Management and Entrepreneurship research insights

Citation: Cottle, G. W., Jones, J., Anderson, B. S., & Hornsby, J. S. (2025). Weathering the pivot: Stability and turnover in new venture teams. Journal of Business Venturing Insights. 23: e00518.

KU Business faculty co-author: Brian Anderson

Research objective

This study examines whether members of new venture teams are more likely to leave when a venture pivots its business model. A pivot refers to a significant change in a venture’s core idea, such as altering the product, target market, or value proposition, while continuing to operate as the same organization.

Prior work on strategic change often assumes that such shifts disrupt internal roles and reduce team stability, but this view may overlook relational ties within early-stage ventures. The authors seek to understand how team members respond to the uncertainty created by a pivot by examining short-term changes in team composition around the event

What the researchers find

The researchers find that members of new venture teams are generally unlikely to depart during a pivot. Team turnover does not increase in the period leading up to or immediately following a pivot, suggesting that strategic redirection does not typically trigger immediate exits.

This pattern holds even when ventures later fail or are acquired, indicating that the venture's eventual outcome does not determine team stability during a pivot. Overall, the findings suggest that team members tend to remain engaged during periods of strategic uncertainty rather than withdrawing when the venture changes direction.

Why it matters

New venture teams play a central role in adapting ideas, executing strategy, and sustaining early-stage operations. This study challenges the assumption that pivots destabilize teams by showing that internal commitment often persists through significant strategic change.

For founders and investors, the findings suggest that concerns about immediate team breakdown during a pivot may be overstated. More broadly, the study highlights the importance of relational factors in entrepreneurship and shows that team bonds can help ventures navigate uncertain transitions.

Citation: Kolev, K. D., Schepker, D. J., Wangrow, D. B., & Barker, V. L. III. (2025). The board committee chair effect: How much does it contribute to firm performance? Journal of Management. 51 (4): 1322–1348. 

KU Business faculty co-author: Vincent Barker

Research objective

This study examines the extent to which board committee chairs contribute to differences in firm performance. While prior research has focused on the influence of chief executive officers and board chairs, much less is known about the role of committee chairs who lead key board functions such as auditing, compensation, and director nominations.

The authors seek to understand whether committee chairs explain meaningful variation in firm performance beyond what has already been attributed to executives, board chairs, and firms themselves. By shifting attention to these often-overlooked leadership roles, the study aims to provide a more complete picture of how board leadership affects organizational outcomes.

What the researchers find

The researchers find that board committee chairs explain a substantial share of the variation in firm performance. Collectively, audit, compensation, and nominating committee chairs account for a larger portion of performance differences than board chairs alone. Much of this influence reflects performance variation that prior studies may have attributed to executives or firms because committee chairs were not explicitly considered.

The impact of individual committee chairs also varies depending on board leadership structure, such as whether the chief executive officer also serves as board chair. In addition, the relative influence of committee chairs changes over time, with some committees becoming more influential during periods of heightened governance scrutiny.

Why it matters

Boards rely heavily on committees to carry out monitoring and advising responsibilities, yet the leadership of these committees has received limited attention. This study shows that committee chairs play a meaningful role in shaping firm performance, highlighting an essential source of influence within corporate governance.

For boards and investors, the findings suggest that who leads key committees may be as important as who serves as board chair. More broadly, the study encourages a broader view of strategic leadership by recognizing that firm outcomes reflect the actions of multiple leaders, not just top executives.

Citation: Kolev, K. D., Wangrow, D. B., & Barker, V. L. III. (2025). When does CEO succession lead to strategic change? The mediating role of top management team replacement? Journal of General Management. 50 (2): 164–176. 

KU Business faculty co-author: Vincent Barker

Research objective

This study examines when chief executive officer (CEO) succession is associated with meaningful changes in a firm’s strategy. While boards often expect leadership transitions to create opportunities for strategic redirection, it is unclear whether replacing the CEO alone is sufficient.

The authors focus on the top management team (TMT), comprising senior executives who work closely with the CEO and shape major organizational decisions. The study seeks to understand whether changes in the TMT help explain why some CEO successions are followed by strategic change while others are not.

What the researchers find

The researchers find that replacing members of the TMT is important for linking certain CEO succession events to strategic change. When firms experience weak performance before a CEO transition or appoint a CEO from outside the firm, strategic change is more likely when these events are accompanied by turnover in the TMT.

