Rigor and relevance:

Our objective is to significantly advance the academic debate in our field and to derive, through our research, meaningful implications for managers.

International network and visibility:

In our research, we collaborate with a network of international colleagues and companies in Europe, the United States, and Asia. We publish our research in renowned international journals and actively present our findings at leading conferences.

Empirical focus:

We use a range of quantitative methods in our research projects, including innovative methods from disciplines such as the natural sciences.

Our research focuses on the following core areas:

• Strategic Organization Design and Change

• Strategic Leadership

• Corporate Governance

• Strategic and Organizational Analytics   

Strategic Organization Design and Change

Designing an organization strategically to meet current and future challenges is a central issue for managers. In increasingly dynamic environments, managers often need to initiate strategic changes to adapt to external changes and, as a result, they need to realign structures and processes. In our research, we examine strategic dynamics and change processes that enhance long-​term company performance, particularly focusing on the effective timing and management of multiple changes in the organization. We also provide insights into how companies can balance short-​term and long-​term strategic goals.  Furthermore, we study new organizational forms and how companies can organize for the digital transformation.

Selected Publications and Current Working Papers:

• Klarner, P., Ambos, T., & Birkinshaw, J. How to implement bottom-up organizing. Lessons from agile piloting and scaling. Forthcoming, California Management Review

• Pittnauer, S., Hohnisch, M., Ostermaier, A. & Pfingsten, A. (2023). Effects of Social Information on Risk Taking and Performance: Understanding Others’ Decisions vs. Comparing Oneself with Others in Short-Term Performance. Organization Science. 34, 6, S. 2352-2372

• Pittnauer, S. & Hohnisch, M. (2023). Observing the Creation of New Knowledge in the Economics Laboratory—Do Participants Discover How to Learn from Outcome Feedback in a Dynamic Decision Problem?. Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization. 2023, 215, S. 382-405

• Klarner, P., Singh, A., & Hess, T. (2020). How do chief digital officers pursue digital transformation activities? The role of organization design parameters. Long Range Planning, 53(3), Article 101890

• Hohnisch, M., Pittnauer, S., Selten, R., & Pfingsten, A. (2016). Designing for deliberative goal-based decision making in environments with rare adverse events—An experimental study. Organization Science 27(6), 1417–1434.

• Klarner, P. & Raisch, S. (2013). Move to the Beat - Rhythms of Change and Firm Performance. Academy of Management Journal, 56(1): 160-184.

• Klarner, P., Sarstedt, M., Hoeck, M., & Ringle, C.M. (2013). Disentangling the Effects of Team Competences, Team Adaptability, and Client Communication on the Performance of Management Consulting Teams. Long Range Planning, 46(3): 258-286.

• Schmitt, A. & Klarner, P. (2015) From Snapshot to Continuity: A Dynamic Model of Organizational Adaptation to Environmental Changes. Scandinavian Journal of Management 31 (1), 3-13.

• Klarner, P., Treffers, T., & Picot, A. (2013). How Companies Motivate Entrepreneurial Employees: The Case of Organizational Spin-Alongs. Journal of Business Economics, 83(4): 319-355.

• Webinar on “Agility in a Discordant World”, organized by Prof. Klarner with the Strategic Management Society: Agility in a Discordant World - YouTube

Strategic Leadership

Our research examines top management team composition, processes, and strategic decision-​making behavior. We are particularly interested in top management team designs, changes, and processes that facilitate strategic flexibility. Our studies also provide insights into how executives deal with strategic decision-making under time constraints. Moreover, we study the role of executive personality and cognition in strategic decision-making.

Selected Publications and Current Working Papers:

• Lavie, D., & Klarner, P. (2023). When Does a CEO’s Risk Propensity Drive Exploration in Product Development?. Strategy Science, 8(1), 1-23.

• Treffers, T., Klarner, P., & Huy, Q. N. (2020). Emotions, time, and strategy: The effects of happiness and sadness on strategic decision-making under time constraints. Long Range Planning, 53(5), 101954.

• Berns, K. & Klarner, P. (2017) Review of the CEO Succession Literature and a Future Research Program. Academy of Management Perspectives, 31(2): 83-​108.

Corporate governance

In this research stream, we investigate corporate board designs, processes, and behavior that facilitate effective governance, particularly of strategic activities and CEO succession. We also study characteristics of future-oriented boards of directors.

Selected Publications and Current Working Papers:

• Klarner, P., Yoshikawa, T., & Hitt, M.A. (2021). A Capability-based View of Boards: A New Conceptual Framework for Board Governance. Academy of Management Perspectives, 35(1): 123-141.

• Klarner, P. & Kircher, M. (2019). Der zukunftsorientierte Aufsichtsrat. Aufsichtsrat aktuell, 15(3): 19-22.

• Klarner, P., Probst, G., & Useem, M. (2020). Opening the black box: Unpacking board involvement in innovation. Strategic Organization, Vol. 18(4): 487 –519.

• Uhde, D., Klarner, P., & Tuschke, A. (2017) How Boards Govern the Chief Financial Officer: A Review and Research Agenda. Corporate Governance: An International Review, 25(2): 116-​133.

• Klarner, P., Probst, G., & Useem, M. (2016). The Board of Director’s Role in Organizational Change. Developing Leaders, 22: 19-16.

Strategic and organizational analytics

We apply machine learning approaches to analyze how company and industry-wide activities and events influence executives’ strategic decision-making. We particularly focus on advanced techniques in natural language processing.

Current Working Papers and Webinars:

• Gutschi, D. & Klarner, P. The Role of Executive Curiosity in Strategic Change: A ML approach. Working Paper

• Webinar on “The Role of Data Analytics in Strategy & Organization Design”, organized by Prof. Klarner with the Strategic Management Society: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohl2nQbuBRk&feature=youtu.be