# Alessandro Piazza

**Source**: https://business.rice.edu/person/alessandro-piazza
**Parent**: https://business.rice.edu/undergraduate-business-major/business-major-faculty

[View CV](https://business.rice.edu/sites/default/files/2025-08/alessandro-piazza-cv.pdf)

Fields of Interest

Strategy and Environment

# Alessandro Piazza

Associate Professor of Strategic Management

Departments

Faculty

Office

McNair Hall 240

Contact
[713-348-5383](tel:713-348-5383)
[Alessandro.Piazza@rice.edu](mailto:Alessandro.Piazza@rice.edu)

[View CV](https://business.rice.edu/sites/default/files/2025-08/alessandro-piazza-cv.pdf)

Fields of Interest

Strategy and Environment

Alessandro Piazza is an associate professor of strategic management. Piazza's research touches upon several areas at the intersection of organizational theory, entrepreneurship, economic sociology and strategic management, including, but not limited to: stigma and scandals across organizations; social movements; status and networks; and social dynamics in venture financing. His work has appeared in print (or is forthcoming) in outlets such as *Academy of Management Discoveries*, *Academy of Management Journal*, *Academy of Management Review*, *Administrative Science Quarterly*, *Annual Review of Sociology*, *Journal of Management*, *Journal of Management Studies*, *Organization Science*, *Social Forces* and *Strategic Management Journal*.

Piazza has taught courses in strategic management, technology strategy, organizational theory and research design in the undergraduate, MBA and Ph.D. programs at Rice Business. He received a Ph.D. in Management with a focus on organizational theory from Columbia University, a doctorate in business administration from Bocconi University, an MBA from the Collège des Ingénieurs, as well as a B.Sc. and a M.Sc. from the University of Bologna, both in nuclear engineering.

[Does gender diversity attract investors? New study says it depends](https://business.rice.edu/news/does-gender-diversity-attract-investors-new-study-says-it-depends)

March 23, 2026

[Why corporate America is mostly staying quiet as federal immigration agents show up at its doors](https://theconversation.com/why-corporate-america-is-mostly-staying-quiet-as-federal-immigration-agents-show-up-at-its-doors-274746)

February 05, 2026

[Rice launches Center for Customer-Based Execution and Strategy at the Jones Graduate School of Business](https://business.rice.edu/news/rice-launches-center-customer-based-execution-and-strategy-jones-graduate-school-business)

October 28, 2024

## Rice Business Wisdom

Startups | Strategy

### [Does Gender Diversity Attract Investors? It Depends.](https://business.rice.edu/wisdom/does-gender-diversity-attract-investors-it-depends)

In startup accelerator programs, gender diversity alone doesn’t engage investors — what matters more is that founder and mentor teams align in their gender composition.

Corporate Social Activism | Strategy

### [Corporate Activism Tends To Follow, Not Lead, Social Change](https://business.rice.edu/wisdom/corporate-activism-tends-follow-not-lead-social-change)

Companies often avoid using a “collective action frame” in their messaging until after a controversial issue is legally and politically settled.

Regulation | Strategy

### [Where’s the Line Between Rule-Breaking and Strategy?](https://business.rice.edu/wisdom/wheres-line-between-rule-breaking-and-strategy)

By pushing regulatory boundaries and engaging with lawmakers, some companies turn nonconformity into a competitive edge — while others lose big.

Organizational Behavior | Strategy

### [Opening Act](https://business.rice.edu/wisdom/peer-reviewed-research/why-famous-friends-dont-always-help)

Why famous friends don't always help.

Organizational Behavior | Strategy

### [Chain Reaction](https://business.rice.edu/wisdom/peer-reviewed-research/how-protest-tactics-end-influencing-protesters)

How protest tactics end up influencing protesters.

Community Relations | Strategy

### [How Corporate Decisions Fuel Protest Movements](https://business.rice.edu/wisdom/unexpected-way-company-behavior-guides-activists-choices)

Company choices can actually drive the evolution of activism, triggering mobilization in other causes.