{"id":282,"date":"2020-09-13T12:32:33","date_gmt":"2020-09-13T12:32:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hackettlabs.com\/?page_id=282"},"modified":"2024-01-26T18:42:27","modified_gmt":"2024-01-26T18:42:27","slug":"research","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/hackettlabs.com\/research\/","title":{"rendered":"Research"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Research Interests<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I am interested in how digitalization transforms existing businesses and makes new businesses possible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With regard to the transformation of existing businesses, I like the definition offered by McKinsey: “A digital transformation is the fundamental rewiring of how an organization operates, undergirded by technology and increasingly, AI. The goal of a digital transformation is to build a competitive advantage by continuously deploying tech at scale to improve customer experience, lower costs, and improve the company\u2019s tech capabilities and ways of working.<\/em>” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To pursue this interest, I need to understand consumer behavior<\/strong> (how customers think, feel, and act in relation to a value proposition), innovation<\/strong> (the development of new products, services, and experiences), entrepreneurship<\/strong> (wrapping an innovation in a business model and connecting the business model to the market), and strategy<\/strong> (“an integrated set of choices that positions an organization within its environment to achieve its vision over the long term<\/em>.”) When a business attempts to cross borders and cultures, international cross-cultural management<\/strong> skills and negotiation<\/strong> skills are required. Additionally, I need to follow technological trends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I conduct research independently and with graduate students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am a supporter<\/a> of the Responsible Research in Business & Management (RRBM) network and a co-signer of the Vision 2030<\/a> position paper which means that I believe that management research should produce \u201cuseful and credible knowledge that addresses problems important to business and society.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The way that I live my RRBM-related values is by helping my graduate students to understand that — although their focus as management researchers is on building theory — the data they use to test hypotheses comes from the “real world.” And, although the nature of research ethics demands anonymity, and although the academic journal editors in the management domain value contributions to theory over practice, as researchers — if they choose to do so — in addition to building theory they can also develop a nuanced understanding of the context from which they draw their data enabling them to better understand the “story” their data are telling. This heightened contextual awareness enables my graduate students to better target the communication of their research results to populations that are more likely to benefit from those results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When working with graduate students, I deliberately reframe the task of designing and conducting a Master’s level research project as part of the process of leader development<\/em> as a way to keep them motivated and on track to complete their thesis by the deadline. Many of my students go from having zero knowledge about how to conduct a management discipline-related study, to completing a theory-driven, deductive, quantitative, correlational study in eight months, while carrying a full course load. (I use CANVAS LMS, outlines, templates, and Gantt charts to accelerate student learning along the thesis understanding curve<\/em>).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Skills acquired in the process of completing this learning journey include – but are not limited to – the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Problem finding\/Problem framing (i.e. problem definition) skills
\u2022 Research skills
\u2022 Project-management skills
\u2022 The ability to \u201ctoggle\u201d between the World of Theory and the World of Phenomena. (This ability is essential for translating theory into practice that fits the context in which the professionals are\/will be managing).
\u2022 Conceptual thinking skills
\u2022 Critical thinking skills
\u2022 Skills related to the design and testing of Research Instruments.
\u2022 Statistical Analysis skills
\u2022 other<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Academic Memberships<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I am a member of the following academic societies:<\/p>\n\n\n\n