DENNIS HELDING JACOBSEN

I am a PhD candidate in Organizations and Management at Yale School of Management. My research is focused on how we construct our social worlds at work and the consequences these choices have for our personal and professional development.

Laying the groundwork for my ongoing empirical research, I recently published a review paper that synthesizes research that extends a dynamic lens to the study of intraorganizational social networks. This paper critically examines the literature on the antecedents and consequences of the formation, evolution, and dissolution of social ties in professional environments, while addressing the lack of clear terminology, methodological clarity, and a unified framework in existing literature.

Building on these insights, my dissertation examines how seemingly small and locally rational adjustments in workplace relationships can cascade into broader network patterns with unintended consequences. In particular, my research shows how the ways individuals recalibrate their networks in response to pressures or constraints can, while adaptive in the moment, collectively trap them in structures that are counterproductive and difficult to escape. I call this the emergence of relational “lock-ins.” These dynamics help explain why some organizational challenges remain remarkably resistant to change, even in the face of sustained intervention efforts.

I specialize in multi-year longitudinal field studies carried out in close collaboration with organizations across culturally diverse contexts, including Italy and Indonesia. These partnerships allow me to study the dynamic processes of network change as they unfold over time in real organizational settings.

My academic exploration of social dynamics parallels a lifelong personal fascination with the complexities of how and why we structure our social worlds the way we do, and the ways in which these structures influence us and our actions. From navigating the dynamics of friendship groups to observing behavioral patterns across different interactions, I have long been drawn to understanding these complex social patterns and their implications. This curiosity forms the cornerstone of my research.

Prior to joining Yale, I earned BSc and MSc degrees in Economics and Business Administration from Copenhagen Business School, where I also spent two years as a PhD Fellow. In parallel, I gained industry experience in internationally operating firms across tech (Jabra), consulting (Ramboll Management Consulting), and transportation (DSB, Denmark’s principal railway operator). This blend of academic and industry experience shaped my perspective on how social dynamics structure professional life and affect outcomes at work, a focus that continues to guide my research today.