Kamal Munir

Reader in Strategy & Policy at Cambridge Judge Business School Executive Education

Schools

Cambridge Judge Business School Executive Education
Asian Banking School

Expertise

Biography

Cambridge Judge Business School Executive Education

Reader in Strategy & Policy
Race & Inclusion Champion, University of Cambridge

PhD (McGill University)

Research interests

Social and institutional change and stability; technological shifts in society; emergence of new markets; socio-economic changes in South Asia and Africa; economic development and competitiveness of developing countries.

Subject group: Strategy & International Business

Professional experience

Dr Kamal Munir has been teaching at Cambridge Judge Business School since 2000. Dr Munir''s research focuses on social change and stability, as well as innovation and technological shifts in society. His research also spans the competitive advantage of nations.

Dr Munir has published several articles in leading organisational and technology journals, including the Academy of Management Journal, Organization Studies and Research Policy, and presented his work at numerous international conferences. At the same time, he has written numerous articles for newspapers and magazines including the Financial Times, The Guardian, Dawn and World Business. His work has been quoted and cited in several forums, including BBC''s Hard Talk, and BusinessWeek. He is the founder of OTREG, an international discussion forum for organisational theorists, a Senior Editor of Organization Studies and an Associate Editor of the Journal of Management Inquiry. He is also a member of the Cambridge Corporate Governance Network (CCGN).

Dr Munir has consulted for the State Bank of Pakistan, the World Bank, and the Asian Development Bank. He has also been a consultant to the governments of UK, Pakistan and Nigeria. In the private sector he served as a consultant and trainer for several leading organisations including McKinsey & Co; Shell Petroleum; and British Telecom. He is frequently invited internationally to speak on issues related to social, technological and economic change. Dr Munir is a Visiting Professor in Economic Sociology at LUMS, Pakistan, where he served as Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences in 2015/16.

Previous appointments

From 1996 to 2000, Kamal taught at McGill University in Canada.

Awards & honours

Winner, Best PhD Paper Prize (with Maima A. Syakhroza), Strategic Management Society Annual Conference, 2016
Runners-Up, Best Paper Prize, Strategic Management Society Annual Conference, 2016
Best International Symposium Award, for Symposium on University-Industry Collaborations, Academy of Management Conference, Chicago, USA, 2009

Selected publications

Here are a selection of Kamal Munir''s publications. Please see the "Selected publications" tab above for a more comprehensive list.

Munir, K., Ayaz, M., Willmott, H. and Levy, D. (2017) "The role of intermediaries in governance of global production networks: restructuring work relations in Pakistan''s apparel industry." Human Relations (forthcoming)

Amis, J.M., Munir, K.A. and Mair, J. (2017) "Institutions and economic inequality." In: Greenwood, R., Oliver, C., Lawrence, T. and Meyer, R. (eds.) The SAGE handbook of organizational institutionalism. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2nd edition. (forthcoming)

Munir, K. and Naqvi, N. (2017) "Privatization in the land of the believers: political economy of privatization in Pakistan." Modern Asian Studies (forthcoming)

Dacin, M.T., Munir, K. and Tracey, P. (2010) "Formal dining at Cambridge colleges: linking ritual performance and institutional maintenance." Academy of Management Journal, 53(6): 1393-1418

Khan, F., Munir, K. and Willmott, H. (2007) "A dark side of institutional entrepreneurship: soccer balls, child labour and postcolonial impoverishment." Organization Studies, 28(7): 1055-1077 (DOI: 10.1177/0170840607078114)

Munir, K.A. and Phillips, N. (2005) "The birth of the Kodak moment: institutional entrepreneurship and the adoption of new technologies." Organization Studies, 26(11): 1665-1687 (DOI: 10.1177/0170840605056395)

Journal articles

Dougherty, D., Borrelli, L., Munir, K. and O''Sullivan, A. (2000) "Systems of organizational sensemaking for sustained product innovation." Journal of Engineering and Technology Management, 17(3-4): 321-355 (DOI: 10.1016/S0923-4748(00)00028-X)

Munir, K.A. (2002) "Being different: how normative and cognitive aspects of institutional environments influence technology transfer." Human Relations, 55(12): 1403-1428 (DOI: 10.1177/001872602128782204)

Munir, K.A. and Phillips, N. (2002) "The concept of industry and the case of radical technological change." Journal of High Technology Management Research, 13(2): 279-297 (DOI: 10.1016/S1047-8310(02)00046-9)

