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Jeffrey A. Sonnenfeld

  • A Divided America Emboldens Putin’s Aggression

    Alexei Navalny’s death is another sign that Russia is testing the limits of the West—and the U.S. is failing that test, write Prof. Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and co-author Steven Tian.

    A protester holding a poster of Alexei Navalny's face
  • What the U.S. Has to Gain from Supporting Ukraine

    Prof. Jeffrey Sonnnenfeld and co-author Steven Tian write that spending on weapons and aid boosts the U.S. economy, strengthens the NATO alliance, and weakens the Russian war machine.

    Supporters of aid for Ukraine outside the U.S. Capitol on February 11. 
  • How Connecticut Elevated Its Business Climate

    Connecticut turned itself into a destination for new businesses by prioritizing business development and inviting input and help from the private sector, write Prof. Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and three other leaders of AdvanceCT, the state’s business attraction and retention engine.

    The Connecticut state capitol and the Hartford skyline
  • How Boeing Can Restore Trust

    The blowout of a door plug on an Alaska Air 737 MAX 9 earlier this month is just the latest incident casting doubt on the safety culture of the aerospace giant. Yale SOM leadership expert Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, a longtime observer of Boeing, and co-author Steven Tian offer a series of steps to rebuild its internal processes and win back the trust of airlines and the public.

    An airplane fuselage with plastic sheeting over an opening
  • Triumph and Disaster: The Best and Worst CEOs of 2023

    Yale SOM leadership expert Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and co-author Steven Tian highlight the three best- and worst-performing CEOs of 2023—and hint at what’s ahead for each of them in the new year.

    Marc Benioff speaking
  • No, the Business Exodus from Russia Was Not a Bonanza for Putin

    Yale SOM’s Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and Steven Tian, with Tymofiy Mylovanov and Nataliia Shapoval of the Kyiv School of Economics, respond to a New York Times articles on the effect of the boycott.

    A former McDonald’s restaurant in Moscow, with a different logo on otherwise similar food and packaging
  • The FTC’s Antitrust Overreach Is Hurting U.S. Competitiveness and Destroying Value

    Yale SOM’s Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and Steven Tian write that FTC chair Lina Khan’s attempts to block mergers are draining economic value—and consistently failing in court.

    Lina Kahn testifying
  • The Israel-Hamas War Reveals the Fundamental Flaws of Social Media

    Yale SOM’s Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and Steven Tian write that the viral spread of anti-Semitic and Islamophobic content over the last two months has underlined the failure of social media platforms to control misinformation and hate—and the importance of truth in the face of propaganda.

    A man looking at his phone in front of a television showing scenes from the Israel-Hamas war.
  • What Went Wrong at OpenAI?

    Days after he was suddenly fired, CEO Sam Altman returned to OpenAI on November 21, and the board that removed him was overhauled. We asked leadership expert Jeffrey Sonnenfeld how the company’s structure and the performance of the board contributed to the chaos.

    Sam Altman
  • Dialogue About the Middle East Is Possible—Indeed, It’s the Only Way to Peace

    A recent event held at Yale showed that discussions among Israelis, Arabs, and other concerned parties can help bring out points of commonality that may be the first steps on a path toward peace, argue Yale’s Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and Steven Tian.

    Photo of the Middle East Peace Summit