Robert A. Burgelman

Professor, Organizational Behavior
+1 (650) 723-4488
CV

Robert A. Burgelman

The Edmund W. Littlefield Professor of Management

James and Doris McNamara Faculty Fellow for 2023-2024
Academic Area:

Research Statement

Robert Burgelman carries out longitudinal field-based research on the role of strategy in firm evolution. He has examined how companies enter into new businesses (through corporate entrepreneurship and internal corporate venturing as well as through acquisition) and leave others (through strategic business exit), and how success may lead to co-evolutionary lock-in with the environment. His research has focused on organizations where strategic action is distributed among multiple levels of management. He has written some 145 case studies of companies in many different technology-based industries. He currently focuses on the challenges posed by nonlinear strategic dynamics.

Teaching Statement

Professor Burgelman teaches several second-year MBA courses. These include S371 Strategic Management of Technology and Innovation (co-taught with Robert E. Siegel), S381 Leading Strategic Change in Health Care (co-taught with Dr. Robert Pearl), S573 Strategic Thinking in Action - In Business and Beyond (focused on the evolution of the global semiconductor industry and co-taught with George W. Cogan), and S574 Strategic Thinking in Action - In Business and Beyond (focused on the evolution of the global automotive industry and co-taught with Dr. Sven Beiker). He also teaches the "Strategic Leadership in Dynamic Environments" course in the Stanford Executive Program (SEP), and participates in several other of the School's executive programs.

Bio

Professor Burgelman is The Edmund W. Littlefield Professor of Management. He joined Stanford Graduate School of Business as an assistant professor in 1981. He obtained a Licenciate degree in applied economics from Antwerp University (Belgium), an MA in sociology and a PhD in management of organizations from Columbia University, where he studied with doctoral fellowships from the Ford Foundation (U.S.) and ICM (Belgium). He was elected a fellow of the Strategic Management Society and a fellow of the Academy of Management.

His research has focused on the role of strategy-making in firm evolution. In particular, he has studied the strategy-making processes involved in how companies enter into new businesses and exit from existing ones to secure continued adaptation.  In 2003 he received an honorary doctorate from the Copenhagen Business School for his contributions to the study of corporate innovation and entrepreneurship. Professor Burgelman has been on the faculty of Antwerp University, New York University, Harvard Business School (as a Marvin Bower Fellow), and Cambridge University (as a Visiting Professor of Marketing Strategy and Innovation at the Judge Business School). He has been elected a fellow of the Strategic Management Society and a fellow of the Academy of Management. He has published many articles in leading academic and professional journals, as well as some 145 case studies of companies and organizations in many different industries.

He has published articles in leading academic and professional journals, and his books include Inside Corporate Innovation: Strategy, Structure, and Managerial Skills (Free Press, 1986), Research of Technological  Innovation, Management and Policy (JIA Press, Elsevier; Volume 4, 1989; Volume 5, 1993; Volume 6, 1997; and Volume 7, 2001), Strategy is Destiny: How Strategy-Making Shapes a Company’s Future (Free Press, 2002), Strategic Dynamics: Concepts and Cases (McGraw-Hill, 2006), and Strategic Management of Technology and Innovation (5th edition, McGraw-Hill-Irwin, 2009). Professor Burgelman has served as an associate editor of the Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal from 2007 till 2014. He has taught executive programs and led senior and top management seminars for major companies worldwide. He has also served on boards of directors and boards of advisors of several private companies.

Academic Degrees

  • PhD in Management of Organizations, Graduate School of Business, Columbia University, 1980
  • MPhil in Management of Organizations, Graduate School of Business, Columbia University, 1978
  • MA in Sociology, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Columbia University, 1978
  • Licenciate, Applied Economic Sciences, Antwerp University (UFSIA), 1969

Academic Appointments

  • At Stanford University since 1981
  • Instructor–Assistant Professor, New York University, 1978–81
  • Visiting Lecturer, State University of New York, 1976–77
  • Instructor, Antwerp University, 1970–73

Awards and Honors

  • Honorary Doctorate in Economics (Doctor Honoris Causa), University of St. Gallen, Switzerland, May 2017
  • BP Faculty Fellow in Global Management for 2015–16
  • Elected Fellow of the Academy of Management, 2012
  • Elected a Fellow of the Strategic Management Society (2008) and of the Academy of Management (2012)
  • 2012-13 BP Faculty Fellow in Global Management, Stanford Business School
  • Visiting Professor, Judge Business School, and Visiting Scholar, Sydney Sussex College, Cambridge University, 2009
  • Dr. Mercaturae Honoris Causa, Copenhagen Business School, 2003
  • Marvin Bower Fellow, Harvard Business School, 1992
  • Outstanding Paper Award, Division of Business Policy and Planning, Academy of Management, 1984
  • Certificate of Distinction for Outstanding Research in the Field of Strategic Management, Academy of Management and General Electric Company, 1980

