May 14, 2026
Harvard Business Review recently published an article featuring David Livermore, Ahmass Fakahany Visiting Professor in Global Leadership, Strategy and Innovation, discussing how global companies often lose valuable insight when decision-making becomes too centered around headquarters.
Drawing on a 15-month study involving more than 150 leaders across the U.S., Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, Livermore argues that proximity to headquarters — rather than expertise or market knowledge — frequently shapes strategic decisions in multinational organizations.
“Where you sit in the organization disproportionately shapes what information you give and receive,” Livermore writes, emphasizing how time zones, communication gaps, and centralized power structures can sideline regional expertise and weaken decision quality.
The article highlights the growing need for organizations to rethink how decisions are made and how information flows across global teams in an increasingly interconnected business environment.
