Francisco Brahm

Francisco Brahm is an Assistant Professor of Strategy & Entrepreneurship at London Business School, with a PhD in Management from the University of Cambridge and an MSc in Management from Pontifical Catholic University of Chile. His research delves into the nature and structure of organizations, focusing on both formal mechanisms like delegation and incentives, and informal dynamics such as culture, trust, and norms.

Education:

• PhD in Management, Judge Business School, University of Cambridge (2015–2018)
• MSc in Management, School of Management, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile (2009–2010)
• Commercial Engineering (5-year degree in business administration), School of Management, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile (1999–2004)

Research Interests:
Dr. Brahm's work centers on understanding organizations as goal-oriented collectives. He explores the origin and function of firms in society and how their formal structures (e.g., boundaries, delegation, incentives) interact with informal organization (e.g., culture, trust, norms) to influence performance. His theoretical toolkit includes organizational economics and cultural evolution, while methodologically he employs insider econometrics and field experiments in collaboration with firms.

His research spans a wide range of topics, including vertical and horizontal boundaries of the firm, incentive design, cultural transmission within organizations, and the evolution of productive organizations. He is particularly interested in how formal and informal mechanisms complement or substitute each other in shaping organizational outcomes.

Publications Overview:
Dr. Brahm has published extensively in top-tier journals such as Management Science, Strategic Management Journal, Organization Science, and Nature Human Behaviour. His recent work explores how organizational culture evolves and affects performance, how managerial attention is allocated, and how firms balance breadth and depth in their operations.

Editorial and Professional Roles:

• Associate Editor, Management Science
• Associate Editor, Journal of Organization Design
• Member of Editorial Review Board, Strategic Management Journal
• Member of Editorial Review Board, Organization Science

Collaborations and Impact:
Beyond academia, Dr. Brahm actively collaborates with firms to address real-world managerial challenges. He previously served as CFO of a building materials company and continues to engage with industry partners to apply his research insights. He also reviews for academic journals and evaluates research proposals for funding bodies.