Critical to the success of every organization, strategy is not a long planning exercise or document. Strategy can be simple, fun and effective and is founded on a set of five interrelated and powerful choices that positions an organization to win.
Critical to the success of every organization, strategy is not a long planning exercise or document. Strategy can be simple, fun and effective and is founded on a set of five interrelated and powerful choices that positions an organization to win.
Integrative thinking is a form of reasoning which allows you to constructively face the tensions of opposing models. Instead of choosing one at the expense of the other, you generate a creative solution. Your solution contains elements of the individual models, but is superior to each.
Organizations need to incorporate the best of design thinking into their ways of working to unleash innovation and creativity. An organization will be able to counter-balance analytical thinking with intuitive thinking – to enable it to both exploit existing knowledge and create new knowledge.
While prevailing theory holds that stock-based compensation perfectly aligns corporate executives’ incentives with those of shareholders, it does the opposite. As a consequence, executives have done brilliantly while shareholders have become increasingly frustrated. Incentives and governance practice needs to be transformed to enable corporations to prosper in a way that better serves society.
More on Incentives & Governance
The combination of the stagnation of medium incomes and the rapid rise of high incomes is threatening the future of democratic capitalism. Its predictive future requires building a more robust knowledge, transactional and physical infrastructure for broadly shared prosperity.
For both social entrepreneurs and corporations, the key tenet of social innovation is finding ways to make the world a better place. My work focuses on building tools for social entrepreneurs to create more powerful models for creating value for society and developing models to guide corporations on a path of productive corporate citizenship.
Meet Roger
Let's Read
A New Way to Think
When More is Not Better
Creating Great Choices
The Rise (and Likely Fall) of the Talent Economy
Getting Beyond Better
Playing To win
Canada: What it is, what it can be
Fixing the Game
The Design Of Business
The Opposable Mind
The Responsibility Virus
Dia-Minds
The Future of the MBA
Rotman on Design
Let's Engage
Thought Pillars
In 2017, Roger was named the world’s #1 management thinker by Thinkers50, a biannual ranking of the most influential global business thinkers.
Roger is a trusted strategy advisor to the CEOs of companies worldwide including Procter & Gamble, Lego, Ford, BHP & Verizon
Roger Martin is a Professor Emeritus at the Rotman School of Management at University of Toronto where he served as Dean from 1998-2013, Academic Director of the Michael Lee-Chin Family Institute for Corporate Citizenship from 2004-2019 and Institute Director of the Martin Prosperity Institute from 2013-2019. In 2013, he was named global Dean of the Year by the leading business school website, Poets & Quants.
His newest book is A New Way to Think: Your Guide to Superior Managerial Effectiveness (Harvard Business Review Press, 2022). His previous twelve books include When More is Not Better (HBRP, 2020), Creating Great Choiceswritten with Jennifer Riel (HBRP, 2017) Getting Beyond Betterwritten with Sally Osberg (HBRP, 2015) and Playing to Win written with A.G. Lafley (HBRP, 2013), which won the award for Best Book of 2012-13 by the Thinkers50. He has written 30 Harvard Business Review articles.
Roger received his BA from Harvard College, with a concentration in Economics, in 1979 and his MBA from the Harvard Business School in 1981. He lives in South Florida with his wife, Marie-Louise Skafte.
Contact Roger through Twitter or email. Call us to book a speaking engagement or other services.
Roger is available for keynote and other speaking engagements. Advisory services and team workshops can also be booked with Roger.
