Skip to main content
  Back to Faculty

Peter Richardson

Professor
Contact:

Overview

Peter Richardson has been a faculty member of the School of Business for 37 years. He teaches both introductory and advanced strategy courses in the School of Business on the Executive MBA programs and on a number of the School’s one and three week Continuing Education programs.

Download Full CV ​ Download Image ​

Academic Area

  • Strategy and Organizations

Interest Topics

Faculty Details

Profile

Full Bio

Peter Richardson has been a faculty member of the School of Business for 37 years. He teaches both introductory and advanced strategy courses in the School of Business on the Executive MBA programs and on a number of the School’s one and three week Continuing Education programs.

Together with Elspeth Murray, Peter has authored a book, entitled Fast Forward: Organizational Change in 100 Days, published by the Oxford University Press in 2002. An accompanying Guide was published early in 2003. Through his research and associated consulting activities, he has developed a unique concept of Strategy as Action, and has written several papers on this topic. During his 30-plus years at Queen’s University, Peter has authored over 90 papers and case studies on strategic management. In his previous book, Cost Containment: The Ultimate Strategic Advantage, one of the few books written on cost improvement, Peter described a novel strategic approach to cost improvement that has been adopted in many organizations in both the public and private sectors. At present, Peter is exploring the impact of the increasing demand for speed in business, which he believes has profound implications for organization change, strategy implementation, risk management and organization processes.  

Peter consults widely with both public and private sector organizations, working closely for extended periods with senior executives on strategy development and deployment. Corporate clients have included Codelco, Vale, Anglo-American Corporation, Alcoa, BHP Billiton, Barrick Gold, Bell Canada, CIBC, CIBC-Mellon, De Beers Canada, Ivanhoe Mines, Ivanplats, Redpath Mining, Quadra Chemicals, Gibson Energy, and Xerox. In the Public Sector, clients have included the Supreme Court of Canada, The Office of the Auditor General for Canada, The Surveyor General of Canada, Health Canada, Natural Resources Canada and Health Canada. He has also been retained as a consultant on more than 20 major international mining projects including the successful development and construction of the Collahuasi copper mine in Chile which is to-date the world’s largest and highest single mining project, and the Victor Diamond Mine in Canada – designated globally as the ‘Mine of the Year in 2009’.    

Peter has also carried out strategic planning assignments for a number of Associations including the Professional Engineers of Ontario (PEO), the Association of Ontario Land Surveyors, The Consejo Minero de Chile, the Insurance Brokers Association of Canada, the Zinc Association, and the Mining Association of Canada.

Academic Degrees

PhD. Business Administration
University of Western Ontario (1975)

Completed first year of the M.B.A. Program
University of Western Ontario (1972)

B.Sc. (Honours), Electrical Engineering
Leeds University, England (1968)

Academic Experience

Smith School of Business, Queen's University
Professor (1987 - Present)
Associate Professor (1980-1987)
Assistant Professor (1976-1980)

Iran Center for Management Studies
Assistant Professor (1975-1976)

School of Business Administration, The University of Western Ontario
Lecturer (1974-1975)

Centre for Resource Studies, Queen’s University
Faculty Associate (1977-1993)

The International Centre, School of Business and Economics, Helsinki
Teaching Faculty (1991-1994)

Publications

Refereed Publications

Richardson, P. (1995).   "Winning at Revenue Generation - Making it Pay", Optimum.

Richardson, P. (1987).   "Managing Costs Strategically", The Journal of Cost Management, Vol. 1, No. 1, Spring.

Gordon, J.R.M., Richardson, P. & Taylor, A.J.C. (1986).  "A Strategic Approach to Evaluating Manufacturing Performance", Interfaces, Vol. 15, No. 6, pp. 15-27.

Richardson, P. (1985).   "Courting Greater Employee Involvement", The Sloan Management Review, Winter, pp.33-44.

Frontin, G.F. & Richardson, P. (1984).   "Design and Demonstration: The Key to Industrial Innovation", The Sloan Management Review, Vol. 25 No. 3, Summer.

Dundas, K.N.M. & Richardson, P. (1982).   "Implementing the Unrelated Product Strategy",The Strategic Management Journal, Vol. 3 No. 4.

Gordon, J.R.M. & Richardson, P. (1980).   "Measuring Total Manufacturing Performance", The Sloan Management Review, Vol. 21 No. 2, Spring.

Dundas, K.N.M. & Richardson, P. (1980).   "Corporate Strategy and the Concept of Market Failure",   The Strategic Management Journal , Vol. 1 No. 2.

Cousineau, E. & Richardson, P. (1980).  "Gold: The World Industry and Canadian Corporate Strategy", The Centre for Resource Studies, Queen's University.

Richardson, P. (1979).   "Business Policy in a Developing Nation: The Case of Iran", The Journal of General Management, Vol. 2, No. 3, Spring.

