Juan Antonio Pérez López created a body of work that brings economic, sociological, anthropological and ethical elements together. Pérez López reminds us that people are not merely self-interested, driven by material wants, but also social beings, driven by intrinsic and transcendent motives. These transcendent motives can only be satisfied by contributing to the read needs of others.
For Pérez López, good leadership involves not only attaining business results but also developing people, and uniting an organization towards an inspiring purpose of serving people and society in its daily operations. This kind of leadership is transformative and results in greater unity and cohesion throughout the organization. His model of the firm is not only better than the neoclassical alternative, but it may also be the best hope we have to mend the future for a business world in need of transformation. As business leaders, we should seek to reconnect people. And even when we fall short of the ideal, we will still be better off for having tried.
In line with his broad and holistic perspective, the Juan Antonio Pérez López Chair is dedicated to bringing that perspective to contemporary questions, such as organizational purpose, multiple stakeholder management, environmental concerns, sustainability, artificial intelligence, and novel approaches to leadership and the design of work—including virtual work.
Our research deepens understanding of leadership, sustainability and competitiveness of different kinds of organizations (business, non-profit, family, etc.), using Juan Antonio’s anthropological paradigm. We are developing projects related to mission-driven organizations, the definition of corporate purpose and its implementation; the integration of corporate purpose with the personal purpose of colleagues and with the needs of society and the environment; and the balancing of multiple stakeholder priorities.
In addition to producing research on purpose, meaningful work, balancing leadership and strategic priorities, and business in the context of broader society, the Chair organizes symposia and international conferences and collaborates in IESE´s Executive Education programs and in IESE’s Alumni Learning Program. It collaborates with academic programs and institutes in other universities.
Research lines
- Developing leadership competencies
- Motivation and leadership in the XXI century
- Business leadership and governance amid societal crises
- Definition and Implementation of corporate purpose
- Transformation of organizations in uncertain contexts
- Institutional logics in society and organizational culture
