James Richardson

James Richardson is an Associate Professor of Management at the Shidler College of Business, University of Hawaii at Manoa. He holds a PhD from The Wharton School (1988), an MS from MIT (1982), and a BA from the University of Hawaii (1979). His research focuses on entrepreneurship, strategic management, and business models, with notable work on family business dynamics and Asian-Pacific economic development. Richardson teaches courses in entrepreneurship, corporate strategy, and business policy.

His academic contributions span over three decades, with publications in journals like Strategic Change, Journal of Small Business Strategy, and International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management. Notable research highlights include empirical studies on cross-cultural family business practices and frameworks for strategy execution. His work on supply chain strategies and automotive safety analyses demonstrates interdisciplinary reach.

Professional experience includes roles as Principal at The Proactive Group (1987–1990), Operations Research Analyst for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (1986–1990), and Board Member for Ocean News Network since 2006. He also co-founded Surface Dynamics of California (1972–1974), showcasing entrepreneurial roots.

Key themes in his publications include bridging theoretical frameworks with practical business challenges, particularly in strategy execution and cross-cultural management. His early work on vertical integration in fashion apparel and automotive safety research displays applied problem-solving focus. Despite no listed awards, his SSRN publications indicate impactful scholarly reach, including a top-10 downloaded paper on business models.