Melrose & The Toro Company Center for Principled Leadership

Kate Barr (2024). Barr is the former President and CEO of Propel Nonprofits and current Senior Advisor for the Minnesota CDFI Coalition. Barr has served, and continues to serve, the Minnesota community with her extraordinary tenacity, authenticity, and incredible sense of commitment and responsibility. For over 25 years, Barr’s principled leadership as the President and CEO of Propel Nonprofits - a Minneapolis-based nonprofit whose mission is to increase the impact and effectiveness of nonprofits through guidance, expertise, and resources - has helped change the conversation around nonprofit finance. Her work as a leader, innovator, integrator, and educator has helped make sure hundreds of nonprofits are financially able to fulfill their missions and subsequently have a significant, long-lasting positive impact on the communities they serve. Watch this video to learn more about Kate's extraordinary principled leadership and her service to the common good.

George Lee (2023). Lee's genuine care for people is at the core of his character. Poverty alleviation, vocational skills development, promotion of sustainable industry, elimination of discrimination, urban waste management, hazardous waste reduction, and climate change mitigation are just a few of the United Nations Sustainable Development goals achieved here in Twin Cities as a result of Lee's unwavering dedication to create social enterprises focused on BOTH providing comprehensive job training for individuals facing barriers to employment AND responsible electronic waste recycling. Watch this video to learn more about George's profound impact as a leader and his service to the common good.

Erica Neubert Campbell (2022). Campbell is the epitome of a principled leader: Empathic, authentic, and driven to serve others. Her commitment to purposefully and positively impacting the Twin Cities community through her leadership at the Pinky Swear Foundation is inspiring. Listen to this podcast and watch this video to learn more about Erica and her incredible passion and service to the common good.

Galon Miller (2021). Miller is the CEO of Cyber Intelligence Cyber Security, LLC; founder and executive director of Cyber Warrior Foundation, Inc.; consultant for Project Got Your Back; & partner with Eagle Group of Minnesota Veterans. He continues serving our nation and community by helping veterans obtain meaningful employment and access to necessary services upon reentry to civilian life. Listen to this podcast and watch this video to learn more about Miller's passionate commitment to veterans and his service to the common good.

Caroline Njau (2021). Accepting the award on behalf of Minnesota Frontline Healthcare Workers was Caroline Njau. As Senior Vice President Patient Care Services & Chief Nursing Officer at Children's Minnesota, Njau proudly accepted this award on behalf of thousands of healthcare workers who gave their time and talents while risking their own wellbeing to to help our communities through the COVID-19 pandemic. Listen to this podcast and watch this video to learn more about the Minnesota Frontline Healthcare Workers and their extraordinary service to the common good.

Omar Williams (2021). As chair of the 3M Employee Resource Network: Black Leadership Advancement Coalition (3M BLAC) and 3M Area Business Leader for Precision Grinding & Finishing, US & Canada, Williams' amplifies black excellence and social justice and racial equity for African Americans and other underrepresented groups within the company Listen to this podcast and watch this video to learn more about Williams' service to an equitable and just common good.

April 29, 2025: Beauty and Work LIVE event and podcast recording of a panel of students, professionals and experts who discussed the reality of and opportunities for beauty and work integration.

April 9, 2025: Moral Realism and Relativism in Higher Education. Online webinar co-sponsored with the Jay Phillips Center for Interreligious Studies.

December 2024: Executive MBA class viewed A Christmas Carol at the Guthrie Theater to discuss play themes in connection to degree learnings.

October 2024: Center co-hosted panel discussion with REPOWERED to highlight businesses best practices for sustainability and human-centered management.

September 2024: Afterclass Literary Event.

June 2024: Skeleton Crew Afterclass Guthrie Theater Event.

February 2024: Minneapolis Institute of Art Afterclass Event.

December 2023: Opus College of Business Joy at Work Event at the Minneapolis Institute of Art.

December 2023: Executive MBA class to see A Christmas Carol at the Guthrie Theater and discuss play themes in connection to degree learnings.

February 2023: Blues for an Alabama Sky Guthrie Theater Event.

December 2022: Executive MBA class to see A Christmas Carol at the Guthrie Theater and discuss play themes in connection to degree learnings.

May 2022: A Raisin in the Sun Guthrie Theater Event.

December 2020: A Christmas Carol virtual event.

The Center's podcast, Work in Progress with Christopher Wong Michaelson, discusses every working person’s work in progress, namely, our quest to be fully human in a working world that all too often makes us feel like machines, in which we often don’t even have time to think, and that, in the words of Studs Terkel, too often feels like “a Monday through Friday sort of dying.” Listen below:

Episode 28: Moral Realism and Relativism in Higher Education: A discussion encircling a culture of encounter. Is their one truth or is the truth relative? Are some moral values better than others? Are some cultural artifacts worth teaching and preserving more than others? Guided by perspectives in history, theology, and ethics from St. Thomas faculty (listed below) this conversation aims to foster understanding across differing values and religious beliefs as well as explore how shared values and a deeper understanding of moral differences can lead to a more inclusive higher education culture and stronger societal connections.

• Dr. Shaherzad Ahmadi, Associate Professor of History
• Dr. Laurel Potter, Assistant Professor of Theology
• Dr. Christopher Wong Michaelson, Barbara and David A. Koch (“coach”) Endowed Chair in Business Ethics & Academic Director of the Melrose & The Toro Company Center for Principled Leadership

Episode 27: Beauty and Work: A LIVE panel discussion with St. Thomas students, professionals, and experts. Is beauty something that's antithetical to work, or is beauty to be found anywhere and everywhere, including work? During this LIVE podcast recording, hear from St. Thomas students who talk about the future of work that they are hoping for, from professionals who share their everyday reality of work, and scholars who connect goodness, truth, and beauty to meaningful work and a meaningful life.

