Jay William Lorsch (October 8, 1932 – August 5, 2025) was an American organizational theorist and theLouis Kirstein Professor of Human Relations at theHarvard Business School, known for his contribution ofcontingency theory to the field of organizational behavior.
Born inSt. Joseph, Missouri, Lorsch grew up inKansas City, Missouri, where he graduated from thePembroke Country-Day School in 1950. He received hisBachelor of Arts fromAntioch College in 1955, hisDoctor of Business Administration from the Harvard Business School in 1964, and started his academic career at the Harvard Business School in 1965.[1]
Together withPaul R. Lawrence, Lorsch was awarded theAcademy of Management's "Best Management Book of the Year Award" in 1969 for their book "Organization and Environment".[2] This book "addedcontingency theory to the vocabulary of students of organizational behavior."[3]
He and his wife resided inCambridge, Massachusetts.[citation needed] Lorsch died on August 5, 2025, at the age of 92.[4]
Lorsch published a dozen books, including:
