When you think of the nation’s most prestigious business programs Harvard, Wharton, or Stanford come to mind. It’s time to add the Marriott School to that list. In the past five years, only faculty from two of these universities published more articles in Harvard Business Review (HBR) than those from Brigham Young University; BYU tied with MIT for third.
HBR is the pinnacle of applied management theory literature. It demonstrates impact in the world of practicing business people through the eyes of the most influential business experts and scholars of our time. Nine Marriott School professors (current or former) have published in HBR the last five years, including Jeffrey H. Dyer, David J. Bryce, Nile W. Hatch, Peter M. Madsen, James B. Oldroyd, Shad Morris, Daniel Snow, Nathan Furr, and Hal Gregersen.
To celebrate this accomplishment, we gathered some of the most recent work from Marriott School faculty* to appear in HBR.
“Competing Against Free” (2011) was coauthored by David J Bryce, Jeffrey H. Dyer, and Nile W. Hatch. It addresses the threat of the “free” business model and helps managers at established companies understand how to combat these threats and respond effectively.
“How to Avoid Catastrophe” (2011) was written by Catherine H. Tinsley, Robin L. Dillon, and Peter M. Madsen. It explains how near-miss events become disasters—like Toyota’s stuck accelerators—when cognitive biases cause managers to overlook potential crises. The authors identify seven strategies to help recognize would-be catastrophes.
“The Short Life of Online Sales Leads” (2011) was coauthored by James B. Oldroyd, a former faculty member, with Kristina McElheran, and David Elkington. The article addresses online potential customer queries and argues that companies are not responding fast enough to sales leads.
In “The Prius Approach” (2015) authors Nathan Furr and Daniel Snow highlight ways companies can manage transition from “an established technology, service, or business model to a disruptive one.” They recommend companies develop hybrids to combine the elements of new and established technology and provide seven examples.
“Make It OK for Employees to Challenge Your Ideas” (2015) by Hal Gregersen discusses the need for a two-way flow of communication and information between employers and employees to encourage “a culture of questioning.” By establishing an open culture, Gregersen argues, companies can survive and thrive.
“Six Principles of Effective Global Talent Management” (2012), coauthored by Shad Morris, Ingmar Bjarkman, Ganter K. Stahl, Elaine Farndale, Jaap Paauwe, and Philip Stiles, is a case study outlining the difficulty multinational companies face in sustaining, managing, and building talent. The authors highlight six principles practiced by successful companies.
*Many of the faculty listed have published in HBR several times, and some of their work is not represented here.