Panelists include:

• Cheniqua Morrison, majors in English and Film Studie
• Joe Burbach, major in Business Administration
• Katie Iverson, majors in Accounting and Law and Compliance, minor in Philosophy
• Maija Garcia, Director of Education and Professional Training, Guthrie Theater
• Quentin Moore, VP Advancement, Ascension Catholic Academy
• John Sullivan, J.D, Nonprofit Board Member and Retired General Counsel, Carlson Companies
• Mark McInroy, Th.D, Associate Chair of the Theology Department; Founding Co-Director of the Claritas Initiative
• Wendy Wyatt, Ph.D, Vice Provost for Academic Affairs; Founding Co-Director of the Claritas Initiative

Episode 26: Fantasy Football and the Good Life, featuring Coach Glenn Caruso.Is fantasy football part of the good life, is it just a colossal waste of time – or worse?This podcast is ordinarily about work, but this episode is about play, and whether any redeeming consequences come from the work that a $30 billion industry of analysts, podcasters, pundits, gamers, and other fantasy nerds put into it. To put that question to the test, in Fall 2024, 11 honors students at the University of St. Thomas and Professor Christopher Wong Michaelson formed a fantasy football league for a class called “Fantasy Football and the Good Life.” While playing fantasy football against each other, they also discussed ethical questions in fantasy sports: from fairness to conflicts of interest, racism to sexism in sports, collusion and punishment, and more. For the final class assignment, students had to select and debate five propositions examined over the semester. The propositions concern the following topics: success, punishment, fair play, luck, and gambling. Who won and who lost each debate doesn’t matter any more than who won and lost on the fantasy football field. To judge the arguments, student judges were joined by one celebrity guest judge: University of St. Thomas Head Football Coach and multiple coach of the year award-winner, Glenn Caruso. (February 2025).

Episode 25: 2023 Melrose Twin Cities Principled Leadership Awardee: George Lee.(July 2024).

Episode 24: Is Your Work Worth It a Three-Part Series, Part Three: A conversation with Chad Sokol. Sokol has held some of the best executive positions we can imagine, as the head buyer of wine, beer, and now candy at Costco, the U.S.-based warehouse club retail chain. But on his career journey, he has also operated a drill press machine and herded carts in the parking lot. Did I mention he also performs music and is a published poet? Listen on for his take on what makes his work worth it. (April 2024).

Episode 23: Is Your Work Worth It a Three-Part Series, Part Two: A conversation with Kristine Enea, J.D. Enea has had many careers: in law, big tech, writing a book, politics, and real estate, among others. Now 58 years old, she is a student again, preparing for her next career: as a medical doctor. Listen on for her take on what makes her work worth it. (April 2024).

Episode 22: Is Your Work Worth It a Three-Part Series, Part One: A conversation with Dennis Curley. Dennis Curley has sung “Sweet Caroline” at least 1,000 times. That helps to explain why he says, “You can’t base your perception of who you are on what you do.” Listen to what makes Dennis’ work as a music performer worth it. (February 2024).

Episode 21: In Search of Careers for the Common Good a Part Four Series, Part Four: A conversation with John Sullivan who recently retired from a long and distinguished career as a corporate lawyer but who remains active in volunteer engagement with organizations such as the Minneapolis Foundation and the Matthew Shepard Foundation. (February 2024).

Episode 20:In Search of Careers for the Common Good a Four-Part Series, Part Three: A conversation with Lindsey Hickey, CEO of Simek’s, who shares her story about thriving in the chaos of balancing a family while leading a second-generation family business in her search for a career for the common good. (February 2024).

Episode 19: In Search of Careers for the Common Good a Four-Part Series, Part Two: A conversation with recent University of St. Thomas graduate, Katrina Anderson, an park ranger in the Great Smoky Mountains, who shares her story about changing her major, her expectations and her zip code in her search for a career for the common good. (February 2024).

Episode 18: In Search of Careers for the Common Good a Four-Part Series, Part One: A conversation with recent University of St. Thomas graduate, Cesar Osvaldo Mendez Portillo, a self-described “banker by accident” who shares his story about the importance of building relationships in his search for a career for the common good. (February 2024).

Episode 17: A conversation with the 2022 Principled Leadership Research Fellows about apple commodity markets, K-Pop's cultural influence on business, and building trust in the workplace. (February 2024).

Episode 16: A conversation about business, family and the business of family (March 2023).

Episode 15: A Raisin in the Sun Panel Discussion at the Guthrie Theater (February 2023).

Episode 14: 2022 Melrose Twin Cities Principled Leadership Awardee: Erica Neubert Campbell. (February 2023).

Episode 13: Klara and the Sun: A conversation about the nature of intelligence and the costs (and benefits) of progress. (September 2022).

Episode 12: What have we learned about business and ethics from the pandemic discussion series: Part three. (July 2022).

Episode 11: What have we learned about business and ethics from the pandemic discussion series: Part two. (July 2022).

Episode 10: What have we learned about business and ethics from the pandemic discussion series: Part one. (July 2022).

