As a co-creator of the Appreciative Inquiry (AI) theory and method, Ronald Fry, PhD, works with groups, organizations and institutions around the world to increase their cooperative capacity in order to engage the whole system in strategic thinking, planning and change. His research interests focus on the factors and dynamics that foster system-wide, positive change, and he continues to develop insights on large group dynamics, appreciative leadership, multi-stakeholder strategic planning, and business as an agent for world benefit.
His books include Appreciative Inquiry: A Positive Approach to Building Cooperative Capacity, with Frank Barrett, and Appreciative Team Building, with Diana Whitney, Amanda Trosten-Bloom and Jay Cherney. He also co-edited Appreciative Inquiry and Organizational Transformation: Reports From the Field (Quorum, 2001). Fry’s work also appears in such journals as Journal of Corporate Citizenship, AI Practitioner, Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, NZ Management, and Quality Management in Healthcare.
Fry has developed and conducted a Certificate Program in Appreciative Leadership and Organizational Capacity Building for over 150 leaders of voluntary social change organizations from more than 30 countries. With David Cooperrider, he co-directs the Weatherhead School of Management Certificate Program in Appreciative Inquiry in Positive Business and Society Change. He is an advisory board member and chief editor of the Fowler Center for Business as Agent of Work Benefit’s AIM2Flourish global inquiry into business innovations for business and society benefit. He has facilitated AI applications in a variety of systems including World Vision, Lubrizol, Roadway Express, US Navy, Genesis Health System, and Mid-Ohio Foodbank.
Fry has served as a visiting faculty to Canterbury University in Christchurch, New Zealand, Katholieke University in Leuven, Belgium and to the Administrative Staff College of India. He has been honored with the Case Western Reserve University Award for Outstanding Teacher in the Professional Schools. In 2004, he was awarded the Weatherhead School’s Lifetime Service Award.
Fry received a BS in Engineering from University of California at Los Angeles and both his PhD and MS from the A.P. Sloan School of Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Since joining the faculty at Case Western Reserve in 1978, he has taught courses on organizational behavior, organization change and development; group dynamics; sustainable enterprise; leading change; appreciative inquiry; and team building.
Initially Appointed: 1978
Teaching Information
Teaching Interests
- organization change & development
- group dynamics
- sustainable enterprise
- leading change
- appreciative inquiry
- team building
Courses Taught
Office Hours
By Appointment Only
Research Information
Research Interests
- Large systems change
- Strength-based change methodology
- Group dynamics
- Positive affect in group and system change
- Business as agent for world benefit
Awards and Honors
External Appointments
- Associate, Taos Institute, 2007 - Present
- Executive Board and Program Chair, ODC Division, Academy of Management, 2005 - Present
- Advisory Board and Visiting Faculty, New Zealand Institute of Management , 1981 - 2013
- Committee Chair, WSOM Finance Committee, 2022 - 2023
- Committee Chair, Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 2021
- Board Member, CSU TECH Hub Advisory Board, Cleveland, OH, 2021 - 2022
- Committee Member, IOT COllaborative, 2020 - 2022
- Faculty Advisor, School of Medicine: Center for Community Health Integration, 2020 - 2021
- Committee Chair, Accting Department Chair, 2019
- Guest Speaker, Provost Leadership Forum, 2019
- Faculty Advisor, School of Medicine: Center for Community Health Integration, 2018 - 2019
- Board of Advisors of a Company, D. L. Cooperrider Center for Appreciative Inquiry, Burlington, Vermont, 2018 - 2021
- Program Organizer, Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, Washington DC, DC, 2018 - 2020
