Robert Harris

Robert Harris serves as Assistant Professor of Organizational Leadership in the College of Business at Lewis University, leveraging 25+ years of industry experience from corporations including IBM, HP, and AT&T. His expertise spans leadership development, strategic management, and international business partnerships across undergraduate and graduate programs.

His academic credentials include:

• Ph.D. from Benedictine University
• M.S. from Roosevelt University
• B.A. from Ohio State University
• M.O.T. certification from University of Illinois
• PMP certification from Project Management Institute

Dr. Harris's research investigates Organization Leadership in extreme environments, Capacity Building for international development, and Entrepreneurship in underserved communities. His work examines leadership dynamics in Chicago's urban settings and African healthcare systems, emphasizing sustainable partnership models between academic institutions and NGOs.

Analysis of his 2013-2020 publications reveals consistent exploration of leadership under adversity, with geographic focus on Chicago's West Side and Sub-Saharan Africa. The corpus bridges business management, community development, and cross-cultural studies, demonstrating how organizational development frameworks apply to both corporate and humanitarian contexts through case studies of gymnastics programs, healthcare initiatives, and economic development projects.

No scientific awards were documented in the provided materials.

Dr. Harris teaches Marketing, Project Management, Leadership, and Organizational Behavior courses while maintaining active research collaborations. His community engagement includes the Bethel Business Accelerator initiative with Bethel New Life CDC, resulting in a published West Side economic development white paper. Conference presentations at the Academy of Management and Africa Academy of Management reflect his international scholarly contributions.

He directs applied research through partnerships with Bethel New Life CDC, focusing on West Side Chicago business sector development. Current initiatives examine NGO capacity building sustainability in South Africa and transnational education partnerships across Sub-Saharan Africa, connecting academic theory with community-based economic development.