Michal Frenkel is a professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, where she recently served as a department chair (2018-2022).
Her research focuses on power relations and gender intersectionality in and around organizations.
As a public sociologist, she applies insights from her and others’ studies to help public and private organizations implement more inclusive employment practices and become more family-friendly and egalitarian in their approach toward marginalized groups. Michal is a frequent commentator on questions of work, organization, and gender equity in the Israeli media. She enjoys mentoring up-and-coming scholars and has worked closely with more than 50 graduate and post-doctoral students in developing their studies and academic careers.
Research
In her research, Michal Frenkel examines power relations in and around organizations. In other words, she looks at how organizations and people within them exert and legitimize their right to control others based on social hierarchies. At the same time, she also studies how less powerful parties resist and challenge those with more control, demonstrating their agency and legitimacy in organizations, along with their ability to push back on the more dominant group.
Particularly, she explores how power relations affect the production of managerial knowledge and practices, and how the latter are institutionalized, transferred, and implemented across national boundaries. Additionally, she studies the role of such knowledge and practices in reproducing gender-, ethnicity-, race-, and religiosity-based social hierarchies.
Michal studies the multilayered nature of power and theorizes the interrelations between the global, national, organizational, and interpersonal power dynamics and how these shape organizational control and members’ compliance, agency, and resistance in organizations.
Her current research focuses on gender-religiosity intersectionality at work and the intersection of gender and age in shaping academic careers.
Publications
Select academic publications. For more, see CV.
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Frenkel, M. (2024). "The October 2023 War – From a Colonial to an Imperial Analysis." Palestine/Israel Review, 1.
Lyan, I. and Frenkel, M. (2022). "Industrial Espionage Revisited: Host Country–Foreign Multinational Corporation Legal Disputes and the Postcolonial Imagery," Organization, 29, 1: 30-50.
Syed, Z., and Frenkel, M. (2022). "Layers and Limits of Power and Resistance in Multinational Subsidiaries: The Interaction of Micro-Politics and Postcolonial Power at Reuters India," Organization.
Frenkel, M. (2014). “Can the Empire Write Back?” pp. 33-52. In: Core-Periphery Relations and Organization Studies, edited by Westwood, B., Jack, G., Farzad, R.K., and Frenkel, M. Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan.
Westwood, B., Jack, G., Faraz, R.K., and Frenkel, M. (2014). “Situating Core-Peripheral Knowledge in Management and Organization Studies,” pp. 1-32. In: Core-Periphery Relations and Organization Studies, edited by Westwood, B., Jack, G., Faraz, R.K., and Frenkel, M. Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan.
Frenkel, M. (2008). "The Multinational Corporation as a Third Space: Rethinking International Management Discourse on Knowledge Transfer through Homi Bhabha," Academy of Management Review 33, 4: 924-942.
Frenkel, M., and Shenhav, Y. (2006). "From Binarism Back to Hybridity: A Postcolonial Reading of Management and Organization Studies,” Organization Studies 27, 6: 855-876.
Frenkel, M., and Shenhav, Y. (2003). "From Americanization to Colonization: The Diffusion of Productivity Models Revisited," Organization Studies 24 (2003): 1537-1561.
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Morgan, G., Sturdy, A. and Frenkel M. (2018). "The Role of Large Management Consultancy Firms in Global Public Policy." Chapter 33 in: The Oxford Handbook of Global Policy and Transnational Administration, edited by Stone, D. and Moloney. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Frenkel, M. (2017). "From Anti Managerialism to Over Managerialism: How Critical Management Studies in Israel Were Exiled Away from Local Business Schools." In CMS: Global Voices, Local Accent, edited by Grey, G., Huault, I., Perret, V., and Taskin, L. New York and London: Routledge.
Frenkel, M., Lyan, I., and Drori, G. (2015). "Reproducing Self and the Other: The Role of Cross-cultural Management Discourse and Training in Shaping Israeli-Korean Collaborations," pp. 399-408. In: The Routledge Companion to Cross-Cultural Management, edited by Holden, N., Michailova, S., and Tietze, S. New York and London: Routledge.
Frenkel, M. (2013). “Toward a Multi-layered Glocalization Approach: States, Multinational Corporations and the Transformation of Gender Contracts,” pp. 133-145. In Themes and Local Variations in Organization and Management: Perspectives on Glocalization, edited by Drori, G., Hollerer, M., and Walgenbach, P. New York: Routledge.
Zohar, G., and Frenkel, M. (2011). "Wisconsin in Israel: The Influence of Ideological Hegemony over the Decision-Making Chronicle of the Activation Policy," Economic Quarterly (Hebrew, Rivoon Lecalcala) 58 (1-2) 7-40.