In contrast, involuntary CEO turnover is associated with strategic change even in the absence of substantial changes to the TMT. These patterns suggest that some succession events rely on broader leadership changes to support shifts in firm direction, while others signal change on their own.

Why it matters

Boards often assume that appointing a new CEO will be enough to reset a firm’s strategy, but this study highlights the limits of that assumption. The findings suggest that leadership below the CEO level can play a critical role in enabling or constraining strategic shifts.

For boards and succession planners, the study underscores the importance of thinking about leadership teams, not just individual executives, when pursuing change. More broadly, the research provides insight into how organizational change depends on coordinated leadership decisions rather than single appointments.

Citation: Na, Ilhwan, Clint Chadwick, Mengwei Li, and James Guthrie. (forthcoming). Merit pay adoption and labor productivity in South Korean firms. Human Resource Management.

KU Business faculty co-author: Clint Chadwick

Research objective

This study examines how adopting a merit pay system is associated with changes in labor productivity at the organizational level. Merit pay refers to a compensation approach in which employees receive permanent increases to their base salary based on prior performance. Although merit pay is widely used, existing evidence on its organizational effects is mixed and often focuses on short-term outcomes.

The authors seek to understand whether the impact of merit pay unfolds gradually by examining how productivity changes over time after adoption. The study examines whether merit pay is linked to differences in productivity levels and productivity growth rather than to immediate performance gains.

What the researchers find

The researchers find that firms adopting merit pay do not show higher labor productivity immediately after adoption compared to other firms. However, over time, firms with merit pay experience stronger labor productivity growth. This pattern suggests that merit pay is associated with gradual improvements rather than short-term performance jumps.

The results are consistent with the idea that repeated performance-based pay increases can strengthen incentives and reshape the workforce over time. Overall, the findings indicate that the effects of merit pay are more evident in long-run productivity trends than in short-term outcomes.

Why it matters

The findings help clarify why prior research has struggled to detect organizational-level effects by showing that timing matters when evaluating compensation systems. For managers and human resource professionals, the study highlights the importance of setting realistic expectations about how and when merit pay may influence productivity.

More broadly, the research provides insight into how compensation practices can shape organizational performance gradually through sustained incentives and workforce dynamics.

Citation: Li, Pingshu, Mengwei Li, Hyesook Chung, and Clint Chadwick. (forthcoming). It's different: Examining the effect of HRM investments on employee downsizing following mergers and acquisitions. Journal of Management.

KU Business faculty co-author: Clint Chadwick

Research objective

This study examines whether investments in human resource management (HRM) by acquiring firms influence how employee downsizing affects firm performance following mergers and acquisitions. Prior research offers mixed views on whether HRM investments help or hurt firms during layoffs, and much of this debate overlooks the context in which downsizing occurs.

The authors focus on mergers and acquisitions, a setting marked by uncertainty and challenges in workforce integration. They seek to understand whether HRM investments made before and after a merger help shape how remaining employees respond to downsizing. The study aims to clarify when HRM investments reduce, rather than intensify, the negative consequences of workforce reductions.

What the researchers find

The researchers find that employee downsizing following mergers and acquisitions is generally associated with weaker firm performance. However, this negative relationship is less severe when the acquiring firm has made substantial HRM investments. Both HRM investments in place before the merger and additional investments made afterward are associated with better performance outcomes following downsizing.

These patterns are specific to the merger context and do not appear in firms that downsize outside of mergers and acquisitions. Overall, the findings suggest that HRM investments help buffer firms against the performance losses often linked to post-merger downsizing.

Why it matters

Employee downsizing is common after mergers, but it often creates uncertainty and adverse reactions among remaining employees. This study helps clarify why some firms manage these transitions more successfully than others by highlighting the role of HRM investments.

For managers and executives, the findings suggest that investing in human resource practices, especially before the merger/acquisition has begun, can help maintain performance during complex post-merger adjustments. More broadly, the research underscores the importance of considering organizational context when evaluating the effects of workforce reductions and HR decisions.

Citation: Dahm, P. C., Glomb, T. M., & Ellis, A. M. (in press). Family highs, career ties: The benefits of family-to-work enrichment for work promotion focus, networking, and career opportunities. Human Resource Management. 

