[3] He was the doctoral thesis advisor for several well known economists, notably John Bates Clark Medal winner Susan Athey.
In 2002, Roberts received the Excellence in Teaching Award from the Stanford Graduate School of Business' Sloan Master's Program.
Roberts' research focuses on the design, governance and management of organizations, especially in an international context.
He also has published extensively on industrial competition and the influence of differences in information among parties on strategic behavior.
Most recently, he has been involved in two path-breaking controlled experiments in large firms examining the effects of changing management practices.