Gregory Saxton

Schulich Accounting Professor, Gregory D. Saxton, was recently awarded the 2021 Public and Nonprofit Division’s Best Book Award. His book, The Quest for Attention: Nonprofit Advocacy in a Social Media Age, co-authored with Chao Guo from the University of Pennsylvania, seeks to reveal the mechanisms and ramifications of a new model for nonprofit advocacy in the social media era.

“It’s such an honor to receive this year’s book award,” expressed Saxton. “The book represents the culmination of a stream of research we started almost a decade ago, so to see this work recognized by our peers is extremely satisfying.”

Saxton has long been interested in charitable organizations. His social science background initially sparked a concern for how nonprofits were using social media to help achieve policy change. “I’m fascinated by how organizations can cut through the ‘noise’, gain the public’s attention, and then leverage that attention to achieve strategic advocacy outcomes,” said Saxton.

Saxton is a big proponent of the view that an organization must ensure that it has an audience and that its voice is heard by that audience; it must ensure that current and potential supporters are paying attention before expecting more tangible outcomes.

With the increasing importance of business analytics, Saxton is a part of a Schulich community heavily engaged in studying Big Data and society. “The support staff at Schulich have been critical in helping me get external funding for my research,” stated Saxton. “Schulich has provided a real boost to my productivity and impact, and I feel grateful to be part of this community.”