KU Business faculty co-author: Patricia Dahm

Research objective

This study examines how experiences at home influence employees’ work-related motivation, networking behavior, and career opportunities. Much prior work-family research emphasizes conflict, portraying family responsibilities as barriers to career success.

The authors focus instead on family-to-work enrichment, which occurs when positive family experiences improve an individual’s energy, outlook, or capabilities at work. They seek to understand how both family-to-work enrichment and family-to-work conflict shape employees’ focus on advancement and their efforts to build professional relationships. The study aims to clarify whether family experiences can serve as a resource for career development.

What the researchers find

The researchers find that family-to-work enrichment is associated with stronger motivation for career advancement and more active networking. When employees experience positive spillover from family life, they are more likely to engage in behaviors that expand their professional networks.

In contrast, family-to-work conflict is associated with lower motivation for advancement and reduced networking activity. Over more extended periods, sustained family-to-work enrichment is linked to larger, more diverse professional networks and greater access to career opportunities. These patterns appear across multiple study settings and time frames, suggesting consistent relationships between family experiences and career-related outcomes.

Why it matters

Careers are often discussed as being constrained by family demands, but this study highlights how family life can also serve as a source of support for professional growth. The findings help broaden how organizations and employees think about work and family by showing that positive family experiences can encourage networking and career development.

For managers and human resource professionals, the results suggest value in practices that support employees’ family well-being rather than viewing family solely as a competing demand. More broadly, the research offers a more balanced perspective on how personal and professional domains interact over time.

Citation: den Nieuwenboer, N. A., Treviño, L. K., Bishop, D., Kreiner, G. E., & Murphy, C. (2025). Growth through ethical role identity work: The case of ethics and compliance officers. Journal of Business Ethics. 198(1): 85–106.

KU Business faculty co-author: Niki den Nieuwenboer

Research objective

This study examines how ethics and compliance officers navigate the interpersonal challenges that arise from having to hold others accountable to ethical and legal standards, as their role often requires them to do. Indeed, questioning or correcting others’ behavior often strains relationships and provokes resistance.

The authors focus on how individuals in these roles make sense of and manage the identity challenges that emerge from such interactions. In particular, the study seeks to understand how ethics and compliance officers define themselves in their roles while navigating others’ perceptions of threat during ethical questioning, and how these interactions can escalate as officers themselves become targets of retaliatory threats.

What the researchers find

The researchers find that ethics and compliance officers commonly experience a dual challenge in their roles. When they raise ethical expectations, others may feel personally threatened and, in response, question the officer’s integrity or motives. To manage this dynamic, officers engage in ongoing identity work that involves balancing more personal versus more formal ways of interacting and using specific tactics to reduce tension and maintain credibility.

Over time, this process helps officers navigate complicated interactions and can contribute to personal and professional growth in how they understand themselves and their roles.

Why it matters

Many organizations rely on ethics and compliance officers to promote ethical conduct, yet little is known about the personal challenges these roles create. This study highlights why enforcing ethics can be emotionally and relationally demanding, helping organizations better understand the pressures faced by those in these positions.

For leaders and organizations, the findings suggest the importance of supporting ethics and compliance officers as they manage sensitive interactions. More broadly, the research shows how ethically demanding roles can shape identity and development, not just behavior.

Citation: Conroy, S. A., & Downes, P. E. (in press). Pay takes flight! An experiential compensation exercise. Management Teaching Review.

KU Business faculty co-author: Patrick Downes

Research objective

This article describes a classroom exercise designed to help undergraduate students better understand how compensation systems work in organizations. The authors aim to address the challenge that many students have limited exposure to how pay systems are designed and how they influence employee behavior. The exercise is intended to help students experience compensation decisions from both the employer and employee perspectives.

More broadly, the objective is to improve students’ understanding of how pay design connects to motivation, worker selection, and organizational outcomes.

What the researchers find

Based on classroom use and instructor observations, the authors find that the exercise helps students concretely grasp key compensation concepts. Students can see how different pay designs attract different types of workers and influence effort, quality, and productivity. The activity also highlights that poorly designed incentives can encourage unintended behaviors that harm performance. During debrief discussions, students consistently connect pay system choices to employee behavior and firm profitability, often drawing parallels to real-world organizations.

Why it matters

Compensation is a core management topic, yet it can be difficult for students to understand without practical exposure. This exercise offers instructors a low-cost, engaging way to help students learn how pay systems shape motivation and workforce composition. For educators, the study provides a ready-to-use teaching tool that supports experiential learning.