- Program Organizer, Cleveland Rising Economic Growth Summit, Cleveland, OH, 2018 - 2019
- Committee Chair, Appointments Committee, 2017 - 2022
- Committee Member, IoT Collaborative, 2017 - 2020
- Program Organizer, MOOC Course on Appreciative Inquiry, 2015 - 2016
- Committee Chair, T Alfred Distinguished Service Award Committee, 2014
- Committee Chair, Weatherhead Outstanding PhD Research Award, 2014
- Reviewer, Journal Article, International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 2014
- Reviewer, Ad Hoc Reviewer, International Management Review, 2014
- Committee Chair, India-MPOD Program Faculty Director, 2012 - 2016
- Editorial Review Board Member, Journal of Corporate Citizenship, 2012 - 2016
- Workshop Organizer, Sustainable Cleveland 2019, Cleveland, OH, 2012
- Committee Chair, Dean Search Committee, 2011 - 2012
- Chairperson, Weatherhead School Dean Search Committee, 2011 - 2012
- Committee Member, Fowler Center Advisory Board, 2010 - Present
- Committee Chair, Appointments, 2010 - 2015
- Committee Member, Provost committee on Corporate Engagement, 2010
- Editorial Review Board Member, Journal of Applied Behavioral Sciences, 2010 - Present
- Editor, Journal Editor, Journal of Applied Behavioral Sciences - Special Issue, 2010 - 2012
- Guest Speaker, Hathaway Brown School: Education Innovation Summit, Shaker Heights, OH, 2010
- Program Organizer, Belgium Learning network for Talent Development, Genk, 2010
- Guest Speaker, Global Forum Latin America, Curitiba, 2010
- Workshop Organizer, Council of Smaller Enterprises (COSE), Cleveland, Ohio, 2010
- Committee Chair, India-MPOD, 2009 - 2016
- Program Organizer, Global Forum for Business As Agent for World Benefit, 2009
- Workshop Organizer, Sustainable Cleveland 2019, Cleveland, Ohio, 2009 - Present
- Workshop Organizer, Jewish Community Federation, Cleveland, Ohio, 2009 - 2010
- Editor, Journal Editor, Journal of Corporate Citizenship, 2008 - 2012
- Program Organizer, Academy of Mgt,, ODC Division Program Chair, 2008 - 2009
- Chair, Department Chairman, 2007 - 2013
- Committee Chair, Department of Organizational Behavior, 2007 - 2013
- Officer, President/Elect/Past, Academy of Management, ODC Division , 2006 - 2010
Publications
- Fry, R. , Buchter, M. E., Abaza, W. (2022). In D. L Cooperrider & L Godwin (Ed.)
Global Inquiry as a Form of Positive Institution Building: A Living Case Story on The Generative Power of Story-getting (vol. 24, issue 1, pp. 107-116) Burlington, VT: Appreciative Inquiry Practitioner - Dhar, U. , Fry, R. (2021). In Cooperrider, D. L. & Selian, A. (Ed.)
Innovating to Flourish: Toward a Theory of Organizing for Positive Impact (Ch. 16) (pp. Chapter 16) Oakland, CA: Barrett Koehler - Laszlo, C. , Cooperrider, D. L., Fry, R. (2020).
Global Challenges as Opportunity to Transform Business for Good Sustainability, an Open Source Journal of MDPI - Cooperrider, D. L., Fry, R. (2020).
Appreciative Inquiry in a Pandemic: An Improbable Pairing (vol. 56, issue 3, pp. 266-271) Newbury Park, CA: Journal of Applied Behavioral Science - Fry, R. (2018). In David Szabla, William Pasmore, Mary Barnes, and Asha Gipson (Ed.)
Richard Beckhard: Pioneer Thinker in Organization Development New York, NY: Palgrave - Macmillan - Fry, R. (2017). In Wick van der Vaart and David Cooperrider (Ed.)
An Appreciative Inquiry into Business as an Agent of World Benefit (vol. 19, issue 2, pp. 9-16) AI Practitioner - Grieten, S. , Lambrechts, F. , Bouwen, R. , Huybrechts, J. , Fry, R. , Cooperrider, D. L. (2017).
Inquiring Into Appreciative Inquiry: A Conversation with David Cooperrider and Ronald Fry (vol. 1-15, ) Sage Publications: Journal of Management Inquiry - Fry, R. (2014). In Katrin Huff (Ed.)
Setting the Right Tone: The Principles of Appreciative Inquiry (pp. 92-100) Sheffield: Greenleaf Publishers - Fry, R. (2014). In David Coghlan and Mary Brydon-Miller (Ed.)
Appreciative Inquiry (vol. 1, pp. 44-48) SAGE: SAGE - Bright, D. S., Fry, R. , Cooperrider, D. L. (2014).
