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Sergio Lazzarini

Retired, Sustainability & Strategy

Sergio Lazzarini

Contact Information

Research Publications

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Sergio G. Lazzarini (PhD, 2002, Washington University in St. Louis) is a Professor at Ivey Business School, Western University, and Chafi Haddad Senior Research Fellow at Insper (Brazil). He does research on how public and private actors interact and organize their activities to improve economic and social performance. He is a former Professor at Insper and founder of Insper Metricis, a center for the study of impact measurement and investing. Sergio has held visiting positions at Harvard University (2010, 2012), University of St Gallen (2009), HEC Paris (2014), Insead (2015), Brandeis (2016), Imperial College (2017), the University of Utah (2019), and the University of Toronto (2021-22).

He has published a trilogy of books on public-private interactions: Capitalismo de Laços (Elsevier, 2011; revised edition by Bei Editora, 2018), Reinventing State Capitalism: Leviathan in Business, Brazil and Beyond (Harvard University Press, 2014, with Aldo Musacchio), and The Right Privatization: Why Private Firms in Public Initiatives Need Capable Governments (Cambridge University Press, 2022). His research has also appeared in several journals such as Strategic Management Journal, Academy of Management Journal, Organization Science, Academy of Management Review, Academy of Management Perspectives, Journal of Management Studies, and Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal, among others. His work has received several prizes including the Glueck Best Paper Award of the Strategic Management Division of the Academy of Management (2003), Best Paper Prize of the Iberoamerican Academy of Management Conference (2003), Best Paper Prize of the Strategy Division of the Brazilian Academy of Management (ANPAD, 2005), Best Presentation Prize of the Strategic Management Society Special Conference in Rio (2011), Distinguished Paper Award of the Strategy Division (Cooperative Strategy Track) of the Academy of Management (2020) and the Jabuti Prize for the book Capitalism of Ties (2010). Sergio has been a consultant to several firms and multilateral organizations such as OECD, IDB, and the World Bank, and his research was cited or interviewed by news sources such as The Economist, New York Times, Financial Times, Forbes, BBC, and Bloomberg.

He also served as a member of the Executive Committee of the Strategy Division of the Academy of Management (2008-2010) and as a board member of the International Society for the New Institutional Economics (2009-2011), and is currently the Associate Editor of the Academy of Management Review.

Teaching

  • Strategic Management
  • Public-Private Collaboration
  • Impact Management (Masters, PhD, Undergraduate, and Executive Education).

Programs Taught

  • HBA

Education

  • Ph.D., Business Administration (Organization and Strategy), JohnM. Olin School of Business, Washington University in St. Louis, 2002.
  • M.S.B.A., John M. Olin School of Business, Washington University, 2001.
  • M.S., Business Administration, University of São Paulo, 1997.
  • B.S., University of São Paulo, 1993.