Episode 9: What is the purpose of work? A discussion with Hubert Joly, former Best Buy CEO & author of The Heart of Business (June 2022).

Episode 8: 2021 Melrose Twin Cities Principled Leadership Awardees (January 2022).

Episode 7: Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol: A conversation about finding redemption at work and in life with Guthrie Theater Artistic Director, Joe Haj, and playwright Lavina Jadhwani (November 2021).

Episode 6: Twenty years after 9/11 Part Three: A conversation with Jackie Zins & Stacy Pervall, former representatives of the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund (September 2021).

Episode 5: Twenty years after 9/11 Part Two: A conversation with Fred Price, managing director at Piper Sandler (September 2021).

Episode 4: Twenty years after 9/11 Part One: A conversation about meaningful work with Jen Tosti-Kharas (September 2021).

Episode 3: Who is Capitalism? A conversation about Homeland Elegies with Ayad Akhtar and Azish Filabi (August, 2021).

Episode 2: What is the Dilemma in the Social Dilemma? A conversation about Netflix's Popular Documentary with Shuili Du and Lisa Abendroth (June, 2021).

Episode 1: All About AI Ethics: A conversation about Ian McEwen’s Machines Like Me with Tae Wan Kim (April, 2021).

Meaningful Work Foundations is a series of three global Zoom webinar gatherings of meaningful work scholars who discuss unsettled questions of foundational concern to the field. This series brings together scholars from various disciplines who bring different backgrounds, motivations, methods, and assumptions to their work. 

Co-hosted by:

• Evgenia Lysova, associate professor of Organizational Behavior at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, and
• Christopher Wong Michaelson, Koch “pronounced coach” Endowed Chair of Business Ethics at the University of St. Thomas.

Episode one. Meaningful Work Foundations: What is Meaningful Work? Join two pioneers in meaningful work research, philosopher Joanne Ciulla of Rutgers University, and organizational psychologist Michael Pratt of Boston College. Please view the recorded webinar HERE as it was originally held on Tuesday, October 22, 2024, from 8:00 - 9:00 a.m. CT

Episode two. Meaningful Work Foundations: What is meaning and how is it different from meaningfulness? Join two experts in research on meaningful life and work, philosopher, Thaddeus Metz, author of several books including “Meaning in Life” and “What Makes Life Meaningful?”, and professor at the University of Pretoria, and management scholar, Katie Bailey, author of numerous articles on meaningful work, and Emerita Professor at King's College and professor of leadership and HRM at Northumbria University. Please view the recorded webinar HERE as it was originally held on Tuesday, February 18, 2025, from 8:00 - 9:00 a.m. CT

Episode three. Meaningful Work Foundations: What is the relationship between the meaning and purpose of work? Join two experts in research on purpose and meaningful life, Andrew Carton, associate professor of management at Wharton University of Pennsylvania, and Paul Blaschko, assistant teaching professor & director of the Sheedy Family Program in Economy, Enterprise, and Society at the University of Notre Dame. Please view the recorded webinar HERE as it was originally held on Tuesday, April 22, 2025 from 8:00 - 9:00 a.m. CT.

The Principled Leadership Research Fellows Program supports faculty members already engaged in original research projects to further amplify their potential to impact business practice as well as academic research and pedagogy. Research projects across academic units, disciplines, and methodologies include topics related to the Opus College of Business Research Mission and Thought Leadership Aspiration: To be a leading voice in responsible and responsive business - a research agenda that explores the responsibility of business to its internal and external stakeholders and that addresses the active, responsive engagement of business in social issues and modern forces impacting society.Fellows and the year of their fellowships are listed below in alphabetical order by last name.

Anupama Mukund Bharadwaj, Ph.D, Assistant Professor of Marketing (2023, 2024). 2023 research focus: The influence of beneficiary framing in product labeling on consumption choices. 2024 research focus: The Effects of Wordplay Communication from Brands on Consumer Choices and Evaluations.

Chad Brinsfield, Ph.D, Professor of Management (2022). Research focus: The role of voice type, manager dominance tendency, and manager perceived status threat.

Rama K. Hart, Ph.D, Associate Professor of Management (2023). Research focus: The impact of the Ford enterprise in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Ameeta Jaiswal-Dale, Ph.D, Professor of Finance (2022). Research focus: The challenges and potential for community value creation through sustainable food entrepreneurship.

Mary M. Maloney, Ph.D, Professor of Management (2023). Research focus: The impact of the Ford enterprise in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Avinash Malshe, Ph.D, Susan B. Heckler Distinguished Chair in Business Administration (2023). Research focus: Digital technologies and the sales-marketing interface.

Mahak Nagpal, Ph.D, Assistant Professor Ethics & Business Law (2024). Research focus: How technosolutionistic attitudes vary across the globe.

Shinwon Noh, Ph.D, Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship (2022). Research focus: The rise of cultural industries from emerging markets.

Jason Pattit, Ph.D, Professor of Management. Research focus: Perceptions of how justice and trust impact wealth management consumers’ decisions to adopt financial services.

Aaron Sackett, Ph.D, Professor of Marketing (2023, 2024). 2023 research focus: The influence of beneficiary framing in product labeling on consumption choices. 2024 research focus: Voter outreach project dissemination & extension.

Forthcoming!

Proud to support the Univeristy of St. Thomas Opus College of Business IBECC teams competing in Boston, MA Spring 2025. Results pending...stay tuned!

Please find below academic and popular press publications by the Center team as well as members of the Opus College of Business Principled Leadership Working Group.