Munir, K., with Garud, R. (2003) "Snap decisions." Business Life, Sep: 18

Munir, K. (2003) "Flaws at the core." Business Life, Oct: 18

Munir, K.A. (2003) "Competitive dynamics in face of technological discontinuity: a framework for action." Journal of High Technology Management Research, 14(1): 93-109 (DOI: 10.1016/S1047-8310(03)00006-3)

Munir, K. (2004) "Saving big blue: case study IBM." Business Life, May: 16

Pittaway, L., Robertson, M., Munir, K., Denyer, D. and Neely, A. (2004) "Networking and innovation in the UK: a systematic review of the literature: report prepared for the DTI and ESRC." International Journal of Management Reviews, 5-6(3-4): 137-168 (DOI: 10.1111/j.1460-8545.2004.00101.x)

Munir, K.A. and Jones, M. (2004) "Discontinuity and after: the social dynamics of technology evolution and dominance." Organization Studies, 25(4): 561-581 (DOI: 10.1177/0170840604040676)

Munir, K. (2005) "Act of man." The Guardian, 11 November 2005

Munir, K.A. (2005) "The social construction of events: a study of institutional change in the photographic field." Organization Studies, 26(1): 93-112 (DOI: 10.1177/0170840605049463)

Ansari, S. and Munir, K. (2008) "How valuable is a piece of the spectrum? Determination of value in external resource acquisition." Industrial and Corporate Change, 17(2): 301-333 (DOI: 10.1093/icc/dtn004)

Garud, R. and Munir, K. (2008) "From transaction to transformation costs: the case of Polaroid''s SX-70 camera." Research Policy, 37(4): 690-705 (DOI: 10.1016/j.respol.2007.12.010)

Runde, J., Jones, M., Munir, K. and Nikolychuk, L. (2009) "On technological objects and the adoption of technological product innovations: rules, routines and the transition from analogue photography to digital imaging." Cambridge Journal of Economics, 33(1): 1-24 (DOI: 10.1093/cje/ben023)

Dacin, M.T., Munir, K. and Tracey, P. (2010) "Formal dining at Cambridge colleges: linking ritual performance and institutional maintenance." Academy of Management Journal, 53(6): 1393-1418

Munir, K.A. (2011) "Financial crisis 2008-2009: what does the silence of institutional theorists tell us?" Journal of Management Inquiry, 20(2): 114-117 (DOI: 10.1177/1056492610394739)

Munir, K. and Khalid, S. (2012) "Pakistan''s power politics." Economic and Political Weekly, 47(25): 24-27

Ansari, S., Munir, K. and Gregg, T. (2012) "Impact at the ''bottom of the pyramid'': the role of social capital in capability development and community empowerment." Journal of Management Studies, 49(4): 813-842 (DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-6486.2012.01042.x)

Munir, K.A. and Khalid, S. (2012) "Pakistan''s power crisis: how did we get here?" The Lahore Journal of Economics, 17(SE): 73-82

Herzog, J.O., Munir, K.A. and Kattuman, P. (2013) "The King and I: monarchies and the performance of business groups." Cambridge Journal of Economics, 37(1): 171-185 (DOI: 10.1093/cje/bes032)

Munir, K. and Naqvi, N. (2013) "Pakistan''s post-reforms banking sector: a critical evaluation." Economic and Political Weekly, 48(47): 38-42

Munir, K.A., Naqvi, N. and Usmani, A. (2015) "The abject condition of labor in Pakistan." International Labor and Working-Class History, 78: 174-183 (DOI: 10.1017/S0147547914000283)

Munir, K. and Naqvi, N. (2017) "Privatization in the land of the believers: political economy of privatization in Pakistan." Modern Asian Studies (forthcoming)

Books, monographs, reports & case studies

Birdi, K., Denyer, D., Munir, K., Neely, A. and Prabhu, J. (2003) Post Porter: where does the UK go from here? Summary report from the AIM Management Research Forum June 2003. London: AIM (Advanced Institute of Management).

Pittaway, L., Robertson, M., Munir, K., Denyer, D. and Neely, A. (2004) Networking and innovation in the UK: a systematic review of the literature. London: Advanced Institute of Management Research.

