Professor Christopher Marquis

Professor Marquis’ research takes a sociological perspective and focuses on entrepreneurship and social innovation, building sustainable businesses, and doing business in China.

Academic interests

Professor Marquis’ academic interests include:

• Sustainable development
• Social entrepreneurship
• Social innovation
• Business in China.

Degrees obtained

• BA (History), University of Notre Dame.
• MA (History), University of Pittsburgh.
• MBA (Finance), University of Pittsburgh.
• MA (Sociology), University of Michigan.
• PhD (Sociology), University of Michigan.

Awards and prizes

• Responsible Research in Management Award, Community for Responsible Research in Business and Management (RRBM), 2021.
• Gold Medal, Axiom Business Book Awards 2021.
• Finalist, Best Business Book of 2020, Porchlight Books (for Better Business).
• Finalist, Aspen Institute Faculty Pioneer Award, 2013.
• Finalist, Aspen Institute Faculty Pioneer Award, 2010.
• Academy of Management, William H. Newman Award for best paper based on a dissertation, 2006.
• State Farm Foundation Doctoral Dissertation Award, 2004.
• American Sociological Association, James D. Thompson Award for best graduate student paper, 2003.

Biography

Professor Marquis’ research and teaching focus on how businesses are creating a more resilient and sustainable capitalism by focusing on the elusive triple bottom line of environmental, social and financial performance. He is the author of the recent award winning book Better Business: How the B Corp Movement is Remaking Capitalism. He also studies entrepreneurship and market development in China, and in 2022 published Mao and Markets: The Communist Roots of Chinese Enterprise. He is the author of more than 20 peer-reviewed academic articles and more than 50 Harvard business cases on topics related to social innovation, sustainable business and doing business in China.

Professor Marquis was previously the Samuel C. Johnson Professor in Sustainable Global Enterprise and Professor of Management and Organizations, SC Johnson College of Business. Before his six years at Cornell, he spent 10 years as an Assistant and Associate professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School. Professor Marquis also spent a year and a half at Harvard Kennedy School as a Professor of Social Innovation and Public Policy and he is currently a Faculty Affiliate at the Harvard Kennedy School Social Innovation and Change Initiative, and the Harvard University Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies.

Other interests

Walking, reading, yoga.