More broadly, it shows how active learning approaches can deepen students’ understanding of complex management concepts.

Citation: Christensen, L. J., Embry, E., Newman, A., & Godfrey, P. (2025). If the body keeps the score, what happens when you bring the body to work? Exploring the health effects of trauma on human capital. Business & Society. 64 (3): 558–592.

KU Business faculty co-author: Elizabeth Embry

Research objective

This article examines how exposure to trauma can affect employees’ physical health and, in turn, how they function at work. The authors focus on understanding how trauma-related health responses influence the way employees use their knowledge, skills, and abilities on the job.

Rather than treating workers as separate from their bodies, the study aims to bring physical health into discussions of human capital and performance. The objective is to develop a conceptual framework that links trauma, health, and workplace outcomes at the individual, team, and organizational levels.

What the researchers find

The authors identify several common ways trauma can show up physically at work, such as heightened alertness, intrusive thoughts, or emotional withdrawal. These responses can affect concentration, learning, energy, and interactions with coworkers, which shape how effectively employees contribute at work. The framework shows that trauma-related health effects can disrupt not only individual performance but also coordination and productivity within teams. The analysis highlights that these effects may be ongoing or episodic, meaning their impact on work can vary over time.

Why it matters

Trauma exposure is widespread, yet workplaces often overlook how it affects employee health and performance. This research helps managers and organizations better understand why employees may struggle in certain situations, even when they have strong skills and experience.

By linking trauma to human capital deployment, the study encourages organizations to consider health-aware, supportive workplace practices. More broadly, it reframes work as a setting that can either intensify harm or support recovery for employees affected by trauma.

Citation: Edgar, S., & Embry, E. (2025). Crafting community resilience in Zambia: An artisan social enterprise case study. Journal of Fair Trade. 6 (1): 50–76.

KU Business faculty co-author: Elizabeth Embry

Research objective

This study examines how a women-owned artisan social enterprise supported community resilience during a significant economic disruption. Focusing on Tribal Textiles in rural Zambia, the authors aim to understand how a local organization responded when tourism collapsed, and formal safety nets were limited.

The research seeks to identify the specific ways social enterprises can help communities adapt and endure crises. It also explores how the distinctive features of craft-based work and women’s participation shape resilience at the community level.

What the researchers find

The case shows that Tribal Textiles played a stabilizing role by maintaining employment, income, and support for artisans and their families during the crisis. The enterprise drew on available resources, strong social ties, creative problem-solving, and continued economic investment to keep operations going.

These actions helped artisans meet basic needs and maintain a sense of purpose and agency during uncertainty. The findings highlight that craft-based social enterprises can strengthen resilience not only through income but also through shared identity, adaptability, and community connection.

Why it matters

Many communities in low-resource settings face crises without reliable government or institutional support. This study illustrates how locally embedded social enterprises can fill critical gaps and help communities cope with shocks.

For practitioners and policymakers, the research emphasizes the value of supporting women-led and craft-based enterprises as part of broader resilience strategies. More broadly, it shows how economic activity rooted in creativity and community can contribute to well-being during periods of disruption.

Citation: Jones Christensen, L. and Embry, E., 2025. Now you see it: using a trauma-informed lens to redirect conversations on health, human capital, and entrepreneurship. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, pp.1-23.

KU Business faculty co-author: Elizabeth Embry

Research objective

This conceptual study examines how exposure to trauma affects entrepreneurs’ health and, in turn, their ability to build and use human capital. The authors aim to bring insights from medical and psychological research on trauma into conversations about entrepreneurship. They focus on understanding how trauma-related health effects may influence learning, decision-making, and sustained entrepreneurial effort.

The study also seeks to reframe entrepreneurship research and practice by recognizing health as a foundational, yet often overlooked, component of human capital.

What the researchers find

The authors argue that trauma exposure can alter physical and mental health in predictable ways that affect entrepreneurial functioning. They explain how common trauma responses, often described as fight, flight, or freeze, can interfere with skill development, focus, persistence, and effective use of prior experience. These effects may weaken the link between human capital and entrepreneurial success, even when individuals appear well-qualified on paper.

The paper also highlights that trauma may surface long after the original experience, meaning its effects can emerge at any stage of an entrepreneurial career. Importantly, the authors identify patterns rather than isolated cases, suggesting these dynamics may be widespread.