Exploring Transformative Innovation Through a World Inquiry (pp. 341-359) Emerald Publishing - Bright, D. S., Powley, E. H., Fry, R. , Barrett, F. J. (2014). In Zandee, D., Cooperrider, D. L., Avital, M. (Eds.) (Ed.)
The Generative Potential of Cynical Conversations (pp. 136-157) Emerald Publishing - Fry, R. , Sharma, G. (2013). In Henn, Rebecca and Hoffman, Andrew (Eds.) (Ed.)
Generativity: Reconceptualizing the Benefits of Green Buildings (pp. 239-259) Cambridge, MA MIT Press - Cooperrider, D. L., Fry, R. (2013). In David Cooperrider and Ronald Fry (Ed.)
The Positive Psychology of Sustainability (vol. 46, ) London: Journal of Corporate Citizenship - Cooperrider, D. L., Fry, R. (2013). In David L Cooperrider & Ronald E Fry (Ed.)
Mirror Flourishing and the Positive Psychology of Sustainability+ (issue 46, pp. 3-12) Sheffield: Journal of Corporate Citizenship - Fry, R. , Verma, N. , Seb, W. O. (2013). In Neena Verma, Ronald Fry & Zeb Waturuocha (Ed.)
India and Appreciative Inquiry: A Generative Connection (vol. 15, issue 1, pp. 4-7) London: AI Practitioner - Cooperrider, D. L., Fry, R. (2012). In David L Cooperrider & Ronald E Fry (Ed.)
What Might They Call Our Generation? (issue 44, pp. 3-7) Sheffield: Journal of Corporate Citizenship - Fry, R. , Cooperrider, D. L. (2012). In David L Cooperrider & Ronald E. Fry (Ed.)
Tied into a Single Garment of Destiny (vol. 45, issue Spring, pp. 3-5) Sheffield: Journal of Corporate Citizenship - Bright, D. S., Fry, R. (2012). In David s Bright & Ronald E Fry (Ed.)
Introduction: Building Ethical, Virtuous Organizations (vol. 49, issue 1, pp. 5-12) Thousand Oaks, CA: The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science - Cooperrider, D. L., Fry, R. , (2012). In David Cooperrider and Ronald Fry (Ed.)
Corporate Citizenship is a Matter of World Affairs (issue 41, pp. 3-6) Sheffield: Journal of Corporate Citizenship/Greenleaf - Fry, R. (2012). In Ken Shelton (Ed.)
Managing Continuity (vol. 29, issue 3, pp. 8) Provo, Utah: Leadership Excellence - Fry, R. (2012). In Ken Shelton (Ed.)
Words Create Worlds (vol. 29, issue 3, pp. 12) Provo, Utah: Leadership Excellence - Cooperrider, D. L., Fry, R. (2011). In David L Cooperrider & Ronald E Fry (Ed.)
The Power of Self-synchronising Expectations: Realities are not what they used to be (issue 43, pp. 3-6) Sheffield: Journal of Corporate Citizenship - Fry, R. (2011). In Carol Bafi-Dugan (Ed.)
Leveraging Strengths to Bring Out the Best in Human Systems (vol. September, issue Fall, pp. 8-12) Medford, MA: National Association of Advisors for the Health Professionals, Inc. - Fry, R. , Cooperrider, D. L., (2011). In David Cooperrider and Ronald Fry (Ed.)
Socially Responsible Communication: Shifting from Access and Informing to Engaging and Interacting (issue 41, pp. 3-5) Sheffield: Journal of Corporate Citizenship/Greenleaf - Fry, R. , Cooperrider, D. L., (2011). In David Cooperrider and Ronald Fry (Ed.)
Editorial: Facing the Complexities of Corporate Responsibility and Accountability (issue 40, pp. 3-6) Sheffield: Journal of Corporate Citizenship/Greenleaf - Fry, R. , Ruhe, M. C., Bobiak, S. N., Carter, C. , Fry, R. E., Wu, L. , ZyZanski, S. , Litaker, D. , Weyer, S. , Weiner, J. , Stange, K. (2011). In Carroll, Jean Gayton PhD (Ed.)
