Elizabeth J. Altman is a doctoral candidate in Management at the Harvard Business School.  Her research interests include innovation, strategy, organizational change, platform-based businesses and their related ecosystems.  Her work focuses on the impact to incumbent organizations as platform-based highly networked business models become more prevalent in the global economy.  Altman’s research projects focus on organizational and managerial challenges to firms as they transition from operating in traditional product-centric industries to ones where competition is platform-based.  She studies firms that themselves transition to platform businesses and also accessory and application providers that join platform-related ecosystems.  

Altman was formerly vice president of business development in Motorola's Mobile Devices business.  During Altman's 18 year career at Motorola, she served in various executive and leadership positions including roles in industrial design, product development engineering, manufacturing, marketing, and strategy.  Altman’s main areas of professional expertise include business and innovation strategy, business development, M&A, equity investing, developing and managing strategic alliances, and technology licensing.  

Altman earned dual graduate degrees in mechanical engineering and management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and earned her undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering from Cornell University. She has served on the Cornell University Board of Trustees and is an emeritus member of the President’s Council of Cornell Women and the Cornell University College of Engineering Advisory Board.  Altman is co-author of the book The Innovator’s Guide to Growth (Harvard Business Press, 2008).