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Assistant Professor of Management
McCombs School of Business, University of Texas at Austin
I am an Assistant Professor in the Rosenthal Department of Management at the McCombs School of Business, University of Texas at Austin.
As a researcher, I specialize in the dynamics of adversity within the workplace, where I take both intrapersonal and interpersonal perspectives. In one stream of work, I address how individuals and teams interpret and respond to sources of adversity in their professional environments (e.g. when life events disrupt work; when obligations constrain personal morals). In a second stream, which is the core of my dissertation, I unpack the challenges associated with being resilient as a leader. I apply a variety of methodologies in my research, including field studies with organizations, pre-registered experiments, team simulations, and meta-analysis.
I also teach the fundamentals of leading and managing in the undergraduate business program.
I hold a B.A. in Psychology (honors) and History from Rice University. I received my Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior from UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School, where I was a Royster Fellow and received the Latané Outstanding Student Award (2025) and the Peggy Lee-Sunhil Award (2023) for outstanding graduate research.
To contact me, please email natalie.croitoru@mccombs.utexas.edu
Publications
Pearsall, M.J., Christian, J.S., & Croitoru, N (2025). A Stimulus-Based Model of the Team Adaptation Process: An Integrated Conceptual Review [Monograph]. Journal of Applied Psychology, 110(4), 459-480.
*Designated as a Monograph. The designation is used to indicate work that makes a particularly substantial and significant contribution to the field, as decided by the Senior Editorial Team. On average, less than 1 article per year is selected, making it a “rare and high distinction” at the journal.
Mitchell, M. S., Sharma, S., Zipay, K. P., Bies, R. J., & Croitoru, N. (2025). Considering personal needs in misdeeds: The role of compassion in shaping observer reactions to leader leniency. Journal of Applied Psychology, 110(4), 512-535. https://doi.org/10.1037/apl0001246
Kundro, T.G., Croitoru, N., & Helgason, B.A. (2024). Moral or lawful? When legal constraints reverse the motivational benefits of moral considerations. Organization Science. Articles in Advance, 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.2023.17545
Sherf, E. N., Croitoru, N., & McElroy, T. (2024). A reinforcement sensitivity theory view of seeking behaviors at work: A meta-analysis. Personnel Psychology, 77(2), 847-890. https://doi.org/10.1111/peps.12579
Teaching Experience
UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School
Professor of BUSI 405: Leading & Managing. Undergraduate level. Instructor Rating: 4.94/5
Facilitator for Team-Building Feedback Sessions, MBA 801: Leading & Managing. MBA level. Facilitator Rating: 5/5
My entry into graduate school involved translating research on teams to applied settings and audiences in the field. Although my current focus is on research, I have published book chapters on these foundations:
Croitoru, N., Bisbey, T., & Salas, E. (2021). Team Training for Long-Duration Space Exploration: A Look Ahead at the Coming Challenges. In L.B. Landon, K.J. Slack, & E. Salas (Eds.), Psychology and Human Performance in Space Programs: Extreme Application. CRC Press.
Croitoru, N., & Salas, E. (2021). Work Teams in Organizations: A Historical Reflection and (New) Lessons Learned. In L. Koppes Bryan (Ed.), Historical perspectives in industrial and organizational psychology (2nd ed.). Routledge/Taylor and Francis Group.
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