Appreciative Inquiry for Quality Improvement in Primary Care Practices (vol. 20, issue 1, pp. 30-36) Philadelphia, PA: Quality Management in Healthcare/Lipincott Williams & Wilkins - Fry, R. , Cooperrider, D. L., (2010). In David cooperrider and Ronald Fry (Ed.)
Developing Tomorrow's Business Leaders to Enact Corporate Citizenship (issue 39, pp. 3-6) Sheffield: Journal of Corporate Citizenship/Greenleaf - Fry, R. , Cooperrider, D. L. (2010). In David cooperrider and Ronald Fry (Ed.)
Can Stakeholder Engagement be Generative? (issue 38, pp. 3-6) Sheffield: Journal of Corporate Citizenship/Greenleaf - Fry, R. , Hovelynck, J. (2010). In Chris Steyaert & Bart Van Looy (Ed.)
Developing Space for Diversity: An Appreciative Stance (pp. 139-154) London: Emerald Group Publishing - Cooperrider, D. L., Fry, R. (2010). In David L Cooperrider and Ronald E. Fry (Ed.)
Design Inspired Corporate Citizenship (issue 37, pp. 3-6) Sheffield: Journal of Corporate Citizenship - Fry, R. (2010). In Griet Bouwen (Ed.)
Developing the Whole Person through Generative Relationships (pp. 13-15) Leuven: Lanoo Campus - Cooperrider, D. L., Fry, R. , (2010). In Cooperrider and Fry (Ed.)
A Peter Drucker Moment: Harnessing the Innovation Producing Potential of a Shareholder and Stakeholder Theory of the Firm (vol. 36, pp. 3-6) Sheffield: Journal of Corporate Citizenship - Cooperrider, D. L., Fry, R. , (2009). In Cooperrider and Fry (Ed.)
Is Corporate Citizenship Spreading and Shrinking? (vol. Autumn 2009, issue 35, pp. 3-6) Sheffield: Journal of Corporate Citizenship - Fry, R. (2008). In Frank Lambrechts, Styn Grieten, Luk Verheijen (Ed.)
Business as an Agent for World Benefit: Transformative Innovations for Mutual Benefit (vol. 4, issue 3, pp. 8-21) Rotterdam, Netherlands: Develop: Kwartaaltijdschrift Over Human Resources Development/ HRD Fond - Fry, R. (2002).
Appreciating Your Past in Order to Transform the Future, (Invited) (vol. 1, issue 13, ) HR Cleveland; Cleveland Society for HR Management - Fry, R. (2000).
Appreciative Inquiry: Towards a Revolution in Positive Change (Invited) NZ Management
Presentations
- Fry, R. 5th Global Forum on Business as Agent for World Benefit: The Great Leadership Reset, "Aiming to Flourish: The Emergence of Positive Institutions in VUCA Times", Fowler Center for BAWB, CWRU and Barrett-Koehler Publishers, Virtual. (2021).
- Zingale, N. (Presenter & Author), Fry, R. (Presenter & Author), Hovmand, P. (Presenter & Author), Poeske, A. ITD21 - International Transdisciplinary Conference, "Smashing Transdisciplinary Boundaries", Network for Transdisciplinary Research, Switzerland, Online. (2021).
- Dhar, U., Fry, R. Academy of Management Annual Meeting, "Organizing for Positive Impact: Towards a theory of Triple Bottom Line Innovations", Academy of Management, (2021).
- Fry, R. AOM Symposium: Collaborating Across Organizational Boundaries: From Managing Crisis to Co-Creating a More Just and Thriving Society, "Boundary Smashing in VUCA Times", Academy of Management - 2021 Annual Meetings, Virtual. (2021).
- Fry, R. CWRU Greek Life Upstander Project, "Leveraging Strengths to Stand UP and Stand OUT", CWRU Greek Life, CWRU. (2021).
- Fry, R. Weatherhead xLab Quarterly Meeting, "Leading Digital Transformation in the Post-Covid "New Normal"", Weatherhead School's xLab, Cleveland, Ohio (via Zoom). (2021).
- Fry, R. (Presenter & Author) Weatherhead 100 Webinar Series, "Applying Appreciative Inquiry to Excel in the Post-Pandemic “New Normal”", Weatherhead School , Cleveland, OHIO (virtual). (2021).