Burki, A.A., Munir, K., Khan, M.A., Khan, U., Faheem, A., Khalid, A. and Hussain, S.T. (2011) Industrial policy, its spatial aspects and cluster development in Pakistan: a report commissioned by the World Bank and the Ministry of Industries and Production. Islamabad: Government of Pakistan

Burki, A.A., Munir, K.A., Khan, M.U., Noorani, T., Khan, S.H. and Akhtar, M. (2011) National industrial policy 2011: implementation framework. Islamabad: Ministry of Industries and Production, Government of Pakistan.

Book chapters

Dougherty, D., Borrelli, L., Munir, K. and O''Sullivan, A. (1998) "Interpretive flexibility of an organization''s technology as a dynamic capability." In Baum, J. (ed.): Advances in strategic management: vol.15: Disciplinary roots of strategic management research. Stamford, Conn.: JAI Press, pp.169-204

O''Sullivan, A., Munir, K. and Dougherty, D. (1998) "Building organizational capabilities for product innovation." In Kanungo, B. (ed.): Entrepreneurship and innovation: models for development. New Delhi: Sage, pp.265-286

Munir, K. (1998) "Product innovation in a non-Western context: bridging organizations and society." In Serapio, M. (ed.): Research in international business and international relations: vol.7: international organizational behavior. Greenwich, Conn.: JAI Press, pp.141-161

Munir, K.A. and Phillips, N. (2003) "The concept of industry and the case of radical technological change." In Zedtwitz, M. von, Haour, G., Khalil, T.M. and Lefebvre, L.A. (eds.): Management of technology: growth through business innovation and entrepreneurship: selected papers from the Tenth International Conference on Management of Technology. London: Pergamon, pp.217-237

Jones, M., Orlikowski, W. and Munir, K. (2004) "Structuration theory and information." In Mingers, J. and Willcocks, L. (eds.): Social theory and philosophy for information systems. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons, pp.297-328

Munir, K., Ansari, S. and Gregg, T. (2010) "Beyond the hype: taking business strategy to the ''bottom of the pyramid''." In Baum, J.A.C. and Lampel, J. (eds.): The globalization of strategy research. (Advances in Strategic Management Series, vol.27) Bingley: Emerald Group Publishing, pp.247-276

Ansari, S. and Munir, K. (2010) "Letting users into our world: some organizational implications of user-generated content." In Griffiths, D., Phillips, N. and Sewell, G. (eds.): Technology and organization: essays in honour of Joan Woodward. (Research in the Sociology of Organizations Series, vol.29) Bingley: Emerald Group Publishing, pp.79-105

Quinn, Q. and Munir, K. (2017) "Hybrid categories as political devices: the case of impact investing in frontier markets." In: Durand, R. and Granqvist, N. (eds.) Categories, categorization and categorizing: category studies in sociology, organizations and strategy at the crossroads (Research in the Sociology of Organizations). Bingley: Emerald Group Publishing (forthcoming)

Conference papers

Dougherty, D., Munir, K. and Subramaniam, M. (2002) "Managing technology flows in practice: a grounded theory of sustained innovation." In Academy of Management (eds.): Building effective networks: Academy of Management Best Paper Proceedings (62nd), 11-14 August 2002, Denver, Colorado, USA. [Published on CD-ROM], pp. TIM:E1-E6

Garud, R. and Munir, K.A. (2003) "Breaking through and breaking apart: learning from Polaroid''s development of SX-70." In: Democracy in a knowledge economy: Academy of Management Annual Meeting, Showcase Symposium on Modular Emergence, 1-6 August 2003, Seattle, WA.

Munir, K.A. and Phillips, N. (2003) "The concept of industry and the case of radical technological change." In Von Zedtwitz, M., Haour, G., Khali, T.M., Lefebvre, L.A. (eds.): Management of technology: International Conference on Growth through Business Innovation and Entrepreneurship, 10th, selected papers, March 2001, Lausanne, Switzerland. Toronto, Canada: Pergamon Press, pp.217-237

Garud, R. and Munir, K.A. (2004) "Socio-technical dynamics underlying radical innovation: the case of Polaroid''s SX-70 camera." In: Creating actionable knowledge: Academy of Management Annual Meeting, 64th, 6-11 August 2004, New Orleans, LA.

Munir, K., Jones, M., Orlikowski, W., Runde, J., and Nikolychuk, L. (2005) "Of continuities of discontinuous institutional change: evidence from technological transformation in the photographic field." In: Theorizing process in organizational research: Organization Studies Summer Workshop, 12-13 June 2005, Santorini, Greece.

