subordinates who have a prior working relationship with their manager experience even stronger effects, with mediation analyses indicating that these relational ties represent a key mechanism underlying the effect. Our findings contribute to research on employee careers, internal labor markets, and managerial effectiveness by showing that how managers enter their roles influence the career trajectory of their subordinate employees.
Kwon, D. & Adler, L., “Lateral Moves and Employee Career Outcomes" [Data Analysis]
• Partnering with U.S. technology company to analyze career outcomes of lateral moves
Adler, L., Dinh, M. & Kwon, D., “The Effect of Pay Raises on Different Demographic Groups" [Data Analysis]
• Partnering with U.S. technology company to identify and analyze the effects of pay raises
Bidwell, M. & Kwon, D., “Measuring the Skills of Frontline Workers" [Data Collection]
• Research Grant rewarded by Walmart Foundation
Chang, M. & Kwon, D., “Task Structure and Entrepreneurship" [Data Collection]
• Using U.S. national surveys to examine the effect of task structure on entrepreneurship