Ashok Som

Research

Professor Som's expertise is on strategic and organizational issues in global firms. His work till date has focused on organizational design (re-design, restructuring) and innovative HRM. Specifically, Professor Som's has worked on the intersection of strategy and strategic human resource practices in turbulent environments. Professor Som is currently working on creative industries such as the Luxury industry, the global Movie industry and the Art industry in emerging markets. His research has been published in journals such as Human Resource Management, International Journal of Human Resource Management, Keio Business Forum, Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Thunderbird International Business Review, European Business Forum to name a few.

Articles

Book Chapters

Som, A (2010): "Aditya Birla Group: The Indian Multinational", In Bod de Wit and Ron Meyer, Strategic Management: Competitiveness and Globalization, CENGAGE Learning EMEA, ISBN: 978-1861529640 (forthcoming).
Som, A (2010): "AF-KLM: Changing the Rules of the Game", In Bod de Wit and Ron Meyer, Strategic Management: Competitiveness and Globalization, CENGAGE Learning EMEA, ISBN: 978-1861529640 (forthcoming).
Som, A (2009): "Corona Beer", In Thompson, Strickland and Gambles, Crafting and Executing Strategy: The Quest for Competitive Advantage, McGraw-Hill, USA, ISBN:9780073530420.
Som, A (2008): "Vodafone: Out of Many, One", In Hitt, Ireland and Hoskisson, Strategic Management: Competitiveness and Globalization, Thomson-South Western, ISBN:0-324-655592.
Som, A (2007): "Managing Overseas R&D in North East Asia: Conventional Wisdom and Emerging Trends", (with Asakawa, K) Chapter II, In Maximilian von Zedtwitz, D.K. Bok & Sangho Chung, R&D Interplay in North East Asia, Samsung Economic Research Institute ISBN:978-89-7633-354-03320.
Som, A (2007): "Vodafone: E Pluribus Unum", In Barney and Hesterly, Strategic Management and Competitive Advantage: Concepts and Cases, Pearson Prentice Hall, ISBN:978-0-13-233823-3
Som, A (2007): "Organization Redesign at Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited: The Challenge of Privatization" In Tanuja Agarwala, Strategic Human Resource Management, Oxford UniversityPress, ISBN:0-19-568359-5.
Som, A (2005): "Carrefour in South America", In MS Raju and D. Xardel, Marketing Management: International Perspective, Viyne Nicole, ISBN: 81-8209-100-4.
Som, A (2005): "Lafarge: Evolution of a French Cement Company to a Global Leader", In Trick, M. (Ed.), Global corporate evolution: looking inward or looking outward? Carnegie Bosch Institute Series on International Management: Carnegie Mellon University Press.
Som. A (2005). "LVMH: Managing the Multi-Brand Conglomerate", In Barney and Hesterly, Strategic Management and Competitive Advantage: Concepts and Cases, Pearson Prentice Hall, ISBN: 03154274 AND In McGee, J, Wilson, D and Thomas, H, Warwick Business School, UK; Strategy: Analysis and Practice, Text and Cases Edition, McGraw-Hill Education/Open University Press, ISBN: 0077107063.

In the News

Books

Som, A (November 2008). Organization Re-design and Innovative HRM. Oxford University Press, UK. India.

This book documents an empirical, longitudinal study of the process of organizational redesign during changing environments brought about by globalization, liberalization and deregulation. It portrays through detailed description the challenges organizations face responding to these changing environments and how those organizations respond by integrative mechanisms to cement redesign changes within themselves. One of the processes identified is the role of innovative human resource management during organizational redesign. The book, while describing key processes of design and the subsequent innovative human resource management initiatives undertaken by five firms, draws on the rich data set of two environments, India and France, which are emerging into more liberalized and international regimes. While describing the organizational redesign process from an organization theory perspective, the book presents a contingency framework based upon both specific policies and actual practices as perceived by top management from a cross-national point of view. The study of the five in-depth longitudinal case studies of Lafarge, Renault of France and Mahut Group, Maruti and BPCL of India that are market leaders in their respective industries across the globe leads the author to support the belief that a proactive role of human resource management is a necessity for superior performance during an organizational redesign process.

...five interesting case studies of business firms that undertook significant changes in organizational structures [that] demanded concomitant changes in human resources practices...William H. Starbuck, Lundquist College of Business, University of Oregon

...a novel account of the key role of HRM in driving effective change and ultimately superior performance for global firms. This book will be of interest to both academics and practitioners...Ranjay Gulati, Harvard Business School

...a much needed refreshing perspective on innovative approaches to HRM during organizational redesigns... highly recommended for researchers, practitioners and students in the field...Pawan Budhwar, Aston Business School, Aston University, Birmingham

Som, A (2009). Managing the Global Corporation. Mcgraw-Hill, UK.

This book is the culmination of a research project that Professor Som has undertaken during the formulation of the course titled "International Management: Managing the Global Corporation". The research has led to completion of business cases of European multi-nationals like Alstom, AF-KLM, Arcelor-Mittal, Canal +, Carrefour, Lafarge, LVMH, L'Oreal, Renault, Vodafone, Saint Gobain, Sanofi Synthelabo-Aventis, Vodafone among others. The text book integrates theory of the multinational firm, expert discussions for in-depth analysis and case studies of some of the above mentioned European firms that provide contextual familiarity. The unique feature of the case is its European ethos. The text is divided into four parts, each looking at key themes in international management including ethics, managing across cultures and managing global acquisitions and mergers. Each chapter includes an introduction, two readings and a case, progressing from theory to practice from a management perspective debates. The readings enable the reader to consider the dominant US perspectives before applying them to a European context in the case examples. All cases feature businesses which are in the top three of their sector and so are truly European multinational companies. They also feature global companies such as Vodafone, Airbus and Boeing, and encourage students to probe the context and consider the practical aspects and key debates.

Current Projects

Project 1:Strategies in Creative Industries: The tale of Luxury, Movie and Art
Project 2:Managing Innovation Globally: Challenges Facing India, China and Japan Collaborating with Prof. Kazuhiro Asakawa, Keio Business School, Keio University, Japan
Project 3:Strategy, Corporate Governance and HR Interventions: Designing Next Generation Organizations
Project 4:Determinants of Post-Merger Integration Levels and Speed
Project 5:Innovation and Adoption of Strategic Human Resource Management Practices in Indian companies
Project 6:Emerging HRM Strategies in response to Organizational Redesign: A Survey of French Organizations

Contact Information