Why it matters

Entrepreneurs are often evaluated and supported as if health and functioning are uniform across individuals, which may overlook hidden barriers to success. This research helps educators, mentors, investors, and policymakers better understand why some capable entrepreneurs struggle despite strong skills or experience.

By introducing a trauma-informed perspective, the study offers a more realistic and compassionate approach to engaging entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds. The insights encourage entrepreneurial ecosystems to design support systems that acknowledge health, resilience, and recovery as central to long-term success.

Citation: Kranke, D., Kranke, B., Embry, E., Floersch, J. (in press). “Accounting for Prior Trauma in the Job Demands-resources Model.” Health & Social Work.

KU Business faculty co-author: Elizabeth Embry

Research objective

This paper examines whether the job demands-resources model adequately captures the sources of burnout experienced by social workers in the current work environment. The authors focus on understanding how experiences of trauma prior to entering the profession shape employees’ well-being at work. They aim to clarify how these experiences differ from existing concepts such as job demands and personal demands.

The study seeks to extend the model to address the realities facing social workers today. Overall, the objective is to improve how burnout is explained and addressed in helping professions.

What the researchers find

The authors argue that prior trauma introduces a distinct set of demands that are not fully captured by existing categories in the job demands-resources model. These prior trauma demands include ongoing emotional, cognitive, and physiological responses linked to earlier traumatic experiences, rather than stressors caused by the job itself. While past trauma can motivate individuals to enter social work and give meaning to their careers, unmanaged trauma can also increase vulnerability to burnout.

The paper highlights that current measurement tools focus mainly on work-related or secondary trauma, leaving gaps in understanding how personal trauma contributes to exhaustion and strain. The authors propose specific characteristics that distinguish prior trauma demands from job and individual needs.

Why it matters

Burnout interventions often assume that stress arises primarily from work conditions, overlooking significant contributors to employee well-being. This research encourages organizations, supervisors, and policymakers to recognize how employees’ prior life experiences affect their capacity to cope with demanding roles.

By broadening the model, the study supports more realistic and compassionate approaches to workforce support. It also underscores the value of trauma-informed workplaces that share responsibility between individuals and organizations. These insights are especially relevant as more professionals enter helping roles with complex personal histories.

Citation: Gala, K., & Schwab, A. (forthcoming). A Methodological Guide for Quantitative Analysis of Star Performance in Entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice.

KU Business faculty co-author: Kaushik Gala

Research objective

This article examines how researchers can better study entrepreneurial performance when outcomes are highly uneven. The authors focus on the challenge that a small number of exceptionally high performers often drive results, while most studies emphasize average performance.

The objective is to provide a clear and practical framework for analyzing extreme performance rather than typical outcomes. The article aims to guide researchers in systematically identifying, describing, and interpreting star performance.

What the researchers find

The authors propose three distinct ways to describe star performance within a distribution. One focuses on how much top performers contribute relative to everyone else, another captures how extreme the best performer is compared to a typical one, and a third reflects how common star performers are.

Together, these dimensions show that star performance can appear in very different forms across settings. The framework demonstrates that relying on averages or simple transformations can obscure these essential differences.

Why it matters

A small number of standout performers often shape entrepreneurship outcomes, yet common analytical approaches fail to capture this reality. This research provides scholars with tools to better and explain exceptional performance rather than overlooking it.

For practitioners and policymakers, the framework helps clarify why a few entrepreneurs or firms can have an outsized economic impact. More broadly, it encourages more accurate and meaningful interpretations of performance data in entrepreneurship research.

Citation: Golgeci, I., Roscoe, S., Gligor, D. M., & Oh, C. H. (2025). Advancing the sociopolitical view of supply chain management. International Journal of Operations & Product Management. 45 (5): 955–984.

KU Business faculty co-author: Chang Hoon Oh

Research objective

This study examines how political, social, and cultural forces increasingly influence global supply chains and how firms respond to these pressures. The authors aim to move beyond traditional, firm-centered views of supply chain management by explicitly incorporating sociopolitical forces.

The objective is to define and advance a sociopolitical view of supply chain management that captures influences operating at multiple levels, including governments, societies, and organizations. The paper also seeks to provide a structured framework and research agenda to guide future studies in this area.