Articles
Peter Drucker in the 21st Century
November 25, 2024
Harvard Business Review
What Managers Get Wrong About Capital
May-June 2020
Washington Post
The virus shows that making our companies efficient also made our country weak
March 27, 2020
Harvard Business Review
The One Thing You Need to Know About Managing Functions
July-August 2019
Harvard Business Review
January-February 2019
Rotman Magazine
Creating Great Choices: Integrative Thinking for Leaders
Winter 2018
Harvard Business Review
Management Is Much More Than a Science
September-October 2017
Harvard Business Review
September 2015
Harvard Business Review
Two Keys to Sustainable Social Enterprise
May 2015
Harvard Business Review
The Rise (and Likely Fall) of the Talent Economy
October 2014
HBR.org
Why Smart People Struggle with Strategy
June 12, 2014
Harvard Business Review
The Big Lie of Strategic Planning
January–February 2014
The New York Times
September 28, 2012
Harvard Business Review
Bringing Science to the Art of Strategy
September 2012
Harvard Business Review
Saving the Planet: A Tale of Two Strategies
April 2012
Harvard Business Review
June 2011
Harvard Business Review
The Age of Customer Capitalism
January/February 2010
Harvard Business Review
June 2007
Stanford Social Innovation Review
Social Entrepreneurship: The Case for Definition
Spring 2007
Harvard Business Review
Capital vs. Talent: The Battle That's Reshaping Business
July 2003
Working Paper 17
Untapped Potential: Creating A Better Future For Service Workers
October 2013
Harvard Business Review
Rethinking the Decision Factory
October 2013
The Guardian
Are governments' trade policies harming the growth of renewables
September 25, 2013
The Guardian
We are underestimating climate change and underfunding innovation
September 9, 2013
HBR.org
September 6, 2013
Leadership, Innovation and Strategy
August 6, 2013
HBR.org
Should Barnes & Noble Turn into a Mini-Mall?
July 15, 2013
The Conference Board Review
Summer 2013
The Guardian
Climate change puts the value of countless companies at risk
June 26, 2013
strategy+business
Leading with Intellectual Integrity
May 28, 2013
Toronto Star
Roger Martin: Infrastructure and Hernando De Soto
May 17, 2013
ft.com
The pioneering thinking of Chris Argyris
May 12, 2013
The Guardian
Dhaka factory collapse: who will prevent another tragedy?
May 10, 2013
Working Paper 16
Making Sense Of Public Dollars: Ontario Government Revenue, Spending And Debt
May 2013
The Globe & Mail
Six ways to tell if your strategy is a trap, or a winner
April 17, 2013
The Guardian
Volatile fossil fuel prices make renewable energy more attractive
March 21, 2013
The Guardian
Get to know your planetary boundaries
March 19, 2013
HBR.org
The Best Companies Combine Marketing and Strategy
March 14, 2013
HBR.org
J.C. Penney Desperately Needs a Strategy
March 11, 2013
Business Standard
February 24, 2013
HBR.org
Strategy Is All About Practice
February 20, 2013
Fast company
WHAT P&G LEARNED FROM THE DIAPER WARS
February 8, 2013
HBR.org
Don't Let Strategy Become Planning
February 5, 2013
WashingtonPost
January 30, 2013
HBR.org
Trending Again: Emoting at the World Economic Forum
January 28, 2013
The Guardian
Two inventions that have the power to transform energy use
January 23, 2013
HBR.org
Placing Strategic Bets in the Face of Uncertainty
January 22, 2013
The Guardian
Will a new US secretary of state finally close a climate change deal?
January 15, 2013
HBR.org
Strategy and the Uncertainty Excuse
January 8, 2013
Financial Post
The 5 essential questions at the heart of any winning strategy – Part 2
January 8, 2013
Financial Post
The 5 essential questions at the heart of any winning strategy – Part 1
January 7, 2013
Bloomberg Businessweek
A Wall Street Resolution: Stop Giving Earnings Guidance
January 2, 2013
Rotman Magazine
Winter 2013
The Guardian
Leaders look to US energy policy to signal sustainability is back in business
November 29, 2012
The New York Times
Free Agency in Baseball Did Not Create Stars
November 28, 2012
Annual Report 11
A Push for Growth: The Time is Now
November 2012
WashingtonPost.com
Mitt Romney, a Symbol of the ‘Talent Economy’
October 19, 2012
Drucker Society Europe Blog
October 17, 2012
HBR.org
Why I Decided to Rethink Hiring Smart People
October 17, 2012
The Guardian
Understanding cause and effect are vital to progress on sustainability
October 17, 2012
Harvard Business Review
October 2012
The Guardian
Sustainable businesses need to think beyond their supply chains
September 13, 2012
The Guardian
Why business is locked into unsustainable and carbon-heavy cycles
September 7, 2012
Rotman Magazine
User-Driven Innovation: Putting an End to Inventing in the Dark
Fall 2012
The Guardian
Why saving the planet is no longer the work of political leaders
August 13, 2012
The Globe & Mail
Nexen Deal: The Only Standard is Reciprocity
July 26, 2012
The Globe & Mail
Wanted: Stronger Canadian management talent
July 11, 2012
HBR.org
Before You Take a Risk, Lay Out the Logic
June 19, 2012
Financial Times
Is it worthwhile to advise the government?
