In a research paper, SMU Assistant Professor of Strategic Management Abhijith G. Acharya and Farrell Professor of Entrepreneurship at the Pennsylvania State University Tim Pollock found that adding prestigious directors in the boardroom can come at a cost. The costs associated – particularly with regard to established work routines and existing status hierarchies – eventually begin to outweigh the benefits. But the researchers also found that boards that have worked together for a long time and have a solidly established working relationship are less likely to perceive a new director as a threat to that social order.