Niels Van Quaquebeke

Papers

Total Citations

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About

Niels Van Quaquebeke is a leading organizational psychologist whose research explores the dynamics of leadership, followership, and hierarchy within workplaces. His work delves into how power structures are maintained or challenged, with a particular focus on the subtle yet powerful role of humor in organizational life. In his highly cited work "Friend or fiend? Disentangling upward humor's (De)stabilizing effects on hierarchies," he synthesizes scattered research on follower-initiated humor, framing it as a strategic tool for navigating and potentially reshaping hierarchical relationships. This contribution, though recent, has already garnered significant attention for its novel perspective on a largely overlooked aspect of workplace interaction. Beyond humor, Van Quaquebeke’s broader research portfolio—amassing thousands of citations—addresses respectful leadership, ethical decision-making, and follower identity. His insights have been published in top-tier journals like *The Leadership Quarterly* and *Journal of Organizational Behavior*, and he is recognized for bridging rigorous theory with practical implications for leaders and organizations. His work challenges conventional top-down views of leadership, emphasizing the agency and influence of followers in shaping organizational culture and hierarchy.