May 29, 2012
Forbes India Magazine
Roger Martin: Maximise Customer Value
May 22, 2012
The Huffington Post
The Message From Doha: Time's Running Out
May 12, 2012
WashingtonPost.com
Why We Can’t Seem to Cure CEO Pay
April 17, 2012
Rotman Magazine
Integrative Thinking Three Ways: Creative Resolutions to Wicked Problems
Spring 2012
HBR.org
Do Financial Regulators Have Principles? Wanted: Financial Regulators with Backbone
March 22, 2012
Toronto Life
March 21, 2012
HBR.org
The U.S. Needs to Make More Jobs More Creative
February 27, 2012
Working Paper 15
Small Business, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation
February 2012
Huffington Post
Does a Trade-off Need to Stay a Trade-off?
January 19, 2012
The Huffington Post
Little Sally Learns About the Toxicity of Shareholder Value Maximization
January 18, 2012
The Huffington Post
Earning a Real Return on Real Investment
January 17, 2012
The Huffington Post
Why Chasing Expectations Is a Fool's Errand
January 16, 2012
The Huffington Post
The Circus In Which the Modern CEO Lives
January 15, 2012
The Huffington Post
What CEOs and Hedge Funds Don't Want the 99% to Understand
January 14, 2012
49th Shelf
What The Stock Market Can Learn from the NFL: An Excerpt from Roger Martin's Fixing the Game
January 8, 2012
Rotman Magazine
Opening up the Boundaries of the Firm
Winter 2012
The Globe & Mail
Canada, like Steve Jobs, Should Zero in on Innovation
November 20, 2011
Reuters.com
The Limits of the Scientific Method in Economics and the World: Part II
November 11, 2011
Reuters.com
The Limits of the Scientific Method in Economics and the World: Part I
November 10, 2011
Strategy & Leadership
The CEO's ethical dilemma in the era of earnings management
November 8, 2011
Annual Report 10
Prospects For Ontario’s Prosperity: A Look Back and a Look Ahead
November 2011
Globe and Mail
Steve Jobs’ Biggest Contribution? He Made us Bolder
October 7, 2011
Reuters.com
Bank CEOs and the Infinite Pile of Cash
October 5, 2011
HBR.org
How to Make Companies Think Long-Term
October 3, 2011
HBR.org
CEOs Must Model the Behavior for Creating Societal Value
September 26, 2011
HBR.org
You Can't Analyze Your Way to Growth
September 12, 2011
The Toronto Star
September 2, 2011
Rotman Magazine
Imagining the Future: Science, the Arts and Integrative Thinking
Fall 2011
HBR.org
Can Apple Survive Without Steve Jobs?
August 29, 2011
The Globe & Mail
The Realities of the HST, with Jim Milway
August 26, 2011
Reuters.com
Breaking the Government-Stock Market Feedback Loop
August 17, 2011
Toronto Star
August 16, 2011
Business Standard
August 15, 2011
Reuters.com
Why Does Anyone Take S&P Seriously?
August 9, 2011
Reuters.com
July 27, 2011
HBR.org
Are You Ready for Some Football?
July 25, 2011
The Globe & Mail
Plausible Deniability’s Not Lack of Responsibility
July 22, 2011
TheDailyBeast.com
July 21, 2011
HBR.org
Cool Alone Won’t Save Your Company
July 20, 2011
Bloomberg Businessweek
A Sporting Chance for Regulating Capital Markets
July 12, 2011
The Huffington Post
Why Pepsi's CEO Should Continue Speaking Out
July 7, 2011
The Conference Board Review
Summer 2011
Commpro.biz
July 2011
FutureReadySLA.org
June 12, 2011
WashingtonPost.com
LinkedIn: A blockbuster IPO, but a big payoff is not a lock
June 4, 2011
HBR.org
June 3, 2011
Ottawa Citizen
June 1, 2011
Report on Canada 8
Canada’s Innovation Imperative
June 2011
The Toronto Star
Key to Productivity is Innovation, Not Invention
May 31, 2011
Critical Eye
What Can American Football Teach us about Executive Compensation?
May 19, 2011
Critical Eye
Overcoming the CEO’s Dilemma: Doing ‘Good’ versus Doing ‘Well’
May 19, 2011
Interviews
The Decision Lab
Creating Great Choices with Roger Martin
July 19, 2021
Life Science Leader
Do You (As A Leader) Create Great Choices?