Frenkel, M. (2008). "The Americanization of the Radical Alternative: The Translation of Workers Participation in Management in Israel," International Studies of Management and Organization 38, 4: 17-37.
Frenkel, M. (2005). "The Politics of Translation: How State Level Political Relations Affect the Cross-National Travel of Ideas," Organization 12, 2: 275-301.
Frenkel, M. (2005). "Something New, Something Old, Something Borrowed,” pp. 147-166. In Global Ideas: How Ideas, Objects and Practices Travel in the Global, edited by Czarniawska, B., and Sevon, G. Copenhagen: Liber and Copenhagen Business School Press.
Frenkel, M. (2005). "Communicating Management: The Role of the Mass Media in the Institutionalization of Professional Management and Productivity Discourse in Israel," Scandinavian Journal of Management 24, 3: 137-157.
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Pfefferman, T. , Frenkel, M. and Gilad S. (2022). "On Gendered Justification: A Framework for Understanding Men's and Women's Entrepreneurial Resource‐Acquisition," Journal of Management Studies, 59, 2: 249-283.
Cohen-Nisan, H., and Frenkel, M. (2022). "Robin Hood and Superwomen: Gendering Invisible Work in the Family-Friendly Organization", Israeli Sociology.
Maggor, E. and Frenkel, M. (2022). "Start-up Nation? Myths and Reality" Chapter Pp. 423-435 in: Handbook of Contemporary Israel, edited by Ben-Porat, G., Feniger, Y., Filc, D., Kabalo, P., & Mirsky, J. London: Routledge.
Kark, R., and Frenkel, M. (2021). "Has the Silver/Gold Ceiling been Shattered? Gender and the Media Representation of Women in the Banking Industry in Israel", Studies in Regulation 3.
Frenkel, M. (2017). "Gendering the MNC," Research in the Sociology of Organizations, 49: 357-388.
Wasserman, V., and Frenkel, M. (2015). "Spatial Work in Between Glass Ceilings and Glass Walls: Gender-Class Intersectionality and Organizational Aesthetics,” Organization Studies, 36, 11: 1485-1505.
Pfefferman, T., and Frenkel, M. (2015). "The Gendered State of Business: Gender, Enterprises and State in Israeli Society,” Gender, Work & Organization, 22, 6: 535-555.
Frenkel, M. (2013). “Toward a Multi-layered Glocalization Approach: States, Multinational Corporations and the Transformation of Gender Contracts,” pp. 133-145. In: Themes and Local Variations in Organization and Management: Perspectives on Glocalization, edited by Drori, G., Hollerer, M., and Walgenbach, P. New York: Routledge.
Frenkel, M. (2008). "Reprogramming Femininity? The Construction of Gender Identities in the Israeli Hi-Tech Industry between Global and Local Gender Orders," Gender, Work and Organization 12, 4: 352-374.
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Cohen-Nisan, H., and Frenkel, M. (2022). "Robin Hood and Superwomen: Gendering Invisible Work in the Family-Friendly Organization," Israeli Sociology.
Frenkel, M., and Wasserman, V. (2021). "With God on their Side: Gender–Religiosity Intersectionality and Women’s Workforce Integration," Gender & Society, 34, 5:818-843.
Frenkel, M. (2019). "From Globordered Families to Globordered Work-Family Reconciliation Around Old Age: Comments on Legalized Families in the Era of Bordered Globalization," Jerusalem Review of Legal Studies. 20, 1: 48–57.
Toshav-Eichner, N., and Frenkel, M. (2011). "State Defense of Pregnant Workers," Economic Quarterly (Hebrew, Rivoon Lecalcala) 58(1-2): 41-65.
Frenkel, M., Hacker, D., and Braudo, Y.S. (2010) "Working Families in the Israeli Law: Between Neo-Liberalism and Human Rights," Studies in Israeli Society and Modern Jewish Society.
Frenkel, M. (2008). "Reprogramming Femininity? The Construction of Gender Identities in the Israeli Hi-Tech Industry between Global and Local Gender Orders," Gender, Work and Organization 12, 4: 352-374.
Blair-Loy, M., and Frenkel, M. (2005). "Societal Cultural Models of Work and Family: An International Perspective." In Work-Family Encyclopedia, edited by Pitt-Catsouphe, M., and Raskin, P. Chestnut Hill: Sloan Work and Family Research Network at Boston College.
Hacker, D., and Frenkel, M. (2005). "Active Parenthood and Equal Opportunities", Work, Society and Law 11 (2005): 275-303. (Hebrew).
