John Roberts’ teaching and research involve the application of economic and strategic (game-theoretic) analysis to management problems. His specific areas of current interest involve international business, the organization of the firm, and the connection between strategy and organization. He has been a member of the Stanford faculty since 1980, when he joined the GSB from Northwestern University.
Voting History
| Statement | Response |
|---|---|
| The U.S. Federal Trade Commission’s proposed ban on noncompete agreements will impact innovation and entrepreneurship outside of existing technology hubs. Agree | “If Silicon Valley versus Massachusetts’s Route 128 is any indication, it will have a definite positive effect.” |
| Charging for user verification will lead to increased user engagement and trust on Twitter. Disagree | “The charges are Musk’s doing. And that ownership will drive away posters and advertisers. The man is a megalomaniac. To expect those who stick around to believe the results of his charging for his imprimatur is amusing. He’s trying to pay for the billions he sank into a money-losing enterprise, $8 at a time!” |
| Starbucks’s plans to increase wages for nonunionized workers is a shortsighted strategy. Strongly disagree | “Starbucks is facing unionization; two outlets in Santa Cruz voted union today. Most firms prefer not to deal with a union. (Whether this is a good idea is debatable!) But if this is their preference, then raising wages would seem to be a good idea.” |
| Sanctions against Russia will cause multinational companies to consider human rights protections in supply chains more broadly. Disagree | “I see no connection.” |
| Relaxing the rules around physical presence in the office will improve employee productivity and firm performance. Agree | “My own research (with Bloom, Liang, and Ying) showed that call center workers at one large firm produced 25% more and were substantially less likely to quit if allowed to work from home. The output increase came from both employees working more effectively and actually working a greater share of their time at work. That is only one firm and a particular job, with easy monitoring and performance pay, but it is suggestive that the statement in question holds more generally.” |
| The COVID-19 pandemic has permanently changed how companies should think about business strategy. Agree | “Some industries face the absolute necessity of changing business strategy: witness home shopping for groceries. But in many cases, the seeds of change were planted long ago: In the same vein, witness Ocado in the U.K., which has been flourishing for more than a decade. What certainly must change is organizational strategy. Most obvious is workers’ desire for at-home work and flexible timing. But there does seem to be a shift in tastes, with income (and, equivalently, work) becoming less attractive versus free time. This will likely raise real wages, and that may lead to shifts to less labor-intensive operating models.” |
| The California Consumer Privacy Act will undermine the targeted advertising market by giving consumers the right to opt out of allowing companies to sell personal data to third parties. Agree | |
| In the wake of recent climate-related disasters and related events, such as the bankruptcy of PG&E, corporations are now planning for the increased operational risks and potential liabilities caused by climate change. Neither agree nor disagree | |
| Antitrust policy should intervene more decisively to limit the scope of large technology platforms. Neither agree nor disagree | |
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The Business Roundtable’s new Statement on the Purpose of a Corporation indicates a shift away from shareholder value maximization as the sole purpose of the corporation and toward a broader view of value creation. This shift will have material impact on the well-being of U.S. workers. Disagree |
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| In the next decade, we will see the first sustainably profitable private commercial activities in space. John roberts | “Although private enterprise is asking [for] real strides in space, the technological problems are immense. We are talking about unmanned satellites.” |
| Introducing 5G networks 3-5 years ahead of other countries will give Chinese firms an advantage. Agree | |
| A hard Brexit will have a significant negative impact on many businesses, even if they do not have a U.K. or European presence. Agree | |
| China is no longer the most attractive growth opportunity for Western multinationals. Neither agree nor disagree | |
| In the next five years, the blockchain will have a transformative effect on finance in emerging markets. Neither agree nor disagree | “I know nothing about blockchain.” |
| In the absence of a carbon tax, industry self-regulation can help mitigate the worst fallout from climate change. Disagree | “The issue is not ‘can,’ which is barely plausible, but ‘will,’ which seems beyond belief.” |
| Amazon’s new $15 per hour minimum wage will force other companies to follow suit. Disagree | “Amazon is active in too few local labor markets to have a big impact.” |
| Restrictions on skilled immigration will cause US firms to to shift more operations overseas. Agree | “The complication is Trump’s tariffs. Otherwise, it is virtual certainty…” |
| Uber has to develop self-driving cars in the next 10 years in order to remain viable. Neither agree nor disagree | “Other companies can do it instead.” |
| A trade war will be more disruptive to business than to consumers. Neither agree nor disagree |