Publications

Journal Articles

Yuliya Snihur, Llewellyn D. W. Thomas, Robert A. Burgelman
California Management Review
2023 Vol. 65 Issue 2 Pages 156–176
Robert A. Burgelman, Yuliya Snihur, Llewellyn D.W. Thomas
Journal of Management
September 2022 Vol. 48 Issue 7 Pages 2108–2151
Yuliya Snihur, Llewellyn D. W. Thomas, Robert A. Burgelman
Journal of Management Studies
November 2018 Vol. 55 Issue 7 Pages 1278–1316
Robert A. Burgelman, Steven W. Floyd, Tomi Laamanen, Saku Mantere, Eero Vaara, Rishard Whittington
Strategic Management Journal
March 2018 Vol. 39 Issue 3 Pages 531-558
Robert A. Burgelman
Journal of International Business Studies
2011 Vol. 42 Issue 5 Pages 591-601
Robert A. Burgelman, Robert E. Siegel
California Management Review
2008 Vol. 50 Issue 3 Pages 140-167
Robert A. Burgelman, Robert E. Siegel
California Management Review
2007 Vol. 49 Issue 3 Pages 6-26
Robert A. Burgelman, Andrew Grove
Strategic Management Journal
2007 Vol. 28 Pages 965-979
Robert A. Burgelman, Webb McKinney
California Management Review
2006 Vol. 48 Issue 3 Pages 6-27
Robert A. Burgelman, Liisa Välikangas
Sloan Management Review
2005
Robert A. Burgelman
Administrative Science Quarterly
2002 Vol. 47 Issue 2 Pages 325-357
William P. Barnett, Robert A. Burgelman
Strategic Management Journal
1996 Vol. 17 Issue S1 Pages 5-19

Books

Robert A. Burgelman, Webb McKinney, Phillip E. Meza
Oxford University Press
2017
Robert A. Burgelman, Clayton M. Christensen, Steven C. Wheelwright
McGraw-Hill Irwin
Boston
2009
Robert A. Burgelman, Andrew Grove, Philip E. Meza
McGraw-Hill
Boston
2006
Robert A. Burgelman
Free Press
New York
2002

Working Papers

Robert A. Burgelman, Amit Sridharan, Giancarlo Savini May 2021
Yuliya Snihur, Llewellyn D.W. Thomas, Robert A. Burgelman April 2018
Yuliya Snihur, Llewellyn D.W. Thomas, Robert A. Burgelman April 2018
Robert A. Burgelman 2012
Robert A. Burgelman, Andrew Grove, Debra Schifrin 2008

Academic Publications

Robert A. Burgelman
Harvard Business Review
March 23, 2016

Teaching

Degree Courses

Executive Education & Other Non-Degree Programs

Develop best practices and insights to generate and lead innovation in your organization; then put theory into practice with real-world projects.
Guide your organization through growth with innovative CFO training that blends financial expertise, strategic thinking, and leadership skills.
Discover business growth strategies and build a stronger company designed to sustain progress, scale management, and facilitate market expansion.
Explore the intersection of innovation, technology, and business, and learn to drive strategic change across your organization.
Leverage diverse research, proven methodologies, and design thinking for change management in this collaboration between Stanford and Harvard.

