Research
Research on strategic leadership is central to our mission at the Goff Strategic Leadership Center, and we are fortunate to have world-renowned faculty affiliated with Goff. Because our commitment is to develop all of our students—undergraduate, graduate, or executive—into more effective strategic leaders, we are committed to bringing them the very latest, research-informed thinking about how to improve.
The Strategic Leadership Conference is jointly sponsored by the Goff Strategic Leadership Center and Strategic Management Review.
Research Highlights
- What I Didn’t Learn in Business School
This book is for managers and leaders who want to effectively apply strategy to real life, especially as they navigate the messiness of human dynamics. - Jay Barney Q&A: Strategy and Entrepreneurial Action
Dr. Barney discusses his approach to teaching entrepreneurship and helping students understand how to create competitive advantages. - Strategy at Stake: Conflict between People and Profits
Since not all stakeholders have equal claims to firm’s profits, how can leaders navigate tensions between maximizing the wealth of a firm’s shareholders while addressing the interests of all other stakeholders? - The Secret of Culture Change: How to Build Authentic Stories That Transform Your Organization
With extensive and inspiring examples of stories containing these attributes, Jay and his Co-authors illustrate how readers can harness the power of stories within their company in order to change or create a winning culture to align with any strategy.
Jay Barney, Ph.D.
Presidential Professor of Strategic Management; Lassonde Chair of Social Entrepreneurship
Bill Hesterly
Associate Chair and Dumke Family Presidential Chair in Strategic Management; Daniels Fund Initiative Professor
Research Highlights
- Strategic Management and Competitive Advantage
Co-authored with Jay Barney, this textbook presents core strategy concepts in accessible ways, helping students learn to analyze real business situations. - Talent Grab: Why Do We Pay Our Stars So Much Money?
Malcolm Gladwell references Hesterly’s research in tracing the history and economics behind how high-level professionals and star performers have come to be paid so much. - How Strategic Alliances Impact Value Creation
Leaders evaluating the value creation potential of partnerships should consider some key factors, outlined here.
Research Highlights
- Why Business Schools Need to Teach Experimentation
As companies increasingly prioritize making decisions based on insights from experiments and data, business schools should take these actions to teach MBA students how to leverage experiments and pull actionable insights. - Confidence, Credibility, & Strategic Leadership
Strategic leaders share compelling and ambitious visions for their organizations –but should be careful to avoid the trap of overconfidence.
Elizabeth Tenney
Associate Professor, David Eccles Emerging Scholar
Ruchi Watson
Professor (Lecturer); Managing Director, Goff Strategic Leadership Center; Strategic Advisor to the Dean (David Eccles School of Business)
Research Highlights
- The Leadership Pipeline: Achieving Gender Equity in U.S. Business Schools
Ruchi Watson examines the challenges and potential solutions for achieving gender equity in leadership positions at U.S. business schools. - Why Business Schools Need to Teach Experimentation
Co-authored by Elizabeth R. Tenney and Elaine Costa, while they’re adding courses in cybersecurity, AI/machine learning, and fintech, business schools shouldn’t forget to go back to the basics. They have stood the test of time for generating reliable and insightful outcomes in science and philosophy - Academic Leadership Already Lacked Women Representation Pre-Pandemic. Now What?
In 2019, Dr. Ruchi Watson’s research showed that among top business schools, the factors influencing the advancement of women through the tenure-line ranks include challenges accessing valuable networking opportunities; a lack of role models, mentors, and the right work experiences; and familial responsibilities, to name a few. - Gender Diversifying the Business Curriculum
Co-authored by Gary Fraser; Why teaching more gender-diverse cases is so important—and how every business school can achieve that goal.
Research Highlights
- Beyond Competitive Advantage: How to Solve the Puzzle of Sustaining Growth While Creating Value
Drawing on extensive analysis and years of research, this book is for leaders seeking a framework to help them create value and sustainable growth. - Knowing What Your Co-Worker Makes Doesn’t Close the Pay Gap
While salary transparency often succeeds in remedying pay inequities, it has limitations – and in fact may have unintended side effects. - What Makes a Decision Strategic?
Leaders should consider these specific factors when deciding how to prioritize decisions to maximize value creation
Todd Zenger
Presidential Professor of Strategy and Strategic Leadership; N. Eldon Tanner Chair