Title: Professor
Company: Michigan State University
Location: Williamston, Michigan, United States
William N. Cooke, PhD, professor with the School of Human Resources and Labor Relations at Michigan State University, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Educators for dedication, achievements, and leadership in educational consulting.
With nearly five decades of experience, Dr. Cooke has built a distinguished career in academia and consulting, specializing in labor management, union management, and employee relations. He currently excels as a professor with the School of Human Resources and Labor Relations at Michigan State University, a position he has held since 2008. His previous roles include director of the School of Human Resources and Labor Relations at Michigan State University from 2008 to 2019, professor and director of the Fraser Center for Workplace Issues at Wayne State University from 1990 to 2007, and associate professor and director of the Labor-Management Relations Center at the Ross School of Business, University of Michigan from 1983 to 2008. Additionally, he served as a senior associate professor and chair of Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management at the Krannert Graduate School of Management, Purdue University from 1981 to 1983, an associate professor in the Department of Management, School of Business Administration at the University of Maine, Orono from 1980 to 1981 and an assistant professor in the same department from 1977 to 1980.
Dr. Cooke has also made significant contributions to the field through his role as co-author of “Negotiating High Performance-Focused Partnerships: The 5 Stages of Effective Labor-Management Negotiations” in 2024 and as the author of three books and over 20 journal articles, with his work cited in numerous publications and journals in economics. He holds memberships with the Labor and Employment Relations Association and the Society for Human Resource Management. Laying a solid educational foundation, he earned a Bachelor of Science in economics from Eastern Illinois University in 1970, a Master of Arts from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 1973, and a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 1977.
Dr. Cooke takes great pride in his published works focused on academic, statistical, and econometric subjects. In his latest project, he consulted with executives from over 35 companies and is optimistic about the potential impact of this book, believing it will significantly benefit real-life situations and negotiations. He attributes his success to hard work, drive, and a passion for research, exploration, discovery, and continuous learning. He also credits his Midwestern background for instilling a strong work ethic, influenced by his father, who was a hardworking machinist. Looking ahead, he is focused on continuing to excel in the classroom and anticipates a potential collaboration with a vice president of labor relations at a prominent medical hospital system to co-author a book on negotiating partnerships with unions. Additionally, he is exploring research on the impact of artificial intelligence on workforce displacement and strategies for employee retraining and upskilling. In advising aspiring professionals, he emphasizes the importance of genuinely caring about people, being deeply interested in the workplace, and having a thorough understanding of business, organizational change, and strategy.
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