July 31, 2019
Stitcher
Demystifying Organizations: Balancing Stakeholder Interests
June 21, 2019
ANR Newsletter
With Roger Martin – World’s #1 Management Thinker
December 21, 2018
HBR Ideacast
July 31, 2018
The Reading Lists
Roger Martin: Reading to Unlock Mysteries
May 31, 2018
Talks at Google
Roger L. Martin: "Creating Great Choices: A Leader's Guide to Integrative Thinking"
December 18, 2017
Actionable Books
The 21st Century Workplace Podcast
December 20, 2017
The Learning Leader
Episode 190: Roger Martin - Playing to Win: Strategy Is A Choice
February 12, 2017
HBR
January-February 2017 Issue
BizEd
February 23, 2016
Monocle.com
December 30, 2015
Tonyloyd.com
Changing the World One Model at a Time
November 30, 2015
Inside HR
Design Thinking 101 for HR: How to help your CEO drive strategy
November 24, 2015
Changeboard.com
Roger Martin: Strategy is choice
November 9, 2015
U of T News
Social Entrepreneurship Explained
November 2, 2015
Invetech
Taking Innovation Outcomes to the Next Level — An Interview With Roger Martin
October 29, 2015
CBC Metro Morning
October 12, 2015
Outlook Business
September 2, 2015
BFM 89.9 The Business Station
Raise your Game: Playing to Win
August 27, 2015
Innovation Hub
What Threatens the Talent Economy
December 12, 2014
Val 202
December 9, 2014
CBC - Metro Morning
November 25, 2014
Huff Post Business
Want To Make A Difference? Don't Be A Hedge Fund Manager
November 24, 2014
The Economist
April 9, 2013
Mind Tools
National Magazine
Rotman Magazine
Thought Leader Interview: Roger Martin
Fall 2013
DMI: Review
Summer 2013
delawareonline
What I am Reading this Summer and Why You Should, Too
June 20, 2013
Odgers Berndtson
May 30, 2013
Rotman Magazine
Coaching High Performance: Lessons from Veterans in Two Arenas
Spring 2013
Forbes India
Strategy Needs a Mix of Data and Logic: Roger Martin
April, 16, 2013
Business World
Analytical Thinking Is Stifling Innovation
March 25, 2013
Inc.com
4 Key Things Great Strategic Thinkers Do
March 11, 2013
Business Insider
PROFESSOR: 'JC Penney Serves No Compelling Customer Purpose'
March 11, 2013
Business Standard
Every new idea cannot be proven in advance: Roger L Martin
February 24, 2013
Live Mint
Roger Martin | The Master Strategist
February 17, 2013
The Sunday Times
Win the strategy game in five steps
February 10, 2013
Business Insider
P&G's Legendary Ex-CEO Explains Why Everyone Gets Strategy Wrong
February 5, 2013
Forbes
Playing To Win: How Strategy Really Works
February 4, 2013
Inc.com
Rule for Success: Choose Your Playing Field
February 2013
Forbes
Is Everyone Nuts? P&G Now A Dog? And Unilever A Star?
January 11, 2013
Havard Business Review
What the NHL Lockout Reveals About Capital and Labor
January 11, 2013
DNA India
'Capitalism is not as Smartly Managed as Cricket'
October 8, 2012
Innovation Excellence
Balancing Intuition with Analysis
June 15, 2012
Forbes
Fighting The Kool-Aid Of Stock-Based Compensation: Q&A With Roger Martin
January 3, 2012
The Business Times
July 26, 2011
The Straights Times
Design Thinking Gives Firms an Edge
July 20, 2011
Forbes.com
Redesigned Thinking for Diverse Brains!
February 10, 2011
Ideaconnection.com
February 6, 2011
Be You Blog
January 15, 2011
Bobmorris.biz
September 16, 2010
Steelcase Threesixty Magazine
On Innovation and Why Companies Struggle with It
June 2010
DNA Money (Mumbai, India)
Why Companies Get Trapped Into Doing What They Are Good At,
February 8, 2010
Open Forum Blog
The Design of Business, an Interview with Roger Martin
November 4, 2009
Gelatobaby Interview
2009 AIGA Make/Think Conference
October 9, 2009
AIC Institute for Corporate Citizenship
March 3, 2009
DNA (Bangalore Edition)
Great Leaders are Integrative Thinkers
January 29, 2009
Financial Times
March 25, 2008