Articles and commentaries in refereed scholarly publications

• Michaelson, C.W., & Tosti-Kharas, J. Is Work Worth It? (working title; trade book under contract with Hachette/PublicAffairs)
• Michaelson, C.W., & Tosti-Kharas, J. Meaning and Purpose: Key Ideas for Business and Society. (scholarly book under contract with Routledge/Taylor & Francis)
• Lysova, E., Tosti-Kharas, J. Michaelson, C., Bailey, C. Fletcher, L., & McGhee, P. 2023. Introduction to a special issue on ethics and the future of meaningful work. Journal of Business Ethics (Invited, peer-reviewed editorial essay)
• Burrell, G., Hyman, M.R., Michaelson, C., Nelson, J.A., Taylor, S., & West, J. 2022. The ethics and politics of academic knowledge production: Thoughts on the future of business ethics. Journal of Business Ethics 180: 917-940. (Invited, peer reviewed essay)
• Michaelson, C. 2022. Subjects and objects in meaningful work. In Schlag, M. (ed)., Holiness Through Work: Commemorating the Encyclical Laborem Exercens. South Bend, IN: St. Augustine’s Press.
• Michaelson, C.W., and Tosti-Kharas, J. 2023. Wealth or work? How to make the world a better place. King’s College London Meaning and Purpose Network. Online at https://www.kcl.ac.uk/business/assets/research/meaning-and-purpose-network-wealth-or-work.pdf.
• Lepisto, D.A., Michaelson, C., Pratt, M.G., and Hedden, L.N. 2022. The purpose paradox. People + Strategy Journal, Fall 2022. Online at https://www.shrm.org/executive/resources/people-strategy-journal/fall2022/pages/purpose-statement-relevant-big-question.aspx.
• Michaelson, C. 2022. As a child, I shunned my Asian identity. As a Jewish adult, I embrace it. The Forward, June 23. Online at https://forward.com/opinion/507229/as-a-child-i-shunned-my-Asian-identity-as-a-Jewish-adult-i-embrace-it/.
• Michaelson, C. In Press. Leadership and character(s): Behavioral business ethics in "War and Peace." Journal of Business Ethics.
• Michaelson, C. In Press. How a catchy bass line might someday resonate beyond my business ethics classroom: Rock music in management learning. Management Learning.
• Michaelson, C. In Press. A normative meaning of meaningful work. Journal of Business Ethics.
• Tosti-Kharas, J., Michaelson, C. In Press. To mean is to be perceived: Studying the meaning of work through the eyes of others. Academy of Management Perspectives.
• Michaelson, C., Tosti-Kharas, J. 2019. Serving self or serving others? Close relations's perspectives on ethics and calling. Journal of Vocational Behavior 114: 19-30.
• Beigi, M., Callahan, J., Michaelson, C. 2019. A critical plot twist: Changing characters and foreshadowing the future of organizational storytelling. International Journal of Management Reviews 21(4): 447-465.
• Gerde, V., Michaelson, C. 2019. Global perspectives on business ethics from the 40th anniversary conference of the Hoffman Center for Business Ethics at Bentley University (Editorial introduction). Journal of Business Ethics 155(4): 913-916.
• Michaelson, C. 2017. A list of novels for teaching business ethics in the 21st century. Management Teaching Review 2(3): 235-249.
• Michaelson, C. 2017. Virtual Special Issue on Humanities and Business Ethics (Editorial essay). Journal of Business Ethics, DOI 10.1007/s10551-017-3538-y.
• Finnegan, A., Klein, M., Michaelson, C., and White, S. 2016. Can business help to cultivate peace and well being? A pedagogical case study. Journal of Business, Peace and Sustainable Development 8: 55-69.
• Michaelson, C. 2016. Useless and disinterested: How literature makes us better (Commentary). American Journal of Bioethics' Neuroscience 7(2): 95-96.
• Michaelson, C. 2016. A novel approach to business ethics education: Exploring how to live and work in the 21st century. Academy of Management Learning Education 15(3): 588-606.
• Gerde, V., and Michaelson, C. 2016. Institutional constraints and enables: An introduction to the special topic forum on extreme operating environments (Editorial introduction). Business and Society 55(7): 927-933.
• Brunnquell, D., and Michaelson, C. 2016. Moral hazard in pediatrics. American Journal of Bioethics 16(7): 29-38.
• Michaelson, C. 2016. Business in the work and world of David Foster Wallace. Journal of Management Inquiry 25(2): 214-222.
• Michaelson, C. 2015. Executive compensation and moral luck. Business and Professional Ethics Journal 34(2): 237-258.
• Michaelson, C. 2015. Accounting for meaning: On §22 of David Foster Wallace's 'The Pale King'. Critical Perspectives on Accounting 29: 54-64.
• Michaelson, C., and Gerde, V. 2015. How to live without certainty, without being paralyzed by hesitation: An introduction to the special topic forum on extreme operating environments (Editorial introduction). Business and Professional Ethics Journal 33(2-3): 205-209.
• Michaelson, C. 2015. How reading novels can help management scholars cultivate ambiculturalism (Commentary). Academy of Management Review 40(1): 147-149.
• Michaelson, C. 2014. The competition for the tallest skyscraper and its implications for global ethics and economics. Council for Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat Journal Issue IV: 20-27 (covered in The Media Line, 13 May 2015).
• Michaelson, C., Pratt, M.G., Grant, A.M., and Dunn, C.P. 2014. Meaningful work: Connecting business ethics and organization studies. Journal of Business Ethics 121(1): 77-90.
• Glac, K., and Michaelson, C. 2012. What is a good answer to an ethical question? Journal of Business Ethics Education 9: 233-258.
• Michaelson, C. 2012. Reading leaders' minds: In search of the canon of 21st century global capitalism. Asian Journal of Business Ethics 1(1): 47-61.
• Michaelson, C. 2011. Morally differentiating responsibility for climate change mitigation: An analogy with Tolstoy's Master and Man. Business and Professional Ethics Journal 30(1-2): 113-136.
• Michaelson, C. 2011. Whose responsibility is meaningful work? Journal of Management Development 30(6): 548-557.
• Michaelson, C. 2010. Business and/as/of the humanities. Journal of Business Ethics Education 7: 201-212.
• Michaelson, C. 2010. Revisiting the global business ethics question. Business Ethics Quarterly 20(2): 237-251 (covered in Economics Week, 14 May 2010)).
• Michaelson, C. 2009. Teaching meaningful work: Philosophical discussions on the ethics of career choice. Journal of Business Ethics Education 6: 43-67.
• Michaelson, C. 2009. Meaningful work and moral worth. Business and Professional Ethics Journal 28 (1-4): 27-48.
• Michaelson, C. 2008. Moral luck and business ethics. Journal of Business Ethics 83(4): 773-787.
• Michaelson, C. 2008. Work and the most terrible life. Journal of Business Ethics 77(3): 335-345.
• Michaelson, C. 2006. Compliance and the illusion of ethical progress. Journal of Business Ethics 66(2-3): 241-251.
• Michaelson, C. 2005. 'I want your shower time!' Drowning in work and the erosion of life. Business and Professional Ethics Journal 24(4): 7-26.
• Michaelson, C. 2005. Dealing with swindlers and devils: Literature and business ethics. Journal of Business Ethics 58(4): 359-373.
• Michaelson, C. 2005. Meaningful motivation for work motivation theory (Commentary). Academy of Management Review 30(2): 235-238.
• Michaelson, C. 2004. Business and ethics after September 11. Business and Professional Ethics Journal 12(1-2): 259-300.
• Michaelson, C. 2001. Is business ethics philosophy or sophism? Business Ethics: A European Review 10(4): 331-339.

