Ye Joon Lee

PhD Candidate · Management & Organizations and Sociology
Kellogg School of Management · Northwestern University

My research examines how firms and individuals respond to social and political shifts, with a particular focus on social movements, work and careers, and nonmarket strategy – and how these responses aggregate into broader organizational and societal changes. I primarily use quantitative methods, drawing on archival and restricted administrative data, complemented by qualitative interviews and surveys.

In my dissertation, I trace how contemporary social movements shape labor market dynamics and the founding of new ventures. By centering on the micro-level processes through which movements influence promotion, retention, and entrepreneurship, my research contributes to our understanding of how political movements have unanticipated consequences for the human capital and nonmarket strategies of firms and ventures.

Before Kellogg, I received my M.A. from the University of Chicago and B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley, and worked in the nonprofit sector. I am originally from Seoul, South Korea.

I am on the 2026–27 academic job market.