I have always been interested in organizations of all kinds – it is in organizations that we work, learn, heal, play and invent.  My teaching and research focus particularly on how organizations make their strategies, in other words, how they shape their long-term trajectories. If you think about organizations like Facebook, Alibaba or Amazon, these strategies are hugely important to the world.

I took my PhD at the University of Manchester. Since then I have held academic posts at:

• Imperial College, 1985-87
• University of Warwick, 1987-1996
• New College and the Saïd Business School, 1996 to today

In addition I have held significant visiting positions at the Harvard Business School, HEC Paris and the University of Toulouse. 

Being in my third decade at New College, I must like the place – the best thing is probably that it is both big and friendly.

Research Interests

My current research interests are: 

• the practice of strategy
• strategy professionals (consultants and strategy officers)
• ‘open’ strategy (strategic transparency and inclusion)

I am an enthusiastic competitive tennis-player

Selected Major Publications:

• G. Johnson, K. Scholes and R. Whittington (2017), Fundamentals of Strategy, 4th edition, Pearson
• Whittington R. (2017), Greatness takes Practice: On the Relevance of Practice Theory to Great Strategy, Strategy Science , 2, 4
• G. Johnson, R. Whittington and K. Scholes (2016), Exploring Strategy,  11th edition, Pearson
• Burgelman R, Floyd S., Laamanen T., Mantere S., Vaara E and Whittington R. (2017), Strategy Processes and Practices: Dialogues and Intersections, Strategic Management Journal, 27, 8.
• Mayer M., Hautz J., Stadler C. and Whittington R., (2017) Diversification and Internationalization in Europe: the British Exception, Business History Review, June, 1-21
• Hautz, J., Seidl, D., & Whittington, R. (2017). Open strategy: Dimensions, dilemmas, dynamics. Long Range Planning, 50(3), 298-309.
• Whittington, R., Yakis-Douglas, B. and Ahn, K. (2016), Cheap talk? Strategy presentations as a form of chief executive officer impression management. Strategic Management Journal, doi:10.1002/smj.2482*
• Girod, S. J. G. and Whittington, R. (2016), Reconfiguration, restructuring and firm performance: Dynamic capabilities and environmental dynamism. Strategic Management Journal, doi:10.1002/smj.2543*
• Girod D. and Whittington R. (2015), Change Escalation Processes and Complex Adaptive Systems: From Incremental Reconfigurations to Discontinuous Restructuring, Organization Science, 26, 5, 1520-35