Mark A. Gagnon Ph.D.

Teaching Interests:

Entrepreneurship, sustainability & entrepreneurship, strategy and organizational behavior.

Research Interests:

Entrepreneurship in agriculture and natural resources, sustainable entrepreneurship, entrepreneur psychology and linkages with new venture practices and performance.

Areas of expertise: Entrepreneurship, strategy, organizational behavior, forest and building product technology.

Recent courses taught:

Engr310 - Entrepreneurial Leadership

MGMT297F - Entrepreneurial Mindset

Scholarly Activities:

Mark Gagnon is an entrepreneur who is interested in idea enactment in both academic and practical contexts. Mark’s research focuses on the intersection of sustainability and entrepreneurship particularly in the area of entrepreneur psychology relative to new venture practices and performance. In addition, Mark is part of the leadership team for Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences Entrepreneurship Initiative. The initiative seeks to facilitate entrepreneurship in the college and forge intra-university ties. On the applied venturing front, Mark’s interests are in the application of for-profit entrepreneurial concepts to solve the pressing problems that encounter humanity in the agriculture and natural resources space. Mark’s research has been published in journals across disciplines.

Select Publications:

Gagnon, M.A. 2012. Sustainable minded entrepreneurs: Testing a values-based framework. Journal of Strategic Innovation and Sustainability, 8(1).

Gagnon, M.A. 2011. Saving a green venture: EnviroWood. United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Annual Conference Proceedings. Hilton Head, SC. 2011 Best Business Teaching Case Award.

Gagnon, M.A., Jansen, K.J., and Michael, J.H.  2008.  Employee alignment with strategic change: A study of strategy supportive behavior among blue-collar employees. Journal of Managerial Issues. 20(4):425-443.  

Michael, J.H., Leschinsky, R., and Gagnon, M.A. 2006. Production employee performance at a furniture manufacturer: The importance of supportive supervisors. Forest Products Journal. 56(6): 19-24.

Gagnon, M.A., Jansen, K.J., and Michael, J.H. 2004. The role of strategic knowledge and commitment in predicting strategically-aligned behavior: A study of lean transformation.  Academy of Management 2004 Annual Meeting Proceedings: Human Resource Division.

Gagnon, M.A., and Michael, J.H. 2004. Outcomes of perceived supervisor support for wood production employees.  Forest Products Journal. 54(11/12):172-177.

Gagnon, M.A., and Michael, J.H. 2003. Employee strategic alignment at a wood manufacturer: An exploratory analysis. Forest Products Journal. 53(10): 24-29.

Gagnon, M.A., and Adams, R.D. 1999. A marketing profile of the structural insulated panel industry. Forest Products Journal. 49(7/8): 31-35.

Industry Experience:

Co-Founder/Vice President -DyeNon Building Technologies, Inc., Murfreesboro, TN

Director of Business Development -Bay Tree Technologies-USA, LLC, Memphis, TN

Director of Product Management-Huttig Building Products Corporation, St. Louis, MO

Regional Sales Manager-J.M. Huber Corporation, Charlotte, NC

Inside Sales- Brockway-Smith Company, Andover, MA