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David J. Collis

Thomas Henry Carroll Ford Foundation Adjunct Professor of Business Administration

Contact (617) 495-6768
Overview Biography Publications & Course Materials Current Research Areas of Interest

Books

Collis, David J., and Cynthia A. Montgomery. Corporate Strategy: A Resource-Based Approach. 2nd ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill/Irwin, 2005. (Available in Chinese, Korean, and Italian versions.)

Collis, David J., Michael Goold, and D. Young. Corporate Headquarters: An International Analysis of Their Roles and Staffing. London: Financial Times-Prentice Hall, 2000.

Collis, D. J., and C. A. Montgomery. Corporate Strategy: Resources and the Scope of the Firm. Ill.: Irwin/McGraw-Hill, 1997.

Published Papers

Collis, David J., and M. Menz. "The Corporate Center in Multibusiness Firms: A Review and Research Agenda." Journal of Management (forthcoming).

Collis, David J., and Michael G. Rukstad. "Can You Say What Your Strategy Is?" Harvard Business Review 86, no. 4 (April 2008). (50th Anniversary McKinsey Award Winner for Best Article in Harvard Business Review, 2009.)

Collis, David J., David Young, and Michael Goold. "The Structure, Size, and Performance of Corporate Headquarters." Strategic Management Journal 28, no. 4 (April 2007): 383-405.

Collis, David J., and Michael Goold. "Benchmarking Corporate Centre Staffs." Harvard Business Review 83, no. 9 (September 2005): 28-30.

Collis, David J. "When Industries Change: The Future of Higher Education." Continuing Higher Education Review 65 (fall 2001): 7-24.

Collis, David J., and T. Noda. "The Evolution of Intra-Industry Firm Heterogeneity: Insights from a Process Study." Academy of Management Journal 44, no. 4 (August 2001): 897-925.

Collis, David J. "Entrepreneurship, Strategy and Creativity." Comportamento Organizacional E Gastao (April 1998): 61-80.

Collis, David J., and Cynthia A. Montgomery. "Creating Corporate Advantage." Harvard Business Review 76, no. 3 (May-June 1998): 70-83.

Collis, David J. "Corporate Strategy in Multibusiness Firms." Long Range Planning Journal 29, no. 3 (June 1996): 416-418.

Collis, David J. "The Pitfalls of Parenting Mature Companies." Harvard Business Review 74, no. 5 (September-October 1996): 28-32.

Collis, D. J., and C. A. Montgomery. "Competing on Resources: Strategy in the 1990s." Harvard Business Review 73, no. 4 (July-August 1995): 118-128.

Collis, David J. "How Valuable are Organisational Capabilities?" Strategic Management Journal 15 (winter 1994): 143-152.

Collis, David J. "The Strategic Management of Uncertainty." European Management Journal 10, no. 2 (June 1992): 125-135.

Collis, David J. "A Resource Based Analysis of Global Competition: The Case of the Bearings Industry." Strategic Management Journal 12 (June 1991): 49-68.

Book Chapters

Collis, David J. "The Paradox of Scope: A Challenge to the Governance of Higher Education." In Competing Conceptions of Academic Governance: Negotiating the Perfect Storm, edited by William G. Tierney. Baltimore, Md.: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2004.

Collis, David J. "New Business Models for Higher Education." In The Future of the City of Intellect: The Changing American University, edited by Steven Brint, 181-202. Palo Alto, Calif.: Stanford University Press, 2002.

Collis, David J. "When Industries Change Revisited: New Scenarios for Higher Education." In Forum Futures, edited by David J. Collis, 103-126. San Francisco, Calif.: Jossey-Bass, 2001.

Ghemawat, Pankaj, and David J. Collis. "Mapping the Business Landscape." In The Portable MBA in Strategy. 2nd ed. Edited by Liam Fahey and Robert M. Randall, pp.171-188. John Wiley & Sons, 2001.

Collis, David J. "When Industries Change: Scenarios for Higher Education." In Exploring the Future of Higher Education, edited by David J. Collis, 47-70. New York, N.Y.: Forum Publishing, 1999.

Collis, David J., Stephen P. Bradley, and P. William Bane Jr. "The Converging Worlds of Telecommunications, Computing and Entertainment." In Sense and Respond: Capturing Value in the Network Era, edited by Stephen P. Bradley and Richard L. Nolan, 31-62. Boston: Harvard Business School Press, 1998.

