Broad professor Brian Pentland named Fulbright U.S. Scholar to advance research on organizational dynamics

Brian Pentland, Main Street Capital Corporation Intellectual Capital Professor in the Department of Accounting and Information Systems

Brian Pentland, Main Street Capital Corporation Intellectual Capital Professor in the Department of Accounting and Information Systems, has been named a Fulbright U.S. Scholar, a prestigious recognition awarded by the U.S. Department of State to distinguished academics and professionals conducting research and teaching abroad.

As part of his award, Pentland will be hosted by Johannes Kepler University (JKU), where he will collaborate with his colleague and co-author, Waldemar Kremser, on advancing the emerging theory of path nets. Kremser, university professor and Head of the Institute of Strategic Management in the JKU College of Business, has played a central role in shaping this innovative framework. Together, Pentland and Kremser will explore how the movement of people, resources, and information over time forms the dynamic fabric of organizational life. This work has the potential to significantly influence how scholars and practitioners understand change, coordination, and complexity in modern organizations.

Pentland and Kremser, along with co-author Kenneth Goh, associate professor of strategy & entrepreneurship at Singapore Management University, recently introduced the concept of path nets in the Academy of Management Review. Path nets offer a new way to capture the intricate movements of people, resources, and information within organizations, what Pentland and his colleagues refer to as not just the “doings and sayings” but also the “comings and goings” that shape organizational outcomes.

This research on path nets offers a transformative lens for analyzing the dynamics of organizations. Unlike traditional models that focus solely on what individuals do or say, path nets emphasize the flow of actors, resources, and information through time, revealing how patterns of interaction shape outcomes like innovation, coordination, and change. This approach has the potential to deepen our understanding of how organizations evolve, adapt, or become stuck in rigid routines. By applying path nets to real-world data, ranging from digital communication logs to ethnographic observations, Pentland and Kremser aim to provide researchers and practitioners with a powerful toolkit for navigating today’s complex organizational challenges.

“Path nets help us see the full picture of how organizations really function,” said Pentland. “By tracking how actors and resources move and intersect over time, we uncover the hidden patterns that drive stability, change, and innovation. This research offers valuable tools for business leaders and scholars alike to better understand the dynamics of organizing.”

Pentland and Kremser will also lead a hands-on practicum at JKU entitled “How to Construct and Analyze Path Nets”, inviting graduate students and researchers to apply the path net methodology to research projects based on their own interests.

Since 1946, the Fulbright Program has enabled over 400,000 students, scholars, artists, and professionals to study, teach, and conduct research abroad. Fulbrighters exchange ideas, build cross-cultural connections, and tackle complex global challenges. Distinguished alumni include 62 Nobel Laureates, 93 Pulitzer Prize winners, 82 MacArthur Fellows, and 44 heads of state or government.

Each year, over 800 scholars and more than 2,000 recent graduates, graduate students, and early-career professionals participate in the Fulbright U.S. Scholar and Student Programs, including teaching and research exchanges in over 160 countries.

Funded by the U.S. Government and supported by host governments, institutions, and foundations worldwide, the Fulbright program is managed in the U.S. by the Institute of International Education on behalf of the U.S. Department of State.

Eleven faculty and nine students* from Michigan State University were offered Fulbright awards for the 2025-26 academic year. Learn more about their work at the International Studies & Programs website.