JoAnne Yates

Papers

Total Citations

416

H-Index

About

JoAnne Yates is a distinguished scholar whose research lies at the intersection of organizational communication, information technology, and institutional change. Her most-cited work, "Reconfiguring Boundary Relations: Robotic Innovations in Pharmacy Work" (2011, 416 citations), offers a seminal analysis of how robotic technologies reshape occupational boundaries and power dynamics among pharmacists, technicians, and assistants. This study, alongside her broader contributions, illuminates how digital innovations transform professional roles, coordination, and control within organizations. Yates is also renowned for her foundational work on the history of communication technologies in organizations, including her influential book *Control through Communication*, which traces the evolution of information systems in American corporations. Her research has profoundly shaped our understanding of how written and digital records mediate authority and collaboration. With a career spanning decades at MIT Sloan School of Management, Yates has been a pioneer in linking historical analysis with contemporary organizational theory, earning her a lasting impact on scholars studying technology, work, and institutional evolution.