Book chapters and entries

• Michaelson, C. 2020. The sandpiper and the clam struggle. In Wendelin Küpers and Matthew Statler (Eds.), Leadership and Wisdom. New York: Routledge.
• Michaelson, C. 2019. Do we have to do meaningful work? In Ruth Yeoman, Katie Bailey, Adrian Madden, Marc Thompson (Eds.), Oxford Handbook of Meaningful Work. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
• Gini, A., and Michaelson, C. 2018. Work-Life Balance. In Robert W. Kolb (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Business Ethics and Society (2nd edition). Thousand Oaks, California, USA: Sage Publications.
• Michaelson, C. 2018. Aesthetics. In Robert W. Kolb (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Business Ethics and Society (2nd edition). Thousand Oaks, California, USA: Sage Publications.
• Michaelson, C. 2018. Collectivism. In Robert W. Kolb (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Business Ethics and Society (2nd edition). Thousand Oaks, California, USA: Sage Publications.
• Michaelson, C. 2018. Quality of life. In Robert W. Kolb (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Business Ethics and Society (2nd edition). Thousand Oaks, California, USA: Sage Publications.
• Michaelson, C. 2015. David Foster Wallace's Love-Hate Relationship with Consumer Capitalism. In E. Brutton, C. Kampmeier, and A. Kontos (eds.), Normal 2014: Selected Works from the First Annual David Foster Wallace Conference. Gilson, Illinois, USA: Lit Fest Press.
• Michaelson, C. 2014. Moral luck. In the Wiley Encyclopedia of Management - Business Ethics. Hoboken, New Jersey, USA: John Wiley & Sons.
• Michaelson, C. 2014. Terrorism. In the Wiley Encyclopedia of Management - Business Ethics. Hoboken, New Jersey, USA: John Wiley & Sons.
• Michaelson, C. 2014. World Economic Forum. In the Wiley Encyclopedia of Management - Business Ethics. Hoboken, New Jersey, USA: John Wiley & Sons.
• Michaelson, C. 2014. Literature and the canonical values of capitalism. In D. Koehn and D. Elm (eds.), Aesthetics and Business Ethics. Dordrecht: Springer.
• Michaelson, C. 2012. The value(s) of work. In Jeffrey J. Froh and Acacia Parks-Sheiner (eds.), Activities for Teaching Positive Psychology: A Guide for Instructors. Washington, DC, USA: American Psychological Association.
• Michaelson, C. 2009. Values and capitalism. In Jeffery Smith (Ed.), Normative Theory and Business Ethics: 195-208. Lanham, Maryland, USA: Rowman & Littlefield.
• Michaelson, C. 2007. Ethics and the tobacco industry. In Robert W. Kolb (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Business Ethics and Society v. 2: 794-799. Thousand Oaks, California, USA: Sage Publications.
• Michaelson, C. 2007 (revised 2016 for 2nd edition). Humanities and business ethics. In Robert W. Kolb (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Business Ethics and Society v. 3: 1081-1084. Thousand Oaks, California, USA: Sage Publications.
• Michaelson, C. 2007. Meaningful work (revised 2016 for forthcoming 2nd edition). In Robert W. Kolb (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Business Ethics and Society v. 3: 1355-1358. Thousand Oaks, California, USA: Sage Publications.
• Michaelson, C. 2007. Moral luck (revised 2016 for 2nd edition). In Robert W. Kolb (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Business Ethics and Society v. 3: 1426-1428. Thousand Oaks, California, USA: Sage Publications.
• Michaelson, C. 2007. Reputation management. In Robert W. Kolb (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Business Ethics and Society v. 4: 1820-1823. Thousand Oaks, California, USA: Sage Publications.
• Michaelson, C. 2007. Terrorism (revised 2016 for 2nd edition). In Robert W. Kolb (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Business Ethics and Society v. 5: 1068-2071. Thousand Oaks, California, USA: Sage Publications.
• Michaelson, C. 2002. Philosophy out of the cave. In Laura Duhan Kaplan (Ed.), Philosophy and Everyday Life: 214-221. New York, USA: Seven Bridges Press.

