▁become ▁Ass istant ▁Secretary ▁of ▁the ▁Br istol ▁Stock ▁Exchange . ▁After ▁gradu ation ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 5 0 s ▁he ▁became ▁research ▁assistant ▁at ▁the ▁then ▁B irmingham ▁College ▁of ▁Advanced ▁Technology , ▁later ▁the ▁A ston ▁University . ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 0 s ▁he ▁joined ▁the ▁A ston ▁Group , ▁a ▁group ▁of ▁organiz ational ▁research ers ▁under ▁the ▁leadership ▁of ▁D erek ▁S . ▁P ugh . ▁In ▁corpor ation ▁with ▁Canadian ▁scient ists ▁they ▁developed ▁the ▁cont ing ency ▁approach . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s ▁H ick son ▁was ▁co - found er ▁of ▁the ▁European ▁Group ▁for ▁Organ iz ational ▁Studies ▁( EG OS ). ▁He ▁became ▁Professor ▁of ▁International ▁Management ▁and ▁Organ ization ▁at ▁Brad ford ▁School ▁of ▁Management , ▁England . ▁He ▁was ▁Vis iting ▁professor ▁on ▁Canada , ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁and ▁the ▁Netherlands . ▁And ▁he ▁was ▁found ing ▁Editor - in - Ch ief ▁of ▁Organ ization ▁Studies , ▁an ▁international ▁research ▁journal . ▁ ▁Work ▁ ▁H ick son ' s ▁research ▁interests ▁" are ▁how ▁soci etal ▁culture ▁affect s ▁manager ial ▁decision ▁making ▁in ▁different ▁nations ▁and ▁what ▁influ ences ▁the ▁success ▁of ▁major ▁dec isions . ▁His ▁previous ▁research ▁has ▁included ▁processes ▁of ▁manager ial ▁decision ▁making , ▁power ▁in ▁organizations , ▁and ▁b ureau c rat ization ." ▁ ▁Selected ▁publications ▁▁ ▁H ick son , ▁David ▁J ., ▁and ▁D erek ▁Sal man ▁P ugh