Collis, D. J., P. W. Bane, and S. P. Bradley. "Winners and Losers--Industry Structure in the Converging World of Telecommunications, Computing, and Entertainment." In Competing in the Age of Digital Convergence, edited by D. B. Yoffie. Boston: Harvard Business School Press, 1997.

Collis, David J. "Organisational Capability as a Source of Profit." In Ogranisational Learning and Competitive Advantage, edited by David J. Collis, 139-163. London: Sage, 1996.

Collis, David J. "Related Corporate Portfolios." In Managing the Multibusiness Company, edited by David J. Collis, 122-142. London: Routledge, 1996.

Collis, D. J., and P. Ghemawat. "Industry Analysis." In The Portable MBA in Strategy, edited by Liam Fahey and Robert M. Randall. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1994.

Collis, David J. "Bearings: The Visible Hand of Global Firms." In Beyond Free Trade: Firms, Governments, and Global Competition, edited by D. B. Yoffie, 251-310. Boston: Harvard Business School Press, 1993.

Collis, David J. "The Machine Tool Industry and Industrial Policy 1955-82." In International Competitiveness, edited by David J. Collis, 75-114. Cambridge, Mass.: Ballinger, 1988.

Other Papers

Collis, David J., David Young, and Michael Goold. "International Differences in the Size and Roles of Corporate Headquarters: An Empirical Examination." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 10-044, December 2009. Abstract

This paper examines differences in the size and roles of corporate headquarters around the world. Based on a survey of over 600 multibusiness corporations in seven countries (France, Germany, Holland, UK, Japan, US, and Chile) the paper describes the differences among countries, and then applies a model of the factors determining the size of corporate headquarters (Young, Collis, and Goold, 2003) to systematically examine those differences. 

The data shows that there are significant differences among countries in the size and role of corporate headquarters, and strongly suggests the existence of a developing country model, a European model, a US model, and a Japanese model of corporate headquarters. Contrary to popular expectations, corporate headquarters in the US are about twice the size of European counterparts. Headquarters there exert a higher level of functional influence and have larger staffs in certain key areas, such as IT and R&D. US managers are generally more satisfied than their European counterparts with their larger more powerful headquarters which suggests that, at least in the US context, large corporate headquarters can create value.

Japanese headquarters, as might have been expected, are substantially larger than elsewhere - a factor of four times larger than in Europe. However, those headquarters are becoming smaller because of dissatisfaction with their performance. It is clear that having headquarters the size of the Japanese firms in the survey is not conducive to value creation.

More specifically, the evidence cannot refute a hypothesis that the slope of the relationship between firm size and the size of corporate headquarters is the same across all countries, but that there are significant differences in the intercept for Chile, the US, Japan, and the European countries. What the data indicates is that at a firm employing 20,000, a European corporate headquarters would on average employ 124 individuals, a US headquarters would have 255 employees, and Japan 467 employees.

The paper also examines differences between countries in the extent to which they perform the two key corporate tasks of control and coordination. The US and Chile chose to be somewhat more interventionist in the traditional tools and processes used to monitor and control business units - setting strategy, budgets, and administering capital budgets. However, there was a significant difference in the degree of influence in operational affairs between countries. The US and Japan exerted far more influence than the other countries over every activity from IT and purchasing, to marketing, R&D and HR issues. 

The US was also found to have significantly larger legal, tax, and treasury functions than the common European model, perhaps reflecting a more legalistic institutional structure. Japan also has significantly larger tax, treasury, and corporate management functions, but overall was not that much larger than the common European model.

While the causes of these observed differences cannot be directly determined from the research, suggestions are made that the institutional infrastructure, the size and homogeneity of the domestic market, and cultural factors within countries are important underlying drivers.


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HBS Course Materials

Collis, David J., and Troy Smith. "AOL/Time Warner: To Merge or Demerge?" Harvard Business School Compilation 707-556.

Collis, David J. "Asahi Glass Co.: Diversification Strategy." Harvard Business School Case 794-113.

Collis, David J. "Asahi Glass Company: Diversification Strategy TN." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 795-150.

Collis, David J. "Beatrice Companies--1985." Harvard Business School Case 391-191.

Collis, David J. "Beatrice Companies--1985, Teaching Note." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 391-282.

