Gies College of Business

PODCAST: The problem with treating your organization like a machine

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Oct 27, 2026 John Moist Business Administration Faculty Podcasts Research


Organizations work more like living systems than machines. Elizabeth Luckman’s research suggests leaders get better, more ethical problem-solving by building conditions where employees feel safe to speak up, contribute meaningfully, and learn through experimentation.

In this episode of Research Reverb, Elizabeth Luckman explains how seeing workplaces as complex adaptive systems changes a leader’s role. Trust, employee autonomy, and opportunities to learn can help teams build healthier workplace cultures.

 

 

Check out all of our previous episodes on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and LIKE and SUBSCRIBE:

October 13, 2026 – Navigating AI in accounting firms
September 29, 2026 – Why media attention on climate action can backfire
September 15, 2026 – When influencers use AI to interact with fans and consumers
September 5, 2026 – Ambulance Taxis: Curbing Medicare Fraud Without Hurting Patients
May 5, 2026 – Give or Get? The Science of Workplace Recognition
April 21, 2026 – Smarter Scheduling for Chronic Care
April 7, 2026 – The Surprising Link Between FDA Action and Drug Supply
March 24, 2026 – The Pollution Shell Game – Why Divestment Doesn’t Always Leave the Planet Greener
March 10, 2026 – How Human-Machine Teamwork is Transforming Healthcare
February 24, 2026 – How Gig Work Fuels Entrepreneurship
February 10, 2026 – Why Erasing Small Medical Debts Didn’t Improve Financial Health
January 27, 2026 – From the Pitch to the Boardroom: Lessons in Global Leadership
November 18, 2025 – Short Trips, Big Shifts: E-Scooter rollout study raises mobility, safety concerns
November 4, 2025 – The Transparency Tightrope: Inside corporate tax disclosures
October 21, 2025 – Relational Overload: How to thrive in a world of constant collaboration
October 7, 2025 – What’s in a name? The secret to product survival in competitive industries
September 24, 2025 – Can clinical trial transparency stunt drug novelty?
September 9, 2025 – The Surprising Truth Behind Loving your Favorite Food
August 26, 2025 – Why High-Status Teams Get More Effort (and What Leaders Can Do About It)
May 20, 2025 – Can Community Notes really stop misinformation on social media?
May 6, 2025 – How mobile app failures disrupt in-store shopping journeys
April 22, 2025 – Earnings manipulation revealed: What executives are really saying
April 8, 2025 - The hidden costs of cheating: Lessons from the Houston Astros scandal
March 25, 2025 - The Surprising Link Between Creativity and Self-Indulgence

 

Gies College of Business
515 East Gregory Drive
Champaign, IL 61820
Phone: 217-300-7327