What the researchers find

The authors find clear evidence that sociopolitical factors, including trade policies, tariffs, geopolitical tensions, and social unrest, have driven substantial changes in global supply chain configurations. Firms have shifted production facilities and suppliers away from China toward countries such as India, Vietnam, Bangladesh, and Mexico.

These changes are shaped not only by government actions but also by broader social and cultural pressures that affect risk, legitimacy, and operational choices. The findings support a multilevel framework that shows how sociopolitical dynamics reshape supply chain design and location decisions.

Why it matters

Global supply chains are increasingly exposed to political and social disruption, yet many firms and policymakers still rely on narrow economic or operational models. This research helps managers better understand why supply chain risks now extend beyond cost and efficiency considerations.

For policymakers, the study highlights how trade policies and international relations influence business behavior and supply chain resilience. More broadly, it offers a lens for anticipating and managing future disruptions in an era of heightened geopolitical and social change.

Citation: Oh, C. H., & Shin, J. (in press). Clash of the titans: Conflict intensity, community dependence on environmental resources, and stakeholder multiplicity. Journal of Management Studies.

KU Business faculty co-author: Chang Hoon Oh

Research objective

This study examines why conflicts between companies and local communities vary in intensity when both rely on the same environmental resources for their livelihoods. The authors aim to understand how community dependence on natural resources shapes firm–community tensions, particularly in industries where environmental resource use is central to operations.

The study also explores how the involvement of other stakeholders, such as NGOs, governments and broader society, influences these conflicts. Overall, the objective is to clarify how multiple stakeholders jointly shape the dynamics of conflict over environmental resources.

What the researchers find

The study finds that when local communities strongly depend on environmental resources, conflicts with mining companies tend to be more intense. The presence and orientation of other stakeholders shape this relationship. Support from environmentally focused government actors reduces conflict intensity, while weak societal support and greater inequality make conflicts more severe. The findings show that conflict outcomes depend not only on firms and communities but also on how surrounding stakeholders become involved.

Why it matters

Conflicts over environmental resources can disrupt operations, harm communities, and escalate into broader social disputes. This research helps managers understand why community opposition may intensify when livelihoods are at stake and why stakeholder environments matter.

For policymakers, the findings highlight the role governments and social institutions play in shaping conflict outcomes. More broadly, the study underscores the importance of viewing firm–community relations as part of a wider stakeholder system rather than isolated interactions.

Citation: Verbeke, A., Oh, C. H., & Jain, R. (2025). What is the future of regional multinational enterprises? International Business Review. 34 (4): 102442.

KU Business faculty co-author: Chang Hoon Oh

Research objective

This article examines the role and future relevance of regional multinational enterprises, firms whose strategies and operations are organized primarily around geographic regions rather than the global market. The authors aim to synthesize existing research on regionalization in multinational enterprises and clarify how regional perspectives differ from purely global or country-level views. They seek to identify major themes in prior scholarship and assess whether a regional lens remains useful in today’s changing international environment.

The paper also outlines directions for future research on how multinational firms organize, compete, and adapt at the regional level.

What the researchers find

The authors identify several core themes in prior research that show that many multinational firms remain more successful in their home regions than across the globe. They argue that factors such as distance, institutional differences, and regional regulations continue to shape firm performance and strategic choices.

The analysis highlights that recent developments, including geopolitical tensions, digital transformation, climate-related pressures, and large-scale disruptions, reinforce the importance of regional strategies. The paper proposes a research agenda that emphasizes how regional approaches can help firms manage these challenges more effectively than purely global strategies.

Why it matters

As globalization faces increasing strain, managers and policymakers need clearer guidance on how firms can operate effectively across borders. This research helps explain why regional strategies remain central to the success of multinational enterprises, even in highly interconnected markets.

For managers, the study offers insight into why adapting strategies, structures, and practices to regional conditions can improve resilience and competitiveness. More broadly, it encourages scholars and practitioners to rethink assumptions about globalization and recognize the enduring importance of regions in international business.

Citation: Zheng, R., Oh, W., & Oh, C. H. (in press). How does media coverage of corporate social irresponsibility influence cross-border acquisition completion? Evidence from Chinese MNEs. Management & Organization Review.

KU Business faculty co-author: Chang Hoon Oh

Research objective

This study examines whether and when media coverage of corporate social irresponsibility affects the likelihood that cross-border acquisition deals are completed. Focusing on Chinese multinational enterprises, the authors seek to understand why some acquisitions face greater stakeholder resistance than others.