Recent Refereed Articles

  • Teodorovicz, T.; Lazzarini, S. L.; Cabral, S.; McGahan, A. M., 2024, "Investing in general human capital as a relational strategy: Evidence on flexible arrangements with contract workers", Strategic Management Journal, May 45(5): 902 - 938.
  • George, G.; Fewer, T. J.; Lazzarini, S. L.; McGahan, A. M.; Puranam, P., 2024, "Partnering for Grand Challenges: A Review of Organizational Design Considerations in Public-Private Collaborations", Journal of Management, January 50(1)
  • Gualandris, J.; Branzei, O.; Wilhelm, M.; Lazzarini, S. L.; Linnenluecke, M.; Hamann, R.; Dooley, K. J.; Barnett, M. L.; Chen, C., 2024, "Unchaining supply chains: Transformative leaps toward regenerating social–ecological systems", J. Supply Chain Manag., January 60(1): 53 - 67.
  • Teodorovicz, T.; Lazzarini, S. L.; Cabral, S.; Nardi, L., 2023, "Can Public Organizations Perform Like Private Firms? The Role of Heterogeneous Resources and Practices", Organization Science, June 34(4): 1353 - 1650.
  • Domingos, F. D.; Cabral, S.; Lazzarini, S. L.; Paes-de-Barros, R., 2022, "Beyond the Agreement: Dilemmas in Contracting for the Transfer of Management Practices", Academy of Management Proceedings, August 2022(1)
  • Lazzarini, S. L.; Cabral, S.; Firpo, S.; Teodorovicz, T., 2022, "Why Are Counterfactual Assessment Methods Not Widespread in Outcome-Based Contracts? A Formal Model Approach", Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, July 32(3): 509 - 523.
  • Lazzarini, S. L., 2021, "Capitalism and Management Research: The Worst of Times, The Best of Times", Academy of Management Review, July 46(3): 613 - 622.
  • Lazzarini, S. L.; Mesquita, L. F.; Monteiro, F.; Musacchio, A., 2021, "Leviathan as an inventor: An extended agency model of state-owned versus private firm invention in emerging and developed economies", Journal of International Business Studies, June 52(4): 560 - 594.
  • Mesquita, L. F.; Saes, M. S. M.; Lazzarini, S. L.; Pongeluppe, L. S., 2021, "Can trust induce vertical integration? An experimental study of buyer–seller exchanges with distinct competencies and specific investments", Industrial and Corporate Change, June 30(3): 778 - 798.
  • Lazzarini, S. L.; Pongeluppe, L. S.; Ito, N. C.; Oliveira, F. D. M.; Ovanessoff, A., 2020, "Public Capacity, Plural Forms of Collaboration, and the Performance of Public Initiatives: A Configurational Approach", Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, October 30(4): 579 - 595.
  • Casarin, A. A.; Lazzarini, S. L.; Vassolo, R. S., 2020, "The Forgotten Competitive Arena: Strategy in Natural Resource Industries", Academy of Management Perspectives, August 34(3): 378 - 399.
  • Lazzarini, S. L., 2020, "The Nature of the Social Firm: Alternative Organizational Forms for Social Value Creation and Appropriation", Academy of Management Review, July 45(3): 620 - 645.
  • Aguinis, H.; Villamor, I.; Lazzarini, S. L.; Vassolo, R. S.; Amorós, J. E.; Allen, D. G., 2020, "Conducting Management Research in Latin America: Why and What’s in It for You?", Journal of Management, May 46(5): 615 - 636.
  • Davis, G. F.; Anteby, M.; Briscoe, F. S.; Jennings, P. D.; Karim, S.; Kaul, A.; Lazzarini, S. L.; Özkazanç-Pan, B.; Donnelly, P.; Rasche, A., et al., 2019, "Politics, Governance, and Leadership: What Can We Learn From the Academy of Management’s Response to EO13769?", Journal of Management Inquiry, July 28(3): 283 - 290.
  • Quelin, B. V.; Cabral, S.; Lazzarini, S. L.; Kivleniece, I., 2019, "The private scope in public–private collaborations: An institutional and capability-based perspective", Organization Science, January 30(4): 831 - 846.

For more publications please see our Research Database

Work in Progress

  • “Investing in General Human Capital as a Relational Strategy: Evidence from Arrangements with Uneducated Contract Workers” (with Thomaz Teodorovicz, Sandro Cabral, and Anita McGahan).
  • “Integrating Organizational, Resource-Based, and Practice-Based Views of Heterogeneous Performance” (with Thomaz Teodorovicz, Sandro Cabral, and Leandro Nardi).
  • “From Instrumental to Normative Relational Strategies: A Study in the Context of Open Buyer-Supplier Relations” (with Dirk Boehe, Leandro Pongeluppe, and Michael Cook) (Winner of the Distinguished Paper Award in Cooperative Strategy, Strategic Management Division, Academy of Management, 2020).
  • “Practice Transfer and Social Value Creation: Existing Dilemmas in Public-Private Collaborations” (with Fernando Deodato Domigos, Sandro Cabral, Bertrand Quelin, and Ricardo Paes de Barros).
  • “Just Decision Making: Models of Choice and Deliberation to Address Heterogeneous Stakeholder Demands” (with Vitor Freire and José Heleno Faro).
  • “Bargaining for Future Rents: How Experienced Managers Deal with Intertemporal Value Appropriation Decisions in Buyer-Seller Negotiations” (with Fernando Deodato Domingos, Sandro Cabral, and André Duarte).
  • “Heterogeneous Stakeholder Resources: Effects on Value Creation and Appropriation in the Context of Microcredit” (with Leandro Nardi and Sandro Cabral).
  • “The Strategic Value of Recessions: How Firms Can Develop Competitive Advantage after Negative Shocks” (with Roberto Vassolo, Tomás Reyes and Consuelo Game).
  • “Agreeing to Disagree: Stakeholder Governance when Decision Makers Have Distinct Opinions” (with Vitor Freire and José Heleno Faro).
  • “Towards a Conceptualization of the Scale-up Firm” (with Guilherme Fowler Monteiro and Nicolai Foss).

