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“I tell students to call me ‘Jackie,’” said Jacqueline Coyle-Shapiro, preeminent scholar and management professor at CSUSB’s Jack H. Brown College of Business and Public Administration. “I’m trying to reduce the psychological difference between them and me. You know, the only thing that differentiates me from the students is the knowledge that I have about organizational behavior and leadership.”
With an egalitarian approach, matched by significant expertise and drive, Coyle-Shapiro brings both intellect and impact to her teaching and research. She is a deeply respected scholar and educator whose distinguished career includes faculty appointments at the University of Oxford’s School of Management and the London School of Economics. She is also a past president of the prestigious Academy of Management, the oldest and largest scholarly management association in the world, where she continues to influence the field of organizational behavior with her research on employee-organization relationships and social impact.
When asked what she’s most proud of, she names her five-year tenure on the Academy of Management’s Board of Governors and her role as president during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic – “a challenging, but also highly rewarding experience,” she said. “I’m also proud of my research.”
Her most recent study, published in the highly regarded Academy of Management Journal in 2024, examines a compelling subject. Titled "How Do Fieldworkers in Poverty Craft Meaningful Roles to Achieve Social Impact? Female Teachers in Slums in India," the study investigates the transformative power of relational job crafting — how small, intentional actions by teachers can significantly elevate the aspirations and learning experiences of children in marginalized communities. The research reflects nearly a decade of dedication and underscores her belief in the transformative power of human connection.
“What we found was that if these schoolteachers engaged in building a deeper relationship with the kids, spending more time with them and knowing their situation, we found that it was changing these slum schoolkids’ aspirations,” she said. “In other words, a small, small act can create a huge impact.”
Her extensive body of work, which includes 95 publications and nearly 15,000 citations, ranges from psychological contracts to exploitation in industries such as healthcare, education and the gig economy. Her scholarship consistently bridges theory and practice, grounded in a belief that research should drive real-world impact.
That commitment also drew her to Cal State San Bernardino in 2019.
“I was drawn to the university’s mission and values,” she said, citing CSUSB’s emphasis on access and equity in higher education. “The faculty here are also the nicest in terms of colleagues who are generous and collegial.”
Coyle-Shapiro’s approach to teaching is equally as thoughtful as her research. She views learning as a collaborative effort, emphasizing that students who actively engage with the material will reap the greatest benefits. "What you put in, you get out," she said.
Her lectures are infused with compelling anecdotes, cutting-edge research, and deep analysis, keeping students on their toes and pushing them to think critically. Her classes are demanding, but her students leave empowered, having learned an incredible amount. Her teaching style is also marked by humor and authenticity, which helps students stay engaged — even when the material stretches them.
“I’ve got to teach with a large degree of integrity,” she said. “Otherwise, there’s no point. That is always driving me in the classroom.”
Her impact is perhaps best captured by those she’s taught.
“Dr. Coyle-Shapiro is the real deal,” said former student and MBA alumnus Geoffrey Escher. “She was one of the most brilliant professors I had in my MBA program. Her organizational behavior class was demanding but incredibly rewarding – she challenged us to think deeply and brought the material to life in a way that has left a lasting impact.”
Outside the classroom, Coyle-Shapiro maintains a high standard of excellence, evident in both her research productivity and her fitness regimen. A boxer and former basketball and tennis player, she recently completed a 100-day challenge of doing 100 push-ups per day. "I’m always looking for my next physical challenge," she said. Her relentless pursuit of improvement, whether intellectual or physical, is a defining trait.
As she continues to drive forward in both her research and teaching, Coyle-Shapiro remains committed to making a meaningful difference in her field and in the lives of her students. Her goal for her students is simple but profound: to shape them into thoughtful, evidence-based decision-makers.
"What’s most important to me is getting students to think critically because that is a skill they can carry through to their organizations,” she said. “Every academic year, I hope to have a direct impact on at least a handful of students.”