Michael J. Urick, Dean of the McKenna School of Business, is a Professor of Management and Operational Excellence and the Graduate Director of the Master of Science in Management program at the Alex G. McKenna School of Business, Economics and Government at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pa. He received his Ph.D. in Management (Organizational Behavior focus) from the University of Cincinnati; his M.B.A. in Human Resource Management and MS in Leadership and Business Ethics from Duquesne University; and his B.S. in Accounting from Saint Vincent College. Dr. Urick has taught a variety of courses including: Organizational Behavior, Introduction to Management, Operations Management, Supply Chain Management, Research Methods, Human Resource Management and Leadership. His research in the areas of identity in organizations, generations in the workforce, leadership, business ethics and conflict has been published in several journals and edited book chapters as well as featured at prestigious international conferences including meetings of the Academy of Management and Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology. Additionally, Dr. Urick serves as an ad hoc reviewer for a variety of journals, edited books and conferences. Prior to his academic career, Dr. Urick worked in the utilities, human resources and internal auditing fields. Dr. Urick is an active independent consultant for several regional organizations and currently serves on the board of directors for the Institute for Supply Management Pittsburgh chapter. He is also a member of the Society for Human Resource Management, the International Leadership Association, the Academy of Management, the Pittsburgh Human Resources Association, the Westmoreland Human Resources Association and APICS. In his spare time, Dr. Urick is an avid reader, enjoys fencing and performs (vocals and trumpet) with a jazz combo.
Urick, M. J. 2022 (forthcoming). Leadership in Multigenerational Organizations: Strategies to Successfully Manage an Age Diverse Workforce. Emerald Publishing.
Urick, M. J. 2021. Leadership in Middle-earth: Theories and Applications for Organizations. Emerald Publishing.
Urick, M. J. 2021. A Manager’s Guide to Using the Force: Leadership Lessons from a Galaxy Far Far Away. Emerald Publishing.
Urick, M. J. 2019. The Generation Myth: How to Improve Intergenerational Relationships in the Workplace. Business Expert Press.
Szpaderski, A. & Urick, M. J. (eds.) 2018 (first edition); 2020 (second edition). Management and Welfare: Applications and Theories of Leadership for the Economy, State, and Healthcare. HPL Publications, Inc.
Szpaderski, A. & Urick, M. J. (eds.) 2018. Essential Principles for Managers: Innovative Approaches to Examining Foundational Theories of Management and Leadership. HPL Publications, Inc.
Szpaderski, A. & Urick, M. J. (eds.) 2018. Diversity and Performance: Multidisciplinary and Nontraditional Styles of Leadership and Management in Action. HPL Publications, Inc.
Provance, T. W., Ramisetty, S. B., Urick, M. J. & Wieczorkowski. 2022. Building and evolving a culture of excellence: A conceptual exploration. Measuring Business Excellence, online first.
Weber, J. & Urick, M. J. 2021. Searching for a stronger generational understanding than just age: A multi-country analysis of millennials’ personal values and moral reasoning. Journal of Intergenerational Relationships, online first.
Li, J. & Urick, M. J. 2020. Using Marvel’s The Avengers to teach team-related concepts. Journal of Organizational Behavior Education, 13, 103-130.
Urick, M. J. 2020. Generational differences and COVID-19: Positive interactions in virtual workplaces. Journal of Intergenerational Relationships, 18, 379-398.
Knapp, J. R., Sprinkle, T. A., Urick, M. J., & Delaney-Klinger, K. A. 2019. The belonging model of trust. Nonprofit Management and Leadership, 30, 133-153.
Hisker, W. J. & Urick, M. J. 2019. Benedictine leadership. Journal of Leadership and Management, 15, 256-262. (note this is a reprint of a 2018 book chapter in Diversity and Performance: Multidisciplinary and Nontraditional Styles of Leadership and Management in Action)
Lyons, S. T., Schweitzer, L., Urick, M. J., & Kuron, L. 2019. A dynamic social-ecological model of generational identity in the workplace. Journal of Intergenerational Relationships, 17, 1-24.
Urick, M. J. & Sprinkle, T. A. 2019. Teaching leadership: Using Wonder Woman to highlight the importance of gender diversity. Management Teaching Review, 4, 173-181.
Urick, M. J. 2018. Becoming a Jedi Manager: The Force awakens through classic leadership perspectives. Journal of Leadership and Management, 14, 206-211. (note this is a reprint of a 2018 book chapter in Essential Principles for Managers: Innovative Approaches to Examining Foundational Theories of Management and Leadership)
Urick, M. J., Gilvarry, D., Li, M., Riesmeyer, R. 2018. Everyone should have something to point to: Themes in Studs Terkel’s “Working.” Journal of Leadership and Management, 13, 147-153.
Urick, M. J., Li, M., Konur, S., & Smith, T. 2018. Social barriers to implementing continuous improvement initiatives: A qualitative exploration. Journal of Management for Global Sustainability, 6, 99-128.
Urick, M., Cline, T., Gnecco, J., & Jackson, D. 2018. Affective well-being and counterproductive behavior in healthcare housekeepers. Journal of Leadership and Management, 11, 42-49.
Urick, M. J. & Arslantas, A. 2018. A comparison of US and Turkish perspectives of generations. Gerontology & Geriatrics Studies, 3, http://crimsonpublishers.com/ggs/pdf/GGS.000553.pdf.
Sprinkle, T. A. & Urick, M. J. 2018. Three generational issues in organizational learning: Knowledge management, perspectives on training, and “low-stakes” development. The Learning Organization, 25, 102-112.
Weber, J. & Urick, M. J. 2017. Examining the millennials’ ethical profile: Assessing demographic variations in their Personal Value Orientations. Business and Society Review, 122, 469-506.
Urick, M. J., Hisker, W. J., & Godwin, J. L. 2017. Management response to “Laudato Si”: An Operational Excellence perspective. Journal of Biblical Integration in Business, 20, 20-29.
Urick, M. J. 2017. The aging of the sandwich generation. Generations – Journal of the American Society on Aging, 41, 72-76.
Urick, M. J., Adams, D. E., Smith, T. 2017. Taylorism and Operational Excellence: Improving on the “one best way.” Journal of Leadership and Management, 9-10, 17-21.
Urick, M. J., Racculia, N. 2017. Ethical decision making in “Game of Thrones”: Applying leadership from Westeros to business. Journal of Leadership and Management, 9-10, 9-16.
Urick, M. J., Hollensbe, E. C., & Fairhurst, G. T. 2017. Differences in understanding “generation” in the workforce. Journal of Intergenerational Relationships, 15, 221-240.
Urick, M. J. 2017. Adapting training to meet the preferred learning styles of different generations. International Journal of Training and Development, 21, 53-59.
Urick, M. J., Hollensbe, E., Masterson, S. S., & Lyons, S. 2017. Understanding and managing intergenerational conflict: An examination of influences and strategies. Work, Aging, and Retirement, 3, 166-185.