Reviews, teaching materials, proceedings, and other publications

• Michaelson, C. 2020. "'Death is very close,' from Man on Wire, starring Philippe Petit." Sage Business Cases.
• Michaelson, C. 2020. "The whitewashing scene, from The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, by Mark Twain." Sage Business Cases.
• Michaelson, C. 2020. "India's 'Pad Man': Making menstrual hygiene affordable for women." Under-Told Stories Learning Modules.
• Michaelson, C. 2019. Review essay on G.S. Morson and M. Schapiro's Cents and Sensibility: What Economics Can Learn from the Humanities. Organization Studies 40(7): 1089-1096.
• Michaelson, C. 2016. Review of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Diamond as Big as the Ritz, Abdulrahman Munif's Cities of Salt, Zadie Smith's The Embassy of Cambodia, and Dave Eggers' The Circle. Academy of Management Learning & Education 15(1): 195-198.
• Michaelson, C. 2015. Exploring capitalist fiction (book review on Edward C. Younkins' Exploring Capitalist Fiction). Business Ethics Quarterly 25(1): 151-154.
• Michaelson, C. 2014. Business students should read great novels: The power of literary words for management education. Academy of Management Best Paper Proceedings.
• Michaelson, C. 2012. Cantor Fitzgerald and September 11. Journal of Business Ethics Education 9: 411-420.
• Michaelson, C., Glac, K., and Koehn, D. 2011. Reflections on the third Shanghai international conference on business ethics 2010. Society for Business Ethics Newsletter 21(3): 20-21.
• Michaelson, C. 2006. Just work (book note on Russell Muirhead's Just Work). Business Ethics Quarterly 16(1): 110.
• Michaelson, C. 2006. The grid (teaching note on Godfrey Reggio's Koyaanisqatsi). Ethics in Film 001.
• Michaelson, C. 2005. A slice of trouble (teaching note on Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing). Ethics in Film 003.
• Michaelson, C. 2004. A Cantor's prayer for meaningful work. Proceedings of the International Society for the Study of Work and Organizational Values.