Collis, David J., and Jan W. Rivkin. "Ben & Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream Inc.: A Period of Transition." Harvard Business School Spreadsheet Supplement 703-755.

Collis, David J., and Melinda B. Conrad. "Ben & Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream, Inc.: A Period of Transition." Harvard Business School Case 796-109.

Collis, David J. "Ben & Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream, Inc.: A Period of Transition (TN)." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 705-044.

Montgomery, Cynthia A., and David J. Collis. "Berkshire Partners TN." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 796-113.

Collis, David J. "Berkshire Partners, Teaching Note." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 391-269.

Collis, David J. "Birds Eye and the U.K. Frozen Food Industry (A)." Harvard Business School Case 792-074.

Collis, David J. "Birds Eye and the U.K. Frozen Food Industry (A) TN." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 795-109.

Collis, David J. "Birds Eye and the U.K. Frozen Food Industry (B)." Harvard Business School Supplement 792-078.

Collis, David J., and Dianna Magnani. "Cabot Corporation's Liquefied Natural Gas Business." Harvard Business School Case 793-062.

Collis, David J. "Cabot Corporation's Liquefied Natural Gas Business TN." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 795-161.

Collis, David, Toby Stuart, and Troy Smith. "Cadbury Schweppes: Capturing Confectionery (A)." Harvard Business School Case 708-453.

Collis, David, Toby Stuart, and Troy Smith. "Cadbury Schweppes: Capturing Confectionery (B)." Harvard Business School Supplement 708-454.

Collis, David, Toby Stuart, and Troy Smith. "Cadbury Schweppes: Capturing Confectionery (C)." Harvard Business School Supplement 708-455.

Collis, David, Toby Stuart, and Troy Smith. "Cadbury Schweppes: Capturing Confectionery (D)." Harvard Business School Supplement 708-491.

Collis, David J. "Cat Fight in the Pet Food Industry (A)." Harvard Business School Case 391-189.

Collis, David J. "Cat Fight in the Pet Food Industry (A), (B), (C), and (D), Teaching Note." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 391-276.

Collis, David J. "Cat Fight in the Pet Food Industry (B)." Harvard Business School Supplement 391-195.

Collis, David J. "Cat Fight in the Pet Food Industry (C)." Harvard Business School Supplement 391-196.

Collis, David J. "Cat Fight in the Pet Food Industry (D)." Harvard Business School Supplement 391-197.

Porter, Michael E., and David J. Collis. "Chain Saw Industry in 1978." Harvard Business School Case 379-176.

Collis, David J. "Cooper Industries Video." Harvard Business School Video Supplements 793-504.

Collis, David J. "Cooper Industries' Corporate Strategy (A)." Harvard Business School Case 391-095.

Collis, David J. "Cooper Industries' Corporate Strategy (A) and (B), Teaching Note." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 391-281.

Collis, David J., and Elizabeth Wynne Johnson. "Cooper Industries' Corporate Strategy (B)." Harvard Business School Supplement 795-154.

Collis, David J. "Corning Glass Works International (A), (B1), and (B2), Teaching Note." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 391-278.

Collis, David J. "Corporate Advantage: Identifying and Exploiting Resources." Harvard Business School Note 391-285.

Collis, David J. "Corporate Strategy: A Conceptual Framework." Harvard Business School Note 391-284.

Anand, Bharat N., David J. Collis, and Sophie Hood. "Danaher Corporation." Harvard Business School Case 708-445.

Alcacer, Juan, David J. Collis, and Mary Furey. "DreamWorks SKG Inc.: To Distribute or Not to Distribute?" Harvard Business School Case 709-488.

Collis, David J., and Troy Smith. "Edward Jones in 2006: Confronting Success." Harvard Business School Case 707-497.

Collis, David J. "EnClean: Malcolm Waddell's Story (A)." Harvard Business School Case 794-115.

Collis, David J. "EnClean: Malcolm Waddell's Story (A) TN." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 795-071.

Collis, David J. "EnClean: Malcolm Waddell, CEO, Video." Harvard Business School Video Supplements 796-508.

Collis, David J., and Troy Smith. "ENDNOTES for Strategy in the Twenty-First Century Pharmaceutical Industry: Merck & Co. and Pfizer Inc. (RC Strategy)." Harvard Business School Supplement 707-507.

