WDI Collaborator, Supporter C.K. Prahalad Dies

C.K. Prahalad, one of the world's top management thinkers, a distinguished University of Michigan professor, and a valued WDI supporter died April 16 in San Diego after a brief illness. 

WDI originally worked with Prahalad on his "Bottom of the Pyramid" research, and when the Institute later began its Base of the Pyramid (BoP) initiative he served as an integral advisor. He attended WDI conferences on the topic, wrote business cases for WDI'sGlobaLens teaching materials website on innovation, and at the time of his death was working on a chapter for a WDI book on the BoP.

Robert Kennedy, executive director of WDI, said Prahalad "believed in practical research, which is what we emphasize here."

Kennedy said Prahalad was one of the top two or three management thinkers in the past 25 years. He also was an unusual academic, he said.

“He cared passionately about how different strategies worked in the real world. Not theory, but what worked and didn’t work in the business world,” Kennedy said. “Over the course of 25 years he opened up four different fields of inquiry: the concept of strategic intent; the concept of core competency; bottom of the pyramid; and innovation.

“Each was a big and important idea. His focus was on understanding the phenomenon and influencing companies operating in the field.”

GlobaLens, WDI’s teaching materials website, recently added two of Prahalad’s business cases. One is on India’s wireless giant Bharti Airtel; the other on Jaipur Rugs. Along with Ross Professor M.S. Krishnan, the two were completing a set of 15 cases on innovation. The cases are in their final stages and will be published soon.

Ted London, senior research fellow at WDI and director of its BoP research initiative, said Prahalad was “extraordinarily supportive of the work we were trying to do.”

“He was always willing to offer his time and advice to help us achieve our goals and push us to do even better work,” London said.  “He helped us think about the direction of our work and gave great advice on next steps.”

London said Prahalad played a vital role in a current project – a signature book on the BoP with leading thinkers in the field, including Prahalad, each authoring a chapter. It is set to be published later this year.

“When I sent out the email to gauge interest, he was the first one to respond,” London said. “Within minutes he wrote back and said ‘Let’s do it.’ He thought it was a great project.” 

London said he considered Prahalad a colleague, mentor and friend. He said the two would have a meal together when Prahalad was on campus, either breakfast or occasionally dinner with London, his wife and young daughter.   

“We would talk about what he was doing, and he would offer wonderful advice for me,” London said. “He was very influential in my career.”

Prahalad’s death will be felt at UM, the Ross School and WDI, London said.

“And he will be missed globally by the broader community for all his influence in the fields of strategy and poverty alleviation,” he said.  

Kennedy said Prahalad was "a big thinker."

"I'll miss his guidance," he said.

To read an article on Prahalad on the Ross School of Business website, click here.

To read obituaries on Prahalad in two leading Indian newspapers, click here and here.