VILLANOVA, PA, 07 August 2008—The Villanova School of Business (VSB) is pleased to announce that Dr. John A. Pearce II has been identified among the most influential authors in business management according to a study published in the August issue of the Journal of Management. Candidates for the study were identified based on a 25-year analysis of citations from research articles, notes, and published reviews in a core set of 30 top-tier management journals.

The Journal of Management study found that, over the past 25 years, more than 25,000 authors from top corporations and more than 2000 colleges and universities have published articles in one or more of the 30 premier journals dedicated to the field of management. Dr. Pearce, the VSB Endowed Chair in Strategic Management and Entrepreneurship, was recognized for being among the most distinguished thought leaders in this elite group.

Pearce was evaluated in-depth after initially being included among the top 2% of all authors. His research is referenced 20 times more often than the average researcher identified in the study. While the average number of articles published by a top researcher in the journals was just over two per author, Dr. Pearce was recognized for 37 of these prestigious publications. Subsequently, he was named to the exclusive final listing of the 150 most influential authors in all areas of business management.

Professor Pearce is the recipient of a host of awards recognizing his accomplishments in business academia. These include the 2006 Richard Beckhard Prize, presented by the Sloan Management Review, and the 2003 Villanova University Outstanding Faculty Research Award, presented annually to one professor from any of the University’s four colleges in recognition of distinguished scholarship during a career at Villanova University.

The Villanova School of Business has been at the forefront of business education since it was founded in 1922. Today, VSB is ranked the #13 business school in the nation by BusinessWeek, and serves over 2,500 undergraduate and graduate students in 7 business fields. John Pearce has been a faculty member at the school of business since 1995. He is the coauthor of 37 books, including Strategic Management and Strategy: A View from the Top.