Collis, David J., and Nancy Donohue. "General Electric: Consumer Electronics Group." Harvard Business School Case 389-048.

Collis, David J. "General Electric: Consumers Electronics Group, Teaching Note." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 391-275.

Collis, David J. "General Motors' Automotive Components Group (A)." Harvard Business School Case 391-176.

Collis, David J. "General Motors' Automotive Components Group (A), Teaching Note." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 391-280.

Collis, David J., Peter W. Olson, and Mary Furey. "Guardian Media Group: Transition to the Online World." Harvard Business School Case 709-464.

Bradley, Stephen P., David J. Collis, Kevin P. Coyne, Andrei Hagiu, Mikolaj Jan Piskorski, Jan W. Rivkin, and John R. Wells. "How to Crack a Strategy Case." Harvard Business School Note 707-549.

Collis, David J., and Nancy Donohue. "IBP and the U.S. Meat Industry." Harvard Business School Case 391-006.

Collis, David J. "IBP and the U.S. Meat Industry (TN)." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 391-268.

Collis, David J. "ICI and Hanson (A) & (B) TN." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 795-122.

Pisano, Gary P., David J. Collis, and Peter K. Botticelli. "Intel Corporation: 1968-1997." Harvard Business School Case 797-137.

Collis, David J., and Jordan I. Siegel. "Introduction to International Strategy." Harvard Business School Module Note 706-481.

Collis, David J. "ISS--International Service System A/S, TN." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 391-270.

Collis, David J. "Kingsbury Machine Tool Corp." Harvard Business School Case 388-110.

Collis, David J. "Kraft General Foods: The Merger (A)." Harvard Business School Case 391-139.

Collis, David J. "Kraft General Foods: The Merger (A) and (B), Teaching Note." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 391-279.

Collis, David J., and Elizabeth Wynne Johnson. "Kraft General Foods: The Merger (B)." Harvard Business School Case 795-153.

Collis, David J. "Machine Tool Industry (A)." Harvard Business School Case 387-087.

Collis, David J. "Machine Tool Industry (B): United Kingdom." Harvard Business School Case 387-088.

Lodge, George C., and David J. Collis. "Machine Tool Industry and Industrial Policy--1955-82." Harvard Business School Note 387-145.

Collis, David J. "Major Home Appliance Industry in 1984 (Revised) and Maytag in 1984, Teaching Note." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 391-272.

Collis, David J., and Nancy Donohue. "Major Home Appliance Industry in 1988." Harvard Business School Supplement 389-056.

Collis, David J. "Managing the Multibusiness Corporation." Harvard Business School Note 391-286.

Collis, David J. "Marks and Spencer Ltd. (A), (B), and (C), Teaching Note." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 391-271.

Collis, David J., and Nancy Donohue. "Maytag in 1984." Harvard Business School Case 389-055.

Knoop, Carin-Isabel, David J. Collis, Anthony St. George, and W. Earl Sasser. "Merck in Poland." Harvard Business School Case 899-142.

Hayes, Robert H., David J. Collis, and James Weber. "Merck Strategy: Breaking Away." Harvard Business School Case 901-050.

Collis, David J. "Nestle in Chocolate in 1990." Harvard Business School Case 391-203.

Collis, David J. "Nestle in Chocolate in 1990, Teaching Note." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 391-277.

Collis, David J. "Newell Co.: Acquisition Strategy." Harvard Business School Case 794-066.

Collis, David J. "Newell Company: Acquisition Strategy TN." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 795-132.

Collis, David J., Peter W. Olson, and Mary Furey. "The Newspaper Industry in Crisis." Harvard Business School Note 709-463.

Collis, David J. "Note on Factory Automation." Harvard Business School Note 387-084.

Collis, David J. "Note on the Aluminum Industry in 1983, Teaching Note." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 391-273.

Collis, David J. "Omron Tateisi Electronics Co." Harvard Business School Case 387-077.

Collis, David J. "Omron Tateisi Electronics Co., Teaching Note." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 391-274.

Collis, David J. "PepsiCo's Restaurants TN." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 795-134.

Collis, David J., and Elizabeth Wynne Johnson. "Portfolio Planning at CIBA-GEIGY and the Newport Investment Proposal." Harvard Business School Case 795-040.

