He is the author of 14 books and over 300 cases and teaching notes in the fields of Information Technology, China, and Social Enterprise.

McFarlan began his career at Harvard Business School as a research assistant from 1961 to 1962.

In 1973, shortly after appointment to full professor, along with four colleagues, he established Harvard's International Senior Management Program in Switzerland.

[1] He continues to teach in the Harvard Business School Executive Programs for Non-Profit Leaders and board members.

McFarlan served as guest professor and co-director at the Case Development Center at the Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management in Beijing, China from 2009 to 2015 [2] McFarlan received an honorary doctorate from the University of Turku, Finland in 1989.