Letian Zhang

Assistant Professor of Business Administration

Letian (LT) Zhang is an assistant professor of business administration in the Organizational Behavior Unit. He teaches the Leadership course in the MBA required curriculum.

Professor Zhang studies cross-country differences and organizational inequality. His current projects examine (1) how cross-country differences in societal culture and policies influence firms' human capital strategies and (2) how job design choices shape organizational inequality. Professor Zhang has published in top management and sociology journals such as Administrative Science Quarterly, American Journal of Sociology, American Sociological Review, and Organization Science.

Professor Zhang earned a Ph.D. in sociology from Harvard University and a B.S. in mathematics from Stanford University,

Organizational Behavior

+1 (617) 495-3480

Unit

Organizational Behavior

Contact Information

(617) 495-3480

Publications

Journal Articles

Journal Articles

Zhang, Letian. "The Changing Role of Managers." American Journal of Sociology 129, no. 2 (September 2023): 439–484. View Details
Zhang, Letian, Mitali Banerjee, Shinan Wang, and Zhuoqiao Hong. "The Fragility of Artists’ Reputations from 1795 to 2020." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 120, no. 35 (August 29, 2023). View Details
Zhang, Letian. "Racial Inequality in Work Environments." American Sociological Review 88, no. 2 (April 2023): 252–283. View Details
Wilmers, Nathan, and Letian Zhang. "Values and Inequality: Prosocial Jobs and the College Wage Premium." American Sociological Review 87, no. 3 (2022): 415–442. View Details
Zhang, Letian. "Regulatory Spillover and Workplace Racial Inequality." Administrative Science Quarterly 67, no. 3 (September 2022): 595–629. View Details
Zhang, Letian. "Shaking Things Up: Disruptive Events and Inequality." American Journal of Sociology 127, no. 2 (September 2021): 376–440. View Details
Zhang, Letian. "A Fair Game? Racial Bias and Repeated Interaction between NBA Coaches and Players." Administrative Science Quarterly 62, no. 4 (December 2017): 603–625. View Details
Zhang, Letian. "An Institutional Approach to Gender Diversity and Firm Performance." Organization Science 31, no. 2 (March–April 2020): 439–457. View Details
Zhang, Letian. "Who Loses When a Team Wins? Better Performance Increases Racial Bias." Organization Science 30, no. 1 (January–February 2019): 40–50. View Details
Turban, Stephen, Dan Wu, and Letian Zhang. "When Gender Diversity Makes Firms More Productive." Harvard Business Review (website) (February 11, 2019). View Details
Randle, Dominika Kinga, and Letian Zhang. "High-Status Teammates: Award Evaluation in the National Basketball Association." Organization Science (forthcoming). (Pre-published online, May 8, 2024.) View Details

Working Papers

Working Papers

Zhang, Letian, and Shinan Wang. "Trusting Talent: Cross-Country Differences in Hiring." Working Paper, October 2023. View Details

Cases and Teaching Materials

Cases and Teaching Materials

Zhang, Letian, and Anthony Mayo. "Growing Pains at Coohom (A)." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 425-012, August 2024. View Details
Feldberg, Alexandra C., Letian Zhang, and Anthony J. Mayo. "A Framework for Understanding Racial Disadvantage within Organizations." Harvard Business School Background Note 422-035, October 2021. View Details
Zhang, Letian, and Anthony J. Mayo. "Growing Pains at Coohom (B)." Harvard Business School Supplement 422-034, September 2021. View Details
Zhang, Letian, and Anthony J. Mayo. "Growing Pains at Coohom (A)." Harvard Business School Case 422-009, September 2021. (Revised August 2022.) View Details

All Publications

Letian (LT) Zhang is an assistant professor of business administration in the Organizational Behavior Unit. He teaches the Leadership course in the MBA required curriculum.

Journal Articles

Zhang, Letian. "The Changing Role of Managers." American Journal of Sociology 129, no. 2 (September 2023): 439–484. View Details
Zhang, Letian, Mitali Banerjee, Shinan Wang, and Zhuoqiao Hong. "The Fragility of Artists’ Reputations from 1795 to 2020." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 120, no. 35 (August 29, 2023). View Details
Zhang, Letian. "Racial Inequality in Work Environments." American Sociological Review 88, no. 2 (April 2023): 252–283. View Details
Wilmers, Nathan, and Letian Zhang. "Values and Inequality: Prosocial Jobs and the College Wage Premium." American Sociological Review 87, no. 3 (2022): 415–442. View Details
Zhang, Letian. "Regulatory Spillover and Workplace Racial Inequality." Administrative Science Quarterly 67, no. 3 (September 2022): 595–629. View Details
Zhang, Letian. "Shaking Things Up: Disruptive Events and Inequality." American Journal of Sociology 127, no. 2 (September 2021): 376–440. View Details
Zhang, Letian. "A Fair Game? Racial Bias and Repeated Interaction between NBA Coaches and Players." Administrative Science Quarterly 62, no. 4 (December 2017): 603–625. View Details
Zhang, Letian. "An Institutional Approach to Gender Diversity and Firm Performance." Organization Science 31, no. 2 (March–April 2020): 439–457. View Details
Zhang, Letian. "Who Loses When a Team Wins? Better Performance Increases Racial Bias." Organization Science 30, no. 1 (January–February 2019): 40–50. View Details
Turban, Stephen, Dan Wu, and Letian Zhang. "When Gender Diversity Makes Firms More Productive." Harvard Business Review (website) (February 11, 2019). View Details
Randle, Dominika Kinga, and Letian Zhang. "High-Status Teammates: Award Evaluation in the National Basketball Association." Organization Science (forthcoming). (Pre-published online, May 8, 2024.) View Details

Working Papers

Zhang, Letian, and Shinan Wang. "Trusting Talent: Cross-Country Differences in Hiring." Working Paper, October 2023. View Details

Cases and Teaching Materials

Zhang, Letian, and Anthony Mayo. "Growing Pains at Coohom (A)." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 425-012, August 2024. View Details
Feldberg, Alexandra C., Letian Zhang, and Anthony J. Mayo. "A Framework for Understanding Racial Disadvantage within Organizations." Harvard Business School Background Note 422-035, October 2021. View Details
Zhang, Letian, and Anthony J. Mayo. "Growing Pains at Coohom (B)." Harvard Business School Supplement 422-034, September 2021. View Details
Zhang, Letian, and Anthony J. Mayo. "Growing Pains at Coohom (A)." Harvard Business School Case 422-009, September 2021. (Revised August 2022.) View Details

Additional Information