Collis, David J. "Portfolio Planning at Ciba-Geigy and the Newport Investment Proposal TN." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 795-107.

Collis, David J. "Process of Strategy Making." Harvard Business School Module Note 709-500.

Collis, David J. "Saatchi & Saatchi Co. PLC." Harvard Business School Case 387-170.

Collis, David J. "Saatchi & Saatchi Co. PLC: Corporate Strategy." Harvard Business School Case 792-056.

Collis, David J. "Saatchi and Saatchi Company PLC: Corporate Strategy TN." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 795-094.

Collis, David J. "Scope of the Corporation, The." Harvard Business School Note 795-139.

Collis, David J. "Sharp Corporation 2004." Harvard Business School Case 706-508.

Collis, David J., and Tomo Noda. "Sharp Corporation: Technology Strategy." Harvard Business School Case 793-064.

Collis, David J. "Sharp Corporation: Technology Strategy TN." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 794-025.

Collis, David J., and Elizabeth Wynne Johnson. "Smashing the Cube: Corporate Transformation at CIBA-GEIGY Ltd." Harvard Business School Case 795-041.

Collis, David J. "Smashing the Cube: Corporate Transformation at Ciba-Geigy, Ltd. TN." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 795-140.

Collis, David J., and Jan W. Rivkin. "Strategic Decline." Harvard Business School Note 708-497.

Collis, David J., and Jan W. Rivkin. "Strategic Renewal." Harvard Business School Module Note 708-503.

Collis, David J., and Troy Smith. "Strategy in the Twenty First Century Pharmaceutical Industry: Merck & Co. and Pfizer Inc." Harvard Business School Case 707-509.

Collis, David J., and Troy Smith. "Strategy in the Twenty-First Century Pharmaceutical Industry: Merck & Co. and Pfizer Inc. (RC Strategy)." Harvard Business School Case 707-487.

Collis, David J. "Textron, Inc. TN." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 795-135.

Collis, David J., and Nancy Donohue. "Time Inc. and New Magazine Development." Harvard Business School Case 391-110.

Collis, David J., and Nancy Donohue. "Time Inc. and New Magazine Development (A)." Harvard Business School Case 792-043.

Collis, David J. "Time Inc. and New Magazine Development (A) TN." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 795-108.

Collis, David J., and Nancy Donohue. "Time Inc. and New Magazine Development (B)." Harvard Business School Case 792-044.

Collis, David J., and Troy Smith. "The Transformation of Thomson." Harvard Business School Case 708-428.

Collis, David J. "U.S. Lodging Industry in 1985, The TN." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 795-145.

Rukstad, Michael G., David J. Collis, and Tyrell Levine. "UNext: Business Education and e-Learning." Harvard Business School Case 701-014.

Collis, David J. "VisiCorp 1978-1984 TN." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 795-141.

Collis, David J. "The Walt Disney Co.: The Entertainment King (TN)." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 705-495.

Collis, David J. "Walt Disney Company (A), The: Corporate Strategy TN." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 795-152.

Collis, David J., Michael E. Porter, and Ellen Holbrook. "The Walt Disney Company (A): Corporate Strategy." Harvard Business School Case 388-147.

Alcacer, Juan, David J. Collis, and Mary Furey. "The Walt Disney Company and Pixar Inc.: To Acquire or Not to Acquire?" Harvard Business School Case 709-462.

Alcacer, Juan, David J. Collis, and Mary Furey. "The Walt Disney Company and Pixar Inc.: To Acquire or Not to Acquire? An Update." Harvard Business School Case 709-489.

Collis, David J., and Elizabeth Wynne Johnson. "Walt Disney Company, 1994: A Tumultuous Year." Harvard Business School Case 395-109.

Collis, David J., and Elizabeth Wynne Johnson. "Walt Disney Company, The (B): Sustaining Growth." Harvard Business School Case 794-129.

Collis, David J. "Walt Disney Company, The (B): Sustaining Growth TN." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 795-151.

Collis, David J., and Jennifer Montana. "Walt Disney Company, The, 1995." Harvard Business School Supplement 796-149.

Rukstad, Michael G., David J. Collis, and Tyrell Levine. "Walt Disney Company, The: The Entertainment King." Harvard Business School Case 701-035.

Collis, David J. "WPP Group PLC." Harvard Business School Case 388-126.