Stanford Case Studies

Robert Burgelman, Sheila Melvin
2023
Robert Burgelman, Raj Joshi
2022
Robert Burgelman, Margot Sutherland
2022
Robert Burgelman, Raj Joshi
2022
Robert Burgelman, Jeffrey Conn, George Cogan
2022
Robert Burgelman, Raj Joshi
2022
Robert Burgelman, Margot Sutherland
2020
Robert A. Burgelman, Joseph N. Golden, Amit Sridharan
2019
Robert Burgelman, Martin Fischer, Margot Sutherland
2019
Robert Burgelman, Martin Fischer, Margot Sutherland
2019
Robert Burgelman, Sheila Melvin
2019
Robert A. Burgelman, Joseph N. Golden, Amit Sridharan
2019
Robert E. Siegel, Robert A. Burgelman, Jeffrey Conn
2018
Robert Burgelman, Sheila Melvin
2018
Robert Siegel, Robert Burgelman, Cameron Lehman
2018
Robert A. Burgelman, Julie Makinen
2018
Gang Zheng, Yanting Guo, Robert A. Burgelman
2018
Robert Burgelman, Robert Siegel, Julie Makinen
2018
Robert Burgelman, Sheila Melvin
2017
Gang Zheng, Yanting Guo, Robert A. Burgelman, Ben El-Baz
2017
Robert A. Burgelman, Robert Siegel, Ryan Kissick
2016
Robert Burgelman, Sheila Melvin
2016
Robert A. Burgelman, Debra Schifrin
2016
Gang Zheng, Yanting Guo, Robert A. Burgelman
2016
Robert Siegel, Robert Burgelman, Shalie Gaskill
2015
Robert Siegel, Robert Burgelman, Michael Seltzer
2015
Robert A. Burgelman, Debra Schifrin
2015
Robert A. Burgelman, Clayton M. Christensen
2015
Robert Burgelman, Debra Schifrin
2015
Robert Siegel, Robert Burgelman, Tim Hsia
2015
Robert Burgelman, Robert Siegel, Henry Lippincott
2015
Robert Siegel, Robert Burgelman, Arla Xhaxho
2015
Robert A. Burgelman, Robert E. Siegel, Jason Luther
2014
Robert Burgelman, Debra Schifrin
2014
Robert Burgelman, Robert Siegel, Rosy Lee
2014
Robert Siegel, Robet Burgelman, Sylvia Kuyel
2014
Robert Burgelman, Robert Siegel, Sara Rosenthal
2014
Robert Burgelman, Gang Zheng, Yajuan Wang
2014
Robert Burgelman, Robert Siegel, Shalie Gaskill
2013
Robert Burgelman, Martina Ludescher
2013
Robert Burgelman, Christopher Nguyen, David Hoyt
2013
Robert A. Burgelman, Robert Eric Siegel, Morgan Hallmon
2013
Robert A. Burgelman, Robert Eric Siegel, Ibrahim Elbouchikhi, Jonathan Karmel, Alan Chiu
2013
Robert Burgelman, Debra Schifrin
2013
Robert Burgelman, Jean-Bernard Rolland
2013
Robert A. Burgelman, Steve W. Chung, Jon F. Nathanson, Won-yoh Lee
2013
Robert Burgelman, Sven A Beiker, Yves Meyer, Alexandre Martins, Rishabh Bhandari
2013
SM182B
Robert A. Burgelman, Robert Eric Siegel, Maalika Manoharan
2013
SM204
Robert Burgelman, Martina Ludescher
2012
Robert Burgelman, Robert Siegel, Scott Nolan
2012
Robert A. Burgelman, Robert E. Siegel, Rosy Lee
2012
Robert A Burgelman, Robert E Siegel, Rosy Lee
2012
Robert A Burgelman, Robert E Siegel, Tomas Uribe
2012
Robert Burgelman, Debra Schifrin
2011
Robert A. Burgelman, Robert Eric Siegel, Morgan Hallmon
2010
Robert Burgelman, Debra Schifrin
2010
Robert Burgelman, Margaret LaBrecque, Debra Schifrin
2010
Robert Burgelman, Lyn Denend, Robert Siegel
2010
Robert Burgelman, Lyn Denend, Robert Siegel
2010
Robert Burgelman, David Hoyt, Margaret LeBrecque, Amanda Silverman
2009
Robert Burgelman, Andrew Grove, Debra Schifrin
2009
Robert Burgelman, David Hoyt, Amanda Silverman, Christof Wittig
2009
Robert Burgelman, Webb McKinney, Philip Meza
2009
Robert Burgelman, Maalika Manoharan
2009
Robert Burgelman, Rob Holmes
2008
Robert Burgelman, Lyn Denend
2008
Robert Burgelman, Steve Chung
2007
Evan Berrett, Robert Burgelman, Philip Meza
2007
Robert Burgelman, Margaret LeBrecque
2007
Robert Burgelman, Brooke Blumenstein
2007
Robert Burgelman, Philip Meza
2007
Robert Burgelman, Philip Meza
2007
Robert Burgelman, Lyn Denend, Robert Siegel
2006
Robert Burgelman, Philip Meza
2006
Robert Burgelman, Christof Wittig
2006
Robert Burgelman, Tom Federico
2006
Robert Burgelman, Ming Lei
2005
Robert Burgelman, Philip Meza, Les Vadasz
2005
Robert Burgelman, Ryan Kiskis, Shoshanna Stussy
2005
Robert Burgelman, Philip Meza
2005
Robert Burgelman
2005
