Stefan Reichelstein

Research Statement

Stefan Reichelstein is known internationally for his research on the interface of management accounting and economics. Much of his work has addressed issues in cost- and profitability analysis, decentralization, internal pricing and performance measurement. His research projects have spanned analytical models, empirical work and field studies. Reichelstein’s papers have been published consistently in leading management and economic journals. Insights from his research have been applied by a range of corporations and government agencies. In recent years, Reichelstein has also studied the cost competitiveness of low-carbon energy solutions, with a particular focus on solar PV and carbon capture by fossile fuel power plants.

Bio

Stefan Reichelstein received his Ph.D. from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University in 1984. Prior to that, he completed his undergraduate studies in economics at the University of Bonn in Germany. Over the past 30 years, Reichelstein has served on the faculties of the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley, the University of Vienna in Austria, and the Stanford Graduate School of Business. His teaching has spanned financial and managerial accounting courses offered to undergraduate, MBA, and doctoral students. In recent years, he has introduced new courses on Sustainability and Clean Energy at the Stanford Business School. Reichelstein’s research has been supported by the National Science Foundation and a range of private foundations; several of his papers have won “Best-Paper” awards. Reichelstein serves on the editorial boards of several journals; he is also currently an editor of the Review of Accounting Studies and Foundations and Trends in Accounting. Until 2010, he served as the Department Editor for Accounting at Management Science. Professor Reichelstein has been a consultant to select companies and non-profit organizations. He has received honorary doctorates from the Universities of Fribourg (2008) and Mannheim (2011). In 2007, Reichelstein was appointed a Honorar-Professor at the University of Vienna.

Academic Degrees

• PhD, Northwestern University, 1984
• MS, Northwestern University, 1980
• Pre-Diploma, University of Bonn, Germany, 1978

Academic Appointments

• Visiting Professor, Department of Business Administration, University of Mannheim, 2016-present
• Professor, Stanford GSB, 2002-present
• Professor, Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley, 1993-2001
• Associate Professor, Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley, 1990-1993
• Assistant – Associate Professor, Stanford GSB, 1986-1990
• Assistant Professor, Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley, 1982-1986

Awards and Honors

• Graduate School of Business Trust Faculty Fellow for 2014-2015

Teaching

Degree Courses

2017-18

ACCT 609: Financial Reporting and Management Control

This course is aimed at doctoral students in accounting and neighboring fields including economics, finance, political economics and operations management. The course seeks to provide an introduction to the role of accounting information in (i)...

GSBGEN 532: Clean Energy Opportunities

This course examines business models and opportunities related to clean energy, specifically to low-carbon energy. We examine emerging trends for this sector in the context of technological change, business opportunities and the parameters set by...

2016-17

ACCT 617: Applications of Contract Theory in Accounting Research

This course develops tools from information economics to study the strategic interactions between different agents inside a firm. Common to these studies is that agents acquire private information that is valuable to other parties. The range of...

GSBGEN 532: Clean Energy Opportunities: Business Models and Innovations

This course examines business models and opportunities related to clean energy, specifically to low-carbon energy. We examine emerging trends for this sector in the context of technological change, business opportunities and the parameters set by...

Executive Education & Other Non-Degree Programs

• Seed Transformation Program – East Africa Gain​​ ​​management training​ and networking ​support in this leadership program ​for established business leaders in East Africa.
• Seed Transformation Program – India Gain management training​ and networking ​support in this leadership program ​for established business leaders in India.
• Seed Transformation Program – Southern Africa Gain​​ ​​management training​ and networking ​support in this leadership program ​for established business leaders in Southern Africa.
• Seed Transformation Program – West Africa Gain​​ ​​management training​ and networking ​support in this leadership program ​for established business leaders in West Africa.

In the Media

Avoiding the Solar Cliff: New Stanford Research Offers Alternative to ITC Phase-Out

Bloomberg Business, April 21, 2015

Insights by Stanford Business

Saving the Future of Residential Solar Installations

October 17, 2016

Stanford researchers weigh in on a contentious debate around changes to an important renewable energy incentive.

Equity: The Recommended List

August 30, 2016

Stanford GSB professors suggest articles and books related to the concept of “equity.”

Enabling Entrepreneurs to Alleviate India’s Energy Poverty

April 6, 2016

A change in the law could extend electricity to millions of people.

Stefan Reichelstein: Paris May Be the Last Best Chance on Climate Change

December 8, 2015

A Stanford scholar shows why the critics are wrong.

Stefan Reichelstein: Preventing the Solar Cliff

April 21, 2015

A change to a tax credit could kill the nascent industry.

Risk: The Recommended List

December 15, 2014

Learn more about risk and other related topics.

What Would it Really Cost to Reduce Carbon Emissions?

October 17, 2014

Not as much as you might think, according to two scholars.

Solar Power's Bright Future

June 6, 2012

A conversation with Stefan Reichelstein on the economics of solar power.

Cost of Reducing CO2 Emissions Could Plunge

October 1, 2009

A study says the financial impact of regulating coal-fired power plants under a cap-and-trade system will be much less than previously projected.

Understanding the Linkage Between ROI and the Economic Rate of Return

January 1, 2007

A group of scholars explore a term that "has only been vaguely understood."

Use Weighted Averages to Determine Transfer Pricing

October 1, 2004

A prize-winning paper presents a real-world method for transfer pricing that incorporates both management and tax considerations.

Measuring Executive Accountability

May 1, 2002

Researchers establish that residual income, or economic value added, is indeed an efficient performance metric.