Charles Williams
Associate Professor
Biography
Charles Williams is Associate Professor of Corporate Strategy at Bocconi University and SDA Bocconi School of Management.
He has a strong interest in how people, structure, and experience affect the evolution of firms. He has studied how firms adapt their knowledge while expanding abroad, how executive movement through firms affects the likelihood of entering and exiting markets, and how entrepreneurial firms face the challenges of growth.
His research has been published in Management Science and Strategic Management Journal, and he has served on the editorial boards of Strategic Management Journal and Organization Science.
He teaches strategy and entrepreneurship at Bocconi and previously taught at University of Illinois and Duke University. Before earning his Ph.D. at the University of Michigan he worked in journalism and market research.
Recent Publications
- 2024
Poker Face: Nonverbal Emotion Restraint and Gender in Crowdfunding Pitches
MAO, J., C. WILLIAMS, "Poker Face: Nonverbal Emotion Restraint and Gender in Crowdfunding Pitches" in 84th Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management, August 9-13, 2024, Chicago, IL, United States of America - 2022
How Does Firm Scope Depend on Customer Switching Costs? Evidence from Mobile Telecommunications Markets
ABOLFATHI, N., S. SANTAMARIA, C. WILLIAMS, "How Does Firm Scope Depend on Customer Switching Costs? Evidence from Mobile Telecommunications Markets", Management Science, 2022, vol. 68, no. 1, pp. 316-332 - 2021
Building capabilities for external knowledge sourcing: Training and Innovation in Small firms
CERINI, L., N. DUTT, C. WILLIAMS, "Building capabilities for external knowledge sourcing: Training and Innovation in Small firms" in 81th Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management - July 30-August 3, 2021, online, United States of America - 2020
Market Frictions and Competitive Positions: Lessons from the Mobile Telecommunications Market
ABOLFATHI, N., S. SANTAMARIA, C. WILLIAMS, "Market Frictions and Competitive Positions: Lessons from the Mobile Telecommunications Market" in 80th Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management - August 7-11, 2020, United States of America - 2017
Rookies and seasoned recruits: How experience in different levels, firms, and industries shapes strategic renewal in top management
WILLIAMS, C., P.-L. CHEN, R. AGARWAL, "Rookies and seasoned recruits: How experience in different levels, firms, and industries shapes strategic renewal in top management", Strategic Management Journal, 2017, vol. 38, no. 7, pp. 1391-1415 - 2017
Entrepreneurship in the Making: Understanding Different Approaches to New Venture Creation
SPINA, C., C. WILLIAMS, "Entrepreneurship in the Making: Understanding Different Approaches to New Venture Creation" in 37th Annual International Conference of the Strategic Management Society, 28-31 October, 2017, Houston, TX, United States of America - 2017
Rethinking Competitive Positioning: Customer Value, Flexibility, and Generalist Advantage
ABOLFATHI, N., C. WILLIAMS, "Rethinking Competitive Positioning: Customer Value, Flexibility, and Generalist Advantage" in Academy of Management Proceedings, the 77th Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management -August 4-9, 2017, Atlanta, United States of America - 2012
Growing pains: the effect of pre-entry experience on impediments to growth
CHEN, P., C. WILLIAMS, R. AGARWAL, "Growing pains: the effect of pre-entry experience on impediments to growth", Strategic Management Journal, 2012, vol. 33, no. 3, pp. 252-276 - 2012
Structural knowledge: how executive experience with structural composition affects intrafirm mobility and structural change
KARIM, S., C. WILLIAMS, "Structural knowledge: how executive experience with structural composition affects intrafirm mobility and structural change", Strategic Management Journal, 2012, vol. 33, no. 6, pp. 681-709 - 2010
Where do you come from? The effect of new executives’ experience and industry on growth
CHEN, P. L., C. WILLIAMS, "Where do you come from? The effect of new executives’ experience and industry on growth" in 30th SMS Annual Conference - September 12-15, 2010, Roma, Italy
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Grants & Honors
Excellence in Research Award, Università Commerciale Luigi Bocconi, 2022
F. Gluek Best Paper Award, assigned by the Strategic Management Division, Academy of Management, 2020
