Michael Frese

Brief Biography

Michael Frese was born in 1949 in Düsseldorf, Germany.

Frese received his Vorplom (bachelor’s degree equivalent) in 1971 from Universität Regensburg [University of Regensburg], his Diploma (master’s degree equivalent) in 1976 from Freie Universität Berlin [Free University of Berlin], and his Doctorate (PhD equivalent) summa cum laude in 1978 from Technische Universität Berlin [Technical University of Berlin].

Frese’s first academic positions were as a “scientific assistant” at the Technical University of Berlin (1976–1980) and as Visting Professor in the Department of Psychology of Universität Bremen [University of Bremen] (1980–1981).

Frese also held academic appointments with the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia in the US (1981–1983), as well as with Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU) [Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich] (1984–1991) and Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen [Justus Liebig University of Giessen] (1991–2009), both in Germany.

At Giessen—his longest-held academic appointment—Frese occupied the Chair for Work and Organizational Psychology.

Over the course of his peripatetic career, Frede has also held numerous visiting professorships and other part-time positions at institutions of higher learning around the globe.

Such positions include the following: Pennsylvania State University at State College (1988–1989) in the US; Universität Mannheim (University of Mannheim) (1989–1990) in Germany; Universiteit van Amsterdam (UvA) [University of Amsterdam] (1996–2000) in the Netherlands; University of Zimbabwe (1996–2003) in Harare; Zhejiang University (2000) in Hangzhou in Zhejiang Province, China; University of Maryland at College Park (2003) in the US; Michigan State University at East Lansing (2003–2004) in the US; London Business School (1999–2009) in the UK; and Makerere University Business School (2008–2013) in Kampala, Uganda, among others.

In recent years, Frese has held no fewer than four concurrent appointments: in the Department of Management and Organization of the Business School of the National University of Singapore (2009–2021); back at the University of Pennsylvania (1984–present); at Leuphana Universität Lüneburg [Leuphana University of Lüneburg] (2009–present), in Germany; and in the Department of Organization and Management at the Asia School of Business (2009–present) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Frese has worked in diverse areas of industrial and organizational psychology, including longitudinal studies on the psychological effects of unemployment; the impact of stress at work; the psychological factors underlying the success of small-scale entrepreneurs; and the predictors of personal initiative in the former East Germany.

Other studies conducted by Frese include large-scale psychological field studies on shift work and on training for error-management, entrepreneurship, and personal initiative.

Finally, late in his career, Frese investigated cultural factors, especially those impacting entrepreneurial success within organizations and across nations, in both the developed and developing worlds.

Frese has received wide recognition within his field, serving, among other things, as President of the International Association of Applied Psychology (IAAP) from 2002 until 2006 and as Editor of the IAAP’s house journal, Applied Psychology, from 1991 until 2000.

Frese has delivered the keynote address at more than 20 international conferences, from San Francisco (in 1998) to Stockholm (in 2000). He has also acted as a consultant for many international enterprises, including banks, telecommunications firms, and computer companies.

Finally, Frese has published more than 400 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters, in addition to authoring or editing some 30 books, including several journal special issues.

Notable Quotes

Note: The original sources of the following quotations attributed here to Michael Frese are provided where known. If no specific source is mentioned, then the attributed quotation may be assumed to derive from or (perhaps via paraphrase) be inspired by Frese’s many academic and popular writings.

Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship is about seizing opportunities, taking risks, and persisting in the face of challenges.

Entrepreneurship is about seizing opportunities and taking risks in the pursuit of innovation and growth.

Entrepreneurship is the engine of economic growth. It’s not only about creating new ventures but also about renewing existing organizations.

Success in entrepreneurship is not just about having a great idea; it’s about turning that idea into action and sustaining it through perseverance and resilience.

An entrepreneurial mindset is characterized by a willingness to take risks, a passion for learning, and a relentless drive to achieve one’s goals.

Failure

Failure is not the opposite of success; it’s a stepping-stone on the path to success. It’s an opportunity to learn, grow, and improve.

Innovation

Innovation is not just about creativity; it is about the successful implementation of creative ideas within organizations.

Learning from failure is essential for innovation and personal growth.

Innovation thrives when individuals are given the autonomy to explore new ideas and challenge the status quo.

Innovation is about challenging the status quo, about being open to new ideas, about experimentation, and about perseverance.

The ability to adapt to change is critical for success in today’s fast-paced and uncertain business environment.

Creativity is the fuel of innovation. It’s about thinking outside the box, challenging conventional wisdom, and exploring new possibilities.

A culture of innovation is built on trust, collaboration, and a willingness to embrace diversity of thought.

Continuous learning is essential for personal and professional growth. It’s about staying curious, seeking out new experiences, and pushing yourself out of your comfort zone.

Leadership

Effective leadership involves inspiring and empowering others to achieve common goals.

Leadership is not solely about authority; it’s about empowering others to achieve their full potential.

Effective leadership is not about having all the answers; it’s about asking the right questions and empowering others to find solutions.

Motivations

Motivation is not just about setting goals; it’s about creating a compelling vision that drives action.

Psychological Safety

A culture of psychological safety fosters creativity, collaboration, and risk-taking within organizations.

Creativity flourishes in environments that encourage experimentation and embrace failure as a stepping-stone to success.

Scientific Theories

With time, I attempt to develop hypotheses that are more risky. I agree with [Karl] Popper that scientists need to be interested in risky hypotheses because risky hypotheses advance science by producing interesting thoughts and potential falsifications of theories (of course, personally, we always strive for verification—we love our theories after all; but we should be ready to falsify them as well).

“Grand Theories and Mid-Range Theories,” in Ken G. Smith and Michael A. Hitt, eds., Great Minds in Management: The Theory of Process Development (2005).