My research interests lie at the intersection of social movements, markets, and sustainability. I examine how activists pressure firms and industries to change their socially and environmentally detrimental practices, as well as how they support new sustainable industries. Additionally, I study how targeted firms and markets push back against this pressure, especially through the use of corporate front groups and disinformation campaigns. I have used both qualitative and mixed method designs to explore these processes in the electricity sector, home improvement retail and forestry industries, urban agriculture, and community-based river conservation.

PUBLICATIONS

Articles

Leitzinger, J. & David, R. (2026). When business as usual fails: The case of urban agriculture in Detroit, in Eng, N., Heales, K., Shantz, A. S., & Block, E. (eds.) Putting Institutional Theory to Work During Times of Crisis. Research in the Sociology of Organizations. Emerald Group Publishing Ltd.

Leitzinger, J., & Waeger, D. (2023). Keep your eyes on the prize: A goals-based approach to studying social movements in markets. Organization Theory, 4(2).

Leitzinger, J., King, B., & Briscoe, F. (2018). Introduction: Integrating research perspectives on business and society, in Briscoe, F., King, B. & Leitzinger, J. (ed.) Social Movements, Stakeholders, and Non-market Strategy. Research in the Sociology of Organizations, Volume 56, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, pp. 1-18

Book Chapters

Leitzinger, J. & Waeger, D. (2027). Catalyzing change: Social movements as drivers of social good in firms and markets. SAGE Handbook of Business in Society.

Edited Volumes

Briscoe, F., King, B., Leitzinger, J. (Eds.). (2018). Social Movements, Stakeholders, and Nonmarket Strategy. Research in the Sociology of Organizations, Volume 56. Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

Book Reviews

Leitzinger J., (2022). Shining a light on covert corporate lobbying. In Wilson, G. K., Leitzinger, J., Morgan, G., Coen, D., Katsaitis, K., & Vannoni, M., (2021). On David Coen, Alexander Katsaitis and Matia Vannoni’s Business Lobbying in the European Union, Oxford University Press, 2021, Socio-Economic Review, Volume 20, Issue 4, October 2022, Pages 2095–2106

Best Paper Proceedings

Leitzinger, J., Navis, C., Fisher, G., & Waldron, T. (2016). Movements, markets, and the power of living stories. Academy of Management Best Paper Proceedings, OMT Division.

MANUSCRIPTS AND WORKING PAPERS

Leitzinger, J. & David, R. From Motown to Growtown: The defense of social movement values in a moral market

Leitzinger, J, Navis, C., Waldron, T., & Fisher, G. Movements, markets, & the power of living stories.

Leitzinger, J. Wolves in sheep’s clothing: Corporate front groups as a response to activism and industry emergence.

Leitzinger, J. & Schnyder, G. Movements, markets, & states: A contextual institutional approach

Leitzinger, J. Hidden agendas: An exploration of corporate front groups as a form of non-market strategy.


RESEARCH IN PROGRESS

Leitzinger, J. & Trzebiatowski, T. When change leads to conflict: Collective identity threats and the evolution of movement-driven markets.

Block, E., & Leitzinger, J. Moving beyond the binary: A typology of organizational responses to stakeholder activism

Quan, N., Jang, D., Bottom, B., & Leitzinger, J. Crafting the anti-DEI movement: The role of think tanks

Leitzinger, J & Block, E. Damned either way: How organizations navigate competing social movements


AWARDS

Outstanding Paper (2017) Alliance for Research on Corporate Sustainability Research Conference, Rotterdam, Netherlands

Best Paper (2017) Journal of Business Venturing Thematic Consortium, London, Ontario

Best Paper on Environmental and Social Practices Runner-up (2016) OMT Division of the Academy of Management, AOM Annual Meeting, Anaheim, California

Best Paper Finalist (2014) Sustainability, Ethics, and Entrepreneurship Conference, Denver, Colorado