• Phone: 617-353-4406
  • E-Mail:  svachani@bu.edu
  • Website: http://management.bu.edu
  • Office: 647
  • Office Hours: By Appointment
  • Address: Boston University School of Management
    595 Commonwealth Avenue
    Boston, MA 02215
  • Education Open or Close

    B. Tech, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, India, Mechanical Engineering.

    DBA, Harvard Business School, International Business.

    PGDM, Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, India, Management.

  • PublicationsOpen or Close

    Journal Articles:

      Vachani, S., Usmani, J., (2011). Climate Change and Coastal Protection. Vikalpa, 36(2), 104-106. Ahmedabad.

      Vachani, S., Doh, J., Teegen, H., (2009). NGOs’ influence on MNEs’ social development strategies in varying institutional contexts: a transaction cost perspective.. International Business Review, 18(5), 446-456. UK.

      Vachani, S., Foulkes, F., Zaslow, J., (2008). Human Resource Challenges of Global Offshoring. European Journal of International Management, 2(3), 287-308.

      Vachani, S., Smith, N., (2008). Socially responsible distribution: strategies for reaching the bottom of the pyramid. California Management Review, 50(2), 33.

      Vachani, S., Smith, N., (2005). When the price isn't right. Business Strategy Review, 16(2), 74-79. Oxford.

      Vachani, S., (2005). Problems of foreign subsidiaries of SMEs compared with large companies. International Business Review, 14(4), 415-439.

      Vachani, S., Smith, N. C., (2004). Socially responsible pricing: lessons from the pricing of AIDS drugs in developing countries. California Management Review, 47(1), 117-144. Berkeley, CA.

      Teegen, H., Doh, J., Vachani, S., (2004). The importance of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in global governance and value creation: an international business research agenda. Journal of International Business Studies, Atlanta, GA.

      Vachani, S., (2004). Mavericks and free trade: Chile's pivotal role in the formation of the FTAA. Thunderbird International Business Review, 46(3), 237-253. New York, NY.

      Vachani, S., (2002). Strategic challenges faced by the e-commerce entrepreneur: the case of on-line bookselling. International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management, 2(6), 566-573.

      Vachani, S., (1999). Global diversification's effect on multinational subsidiaries' autonomy. International Business Review, New York, NY.

      Vachani, S., (1998). A preliminary framework for explaining the "success" of the international ventures of small- and medium-sized companies. Journal of Enterprising Cultures, 6(4), 429-455.

      Vachani, S., (1997). Economic liberalization's effect on sources of competitive advantage of different groups of companies: the case of India. International Business Review, 6(2), 165-84. New York, NY.

      Vachani, S., (1995). Enhancing the Obsolescing Bargain theory: a longitudinal study of foreign ownership of US and European multinationals. Journal of International Business Studies, 26(1), 159-180. Atlanta, GA.

      Vachani, S., (1994). Impact of economic liberalization on small companies' competitiveness. Small Enterprise Development, 5(4), 41-46.

      Mahon, J., Vachani, S., (1992). Establishing a beachhead in international markets : the direct and indirect approach. Long Range Planning, 25(3), 60-69. London.

      Vachani, S., (1991). Distinguishing between related and unrelated international geographic diversification: a comprehensive measure of global diversification. Journal of International Business Studies, 22(2), 307-22. Atlanta, GA.

      Vachani, S., (1991). Lessons from successful Indian cottage firms for small-firm aid programs in developing countries. Small Enterprise Development, 2(3), 25-32.

      Vachani, S., (1990). Strategic responses of multinationals to competition from developing-country cottage firms. International Marketing Review, 7(1), 31-47.

      Encarnation, D. J., Vachani, S., (1985). Foreign ownership: when hosts change the rules. Harvard Business Review, Boston, MA.

    Books:

      Vachani, S., Jain, S., (2006). Editors. Multinational Corporations and Global Poverty Reduction. : Edward Elgar Publishing.

      Vachani, S., (2006). Editor. Transformations in Global Governance: Implications for Multinationals and other Stakeholders. : Edward Elgar Publishing.