Other media publications and blog

• Michaelson, C. & Williams, Y. 2022. Like athletes: Corporate leadership shifting in how they tackle social issues. Minneapolis Star Tribune. Online at Like athletes, corporate leaders shifting in how they tackle social issues | Star Tribune
• Michaelson, C. 2021. Fantasy and fair trade: Confessions from a fantasy ethicist. The Athletic. Online at Fantasy and fair trade: Confessions of the fantasy ethicist – The Athletic
• Michaelson, C. & VanBuren III, H. 2021. What businesses can learn from conflict zones to promote sustainable community. Minneapolis Star Tribune. Online at What businesses can learn from conflict zones to promote sustainable community
• Michaelson, C. 2021. Tommie Experts: Meaningful work as a way to wellness. St. Thomas Newsroom. Online at Tommie Experts: Meaningful work as a way to wellness.
• Michaelson, C. 2020. Clap all you like now but workers with meaningful jobs deserve to be values in a post-Coronavirus economy too. The Conversation, May 26. Online at Clap all you like now but workers with meaningful jobs...
• Finnegan, A. and Michaelson, C. 2020. Advice on landing a first job in the pandemic. Minneapolis Star-Tribune, September 6.
• Michaelson, C., Lepisto, D.A., Pratt, M.G., Hedden, L., and Brown, J. 2020. Why corporate purpose statements often miss their mark. strategy+business, August 17. Online at Why corporate purpose statements often miss their mark.
• Zwieg Daly, N., with Lawrence, T., Michaelson, C., and Wilkinson, L. 2020. Some recommended reading on diversity, inclusion for business. Minneapolis Star-Tribune, August 2.
• Michaelson, C., and Zwieg Daly, N. 2020. Corporate giving is just a piece of what's needed to heal the Twin Cities. Minneapolis Star-Tribune, June 28.
• Michaelson, C. 2020. How CEOs, experts, and philosophers see the world's biggest risks differently. The Conversation, January 27. Online at How CEOs, experts, and philosophers see the world's biggest risks differently.
• Zwieg Daly, N. (2019, July 12). 3 Keys to building an ethical business culture. Star Tribune. Retrieved from https://www.startribune.com.
• Michaelson, C.M. (2019, June 21). Good fiction should be on your summer reading list for business. Star Tribune. Retrieved from https://www.startribune.com.
• Zwieg Daly, N. (2019, March 29). Why companies need to recognize differences between compliance and ethics. Star Tribune. Retrieved from https://www.startribune.com.
• Michaelson, C. 2019. Why the Davos elites are still relevant. The Conversation, 25 January. Online at Why the Davos elites are still relevant. Reprinted in the San Francisco Chronicle and other newspapers.
• Zwieg Daly, N. (2019, January 25). Managers have critical role in setting ethical standards. Star Tribune. Retrieved from https://www.startribune.com.
• Zwieg Daly, N. (2019, January 4). Businesses need to aim for more than turning a profit. Star Tribune. Retrieved from https://www.startribune.com.
• Michaelson, C. 2019. Looking for career advice? Read great literature. Star-Tribune. Online at Looking for career advice? Read great literature.
• Zwieg Daly, N. (2018, November 3). What great business leaders need to get right. Star Tribune. Retrieved from https://www.startribune.com.
• Zwieg Daly, N.(2018, September 22). Companies shouldn't exploit their organizational citizens. Star Tribune. Retrieved from https://www.startribune.com.
• Zwieg Daly, N. (2018, August 26). Did your co-worker just get an award for your idea? Here's how to react. Star Tribune. Retrieved from https://www.startribune.com.
• Zwieg Daly, N. (2018, July 28). Resist the temptation to ask employees to hype company online. Star Tribune. Retrieved from https://startribune.com.
• Zwieg Daly, N. (2018, July 14). Does your business face ethics issue? Cast a wide net when seeking advice. Star Tribune. Retrieved from https://www.startribune.com.
• Zwieg Daly, N. (2018, May 25). Let ethics guide your decisions. Star Tribune. Retrieved from https://startribune.com.
• Michaelson, C. 2018. These are the books President Trump should read on his way to Davos. The Washington Post, 23 January. Online at These are the books President Trump should read on his way to Davos (reprint of The Conversation piece below).
• Michaelson, C. 2018. Trump goes to Davos: Four books he should read on first trip to gathering of global elites. The Conversation, 22 January. Online at Trump goes to Davos.
• Michaelson, C. 2017. Branding your social mission. Star-Tribune Outside Consultant, 22 May. Online at Branding your social mission.
• Michaelson, C. 2017. Dostoevsky titles that ominously foreshadowed the presidency of Donald J. Trump. McSweeney's Internet Tendency, 3 May. Online at Dostoevsky titles that ominously foreshadowed the presidency of Donald J. Trump.
• Michaelson, C. 2017. Capitalism reading list. Ethical Systems, 17 February. Online at Capitalism reading list.
• Michaelson, C., and Tosti-Kharas, J. 2016. Work worth dying for? The Huffington Post, 9 September. Online at Work worth dying for.
• Michaelson, C. 2015. Reading for leading: Can novels help develop tomorrow's CEO's skills? PwC CEO Insights blog, 17 August. Online at Can novels help develop tomorrow's CEO's skills?.
• Michaelson, C. 2015. Seven good novels that will make you a more resilient leader. PwC Risk Insights blog, 17 June. Online at Seven good novels that will make you a more resilient leaders.
• Michaelson, C. 2015. Making work meaningful. University of St. Thomas Opus Magnum blog, 24 April. Online at Making Work Meaningful.
• Finnegan, A., Ketcher, K.T., Klein, M., Michaelson, C., Nelson-Pallmeyer, J., Ngeh, E., Schlabach, G., Seltzer, J., and White, S., 2015. Building peace on campus. University of St. Thomas Newsroom, 24 April. Online at Building peace on campus
• Michaelson, C. 2015. Cheering on income equality, from Davos to Melbourne. The Huffington Post, 27 January. Cheeing on income equality.
• Michaelson, C. 2014. The violence spills off the field. Star-Tribune, 17 September. The Violence Spills off the Field. (Also in The Huffington Post, 17 September.)
• Michaelson, C. 2014. Business novels and good character(s). Ethical Systems, 24 March. Business novels and good character(s).
• Michaelson, C. 2013. Meaningful work in The Pale King: In Memory of David Foster Wallace, Five Years On. The Huffington Post, 10 September. Meaningful work in the The Pale King. (covered by The Howling Fantods (11 September 2013)
• Michaelson, C. 2013. Is it legal? Yes. Ethical? Perhaps. Underhanded? Definitely. The Huffington Post, 19 August. Is it Legal? Yes.
• Michaelson, C. 2013. Leadership and the stories we tell. PwC CEO Insights Blog. 15 April. Online at Leadership and the stories we tell.
• World Economic Forum, in collaboration with PwC (project lead). 2013. Resilience practices: One-year follow-up analysis of Global Risks 2012 cases. Online at Global Risks Follow Up Analysis.
• Michaelson, C. 2012. On meaningful work and the good life. University of St. Thomas Exemplars.
• Michaelson, C. 2012. Romney can't buy happiness. The Huffington Post, 17 October. Romney can't buy happiness.
• Michaelson, C. 2012. Rise and shine: Skyscrapers and global well being. The Huffington Post, 12 September. Rise and Shine
• Michaelson, C. 2012. Kentucky's identity paradox. The Huffington Post, 25 June. Online at Kentucky's identity paradox.
• Michaelson, C. 2012. Tolstoy in Rio: A climate change analogy. The Huffington Post, 21 June. Online at Tolstoy in Rio.
• Michaelson, C. 2012. We are all traveling salesmen. The Huffington Post, 30 May. Online at We are all traveling salesmen.
• Michaelson, C. 2012. What is meaningful work? 5 questions with Prof. Michaelson. University of St. Thomas Opus Magnum blog. Online at What is meaningful work?
• Michaelson, C. 2012. Imagining the presidential canon: A thought experiment in American politics. The Huffington Post, 4 April. Online at Imagining the presidential canon.
• Michaelson, C. 2012. Mann meets humanity in Davos. The Huffington Post, 31 January. Online at Mann Meets Humanity in Davos.
• Michaelson, C. 2011. Tis better to give than to give back. University of St. Thomas Opus Magnum blog. Online at Tis Better to Give than Give Back.
• Michaelson, C. 2011. September 12, 2001, 3 o'clock a.m. National September 11 Memorial and Museum.
• Michaelson, C. 2010. The importance of meaningful work. MIT Sloan Management Review 51(2): 12-13 (covered in Forbes.com, 11 March 2010) and Campus Career Counselor, March 2010)). In print and online at The Importance of Meaningful Work
• Michaelson, C. (with MBA candidates Nicholas Blawat, Christina Stevenson, Kelly Thorne, Paul Topping, and Marc Volpe). 2004. The lobster, the squid, and the Cadillac El Dorado: MBA candidates battle for future control of the swamplands'. The Wharton Journal 50(4): 8-9.
• Michaelson, C., and Ponemon, L.A. 2000. Values added: Rules and values in ethical decision making. Strategic Finance February: 24, 75.

