Krishna Palepu

Krishna Palepu is a distinguished professor at Harvard Business School and a leading expert in business strategy, corporate governance, and emerging markets. As the Ross Graham Walker Professor of Business Administration, he has shaped understanding of how companies can effectively operate and expand in developing economies, particularly India and China. Palepu's research and academic work spans multiple critical areas of business, including corporate board effectiveness, disclosure practices, and the globalization of emerging markets. His insights have been particularly influential in analyzing how Western multinational companies can navigate challenges in developing economies, while also examining how local companies in these markets can achieve global success. With a diverse educational background including physics, business administration, and management studies from institutions across India and the United States, Palepu brings a unique perspective to his field. His contributions to business education extend beyond research to practical application, as evidenced by his consistent ranking among the top 40 case study authors by The Case Centre and his role as Senior Adviser to the President of Harvard University for Global Strategy.

Readers primarily know Krishna Palepu for his co-authored business books with Tarun Khanna, particularly "Winning in Emerging Markets." Readers appreciated: - Clear frameworks for analyzing emerging markets - Real-world case studies that illustrate key concepts - Balanced perspective on opportunities and risks - Academic rigor combined with practical applications Common criticisms: - Some examples and data feel outdated - Writing can be dry and academic in tone - Too much focus on large multinational corporations - Limited coverage of smaller markets Ratings and Reviews: Amazon: 4.2/5 from 31 reviews Goodreads: 3.8/5 from 124 ratings Notable reader comment: "The institutional voids framework provides a useful lens, but I wanted more actionable strategies for smaller companies." - Amazon reviewer Some business school students noted the book serves better as a reference text than a cover-to-cover read. Several readers mentioned they return to specific chapters when dealing with particular emerging market challenges.

Business Analysis and Valuation: IFRS Edition (with Paul Healy) A comprehensive framework for analyzing businesses and investments using financial statements, focusing on international financial reporting standards.

Winning in Emerging Markets: A Road Map for Strategy and Execution (with Tarun Khanna) An analytical guide explaining how companies can identify and address institutional voids when operating in emerging markets.

Tarun Khanna - Expert on emerging markets and business groups in developing economies who has collaborated with Palepu on research. His work focuses on how entrepreneurs build successful businesses in institutional voids and the role of business groups in emerging economies.

Pankaj Ghemawat - Economics and strategy scholar who studies globalization and international business competition. His research examines how companies can develop effective global strategies while accounting for persistent differences across national borders.

Geoffrey Jones - Business historian who writes about the evolution of international business and global capitalism. His work explores how multinational enterprises have shaped business across different time periods and geographical contexts.

Josh Lerner - Authority on venture capital, innovation, and entrepreneurship who examines how companies finance growth. His research focuses on the intersection of finance and innovation, particularly in emerging markets and developing economies.

C.K. Prahalad - Strategic management scholar who developed frameworks for understanding markets at the bottom of the pyramid. His research examined how companies can serve low-income markets while building profitable businesses in developing economies.