      Vachani, S., (1991). Multinationals in India: Strategic Product Choices. New Delhi: Oxford & IBH Publishers.

    Book Chapters:

      Vachani, S., Post, J. E., (2013). Creating socially responsible value chains: role of companies, governments and NGOs (forthcoming). In Ghauri, P., Elg U. and Hadjikhani, A., editors, Business Society and Politics: Multinationals in Emerging Markets. : Emerald Publishers.

      Vachani, S., (2013). Innovation in education and US competitiveness (forthcoming). In Jain, S. and Kedia, B., editors, Restoring America’s Global Competitiveness Through Innovation.. : Edward Elgar Publishing.

      Vachani, S., (2012). ITC in Rural India. In Kumar, R., Case Studies in Marketing Management. : Pearson Publishing.

      Vachani, S., , N., (2010). "Overcoming Rural Distribution Challenges at the Bottom of the Pyramid" Global Challenges in Responsible Business. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

      Vachani, S., Teegen, H., Doh, J., (2007). The importance of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in global governance and value creation: an international business research agenda. Thousands Oaks, CA: Sage.

      Vachani, S., Smith, C., (2006). Socially responsible pricing: lessons from the pricing of AIDS drugs in developing countries. In Jain, S. and Vachani, S., editors. MNCs and Global Poverty Reduction. Edward Elgar Publishing, UK, 400-434..

      Jain, S., Vachani, S., (2006). The role of multinationals in alleviating global poverty. In Jain, S. and Vachani, S., editors, 2006. MNCs and Global Poverty Reduction.. : Edward Elgar Publishing.

      Vachani, S., (2006). Introduction. In Vachani, S. Transformations in Global Governance: Implications for Multinationals and other Stakeholders. : Edward Elgar Publishing.

      Foulkes, F., Vachani, S., Zaslow, J., (2006). Global Sourcing of Talent: Implications for the U.S. Workforce. : E.E. Lawler and J. O'Toole, Eds., The New American Workplace, Palgrave Macmillan.

      Vachani, S., Foulkes, F., Zaslow, J., (2006). Global Sourcing of Talent: Implications for the U.S. Workforce, in Lawler, E. E. and O'Toole, J. [Eds.] America at Work: Choices and Challenges. Palgrave Macmillan, 257-273..

      Vachani, S., Smith, N. C., (2004). Socially responsible pricing: lessons from the pricing of AIDS drugs in developing countries. In Jain, S. and Vachani, S., editors, 2006. MNCs and Global Poverty Reduction.. : Edward Elgar Publishing.

      Vachani, S., Doh, J., (2004). Using experiential exercises to underscore the challenges and opportunities of emerging markets. In Alon, I. & McIntyre, J. R., editors, 217-233. Business Education and Emerging Markets Economies: Perspectives and Best Practices.. : Kluwer Academic Publishers.

      Encarnation, D. J., Vachani, S., (1993). Foreign ownership: when hosts change the rules. In Robert Z. Aliber and Reid W. Click, Readings in International Business: A Decision Approach. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

  • Research PresentationsOpen or Close

    Invited Lectures:

      Vachani, S., (Presenter and Author), Harvard Project for Asian and International Relations, Harvard Conference, 2013, Keynote Speech: Creating Value at the Bottom of the Pyramid, Harvard Project for Asian and International Relations, Harvard University, Boston. (February 21, 2013).

      Vachani, S., (Panelist), Annual Meeting of the Academy of International Business, Panelist in Junior Faculty Development Consortium, Academy of International Business, Nagoya, Japan. (June 25, 2011).

      Vachani, S., (Presenter & Author), Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, Doctoral colloquium, Trends and Opportunities in International Business Research, Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, Ahmedabad, India. (January 4, 2008).

      Vachani, S., (Presenter & Author), Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, Alumni Series, Globalization, poverty and NGOs, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, Kanpur, India. (December 29, 2007).