Non-academic white papers

• Ethics & Compliance Initiative (Michaelson, C. lead author and working group co-chair). 2019. Essential skills and qualities of the ethics and compliance professional: Today and in the future.
• PricewaterhouseCoopers and LRN (Michaelson, C., editorial board and author team). 2016. Connecting the dots: How purpose can join up your business.
• PricewaterhouseCoopers (Michaelson, C., editorial board and author team). 2016. 19th annual global CEO survey ('Redefining Business Success in a Changing World').
• PricewaterhouseCoopers (Michaelson, C., editorial board and author team). 2015. 18th annual global CEO survey ('A Marketplace Without Boundaries?').
• PricewaterhouseCoopers (Michaelson, C., editorial board). 2014. 17th annual global CEO survey ('Fit for the Future').
• World Economic Forum and PwC (Michaelson, C., interviewee). 2013. Examining the leadership, trust, organizational performance and societal value equation.
• PricewaterhouseCoopers (Michaelson, C., editorial board). 2013. 16th annual global CEO survey ('Dealing with Disruption').
• PricewaterhouseCoopers (Michaelson, C., editorial board). 2012. 15th annual global CEO survey ('Delivering Results').
• PricewaterhouseCoopers (Michaelson, C., editorial team). 2011. 14th annual global CEO survey ('Growth Reimagined').
• PricewaterhouseCoopers (Michaelson, C., editorial board). 2010. 13th annual global CEO survey ('Setting a Smarter Course for Growth';).
• Jourdan, C. and Michaelson, C. 2009. Extending Enterprise Risk Management to address emerging risks (briefing paper for a workshop in association with the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting).
• PricewaterhouseCoopers (Michaelson, C., editorial team). 2009. 12th annual global CEO survey ('Redefining Success').
• World Economic Forum Global Risk Network in collaboration with PricewaterhouseCoopers (Michaelson, C., editorial team). 2008. Global Growth@Risk.
• Michaelson, C. and Lambin, S. 2008. Managing and capitalizing on global risks in a connected world (briefing paper for a workshop in association with the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting).
• PricewaterhouseCoopers (Michaelson, C., editorial team). 2008. 11th annual global CEO survey ('Compete & Collaborate: What is Success in a Connected World?').
• World Economic Forum Global Risk Network in collaboration with PricewaterhouseCoopers (Michaelson, C., editorial team). 2007. Global Growth@Risk.
• PricewaterhouseCoopers (Michaelson, C., editorial team). 2007. Global risk, reward, business, and society: Collaborate or collapse? (briefing paper for a workshop in partnership with the World Economic Forum Global Risk Network).
• PricewaterhouseCoopers (Michaelson, C., advisory team). 2007. 10th Annual Global CEO Survey ('Balancing the Global Equation').
• Michaelson, C. 2001. What is effective compliance? PricewaterhouseCoopers re: Business, (online) and PricewaterhouseCoopers CFO Direct Network.
• Di Florio, C., Michaelson, C., O'Brien, T.M., and Trent, B. 2001. Corporate governance: Compliance at the core. PricewaterhouseCoopers re: Business.
• Michaelson, C., and Ponemon, L.A. 2000. Ethics at the core: Risk management and beyond. Investment Management Perspectives 2: 4-11.

Is Your Work Worth It? by Christopher Wong Michaelson, Ph.D, and Jennifer Tosti-Kharas, Ph.D.

According to recent studies, barely a third of American workers feel “engaged” at work, and for many people around the world, happiness is lowest when earning power is highest. After a global pandemic that changed why, how, and what people do for a living, many workers find themselves wondering what makes their daily routine worthwhile.

In “Is Your Work Worth It?”, two professors – a philosopher and organizational psychologist – investigate the purpose of work and its value in our lives. The book explores vital questions, such as:

• Should you work for love or money?
• When and how much should you work?
• When and how much should we work?
• What would make life worth living in a world without work?
• What kind of mark will our work leave on the world?

This essential book combines inspiring and harrowing stories of real people with recent scholarship, ancient wisdom, arts, and literature to help us clarify what worthy work looks like, what tradeoffs are acceptable to pursue it, and what our work can contribute to society.