- Fry, R. Positive Pivot: A Global Virtual Appreciative Inquiry Jam, "Expanding AI in Challenging Times: Cultivating Post-Traumatic Growth and Resilience", Cooperrider Center for Appreciative Inquiry, Champlain University, Vermont, Burlington, VT. (2020).
- Fry, R. (Presenter & Author) Belgian Learning Network fro Building Positive Institutions, "Strength-based leadership of Flourishing Organizations", Kessels & Smit, Antwerp. (2020).
- Fry, R. (Presenter & Author) Master Class for IFAI Facilitators, "Ingiting Coopereration for Ecological Transformation through Appreciative Inquiry", Institut Francais Appreciative Inquiry (IFAI), Paris. (2019).
- Fry, R. PhD Program in Public Health, "Introduction to Appreciative Inquiry", University of Chicago-Illinois, Chicago - online. (2019).
- Fry, R. ASTHO Leadership Forum, "Positive Change Leadership: Leading from Strengths to Unleash Workforce Capacity", Association of State and Territorial Health Organizations (ASTHO), Puerto Rico. (2019).
- Fry, R. (Presenter & Author), Verma, N. (Presenter Only) World Appreciative Inquiry Conference, "Authenticity in the Practice of AI", Institut Francais d'Appreciative Inquiry, Nice, France. (2019).
- Fry, R. (Presenter Only), Stavros, J. (Presenter & Author), Torres, C. (Presenter & Author) World Appreciative Inquiry Conference, "Conversation is the Heart of Organizing: AI Meets Complexity Theory", Institut Francais d'Appreciative Inquiry, Nice, France. (2019).
- Fry, R. CWRU Alumni Weekend, "Complexity Theory Meets OD: Radical Ideas for Leading Change in Today’s Organizations", WSOM - MPOD Program, CWRU Campus. (2018).
- Fry, R. MPOD Alumni Reunion, "Creating Conversations that Make a Difference", CWRU Alumni weekend, CWRUCampus. (2018).
- Fry, R. MPOD Webinar, "Complexity Theory Meets OD: Radical Ideas for Leading Change in Today’s Organizations", WSOM-MPOD Program, Internet. (2018).
- Fry, R. Sustainable and Flourishing Villages and Cities in the Mid Nordic Region, "Building Collaborative Capacity through Appreciative Inquiry", Mid-Sweden University, Trondhiem, Norway. (2018).
- Fry, R. French Appreciative Inquiry Practitioners Conference, "Appreciative Leading and Being in Daily Life", Insititut Francais d'Appreciative Inquiry, Paris. (2018).
- Fry, R. Univ. Chicago-Illinois Doctorate in Public Health - Webinar, "Appreciative Inquiry: Unleashing Cooperative Capacity for Positive Change", University of Chicago-Illinois, Chicago. (2018).
- Fry, R. NEOMED Leadership Development Program, "Appreciative Leadership: Unleashing Cooperative Capacity for Positive Change", Northeast Ohio Medical University, Warren, Ohio. (2018).
- Fry, R. Belgian Learning network for High Engagement Organizations, "Appreciative Leadership for a Flourishing Enterprise", Belgian Learning Network, Ghent, Belgium. (2017).
- Fry, R. NEOMED Leader Development Program, "Appreciative Leadership: Unleashing Cooperative Capacity for Positive Change", Northeast Ohio Medical University, (2017).
- Fry, R. Flanders TourismLearning Network, " Re-Thinking Why and How Human Systems Change", Flanders Governmnet, Ghent, Belgium. (2016).
- Fry, R. 10th Anniversary Conference of Peter Drucker Society of South Korea, "Leveraging the Voice of Peter Drucker to Enable Businesses as Agents for World Benefit", Peter F Drucker Society of S Korea, Seoul. (2016).
- Fry, R. Master Class in Appreciative Inquiry, "New Frontiers in Appreciative Inquiry", Institut d'Appreciative Inquiry Francais, Paris. (2016).
- Fry, R. NEOMED Leader Development Program, "Appreciative Leadership: Unleashing Cooperative Capacity for Positive Change", Northeast Ohio Medical University, (2016).
