David A. Hofmann

Associate Dean, MBA Program
Professor of Organizational Behavior/Strategy

Teaches: Leadership and Organizational Behavior

Teaches in the following programs: MBA, Executive Education, PhD

Research, teaching and impact on business
Hofmann's research is helping to make space flight safer after the Columbia disaster. Several of his research projects led to the joint development of an organizational culture assessment instrument in partnership with Behavioral Science Technology, Inc. (BST)

After the Columbia disaster, BST used the new instrument to assess NASA's safety and organizational culture. Also as part of this project, Hofmann designed workshops on how people make decisions and the cognitive biases that affect them.

Under a new grant program, Hofmann is studying:

• The implications of communication networks on nursing units and
• Their implications for effectively dealing with medical errors

He believes that this initial research investigation will ultimately lead to interventions designed to impact how errors are managed after they occur. This could have "big implications" for the medical field, he says.

In class, he often uses examples from his research and consulting projects to highlight certain points. He also takes the training that he develops for managers and adapts it for his students. For instance, he's now running decision-making workshops for his MBA students and Executive Education clients.

What makes the UNC Kenan-Flagler student experience different
Hofmann says UNC puts emphasis on building the leadership skills of its students. He urges students to keep "a big picture perspective" and to focus on developing and practicing those skills during their time in Chapel Hill.

Something personal
In his spare time, he likes to bike.

Also a runner and swimmer, he competes in a triathlon event at least once a year.

Bio and areas of expertise

Close & Return