Marjorie A. Lyles
OneAmerica Chair in Business Administration and Professor of International Strategic Management
"My interest in international business strategy grew out of my dealings with top managers who said one of the critical issues facing their companies was how to be competitive globally. A significant dilemma, particularly for American companies, is how to cooperate and work with other firms in relational structures, such as joint ventures, alliances and partnerships. It's a very interesting and exciting topic."
With more than 30 years of experience in international business research, Marjorie Lyles has worked with firms, both in the U.S. and abroad, to study the influences of joint ventures, alliances and partnerships on company management, strategy and performance. The primary focus of her current international relational research is on China, specifically investigating why some Chinese firms are investing outside of the country.
"Research is a very important part of our job as professors because it positions us at the forefront, allowing us to suggest ways of dealing with the important business issues of the future."
Since 1993, Lyles has received two grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF) – one for ongoing research work in Hungary and the other for a project dealing with how a large multinational corporation manages alliances. The research in Hungary explored whether or not local firms acquired knowledge from foreign companies after the transition from Communism to a capitalist economy, and how these learnings impacted the local companies' performance. The research resulted in several publications, most notably a 1996 article in the Journal of International Business Studies (JIBS). This particular article was recently selected for the journal's "Decade Award," recognizing it as the JIBS article from 1996 having the most impact on business during that year.
For Lyles, the purpose of academic research is to create new knowledge that can be used by companies. Using field research with actual businesses, Lyles says she is able to choose research projects that are both interesting to her and that address current and pertinent issues. She notes that nearly all of her research is directly applicable to companies.
"The focus of my research has always been working with firms who believe they can gain something from the project," explains Lyles, who rejoined the Kelley School of Business in 1990 after serving on the faculty from 1977-1982. "For me, it's very important for research to have a dual purpose – offering me opportunities to publish my work in academic journals and providing value to the companies who participate in the projects."
