Michael R. Smith

Advisor: Dr. Ronald G. Downey

Description of Research

My primary research interest lies in understanding entrepreneurship and the challenges of small businesses in an emerging environment. Small businesses serve an important function in many communities around the globe. Not only in terms of valuable economic incentives but also to the wellness of the community as a whole. My research centers on understanding how the development and sustainability of successful entrepreneurship contributes to overall community psychological, mental, and economic wellness.

Additional areas of interest for me include job engagement and commitment. In particular, research concentrated on understanding how differing levels of commitment - affective, normative, and continuance- contribute to the motivation and productivity of individual workers is an area of interest. Additional research questions include: Which factors work to improve the level and type of commitment? Which factors inhibit it? Is there a specific type of commitment that can serve as a precursor predictor for engagement vs. burnout?

Representative Publications

None To Date

Representative Presentations

Mills, M. J., Smith, M. R., & Gopalan, N. (2007). An Exploration of the Relationship between Flow and Engagement.

Poster presented at 27th Annual Great Plains Students’ Psychology Convention, Wichita, Kansas. First place poster award

Teaching Experience
Graduate Teaching Assistanceship

Spring 2005

General Psychology Honors

Fall 2006

Forensic Psychology

Spring 2007

Psychology of Mass Communications

Graduate Research Assistanceship
Fall 2007 - Present

National Science Foundation Grant

Education

MS - Psychology, Kansas State, May 2007
BS - Kansas State, May 2005

Psychology
Management Information Systems (MIS)

Personal Information

Pittsburg, Kansas
Pet cat named Mia
Fan of the Oakland Raiders