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Anton Ovchinnikov

Professor & Distinguished Professor of Management Analytics
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Overview

Anton Ovchinnikov is a Distinguished Professor of Management Analytics at Smith School of Business in Kingston, Canada. His research interests include, on the theoretical side, behavioral operations, revenue management and environmental sustainability. On the applied side, he studies data-driven applications in business, government and nonprofit sectors.

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Academic Area

  • Management Analytics
  • Operations Management and Technology
  • Sustainability

Interest Topics

Faculty Details

Profile

Full Bio

Anton Ovchinnikov is a Distinguished Professor of Management Analytics at Smith School of Business in Kingston, Canada.

His research interests include, on the theoretical side, behavioral operations, revenue management and environmental sustainability. On the applied side, he studies data-driven applications in business, government and nonprofit sectors.

Anton’s work has been published in the leading academic journals. One of his academic papers was recognized as the finalist of the 2009 Junior Faculty Best Paper Competition held by the Institute of Operations Research and Management Sciences (INFORMS), and his applied work was recognized as the finalist in the 2014 INFORMS Revenue Management and Pricing section Practice Prize. In 2015 Anton received the Paul Kleindorfer Award in Sustainability from the Production and Operations Management Society (POMS) for his work on sustainable operations. His case studies also won several awards, including the 2005 and 2011 INFORMS Case competitions. Anton organized several conferences and is on the editorial review boards of two leading operations management journals; his contributions to the academic community also received multiple service awards.

Prior to joining Smith, Anton taught data and decision analysis courses at the University of Virginia, management science and supply chain management courses at the University of Toronto, as well as in multiple executive educations programs around the world. He holds a specialist degree in economics from his hometown university in Krasnoyarsk, Russia, and a PhD in operations management from the University of Toronto.

Before starting his academic career, he worked in Germany, the Netherlands and Russia in the area of commercializing high-tech developments and co-owned a business in industrial and architectural design.

Academic Degrees

PhD in Operations Management
Joseph L. Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto (2007)

Diploma in Economics and Business
Erasmus University Rotterdam (1999)

Diploma of Higher Education in International Business
Department of Economics, Krasnoyarsk State University (1997)

Academic Experience

Smith School of Business, Queen's University
Professor of Management Analytics (2021 - Present)
Distinguished Professor of Management Analytics [4-year terms] (2019-2023 & 2024-2028)
Director of Research for Analytics and AI (2020 - Present)
Associate Professor of Management Science and Operations Management (tenured) (2014-2021)

INSEAD, France
Visiting Professor of Decision Sciences (2016 - Present)

Darden School of Business, University of Virginia
Assistant Professor of Quantitative Analysis area (tenure-track) (2007-2014)

Publications

Peer-Reviewed Academic Publications

1. Evgeniou T., Fekom M., Ovchinnikov A., Porcher R., Pouchol C. and N Vayatis. (2023) “Pandemic Lock-down, Isolation, and Exit Policies Based on Machine Learning Predictions.” Production and Operations Management [special issue on Managing Pandemics] 32(5) 1307-1322

  • The paper results were presented to the COVID taskforce leaders (advisors to country presidents) in the USA and in France.

Technical appendices for this article published as standalone papers in non-business journals:

  • Garin M., Limnios M., Nicolaï A., Evgeniou T., Bargiotas I., Boulant O., Chick S. E., Dib A., Fekom M., Kalogeratos A., Labourdette C., Ovchinnikov A., Porcher R., Pouchol C. and N. Vayatis. (2021) “Epidemic Models for COVID-19 during the First Wave from February to May 2020: a Methodological Review.” HAL Open Science 03332525.
  • Boulant O., Evgeniou T., Fekom M., Ovchinnikov A., Porcher R., and N. Vayatis. (2020) “SEAIR Framework Accounting for a Personalized Risk Prediction Score: Application to the Covid-19 Epidemic.” Image Processing On Line 10 (2020) 150-166.