Richardson, P. & Leenders, M.R. et. al (1976).  "The Role of Innovation in the Mining and Mining Supply Industries", MR 146, The Department of Energy, Mines and Resources, Ottawa.

Richardson, P.  "Managing Research and Development for Results", The Journal of Product Innovation, Vol. 2, No. 2, pp. 75-87.

Books

Richardson, P. (1988). Cost Containment: The Ultimate Advantage, The Free Press, New York, New York.

Other Publications

Cawsey, T.F. & Richardson, P. (1975).  "Turnover Can Be Managed", The Business Quarterly, Winter.

Gordon, J.R.M. & Richardson, P. (1977).   "Why Manufacture in Canada?", The Business Quarterly, Winter.

Revised and reprinted as: "Made in Canada?", Industrial Management Magazine, September 1978.

Olewiler, N.D., Richardson, P. & Rumble, L. (1978).   "Canada as a World Zinc Producer: Prospects to 1980", Working Paper #10, The Centre for Resource Studies, Queen's University, January.

Richardson, P. (1978).   "Cerro Colorado: A Case Study of the Role of Canadian Crown Corporations in Foreign Mineral Developments", Working Paper #13, The Centre for Resource Studies, Queen's University.

Richardson, P. (1978).   "Canadian Mining: A Future Play for the Integrated Oil Companies?", Perspectives, The Centre for Resource Studies, Queen's University, October.

Reprinted in The Northern Miner, January 1979 and The Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy Bulletin, January 1979.

Neave, E.H. & Richardson, P. (1979).  "Financing Small Mineral Enterprises", Proceedings, Number 5, The Centre for Resource Studies, Queen's University.

Gordon, J.R.M. & Richardson, P. (1980).   "Performance Evaluation in Canadian Manufacturing",   The Canadian Business Review    , The Conference Board of Canada, Ottawa, Spring.

Richardson, P. (1979).   "Employee Relations at the Kidd Creek Operations of Texasgulf Limited", with T.F. Cawsey, Proceedings, Number 4, The Centre for Resource Studies, Queen's University.

Reprinted in Graham S. Lowe, and Harvey K. Kuchn (Ed.)    Working Canadians: Readings on the Sociology of Work and Industry   , Methuen, 1984.

Richardson, P. (1985).   "Measuring Mining Productivity", Mining Productivity: Proceedings, Number 14, The Centre for Resources Studies, Queen's University, pp. 1-14.

Richardson, P. (1985).   "Employee Involvement, Productivity and Cost Management", Mining Productivity: Proceedings, Number 14, The Centre for Resource Studies, Queen's University, pp. 154166.

Richardson, P. (1986).   "Adopting a Strategic Approach to Costs", The Canadian Business Review, Vol. 13, No. 3, Autumn.

Richardson, P. (1986).   "Winning Through Technology: A Strategic Approach", The Canadian Business Review, Vol.13, No. 2, Summer.

Richardson, P. (1986).   "The Challenge of Strategic Change", The Canadian Business Review, Vol. 13, No. 3, Autumn.

Richardson, P. (1991).   "World-Class Mineral Operations", CRS Perspectives, June.

Richardson, P. (1992).   "Mining - The Systems Revolution", CRS Perspectives, April,.

Richardson, P. (1993).   "What Role for Marketing in the Mineral Industries?", CRS Perspectives, January.

Richardson, P. (1995).   "Preserving the Lustre of Gold: Marketing the Gold Industry", The Gold Institute.

Richardson, P. (1996). “Australian Gold Mining: A Glittering Future?”, Proceedings, The Australian Gold Conference.

Richardson, P. (1997). “Creating a Golden Future: The Marketing Challenge for Gold”, Proceedings, The Australian Gold Conference.

Richardson, P. (1996). “Competing beyond 2000: New Realities”, Proceedings, The International Zinc Conference.

Murray, E. & Richardson, P. (1998).  “Strategic Focus: Defining and Measuring the Critical Few as parameters of Strategic Performance Evaluation”, Proceedings, International Performance Measurement Conference, University of Cambridge.

Murray, E. & Richardson, P. (1998 ).  “Leading Successful Business Turnarounds: Lean and Mean or Lean and Keen?”, Mastering Enterprise Series, Part 10, The Financial Post.

Recent Working Papers And Reports

Murray, E. & Richardson, P. (1998 ). “Strategy as Action”, Working Paper #98-07, Queen’s School of Business.

Murray, E. & Richardson, P. (1998 ). “Leading Successful Business Turnarounds: Lean and Mean or Lean and Keen?”, Working paper #98-10, Queen’s School of Business.

Murray, E. & Richardson, P. (1998 ). “Acquisitions: Contemporary Strategic Perspectives for Capturing and Creating Corporate Value”, Working Paper #98-02, Queen’s School of Business.

Murray, E. & Richardson, P. (1998 ). “Using Alliances for Sustained Competitive Advantage”, Working Paper #98-11, Queen’s School of Business.

