Nov. 2025
I’m currently reading 1929 by Andrew Ross Sorkin, about the lead-up to the Great Depression. I highly recommend it.
I’ve always had a strong interest in economic crises. Soon after I moved to London in 2008, Lehman’s bankruptcy hit the European financial center as well, and I saw its impact vividly. That experience has stayed with me ever since.
What I particularly enjoy about the book is the sharp tension between Wall Street and policymakers. What do you learn from the history?
Holiday books?
Students often ask me to recommend good strategy books. As an instructor, it is a bit challenging to pick up a few books only. Instead, I'd love to take advantage of borrowing others' recommendation. Of course, there should be more than the below books. AI is an emerging topic in strategy but still infant to introduce any single book here. But, as a first step , why don't you start browsing them and pick up some for your holidays?
Understanding Michael Porter - The Essential Guide to Competition and Strategy by Joan Magretta.
The Crux - How Leaders Become Strategists by Richard Rumelt.
No Bullsh*t Strategy - A Founders Guide to Gaining Competitive Advantage with a Strategy That Actually Works by Alex M H Smith.
Beyond Competitive Advantage - How to Solve the Puzzle of Sustaining Growth While Creating Value by Todd Zenger.
Better, Simpler Strategy - A Value-Based Guide to Exceptional Performance by Felix Oberholzer-Gee.
Good Strategy Bad Strategy: The Difference and Why It Matters by Richard Rumelt
September 2024
I picked up this book for my research but found that it is also good for a general audience. The author talks about the secretive world of art, exploring the lives of gallerists, curators, and artists. I'm still in Part 1, so it's too early to leave conclusive comments on the book. However, there are a few points on which I agree with the author.
First, (too) obviously, we know little about the art world. The author, a journalist who enters this realm as an outsider, describes how difficult it is to penetrate this world, something I can relate to from my own experience interviewing art professionals. Second, entering this world is no easy task. The author humorously describes her experience working in a gallery as an assistant—learning what to wear, how to coat the wall painting (9 times!), and mastering jargon to navigate conversations. While presented with humor, the struggle to integrate is real. Third, the complex network of intermediaries, along with opaque pricing and sales structures, creates challenges for outsiders like us (management researchers) to interpret and understand the market's unique practices. I remember how many times I sighed when collecting the pricing data.
If you are interested in learning about this secretive world, then I recommend this book.
June 2024
Amidst a hectic season with wrapping up the semester and dealing with journal deadlines, the news about Gates' new books caught my attention, especially, 'Billionaire, Nerd, Savoir, King: Bill Gates and His Quest to Shape Our World'. This will definitely be on my reading list this summer. I cannot wait!
March 2024
While working on mini-projects related to generative AI, I often wonder whether it's hype in certain areas. I'm reading Umberto Eco's " All Editions of Experiences in Translation." Honestly, it's so technical that I struggle to turn the pages, and I can't recommend it. However, his book tells me something: despite all the enthusiasm surrounding AI enthusiasts lately, I wouldn't be surprised if Eco wouldn't even bother to look at ChatGPT. Not everyone needs to love or adopt the new technology.
Feb 2024
As management researchers, our focus often diverges from that of policymakers, political scientists, and economists, as we delve into firm-level strategies. However, the complexity of semiconductor markets, entwined with state interests and geopolitical dynamics, compels us to view individual firms' actions beyond conventional market logic and firm-level analyses. National security, technology, and education emerge as significant factors to consider. While this book does not represent the official stance of the US government or the Hoover Institution's interests, it provides insights into how a key US think tank perceives the semiconductor market through the lens of political, economic, technological, and military leadership that the US government has held.
So, do we need a more holistic view of the market and talk more with other research groups?
Feb, 2024
The book may have a dry and uninspiring title, but don't let that deter you! Lucas unfolds a dramatic narrative surrounding batteries and minerals. I highly recommend it!
In recent years, 'battery' has become a buzzword, especially with the rise of electric vehicles. Many are familiar with big names in the industry, mostly in the later stage of the battery value chain.
However, this book takes a deep dive into the early stages, addressing many interesting topics such as the significance of lithium, its geographical locations, the local/global companies involved in mining and processing, and the intentions of major country governments.
I appreciate the author's exploration of the long-standing history of political corruption and conflicts between governments and multinational firms in key countries, including China, Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, and the Congo. Admittedly, reading the chapters required frequent checks on Google Maps and Wikipedia. Nevertheless, it turned out to be a rewarding reading exercise.
Nov 2023, (Published/translated in Japanese and Korean, not available in English) by Kaz Hirai
I started reading this book to get some background information on Sony's restructuring of TV and laptop businesses for my MBA teaching. However, the book goes beyond that. The author's perspective on the music and game industries, as interconnected yet distinct from the hardware business, prompted me to contemplate one of the core questions in corporate strategy: How far can corporate diversification be justified? We frequently assume a strong relationship between software and hardware, often referred to as an 'ecosystem,' but do industry practitioners share our view? At least, the author sees the sharp line between the two.
2023 October, Back to the classics,
Kissinger is one of the most influential figures in the field of diplomacy, both in the 20th century and even today. Now, grasping geopolitics has become essential for corporate decision-makers, even though corporations hardly influence inter-governmental relations (at least, traditional political science literature says so. I don't want to discuss an endogeneity issue here.). This book unquestionably connects with my research project with Rose, focusing on how corporations navigate complex inter-governmental conflicts in their international expansions from a non-market strategy perspective.
2023 summer
My reading focuses on the dramatic transformation of a scientist who was once extremely shy and socially awkward, evolving into a formidable leader who galvanized the physicist community. Even after Los Alamos, Oppenheimer continued to establish a heaven for theorists in New Jersey. Is a leader born or forged by necessity?
2023
Unofficial history of Spotify. A bit boring in the beginning, but it is a good read to see how the music industry has evolved to the digital era. Also, Jobs, Zuckerberg, Sean Parker and many other big names are here. It is always fascinating to read how the big guys hampered/helped the growth of startups with challenging business models/products.. plus, you can answer why Spotify TV failed ;p ( many people haven’t heard about it tho)
2022 winter
Who can avoid the word CHIPS in 2022?
Chuck and I are working on a new research project about how the CHIPS ACT affects US VC firms' investment.
2022 Fall
It might be all about self-aggrandizing propaganda. But, I still enjoyed reading this book because it describes the past three years from the vaccine maker's perspective. Also, the author raises several interesting but controversial questions, such as whether USTR's support for a temporal patent waiver to COVID-19 vaccines can be justified.
2021
Too ambitious to be a game-changer? Yes.
2021
One Bob is gone, and the other Bob is returning to Disney. Too rich (himself) to return? Too bad timing to return? But the market welcomes his comeback, at least. Yesterday, Disney stock rose 8 %.