Danielle Zandee

Prof. Danielle Zandee is a Professor of Sustainable Organizational Development at Nyenrode Business University, affiliated with the Faculty Research Center for Strategy, Organization & Leadership. She focuses on enabling sustainable enterprise through action research and appreciative inquiry approaches, blending organizational development with innovative collaborative practices. Her work emphasizes dialogic methods, generative processes, and systemic change, often involving executive education and cross-sector collaborations.

Zandee holds a Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior from Case Western Reserve University, where she collaborated with David Cooperrider on Appreciative Inquiry initiatives. Her research explores how organizations can nurture creativity and resilience through transformative discourses, theatrical metaphors, and generative inquiry. She advises PhD students in action research projects and has facilitated organizational change globally for firms like Shell, IBM, and Vitens.

Her scholarship bridges theory and practice, addressing topics like institutional transformation, collective learning, and sustainable leadership. Recent work highlights actionable strategies for grand challenges, boundary-crossing collaboration, and scaling social innovations. She serves on advisory boards for Ashridge/Hult University and the Rechtbank Gelderland, reflecting her commitment to applying academic insights for societal benefit.

Zandee’s publications showcase a focus on actionable, generative research methodologies. Key themes include appreciative inquiry’s philosophical foundations, the role of dialogue in organizational change, and institutional complexity navigation. Her articles frequently integrate artistic metaphors (e.g., theatrical rehearsal) to reimagine organizational design, emphasizing creativity and systemic playfulness in achieving sustainability.