Jan Heiberg Johansen

Research profile

My research interest is to apply and develop methods for understanding organizational tensions and their significance for organizations, people, and society. Expanding the understanding of such tensions has broad implications for both theory and practice, as they shape the conditions for leadership and thereby the organizational foundations for health and well-being in a Danish and global context.

There are three main foci in my research on organizational tensions: leaders’ well-being (1), the unfolding of tensions over time in complex organizations (2), and the methodological foundations for studying organizational tensions (3).

Teaching profile

Teaching is important for my research. I strive to both facilitate deep insight through disseminating the latest research and to establish a common reflection space on the subjects to bring research and practice-based knowledge together. There are several reasons for bridging theoretical and practice-based knowledge in my view. Firstly, it is highly useful for each student to use their own experiences and knowledge as a prism for understanding theory. Secondly, the teaching environment is highly qualified by practice-based insights that both contribute to illustrate theoretical knowledge, but often also add key nuances to theory. Thirdly, it increases student’s commitment to the module that the learning process (teaching, theory, exercises, exams, etc.) has clear implications for practice.