Murray, E. & Richardson, P. (1998 ). “Strategic Focus:  Defining and Measuring ‘The Critical Few’ as parameters of Strategic Performance Evaluation”, Working Paper #98-12, Queen’s School of Business.

Richardson, P. (1990).   “Lean, Keen and Healthy: Proven Methods to Reduce Costs in Health Care Delivery Systems", Working Paper #90-16, Queen’s School of Business.

Richardson, P. (1990).   "Marketing the Products of Research and Development", Working Paper #90-24, Queen’s School of Business.

Richardson, P. (1990).   "So You Want to be a Manager?", Working Paper #90-30, Queen’s School of Business.

Richardson, P. (1990).   "The Management of Long-term Research and Development", Working Paper #90-34, Queen’s  School of Business.

Richardson, P. (1990).   Canadian Competitiveness - Key to National Prosperity, Briefing paper for the Canadian Chamber of Commerce.

Published Case Studies

Richardson, P. (1983).   "Noranda - Andocollo", In N.J. Fry and J.P. Killing, Canadian Business Policy, Prentice-Hall.

Richardson, P. (1993).  A Sales and Merchandising Group in Strategic Management: Text, Readings and Canadian Cases, M.C. Baetz and P.W. Beamish, Homewood, Ill., Irwin.

Teaching

Recent Teaching Cases

Management of Technology and Innovation

  • Micro-Match, 1989.
  • Uni-Med, 1990.
  • Hackman-Arabia,  (Finland), 1991.
  • Benefon, (Finland), 1991.
  • 3M Corporation, 1993.
  • Prairie Home Services, 1994.
  • New England Toy Company (A), (USA), 1995. Cominco Product Technology Centre, 1995.

Strategic Management

  • Atlas Van Lines (A and B), 1991.
  • Atmospheric Environment Services: The Ultra-Violet Index, 1993.
  • Western Mining Corporation, 1993.
  • Atlas Van Lines (Revised), 1995.
  • Smart Technologies, 1996.
  • SKF Canada Limited, 1995.
  • Ryder Integrated logistics, 1996. Compagnia Punta Arenas, 1997.

Current Courses Offered

Undergraduate

  • Business Policy (COMM 401)
  • Leadership and Strategic Management (COMM 402)
  • Management of Technology and Innovation (COMM 346)

Graduate - MBA and Executive MBA

  • Strategic Management (MBUS 901) MBA, EMBA, NEMBA
  • Strategic Leadership (MBUS 902/954) MBA, EMBA, NEMBA
  • Management and Technology (MBUS 976)
  • Manufacturing Policy (MBUS 942)
  • Industrial Policy (with other faculty) (MBUS 800/801) EMBA, NEMBA
  • Management of Change (MBUS 853) MBAST
  • Fundamentals of Strategy (MBUS 880) MBAST

Executive Programs, Queen's University, 1982 - present

  • The Executive Program, (3 weeks)
  • Strategic Leadership (1 week)
  • Human Resources Strategy ( 1 week)
  • Entering Foreign Markets ( 1 week)
  • The High Performance Workplace ( 1 week)
  • Operations Leadership (1 week)
  • Information Technology (1 week)
  • Executive Program Update Series
  • Canada Post
  • Queen’s Public Executive Program

Visiting Positions

Visiting Professor
University of Western Australia
1991 - 1992

Presentations

Selected Participation in Conferences

"Gold: The World Industry and Canadian Corporate Strategy", (invited), The American Mining Congress, San Francisco, 1980.

"Manufacturing Performance Evaluation in Canadian Manufacturing Firms", ASAC, Halifax, 1981. (Proceedings).

"Cost Management in Canadian Manufacturing", ASAC, Ottawa, 1982 (Proceedings).

"Conglomerate Strategy", Strategic Management Society Conference, Paris, 1983.

"Implementing the Related Product Strategy", Strategic Management Society Conference, Paris, 1983. "Managing R & D for Results", (invited), Canadian Research Management Association, Winnipeg, 1984.

"Unrelated Diversification by Related Product Corporations", Strategic Management Society Conference, Philadelphia, 1984.

"Technical Challenges Facing Canadian Mining", Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy Conference, Vancouver, 1985.

World Class Mineral Operations, Mineral Outlook Conference, Ottawa, 1989.

Using Project Management for Strategic Advantage, PICMET - IEEE Conference, Seattle, 1991.

Marketing the Global Gold Industry, Gold Institute Annual Meeting, Naples Fl., 1995.

International Performance Measurement Conference, University of Cambridge, 1998.

Service

Administrative Duties

  • Chairman of MBA Curriculum Committee, 1981-85 & 1990-92.
  • Member of the Continuing Education Committee, 1979-80 & 1982-83.
  • Member of the Long Range Planning Committee, 1979-82.
  • University Senator, 1979-82.
  • Program Chairman, Production and Operations Management Division, ASAC, Vancouver, 1983.