Robert Burgelman, Lyn Denend, Robert Siegel
2005
Robert Burgelman, Philip Meza, Les Vadasz
2005
Adam Block, Robert Burgelman, Robert Siegel
2005
Adam Block, Robert Burgelman, Robert Siegel
2005
Robert Burgelman, Philip Meza, Robert Pearl
2004
Robert Burgelman, Philip Meza, Les Vadasz
2004
Robert Burgelman, Philip Meza
2004
Federico Antoni, Robert Burgelman, Philip Meza
2004
Robert Burgelman, Lyn Denend, Robert Siegel
2004
Robert Burgelman, Sami Inkinen, Christof Wittig
2004
Robert Burgelman, Jean-Bernard Rolland
2004
Robert Burgelman, Philip Meza
2004
Robert Burgelman, Philip Meza
2004
Robert Burgelman, Philip Meza
2003
Robert Burgelman,Sweta Sarnot
2003
Robert Burgelman, Philip Meza
2003
Robert Burgelman, Philip Meza
2003
Robert Burgelman, Philip Meza
2003
Robert Burgelman, Philip Meza
2003
Robert Burgelman, Cara McVie
2003
Robert Burgelman, Cara McVie
2003
Robert Burgelman, Cara McVie
2003
Robert Burgelman, Philip Meza
2003
Robert Burgelman, Lewis Fanger, Cecilia O'Reilly
2003
Robert Burgelman, Yann Ngongang, Juan Posada, Ben Shih
2002
Robert Burgelman, Frederic Descamps, Philip Meza
2002
Robert Burgelman, Philip Meza
2002
Robert Burgelman, Philip Meza
2002
Robert Burgelman, Philip Meza
2001
Robert Burgelman, Philip Meza
2001
Robert Burgelman, Philip Meza
2001
Robert Burgelman, Clayton Christensen
2001
Robert Burgelman, Vik Murthy, Paul Staelin
2001
Robert Burgelman, Philip Meza
2001
Robert Burgelman, Philip Meza
2001
Robert Burgelman, Philip Meza
2001
Robert Burgelman, Philip Meza
2001
Robert Burgelman, Kelly DuBois, Margot Sutherland
2000
Robert Burgelman, Garth Saloner, Christopher Thomas
2000
SM72
Robert Burgelman
2000
Robert Burgelman, Philip Meza
2000
Robert Burgelman, Jorge Borbolla
1999
Robert Burgelman, Hari Sankara, Harald Winkmann
1999
Robert Burgelman
1999
Robert Burgelman, Raymond Bamford
1999
Robert Burgelman, Andrew Grove, Eric Marti
1999
Robert Burgelman, Andrew Grove, Eric Marti
1999
Robert Burgelman, J Kolotouros
1998
Robert Burgelman, Osamu Suzuki
1998
Rick Brandt, Robert Burgelman, Dushyant Pandya
1998
R. Burgelman, T. Tzuo
1997
Robert Burgelman, J Kolotouros, J Maggioncalda
1997
Robert Burgelman, Raymond Bamford
1997
Robert Burgelman, Andrew Grove, Matthew Murphy
1997
Robert Burgelman, Raymond Bamford
1997
Robert Burgelman, Raymond Bamford
1997
Robert Burgelman, Carrie Oliver
1996
Robert Burgelman
1996
R. Burgelman, A. Gove, A. Taylor
1993
Robert Burgelman
1991
Robert Burgelman, Bruce Graham
1991
Robert A. Burgelman, Gerard J. Beekman
1989
Robert Burgelman
1985
Robert Burgelman
1985
Robert Burgelman
1985
Robert Burgelman
1985
Robert Burgelman
1983

Stanford GSB Affiliations

Service to the Profession

  • Editorial Board, California Management Review
  • Fellow, Academy of Management
  • Fellow, Strategic Management Society
  • Associate Editor, Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal - 2007-2014.

In the Media

Insights by Stanford Business

October 24, 2022
Breaking up is hard to do, but it can help a diversified company adapt to a new ecosystem.
March 09, 2016
Strategic leadership can shape a business to go the distance.
March 03, 2016
Flexibility may be more important than dominance in the market.
May 01, 2010
Researchers say consumers will move toward electric cars in five to 10 years, but progress will be slow unless oil prices rise rapidly and stay high.
June 01, 2007
But the execution, says a professor of management, was the hard part.
June 01, 1996
The way firms recognize and negotiate "strategic inflection points" determines their fate.

School News

June 02, 2022
Stanford Executive Program participants say immersive sessions reenergized their work lives.
January 13, 2005
More than 450 executives and guests attend seminars in Mumbai, New Delhi, and Bangalore.
October 01, 2004
Professor Robert Burgelman is the 2004 recipient of the Jaedicke Silver Apple Award presented by the Stanford GSB Alumni Association.