Biography of C.K. Prahalad

C.K. Prahalad, the Paul and Ruth McCracken Distinguished University Professor at the Ross School of Business, University of Michigan, specializes in corporate strategy. His books include Multinational Mission: Balancing Local Demands and Global Vision (1987), co-authored with Yves Doz, Competing for the Future (1994), co-authored with Gary Hamel and printed in fourteen languages, and named the Best Selling Business Book of the Year in 1994. The Future of Competition: Co-Creating Unique Value with Customers (2004) (co-authored with Venkatram Ramaswamy), and translated into twelve languages. Business Week described the book as “provocative” and “an important book full of disruptive ideas”. The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid: Eradicating Poverty through Profit (2004). The book was selected as one of the best books of the year 2004 by The Economist, Fast Company and Amazon.com.

He is also the author of numerous award-winning articles. Harvard Business Review awarded him McKinsey Prizes for: “The End of Corporate Imperialism”, co-authored with Kenneth Lieberthal (1998); “The Core Competence of the Corporation”, co-authored with Gary Hamel (1990), and “Strategic Intent”, also co-authored with Gary Hamel (1989); “Weak Signals vs. Strong Paradigms”, published in the Journal of Marketing Research (1995), was awarded the 1997 ANBAR Electronic Citation of Excellence; “The Dominant Logic: A New Linkage between Diversity and Performance (1986), co-authored with Richard Bettis, was selected the Best Article published in the Strategic Management Journal for the period 1980-88; “The Role of Core Competencies in the Corporation” (1993) received the 1994 Maurice Holland Award as the Best Paper published in Research Technology Management in 1993; “A Strategy for Growth: The Role of Core Competence in the Corporation” won the European Foundation for Management Award in 1993.

He has been honored for his contributions with a Life Time Achievement Award by the Ross School of Business. He received honorary doctorates from the University of London (Economics), Stevens Institute of Technology (Engineering) and University of Abertay, Dundee (Business). He was a member of the UN Blue Ribbon Commission on Private Sector and Development.

A prominent world-class figure, Professor Prahalad has consulted with the top management of many of the world’s foremost companies. He serves on the Board of Directors of NCR Corporation, Hindustan Lever Limited and the World Resources Institute. He is the Chairman and Founder of The Next Practice.