The research aims to identify the conditions under which negative media attention becomes more salient and influential in cross-border transactions. In doing so, the study explores how firm characteristics and host-country contexts shape stakeholder attention and responses.

What the researchers find

The study finds that media coverage of corporate social irresponsibility does not, on its own, reduce the likelihood that a cross-border acquisition is completed. However, the effect changes under certain conditions that draw greater stakeholder attention to the deal. Negative media coverage is associated with lower deal completion when the acquiring firm is state-owned and when the target country has strong institutional quality and social expectations.

These findings suggest that stakeholder reactions depend on how visible and sensitive the transaction is within its political and institutional context.

Why it matters

Cross-border acquisitions often hinge on gaining approval and support from a wide range of stakeholders. This research helps managers understand why negative media coverage can become more damaging in some settings than others.

For firms from emerging markets, the findings highlight the importance of anticipating how ownership structure and host-country institutions shape stakeholder scrutiny. More broadly, the study shows that reputational risks do not operate uniformly and must be evaluated in light of who is paying attention and why.

Citation: Pan, L., McNamara, G., Devers, C. E., & Yonish, L. M. (2025). Taking a broader view: Female directors, CEO strategic attention breadth, and firm performance. Organization Science, 36(2), 737–761.

KU Business faculty co-author: Lindsey Yonish

Research objective

This study examines how greater representation of women on corporate boards influences firm performance by shaping how chief executive officers allocate their strategic attention. Rather than focusing solely on outcomes, the authors aim to explain the cognitive process by which female directors shape CEOs’ thinking.

Specifically, the study investigates whether female board representation broadens the range of issues CEOs pay attention to and whether this broader attention helps explain performance differences across firms. The authors also examine when this influence is stronger or weaker based on CEO characteristics.

What the researchers find

The study finds that boards with more female directors are associated with CEOs who attend to a wider range of strategic issues. This broader strategic attention helps explain why firms with more women on their boards tend to perform better. The relationship is not uniform across all CEOs. The influence of female directors on attention breadth is stronger for male CEOs and for CEOs with longer tenure, and weaker when CEOs are overpaid.

Overall, the breadth of CEO strategic attention serves as a key link connecting female board representation to improved firm performance.

Why it matters

This research clarifies how board diversity affects firms by identifying a concrete cognitive mechanism rather than relying on broad performance correlations. It shows that female directors contribute not only through oversight and monitoring but also by shaping CEOs' thinking about the firm’s strategic environment.

For boards and policymakers, the findings suggest that gender diversity can enhance decision quality by expanding leadership focus. For researchers, the study advances understanding of how board composition influences executive cognition and strategic outcomes.

Citation: Matthews, M., Su, R., Yonish, L. M., McClean, S., Koopman, J., & Yam, K. C. (2025). A review of artificial intelligence, algorithms, and robots through the lens of stakeholder theory. Journal of Management.

KU Business faculty co-author: Lindsey Yonish

Research objective

This review examines how intelligent machines, such as artificial intelligence, algorithms, and robots, create value for some stakeholders while imposing costs on others. The authors aim to move beyond firm-centered or technology-specific views by applying stakeholder theory to understand how value creation from intelligent machines varies across employees, customers, organizations, and society.

The study seeks to integrate fragmented research streams and offer a unified framework that explains when and for whom intelligent machines create or destroy value.

What the researchers find

The review identifies four core characteristics of intelligent machines—autonomy, learning, inscrutability, and materiality—and explains how variation in these characteristics shapes what machines enable or constrain in organizations. The authors find that intelligent machines rarely generate uniform benefits. Instead, their effects depend on stakeholder dispositions, power, and how stakeholders can use or respond to these technologies.

The review introduces the concept of value contingencies, showing that the same technology can simultaneously enhance efficiency for firms, burden employees, disadvantage certain customer groups, and generate broader societal risks, such as bias and privacy loss.

Why it matters

This study provides a structured way to think about intelligent machines as sources of both opportunity and harm rather than as purely beneficial innovations. For scholars, it offers a unifying framework that connects AI, algorithms, and robotics research under a standard theoretical lens and highlights the importance of stakeholder-level analysis.

For managers and policymakers, the review underscores that responsible adoption of intelligent machines requires anticipating uneven value creation and addressing trade-offs across stakeholder groups, rather than simply maximizing economic gains.