      Vachani, S., (Presenter & Author), Internationalizing Doctoral Education in Business: A PhD Conference, Internationalizing management teaching., Center for International Business Education and Research, University of Connecticut, Storrs. Connecticut. (July 2006).

      Vachani, S., (Presenter & Author), Canada-United States Business Conference, Chile's perspective on free trade within the Americas, Indiana University. (April 2003).

      Vachani, S., (Presenter & Author), Keynote speech at the First Conference on Medium-Sized Business, Strategies and support for medium sized companies in the global competitive environment, WITS Business School, Johannesburg. (June 1997).

    Accepted Lectures:

      Vachani, S., (Presenter and Author), Conference on “Restoring America’s Global Competitiveness Through Innovations”, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Innovation in education and US competitiveness. (June 22, 2012).

      Vachani, S., (Presenter & Author), Annual Meeting of the Decision Sciences Institute, Globalization: Challenges and Opportunities in Education, Decision Sciences Institute, Boston. (November 20, 2011).

      Vachani, S., (Presenter & Author), Academy of Management, Panelist in the Professional Development Workshop on “Bottom of the Pyramid: Myth or Reality,”, Chicago. (August 2009).

      Vachani, S., (Author Only), Doh, J., (Author Only), Teegen, H., (Presenter & Author), Annual Meetings of the Academy of International Business, NGOs' influence on MNEs' social development strategies: a transaction cost perspective, Beijing, China. (May 27, 2006).

      Vachani, S., (Presenter & Author), Smith, C., (Presenter & Author), Conference on Corporate Responsibility and Global Business, Socially responsible distribution: Distribution Strategies for Reaching the Bottom of the Pyramid., London Business School, London, UK. (July 2006).

      Vachani, S., (Presenter & Author), Smith, C., (Author Only), Annual Meeting of the European interntional Business Academy, Socially responsible distribution: Distribution Strategies for Reaching the Bottom of the Pyramid., European interntional Business Academy & Fribourg University, Switzerland, Friboourg, Switzerland. (December 2006).

      Vachani, S., (Presenter & Author), Foulkes, F., (Presenter & Author), Zaslow, J., (Presenter & Author), Annual Meetings of the Academy of International Business, Human resource challenges of global offshoring, Quebec City. (July 11, 2005).

      Vachani, S., (Presenter & Author), Academy of International Business Annual Meetings, Links between global offshoring and the local institutional context, Quebec City, Canada. (July 2005).

      Vachani, S., (Presenter & Author), Boston University, Transformations in Global Governance: Implications for Multinationals and other Stakeholders. (October 2004).

      Vachani, S., (Presenter & Author), Jain, S., (Presenter & Author), MNCs and Global Poverty Reduction, Storrs, Connecticut. (October 2004).

      Vachani, S., (Presenter & Author), Annual Meetings of the Academy of International Business, Anticipating and mitigating institutional policy shocks: signals and risk mitigants from civil society and the NGO sector, Stockholm. (July 2004).

      Vachani, S., (Presenter & Author), Smith, N. C., (Presenter & Author), Socially responsible pricing: Lessons from pricing of AIDS drugs in developing countries, Boston University. (September 2003).

      Vachani, S., (Presenter & Author), Smith, N. C., (Presenter & Author), MNCs and poverty alleviation conference, Socially responsible pricing: Lessons from pricing of AIDS drugs in developing countries, University of Connecticut. (October 2003).

      Vachani, S., (Presenter & Author), Doh, J., (Presenter & Author), Teegen, H., (Presenter & Author), First Journal of International Business Studies Annual Conference on Emerging Research Frontiers in International Business, Social movements, nongovernmental organizations and multinational activity: an international business research agenda, Duke University. (March 2003).

      Vachani, S., (Presenter & Author), Annual Meetings of the Academy of International Business, Impact of NGOs on multinationals & governments: the case of South Africa's AIDS epidemic, Academy of International Business, Monterey. (July 2003).

      Vachani, S., (Presenter & Author), Academy of International Business Annual Meetings, The Rise of the Third Force: the Growing Impact of NGOs on Multinationals and Governments, Monterrey, California. (2003).

