Associate Professor
Dr. Jennifer Palar teaches courses in strategy, leadership, organizational behavior, human resources, and employment law. Dr. Palar received the Faculty Teaching Award in the College of Business in 2021. She conducts research in the areas of strategic leadership, specifically executive behavior and board processes, as well as gender issues and social approval assets (e.g., reputation, status).
She has published in academic journals such as the Journal of Leadership and Organizational Studies and Journal of Business Research. Dr. Palar has presented numerous research papers at international meetings of the Academy of Management, European Academy of Management, Strategic Management Society, Southern Management Association, and Organizational Behavior Teaching Conference.
Dr. Palar has more than 15 years of experience in Human Resources and consulting at both for-profit and not-for-profit organizations including strategic planning, workforce development, HR auditing, and labor relations. She also holds multiple designations including Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) from the Human Resources Certification Institute and SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SCP) from the Society for Human Resource Management.
Dr. Palar's teaching philosophy focuses on developing the career readiness of her students through application and practice of course material and helping them to recognize the complexities of real business contexts. Each course is designed to help students develop capabilities in critical thinking and problem-solving, especially when working in team environments. She is on a mission to change the way strategy and HR are taught, viewed, and valued.
Dr. Palar CV (pdf)
Education and Training
- PhD, University of Mississippi, Management Strategy
- MOL, St. Ambrose University
- BA, St. Ambrose University, Management
Why did you decide to study management?
I started my first business when I was 9 years old, found my fit, and never left. It was never a question that I would study business but rather what I would study in business. I didn't know it would ultimately be teaching business though where I would find the greatest sense of fulfillment and purpose.
More About Dr. Palar
MGMT 316 New Venture Planning
MGMT 320 Human Resource Management
HRM 340 Employment Law
HRM 410 People Analytics
HRM 440 Strategic HR Capstone
MGMT 449 Strategic Management
MBA 761 Compensation & Benefits Management
MBA 762 Training & Development
DBA 940 Strategic Leadership
DBA 950 Organizational Change
Dibrell, C., Marshall, D. R., Palar, J. M., & Gentry, R. J. (2019). New director selection during growth in family-influenced and lone founder firms: An identity fit perspective. Journal of Business Research, 101, 1-11.
Baur, J. E., Haynie, J. J., Buckley, M. R., Palar, J. M., Novicevic, M. M., & Humphreys, J. H. (2018). When things go from bad to worse: The impact of relative contextual extremity on Benjamin Montgomery's positive leadership and psychological capital. Journal of Leadership and Organization Studies, 25(3), 323-338.
Knippen, J. M., Palar, J. M., & Gentry, R. G. (2018). Breaking the mold: An examination of board discretion in female CEO appointments. Journal of Business Research. 84, 11-23.
Roberts, T. B., Popoola, I., Marshall, D. R., Williams, A., Palar, J. M., & Jones, J. L. (2016). Teaching the evergreen value of organizational classics. Paper presented at the meeting of the Southern Management, Charlotte, NC.
Marshall, D. R., Palar, J. M., Dibrell, C., Gentry, R. G. (2016). New director selection in family firms under identity challenging contingencies. Paper presented at the meeting of the Academy of Management, Anaheim, CA.
Dibrell, C., Gentry, R. G, Marshall. D. R., Palar, J. M., & Davis, W. (2016). New director selection in family-influenced, lone-founder, and regular publicly traded firms: Social identity and selection. Paper presented at the meeting of the European Academy of Management, Paris, France.
Novicevic, M. M., Owen, J., Palar, J. M, Marshall, D. R., & Popoola, T. (2015). Management history: From state of the art to a genealogical turn. In B. Bowden & D. Lamond (Eds.), Management history: Its global past & present (pp. 299-312). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.
Knippen, J. M, Palar, J. M., & Gentry, R. G. (2014). Breaking the mold: An examination of board discretion in women CEO appointments. Paper presented at the meeting of the Academy of Management, Philadelphia, PA.
Clayton, R. W., Stark, G., Novicevic, M., Roberts, F. B., & Palar, J. M. (2014). Auto-tuned voices: Why do we distort the pig iron tales? Paper presented at the meeting of the OBTC Teachers Conference for Management Educators, Nashville, TN.
Palar, J. M., Fairclough, S., & Dibrell, C. (2014). Employer branding in family firms: An investigation. Paper presented at the Family Enterprise Research Conference, Portland, OR.
Palar, J. M., Novicevic, M., Humphreys, J. H., & Buckley, M. R. (2013). Positive leadership in the extreme contexts of the emancipation era. Paper presented at the meeting of the Southern Management Association, New Orleans, LA.
Palar, J. M., Gentry, R. J., & Knippen, J. M. (2013). Sensemaking and female CEO ascension: The role of strategic noise. Paper presented at the meeting of the Strategic Management Society, Atlanta, GA.
Contact
Jennifer Palar
Management
McMullen Hall 215C
518 W. Locust St.
Davenport, IA 52803
563-333-5716
PalarJennifer@sau.edu