Honours & Awards

  • Best Proposal Award, Strategic Management Society Conference, Cooperative Strategies Interest Group, 2023.
  • Research Merit Award, Ivey Business School, Western University, 2023.
  • Rotman Teaching Award (graduate and undergraduate programs), University of Toronto, 2023.
  • Distinguished Paper Award (Organization Structure, Networks and Relational Strategies), Strategic Management Division, Academy of Management, 2022.
  • Chair of Best Dissertation Award, Social Issues in Management Division, Academy of Management, 2022
  • Academy of Management, Strategy Division Distinguished Paper Award in Organizations, Networks and Relational Strategies.
  • Finalist, Best Paper Award, Academy of Management Review, 2020.
  • Distinguished Paper Award in Cooperative Strategy, Strategic Management Division, Academy of Management, 2020.
  • Finalist, Best Paper Conference Paper Prize and Human Capital Interest Group Best Paper Prize, Strategic Management Society Conference, 2020.
  • Academy of Management Review Developmental Reviewer Award, 2020.
  • Chafi Haddad Chair, Insper, 2016-present.
  • Chafi Haddad Prize for Excellence in Teaching (finalist), Insper, 2015.
  • Outstanding Paper Award, Literati Network Awards for Excellence, Emerald, 2013.
  • Best Presentation Prize, Strategic Management Society Special Conference in Rio, 2011.
  • Jabuti Prize for the book Capitalism of Ties, 2011 (2nd place).
  • Elected to the Executive Committee of the BPS Division of the Academy of Management, 2008-2010.
  • Elected to the Board of Directors of ISNIE (International Society for the New Institutional Economics), 2008-2011
  • Distinguished professor elected by the students, Class of 2007 (second semester), Undergraduate Program in Business Administration, Insper.
  • Chafi Haddad Prize for Teaching Excellence (finalist), Ibmec São Paulo, 2006.
  • Best Paper Award, Strategy Division, ANPAD, 2005.
  • Glueck Best Paper Award, BPS Division, Academy of Management, 2003.
  • Finalist, BPS Dissertation Competition, Academy of Management, 2003.
  • Best Paper Award, Iberoamerican Academy of Management, 2003.
  • Best Paper, Journal on Chain and Network Science, 2001.

Experience

  • Founder and Head, Insper Metricis (Center for the Study of Impact Measurement and Investing), 2013-21.
  • Chafi Haddad Professor of Management, Insper Institute of Education and Research, August 2016-July 2022.
  • Research Fellow, CNPq (National Council for Scientific and Technological Development, Brazil), 2011-2021.
  • Area Panel Coordinator (Business and Economics), FAPESP (São Paulo Research Foundation), 2017-2021.
  • Professor of Organization and Strategy, Insper Institute of Education and Research, 2011-July 2016.
  • Academic Dean for Research and Graduate Degree Programs, Insper, January 2013-September 2015.
  • Associate Professor of Organization and Strategy, Insper Institute of Education and Research (formerly called Ibmec São Paulo), 2007-2011.
  • Academic Dean for Undergraduate Programs, Insper Institute of Education and Research, 2007-2009.
  • Academic Dean for Undergraduate and Master Programs, Ibmec São Paulo, October 2006-October 2008.
  • Assistant Professor of Organization and Strategy, Ibmec São Paulo, 2002-2006.
  • Program Director, Undergraduate Program of Business Administration, Ibmec São Paulo, 2005-2006.
  • Founder and Head, Center for Research in Business Strategy, Ibmec São Paulo, 2004-2006.
  • Banco Rabobank. Consultant, 1996-1997.
  • SDF Consultores Associados. Consultant and partner, 1993-1996.

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