John Kenneth Mawdsley

John Kenneth Mawdsley is an Associate Professor and co-chair of the Strategy and Business Policy department at HEC Paris, and academic director of the Master in Strategic Management program. His research focuses on strategic human capital, employee mobility, demand-side strategy, and relational market ties in human capital-intensive firms such as law, consulting, and accounting firms. He holds a PhD from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His work has been published in journals like Organization Science and Strategic Management Journal. Key areas of inquiry include how client relationships drive firm strategies, the impact of gender diversity in professional services, and the role of relational embeddedness in business growth.

Education: PhD in Business Administration (Strategy), University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Research interests emphasize understanding how firms leverage client relationships and professional workforce dynamics to achieve competitive advantage. Recent work explores how law firms strategically align gender diversity with client values and how client-driven factors influence collaboration and diversification strategies. His articles highlight the interplay between human capital, client demand, and competitive rivalry in professional service sectors.

• Scientific Awards:
  • Finalist, Wiley Blackwell Award for Outstanding Dissertation Research (2016)
  • Finalist, SMS Strategic Human Capital Interest Group Awards (2018)
  • Nominations for Best Conference Paper (2019, 2024)

Teaching includes corporate strategy in EMBA and PhD programs, and an elective on professional services strategy. He serves on editorial boards of Administrative Science Quarterly and the Strategic Management Journal, and is involved in SMS and AOM committees.

Current projects investigate stigma-by-association in hiring, intra-group dynamics in elite professional networks, and supplier bargaining in competitive markets.