- Fry, R. Leaders Luncheon, "From Good conversations to Generative Connections: Transforming Organizations through AI", Balance Human Resources, Ghent, Belgium. (2014).
- Fry, R. BCCL (Times of India) Leader Development Programme, "Leading Sustainable Change", Indian School of Business, Hyderabad, India. (2014).
- Fry, R. Indian Academy of Mangement, "Re-thinking How Human systems Change: Welcome to the Strengths Revolution!", IIM Ahmedabad, Ahmedabad, India. (2013).
- Fry, R. IFTDO National Congress, "Magnifying Strengths for Sustainable Change", Indian Federation of Tranining & Development Organizations, Delhi, India. (2013).
- Fry, R. National HRD Conference, "Unleashing Cooperative Capacity through Strength-based Leadership", NHRD India, Hyderabad. (2012).
- Fry, R. AACN National Meeting, "Igniting Positive Change and Innovation through Leveraging Strengths: An Introduction to Appreciative Inquiry", American Association of Nursing Colleges, Washington, DC. (2012).
- Fry, R. (Presenter Only) South Korea National HRD Congress, "Building Cooperative Capacity through Appreciative Inquiry", Ministry of Employment and Labor & HRD Service of Korea, Seoul, South Korea. (2012).
- Fry, R. Cleveland Clinic: Leading Health Care Program, "Leveraging Strengths to Lead Collaboration, Innovation, and Change ", Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH. (2012).
- Fry, R. World Appreciative Inquiry conference, "Generative Engagement: Going beyond the Positive for Transformational Change", Network of AI Professional, Ghent, Belgium. (2012).
- Fry, R. (Presenter & Author) Hathaway Brown School's Eduction Innovation Summit 2011, "Sustainability Through Strength", Hathaway Brown School, Shaker Heights, OH. (2011).
- Fry, R. (Presenter Only) Lubrizol/Weatherhead Alumni Breakfast, "Igniting Positive Change through leveraging Strengths", WSOM & Lubrizol, Wickliffe, OH. (2011).
- Fry, R. (Presenter Only) University Hospitals Faculty Enrichment Program, "Leveraging Strengths to Build Individual and Organizational Capacity", University Hospitals, Cleveland, OH. (2011).
- Fry, R. (Presenter & Author) Academy of Management Annual Meeting, "Designing a Green Sity on a Blue Lake: Cleveland's Sustainability Journey", Academy of Management, San Antonio, TX. (2011).
- Fry, R. (Presenter & Author) Cleveland Clinic Leading in Health Care Program, "Building Cooperative Capacity through Strengths-Based Change", Cleveland clinic, Cleveland, OH. (2011).
- Fry, R. Provost Leadership Retreat, "Building Cooperative Capacity in Academic Departments", CWRU Office of the Provost, Cleveland, Ohio. (2010).
- Fry, R. E uropean Appreciative Inquiry Network, "Appreciative Inquiry and Strength-based Change: Where To Next?", BLED School of Management, Bled, Slovenia. (2010).
- Fry, R. Resilient Thinking, "Driving Positive Change through the Questions We Ask", Flemish Quality Management Center, Gent, Belgium. (2009).
- Fry, R. (Presenter & Author) 16th Annual Northwest Dispute Resolution Conference, "Strength-based Stakeholder Engagement through Appreciative Inquiry", Washington Law School, Washington Mediation Association, Seattle. (2009).
- Fry, R. Global Forum Latin America, "Business Engagement for a Sustainable Future: Lessons from the BAWB World Inquiry", Federation of Industries, Parana, Brazil, Curitiba, Parana., Brazil. (2009).
- Fry, R. International Institute of Municiple Clerks, "High Engagement through Strength-based Leadership: Introduction to Appreciative Inquiry", Institute of Municiple Clerks, Chicago. (2009).
- Fry, R. (Presenter & Author), Sharma, G. (Presenter & Author) Leading Ways to Social Responsibility & Sustainability, "the World Inquiry Project: Analyses of Impct of Innovations to Create Mutual Benefit for Business and Society", Mandel Center, WSOM & Fowler Center, Cleveland, Ohio. (2009).