      Vachani, S., (Presenter & Author), Ghemawat, P., (Presenter & Author), Academy of International Business Meeting, MNCs' nonmarket strategies at the millennium: challenges, cases and conjectures, Puerto Rico. (June 2002).

      Vachani, S., (Other), Academy of Management Meeting, Challenges faced by small and medium sized Japanese companies investing abroad, Toronto. (August 2000).

      Vachani, S., (Presenter & Author), ENDEC conference, Strategic challenges faced by the e-commerce entrepreneur: the case of on-line bookselling, Singapore. (August 1999).

      Vachani, S., (Presenter & Author), Annual Meeting of the Association of Japanese Business Studies, A preliminary framework for explaining the 'success' of international entrepreneurial ventures, Chicago. (May 1998).

      Vachani, S., (Presenter & Author), Annual Meeting of the Academy of International Business, North East, The effects of India's liberalization program – seven years after, Manchester NH. (May 1998).

      Vachani, S., (Other), Annual Meeting of the Strategic Management Society, Strategic challenges faced by small- and medium-size Japanese companies investing abroad, Barcelona. (October 1997).

      Vachani, S., (Other), Academy of International Business, Annual Meetings, Global diversification's effect on multinational subsidiaries' autonomy, Seoul. (1995).

      Vachani, S., (Author Only), Mahon, J., (Presenter & Author), Annual Meeting of the Strategic Management Society, State owned enterprises: the end of the road?, London. (October 1992).

      Vachani, S., (Presenter & Author), Annual Meeting of the Academy of International Business, A longitudinal study of the bargaining power of American, British and other European multinationals in India between 1973-87, Miami. (October 1991).

      Vachani, S., (Presenter & Author), Mahon, J., (Author Only), Annual Meeting of the Academy of International Business, Southeast Asia Region, Role of beachheads and strategic span of vision in international entry strategies, Singapore. (June 1991).

      Vachani, S., (Author Only), Murray, E. A., (Presenter & Author), Fourth Biennial International Conference of the Eastern Academy of Management, Small firm exporting in hostile and benign environments, France. (June 1991).

      Vachani, S., (Presenter & Author), Third International Conference on Comparative Management, Global diversification and organization structure: suggested refinements in measures, Taiwan. (June 1990).

      Vachani, S., (Presenter & Author), Third International Conference on Comparative Management, A comparison of strategic product choices of state owned enterprises, private local firms and multinationals in a developing country, Taiwan. (June 1990).

      Vachani, S., (Other), Annual Meeting of the Academy of International Business, A comprehensive measure of global diversification, Singapore. (November 1989).

      Vachani, S., (Presenter & Author), Annual Meeting of the Academy of International Business, The effects of host countries' level of development on multinationals' manufacturing subsidiaries, San Diego. (October 1988).

      Vachani, S., (Author Only), Murray, E. A., (Presenter & Author), Annual Meeting of the Strategic Management Society, The role of small firms in international business., Amsterdam. (October 1988).

      Vachani, S., (Presenter & Author), Annual Meeting of the Academy of International Business, Competition faced by multinationals from cottage industry firms in the developing-country environment, Chicago. (November 1987).

      Vachani, S., (Other), Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management, Manufacture of appropriate products by multinationals in the developing-country environment, New Orleans. (August 1987).

  • General ServiceOpen or Close

    Service to the School:

      Boston University, President's Office, Other Role. (September 2009 - May 2012).
      Special Assistant to President Brown for the India Initiative.


      Boston University, Committee Member, President’s Council on the Global University. (February 2008 - May 2011).

      Boston University, Chair of the Committee to Formulate BU's India Strategy, Chairperson. (February 2009 - December 2009).

      School of Management, DBA Program, Faculty Director. (September 2005 - May 2007).

      School of Management, Strategy & Policy Department, Department Chair. (2000 - 2002).

      School of Management, Faculty Director, International Management Program, Japan. (1993 - 1997).