Jones, M., Munir, K., Orlikowski, W. and Runde, J. (2008) "About time too: online news and changing temporal structures in the newspaper industry." In Boland, R.J., Limayem, M. and Pentland, B. (eds.): ICIS 2008 Proceedings, 14-17 December, Paris, France.

Yin, E., Bao, Y., Munir, K. and Merlo, O. (2008) "Global mindedness and strategic orientation of Chinese small and medium sized enterprises in their international expansion efforts." In: Proceedings of the Global Marketing Conference, Shanghai, China.

Nawaz Sharif ousted in Pakistan: celebrate, but remember the bigger picture 2 August 2017

Kamal Munir, Reader in Strategy & Policy at Cambridge Judge Business School, considers the wider political and economic consequences of Nawaz Sharif’s …

Resistance to ‘marketisation’ 3 May 2017

Some sectors including childcare remain stubbornly resistant to marketisation, finds research by two Cambridge Judge academics. Marketisation is supposedly the only game …

Responding to code violations 5 October 2016

Paper on codes of conduct by Cambridge Judge PhD student, Maima Aulia Syakhroza wins Best PhD Paper at the Strategic Management Society …

Facebook does not own your life. You do. 12 July 2016

Social media is not changing the world, the world is changing social media, writes Dr Kamal Munir, Reader in Strategy & Policy …

Gender initiative 11 November 2015

New initiative focusing on gender launched at LUMS in Pakistan, where Kamal Munir of Cambridge Judge serves as Dean of the School …

Gender-based inequality 30 July 2015

Special issue of journal Organization Studies, guest edited by Kamal Munir of Cambridge Judge, will examine gender inequality issues. Inequality including gender-based …

Nigeria’s time has come – but are its leaders up to the task? 9 June 2015

Nigeria is experiencing some of the fastest economic growth on the continent. With a newly elected president, the triumph of democracy and …

Everybody’s business 11 May 2015

The notion of “industry” boundaries has become irrelevant, which means it’s time to poke your nose into anyone’s business, Kamal Munir, Reader …

India-Pakistan relations 13 April 2015

Faculty member Kamal Munir speaks at the Hay Festival. Dr Kamal Munir, Reader in Strategy & Policy at Cambridge Judge Business School, …

A natural industriousness? 1 April 2015

To make an impact on policy, you need to get your hands dirty, as Dr Kamal Munir, author of Pakistan’s industrial policy, …

Doing business in Lagos: meeting the challenges of extreme urbanisation 31 March 2015

Lagos – exciting, buzzing, a beacon for start-ups and the arts? Or chaotic, dangerous, with high crime rates and a forever-dropping internet …

The High Commissioner of India visits the University of Cambridge 29 October 2014

What does India offer to UK students and businesses and how can UK academics contribute to India’s success were among the topics …

‘Reduce reliance on oil & gas and reform education’ say business leaders from across the Middle East 15 May 2014

Reducing reliance on oil & gas, and reforming education were the key themes emerging from the launch of University of Cambridge Judge …

New Cambridge centre will spearhead research in the Middle East for the Middle East 6 May 2014

The University of Cambridge Judge Business School is to launch a new centre dedicated to researching the business environment and the particular …

Want to avoid another Rana Plaza? Pay more for your clothes 24 April 2014

On the anniversary of the collapse of Bangladeshi garment factory Rana Plaza, in which 1,129 people died, Dr Kamal Munir says the …

Islamic finance: the future is great 21 January 2014

Islamic finance has a great future and the British government’s move to launch an Islamic bond is very welcome news for the …

Islamic finance: the future is great 21 January 2014

Islamic finance has a great future and the British government’s move to launch an Islamic bond is very welcome news for the …

Dr Muhammad Amjad Saqib, Akhuwat: Banks took away what was beautiful about the microfinance movement 6 December 2013

Dr Muhammad Amjad Saqib, Executive Director and Founder of Pakistan’s first and largest interest-free microfinance organisation, Akhuwat, says the ‘beauty’ of the …

Tirad Mahmoud, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank: The growth of Islamic banking 4 December 2013

Islamic banks continue to grow at a higher rate than conventional models in every market probably as an indirect result of the …

Picture perfect? 18 November 2013

When Kodak filed for bankruptcy protection in 2012, one man was not surprised. Dr Kamal Munir explains how he predicted the companies’ problems …

