Gavin Schwarz

Gavin Schwarz is a Professor and Head of School at the School of Management and Governance within the UNSW Business School. He specializes in organizational change, organizational failure and inertia, and the dynamics of virtual teams, with a focus on how organizations fail during change processes and how to develop applied strategies for change management. His work spans diverse sectors including healthcare, technology, and education, with publications in leading journals such as Academy of Management Learning and Education and Administrative Science Quarterly.

• Education: PhD in Management (University of Queensland), MPhil (Hons) in Management (University of Auckland), BA in Management and English (University of Auckland).
• Grants: 2020 Brock University grant for "University communication in times of COVID-19", 2020 UNSW Medicine grant for "Translation and change: Embedding effective change management in health", and earlier Australian Research Council and Gordon J. Samuels Fellowship awards.

His research explores the development of knowledge in organizational theories, with an emphasis on collective responses to change, HR management during crises, and technology strategy. He has contributed to understanding organizational communication, team innovation, and structural inertia. His 15 most recent publications cover topics from AI’s role in organizational change to pandemic-driven research adaptation, with keywords spanning management science, behavioral economics, and digital transformation.

Scientific Awards

• 2021-2023: Outstanding Reviewer Awards (Academy of Management Review)
• 2017-2020: Best Reviewer Awards (Journal of Organizational Behavior)
• 2019, 2013, 2011: Best Paper Finalist/Awardee (Academy of Management divisions)
• 2007, 2006: Editorial Board Excellence (Academy of Management Journal) and Gordon J. Samuels Fellowship

As an active supervisor in organizational change and HR development, his work supports healthcare innovation and digital transformation. He serves as Editor-in-Chief for the Journal of Applied Behavioral Science and is on the editorial boards of Academy of Management Review, Journal of Management, and Journal of Organizational Behavior. Contact: g.schwarz@unsw.edu.au