John Eklund

John Eklund’s research lies at the intersection of strategy and innovation, with an emphasis on how firms’ organization designs can shape their performance outcomes. He examines research questions such as: Under what conditions does centralized R&D enable more effective innovation outcomes? How do firms respond to technological change that threatens their core resources? What is the right breadth of managerial attention in different industry environments? What may help or hinder the translation of attention to an issue to actual action? How does a firm's R&D structure impact the innovation outcomes of its innovation partners? His work has been published in leading management journals including the Strategic Management Journal, Organization Science, and Academy of Management Journal. John received his PhD in Management from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.

Prior to joining USC, John was a management consultant at A.T. Kearney, Booz & Company and PwC. He worked in Australia and USA on a variety of engagements ranging from cost reduction in the confectionary industry, to pricing of explosives, to procurement strategies for police cars. Prior to his consulting work, John was a Physical chemist and has a D.Phil. from Oxford University, UK, examining the impact of ultrasound and UV/Visible light on electrochemical reactions. From this work John has examined new organic materials for photovoltaic cells and how to improve the efficacy of anti-dandruff shampoos.