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Josephine E. Olson

Josephine E. Olson

Professor of Business Administration
Director of the International Business Center

Office: 308 Mervis Hall
Phone: 412-648-1715
E-mail: jolson@katz.pitt.edu
Download Curriculum Vita(PDF)

Degrees

PhD in Economics, Brown University
AB, Wellesley College

Courses Recently Taught

Business Economics (CBA)
Key International Economics Issues for Managers (CBA)
Economics for International Business (MBA)
Plus3 Freshmen Study Trips to the Czech Republic, Chile, and France (CBA)

Area

Marketing and Business Economics

Profile

Josephine Olson teaches courses in managerial economics and international economics, and has conducted study trips to Europe and South America. She is director of the International Business Center and an associate of The Center for Latin American Studies, the European Union Center, the Center for Russian and East European Studies, the Asian Studies Center, and the Global Studies Program. She was secretary of the University Senate from 2002 to 2005. From 1979 to 1983 she was director of MBA Programs and from 1996 to 2001 she served as associate dean. Prior to coming to the University of Pittsburgh, she was on the faculty of Bernard M. Baruch College, City University of New York.

At present, Dr. Olson's research interests include topics in international economics and a study of career paths and income determinants of MBAs.

From 1974 to 1986, she was a member of the Board of Trustees of the Insurance and Annuity Association (TIAA). In the fall of 1991 she was a Fulbright Fellow lecturing at the International Management Center in Budapest, Hungary. She was visiting professor of economics at the Czechoslovak Management Center near Prague in winter 1992. In 1993-94 she was a visiting professor at Nyenrode University in the Netherlands and in 1994-95 she was academic dean and interim CEO of the Czech Management Center. She has consulted with public and private agencies with regard to public policy toward transportation and utility rate-setting and international economics. She has also done some educational consulting.

Recent Publications

Olson, J.E. & Lalley, K. (forthcoming). "Evaluating a short-term, first-year study-abroad program for business and engineering undergraduates: Understanding the student learning experience," Journal of Education for Business.

Frieze, I.H., Olson, J.E. & Murrell, A.J. (2011). "Predictors of Late Retirement for Women and Men MBAs," Journal of Women and Aging, 23, 40-57.

Olson, J.E., Frieze, I.H. et al. (2007). "Beliefs in Equality for Women and Men as Related to Economic Factors in Central and Eastern Europe and the United States," Sex Roles, 56, 297-308.

Olson, J.E., Frieze, I.H. (2007). "Transition from Communism," George Ritzer (Ed.), The Blackwell Encyclopedia of Sociology, X(ST-Z), 5047-5050.

Olson, J.E, Frieze, I.H. et al. (2006). "Economic Influences on Ideals about Future Jobs in Young Adults in Formerly Socialist Countries and the United States", Cross Cultural Research, 40, 352-376.

Frieze, I.H., Olson, J.E., Murrell, A. J. & Selvan, M.S. (2006). "Work Values and their Effects on Work Behavior and Work Outcomes in Female and Male Managers", Sex Roles, 54, 83-93.

Olson, J.E. (2005). "Top-25-Business-School Professors Rate Journals in Operations Management and Related Fields," Interfaces, 35, 323-338.