Charles A. Holloway

Research Statement

Professor Holloway’s research interests span two areas. The first focuses on the creation of competitive advantage in supply networks. These networks are characterized by the extensive outsourcing, domestically and internationally, that increasingly forms the economic model for global firms. They include networks in both factor markets and product markets where positioning of firms and products is key to competitive offerings. The work involves analyzing strategic as well as managerial options. The second interest involves the problems of small, rapidly growing, entrepreneurial companies that face a different set of challenges than established firms.

Bio

Charles Holloway is the holder of the Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers Professorship in Management Emeritus. Professor Holloway has become a leader in the study and teaching of entrepreneurship, supply networks, and technology management. He has recently developed two new courses in this area, Evaluating Entrepreneurial Opportunities and Strategy and Management in Supply Networks. He also teaches courses on the formation of new ventures. He is one of the directors of the Stanford Center for Entrepreneurial Studies at the Graduate School of Business aimed at curriculum development and research on smaller, rapidly growing companies. He was the founding co-chair of the Stanford Integrated Manufacturing Association, a cooperative effort between the Graduate School of Business and the School of Engineering, which focuses on research and curriculum development in technology and manufacturing, and helped develop a joint program to prepare doctoral students in this area.

Professor Holloway has a BS in electrical engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, and an MS in nuclear engineering and PhD in business administration at the University of California, Los Angeles. He joined the faculty of the Stanford Graduate School of Business in 1968, where he has served in a variety of positions at the GSB, including Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, from 1980-87 and 1990-91, as well as in the University, most recently as chair of the University Commission on Graduate Education. Prior to coming to Stanford, Professor Holloway served as assistant to the Technical Director at Naval Reactors, a joint organization of the Atomic Energy Commission and the Bureau of Ships, where he worked closely with Admiral H.G. Rickover on the development of nuclear powered-ships. He also worked as a senior engineer for Bechtel Corporation’s Scientific Development Department.

Professor Holloway has served as a board member for more than 10 start-up companies in a range of industries. He is currently on the board of SRI International as well as several smaller companies. He is the author of Decision-Making Under Uncertainty: Models and Choices, co-editor of The Perpetual Enterprise Machine–Seven Keys to Corporate Renewal Through Successful Product and Process Development, and many articles in the field of management.

Academic Degrees

• PhD, University of California, Los Angeles, 1969
• MS, University of California, Los Angeles, 1964
• BS, University of California, Berkeley, 1959

Academic Appointments

• At Stanford University since 1968.
• Codirector, Center for Entrepreneurial Studies, Stanford GSB, 1996-2013
• Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Stanford GSB, 1990–1991
• Visiting Professor, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University, 1988–1989
• Dean for Academic Affairs, Stanford GSB, 1980–1987
• Teaching Fellow, UC Los Angeles, 1965–1966

Professional Experience

• Co-chairman, Stanford Integrated Manufacturing Association, 1990–1995
• Senior Engineer, Bechtel Corp., 1964–1965
• Assistant to the Technical Director, U.S. Navy/Atomic Energy Commission, 1959–1963

In the Media

How to Learn the Art of Lateral Thinking

Financial Times, February 2001

Insights by Stanford Business

writtenCharles Holloway: How to Create an Impactful Company

November 6, 2015

It’s not just about the product.

writtenMariam Naficy: Tech Startup Minted.com Crowdsources Artwork

October 28, 2013

A serial female entrepreneur advises women to take risks early in their careers.

writtenStartups Need a Special Learning Curve for Sales

September 1, 2006

Researchers suggest a more measured approach to market development could reduce startup flameouts.