Background

Catherine Magelssen is an assistant professor of international business at the Darla Moore School of Business, University of South Carolina. Prior to joining the Moore School, she was an assistant professor of strategy and entrepreneurship at the London Business School. Her research focuses on multinational firm strategy, with particular interests in how firms govern their transactions between organizational units, internal and external firm contracting, and the management of intellectual property and innovation. Her research has been recognized with the Alan M. Rugman Young Scholar Award from the Academy of International Business and the D’Amore-McKim School of Business, Northeastern University Best Dissertation Award from the Academy of Management.

Her work has been published in top academic journals such as Management Science, Organization Science, and Strategic Management Journal. Dr. Magelssen serves on the editorial boards of Strategic Management Journal and Organization Science, and has also served on the editorial board for the Academy of Management Review. She also has engaged with policy makers and practitioners at the International Tax Policy Forum, European Tax Policy Forum, Institute for Fiscal Studies Conference, and Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development BEPS project.

Dr. Magelssen has taught the Global Strategy MBA course; the Cross-Border Alliances and Joint Ventures course; and the International Entrepreneurship and Innovation course for the master’s program at the University of South Carolina. She has also taught courses in various degree programs at London Business School, including the Corporate Strategy elective, Digital Disruption global experience course, and the core Understanding General Management course for the MBA and Executive MBA degree programs and the core Strategy and the International Business courses for the PhD program.

She holds a Ph.D. from Rutgers University and a B.S. from the Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley. Prior to joining academia, she worked as an economic consultant where she managed global transfer pricing projects, advised multinational firms on the structuring of intra-firm relationships, valued intangible assets, and helped firms integrate global operations post-acquisition.

Selected Publications 

Magelssen, C., Ballesteros, L., Troyer, C. (2026) “Connectivity Infrastructure and Innovation: The Effects of Headquarters versus Subsidiary Management.”  Conditionally Accepted, Research Policy.

Brahm, F., Lafortune, J., Magelssen, C., Tessada, J. (2025) “Collaboration, Workplace Practice Adoption and Performance: Evidence from a Field Experiment.” Management Science.

Magelssen, C, Rich, B., Mayer, K. (2022) “The Contractual Governance of Transactions within Firms,” Organization Science, 33(6), 2226-2249.

Ballesteros, L., Magelssen, C. (2022) “Institutional Disruptions and the Philanthropy of Multinational Firms.” Organization Science, 33(4), 1501-1522.

Magelssen, C. (2020) “Allocation of Property Rights and Technological Innovation within Firms,” Strategic Management Journal, 41(4), 758-787.

Damanpour, F., Magelssen, C., and Walker, R. (2019). “Outsourcing and Insourcing of Organizational Activities: The Role of Outsourcing Process Mechanisms.” Public Management Review. 1-24.