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Gado, T., Vardi, S., Miletzki, Y., and Frenkel, M. (2024). "The Rising Political Literacy of Ultraorthodox Women in Israel in the Wake of the Regime Crisis of 2023." Kriot Israeliot 5, 181-206.
Frenkel, M., and Wasserman, V. (2023). "Bodies in-between: Religious women's-only spaces and the construction of liminal identities," Gender, Work & Organization.
Wasserman, V., and Frenkel, M. (2021). "The Politics of (In)visibility Displays: Ultra-orthodox Women Maneuvering Within and Between Visibility Regimes," Human Relations, 73, 12: 1609-1631.
Frenkel, M., and Wasserman, V. (2021). "With God on their Side: Gender–Religiosity Intersectionality and Women’s Workforce Integration," Gender & Society, 34, 5: 818-843.
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Eisenman, M., and Frenkel, M. [PI] (2021). "Remembering Materiality: A Material–Relational Approach to Organizational Memory," Organization Theory, 2, 3.
Eisenman, M., Frenkel, M., and Wasserman, V. (2019). "The Interpretation of Design-Based-Cues: A Processual Approach," pp. 118-133. In: Institutions and Organizations: A Process View. Perspectives on Process Organization Studies, edited by Reay, T., Zilber, T.B., Langley, A., and Tsoukas, H. Vol. 9. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Wasserman, V., and Frenkel, M. (2015). "Spatial Work in Between Glass Ceilings and Glass Walls: Gender-Class Intersectionality and Organizational Aesthetics,” Organization Studies, 36, 11: 1485-1505.
Wasserman, V., and Frenkel, M. (2011). "Caught Between Identity Regulation and Culture Jamming," Organization Science 22, 2: 503-521.
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Frenkel, M. (2024). "The October 2023 War – From a Colonial to an Imperial Analysis." Palestine/Israel Review, 1.
Maggor, E. and Frenkel, M. (2022). "Start-up Nation? Myths and Reality" In Handbook of Contemporary Israel, edited by Ben-Porat, G., Feniger, Y., Filc, D., Kabalo, P., & Mirsky, J. London: Routledge.
Pfefferman, T., Frenkel, M., and Gilad S. (2022). "On Gendered Justification: A Framework for Understanding Men's and Women's Entrepreneurial Resource‐Acquisition.” Journal of Management Studies, 59(2): 249-283.
Frenkel, M., and Wasserman, V. (2021). "With God on their Side: Gender–Religiosity Intersectionality and Women’s Workforce Integration,” Gender & Society, 34(5) 818-843.
Frenkel, M. (2012). "Benni Gaon: From Socialist to Capitalist Tycoon," pp. 357-369. In: Struggle and Survival in Israel and Palestine, edited by Levine, M., and Shafir, G. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Frenkel, M. (2006). "Israeli Society as a Managerial Society." In: In/Equality, edited by Ram, U., and Berkovitch, N., 282-290. Ben Gurion University Press (Hebrew).
Frenkel, M., Herzog, H. and Shenhav, Y. (2000). "The Cultural Wellsprings of Israeli Capitalism: The Impact of Private Capital and Industry on the Shaping of the Dominant Zionist Ideology." In: The New Israel: Peace and Liberalization, edited by Shafir, G., and Peled, Y, 43-70. New York: Westview Press.
Frenkel, M., Herzog, H., and Shenhav, Y. (1997). "National Capitalism", Theory and Criticism 9: 15-40.
Frenkel, M., Shenhav, Y., and Herzog, H. (1997). "The Political Embeddedness of Managerial Ideologies in Pre-State Israel: The case of PPL, 1920-1948," Journal of Management History 3, 2: 120-144.
Teaching
Introduction to Sociology
Advanced Sociological Theory
Sociology of Gender
Gender and Diversity in Organizations
Israeli State and Society
Media
Featured in Maariv, Kol HaIr, Zman Israel, and The Marker.
Select publications:
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“The strengthening of the ultra-Orthodox parties may deepen suspicion and fear towards ultra-Orthodox workers ,” Maariv, January 2023. [Hebrew]
“Will corona bring about a revolution in the management of social diversity?” Zman Israel, April 2020. [Hebrew]
“The challenges of integrating ultra-Orthodox women into the high-tech industry,” Kol HaIr, September 2019. [Hebrew]
“Hi-tech career and family? Dr. Michal Frankel found that Israeli hi-tech employers allow mothers to balance work and family,” The Marker, February 2008. [Hebrew]
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“The butterfly effect,” Arvut Org Shows, 2013. [Hebrew]
“It’s complicated: The future of the family unit - Israel 70+ Project,” Silueta Production House, 2018. (A short video about my work, in English.)