The Conversation: Nawaz Sharif ousted in Pakistan: celebrate, but remember the bigger picture 28 July 2017

Dr Kamal Munir, Reader in Strategy and Policy at Cambridge Judge Business School, looks into the wider political and economic consequences in …

Cambridge Business Magazine: ‘Marketisation’ has its limits – even in the absence of opposition 1 June 2017

Some sectors including childcare remain stubbornly resistant to marketisation, finds research by Professor Shaz Ansari and Dr Kamal Munir at Cambridge Judge …

European Business Review: What is Islamic finance? 18 May 2017

Dr Kamal Munir, Reader in Strategy & Policy at Cambridge Judge Business School, comments on Islamic finance. “Rather than providing a lucrative …

World Economic Forum: What is Islamic finance? 16 May 2017

Dr Kamal Munir, Reader in Strategy & Policy at Cambridge Judge Business School, comments on Islamic finance. “Rather than providing a lucrative …

The Express Tribune: Brexit and its antecedents 2 July 2016

Dr Kamal Munir, Reader in Strategy & Policy at Cambridge Judge Business School, writes an opinion piece on the 23 June referendum …

Channel News Asia: Inside the storm: Kodak 3 January 2016

Experts discuss what went so wrong that one of the most profitable companies suddenly filed for bankruptcy in 2005. Dr Kamal Munir, …

The Conversation: Varoufakis in conversation with leading academics as Syriza splinters and election beckons in Greece 27 August 2015

The Conversation invited some of the UK’s leading academics to send their questions to former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis. Kamal Munir, …

World Economic Forum: Is it still possible to define an industry? 7 May 2015

Kamal Munir, Associate Professor of Strategy and Policy at Cambridge Judge Business School writes about how industry boundaries have become irrelevant in …

The Conversation: The end of industry barriers means it’s time to poke your nose into anyone’s business 6 May 2015

Kamal Munir, Associate Professor of Strategy and Policy at Cambridge Judge Business School writes about how industry boundaries have become irrelevant in …

The Conversation: Tragedy is inevitable when Bangladesh competes on its own citizens’ poverty 25 April 2014

This week marks one year anniversary of the collapse of Bangladeshi garment factory Rana Plaza,in which 1,129 people died. Dr Kamal Munir, …

Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC): Counterpoint: Microfinance disappoints 10 March 2014

Dr Kamal Munir, Reader in Strategy and Policy at Cambridge Judge Business School, in his interview with Amanda Vanstone talks why microfinance …

World Finance: Dr Kamal Munir on whether people’s confidence in microfinance can ever be restored 28 February 2014

Dr Kamal Munir, Reader in Strategy and Policy at Cambridge Judge Business School, in his interview with Jenny Hammond talks why microfinance …

The Conversation: How microfinance disappointed the developing world 17 February 2014

Dr Kamal Munir, Reader in Strategy and Policy at Cambridge Judge Business School, investigates what impact microfinance has on poverty alleviation. Dr …

The News International: Privatisation or the sale of the century? 15 February 2014

Asad Umar, the number 2 in PTI (Pakistan’s third largest political party) and one of the most respected politicians in the country …

Dawn.com: After denationalisation 9 January 2014

Research into Pakistan’s banking sector reforms by Dr Kamal Munir, reader in strategy and policy at Cambridge Judge Business School, and Natalya …

Economic and Political Weekly: Pakistan’s post-reforms banking sector: a critical evaluation 23 November 2013

In new analysis, Dr Kamal Munir, Reader in Strategy and Policy at Cambridge Judge Business School, and Natalya Naqvi, a doctoral candidate …

Mostly Economics: How Pakistan’s banking reforms were anything but reforms… 19 November 2013

Research into Pakistan’s banking sector reforms by Dr Kamal Munir, Reader in Strategy and Policy at Cambridge Judge Business School, and Natalya …

Islamic Finance Expert: Cambridge launches new Islamic Finance programme 17 November 2013

Cambridge Judge Business School is launching a new executive programme focused on the Islamic finance industry, which is fast becoming a crucial …

CPI Financial: Cambridge launches new Islamic Finance programme 14 November 2013

Cambridge Judge Business School is launching a new executive programme focused on the Islamic finance industry, which is fast becoming a crucial …

The Conversation: Explainer: How does Islamic finance work? 29 October 2013

At the World Islamic Economic Forum in London, David Cameron has announced the UK is to become the first non-Muslim country to issue Shariah-compliant …