Practitioner-oriented article(s) about this paper:

  • Ovchinnikov A. “A national health data infrastructure could manage pandemics with less disruption.” The Conversation Canada, Aug 16, 2020.
  • Ovchinnikov A. “To Fight Pandemics, Take the Netflix Approach.” Smith Business Insight, Aug 11, 2020.
  • Evgeniou T., Hardoon D. R. and A. Ovchinnikov. “Leveraging AI to Battle This Pandemic — And The Next One.” Harvard Business Review (online), April 20, 2020.
  • Translated into five languages and featured in numerous news media.

2. Ovchinnikov A., Pun H. and G. Raz. (2023) “The Impact of Inventory Risk on Market Prices Under Competition.” Decision Sciences 54(1), 29-42.

  • Practitioner-oriented article(s) about this paper: Ovchinnikov A., Pun H. and G. Raz. “Mind the Inventory Risk: Price Paradox Under Competition.” INSEAD Knowledge, June 6, 2022.

3. Esenduran G., Letizia P. and A. Ovchinnikov. (2022) “Customization and Returns.” Management Science 68 (6) 4517-4526

  • Fast Track article
  • Featured in the EiC’s quarterly newsletter.

Practitioner-oriented article(s) about this paper:

  • Ovchinnikov A. “Should Companies Allow Returns of Customised Goods.” INSEAD Knowledge, November 14, 2022,
  • Esenduran G., Letizia P. and A. Ovchinnikov. “Whose Customized Products Can Be Returned?” Harvard Business Review, 100 (7-8), 32,
  • Esenduran G., Letizia P. and A. Ovchinnikov. “Why You Should Allow Returns on Customized Products.” Harvard Business Review (online), March 9, 2022,
  • Desmarais S., Hossini A., Klotz H., Siddiqui N., Vayeda H. and N. Zugic-Drakulic. “The Trouble With Online Shopping Returns.” Smith Business Insight, April 12, 2021.

4. Kelley S., Ovchinnikov A., Hardoon D. R. and A. Heinrich (2022) “Antidiscrimination Laws, Artificial Intelligence, and Gender Bias: A Case Study in Nonmortgage Fintech Lending” Manufacturing & Services Operations Management [special issue on Responsible Research in Operations Management] 24 (6) 2797-3306

  • Recognized by UNSECO as one of Global Top 100 AI projects to advance Sustainable Development Goals
  • Co-winner, 2023 MSOM Society iFORM SIG Best Paper Award
  • As of September 2024, one of the Most Read articles in the MSOM journal.

Practitioner-oriented article(s) about this paper:

  • Ovchinnikov A. “How Anti-Discriminatory Measures Can Worsen AI Bias.” INSEAD Knowledge, October 26, 2023,
  • Kelley S., Ovchinnikov A., Heinrich A., and D. R. Hardoon. “Removing Demographic Data Can Make AI Discrimination Worse.” Harvard Business Review (online), March 6, 2023,
  • Ovchinnikov A. and S. Kelley. “AI Bias: When Antidiscrimination Laws Turn Sour.” Smith Business Insight, June 28, 2022.

5. Chun S. Y. and A. Ovchinnikov. (2019) “Strategic Consumers, Revenue Management, and the Design of Loyalty Programs.” Management Science 65(9) 3969-3987

Practitioner-oriented article(s) about this paper:

  • Chun S. Y. and A. Ovchinnikov “Optimal Design of Loyalty Programmes.” INSEAD Knowledge, August 2, 2019,
  • Lubell J. “Customer-Friendly Skies.” Georgetown Business Magazine, June 28, 2017,
  • Palmquist M. “Why Loyalty Programs Based on Consumer Spending Can Be a Win-Win.” strategy+business, December 10, 2015.

6. Quiroga B., Moritz B. and A. Ovchinnikov. (2019) “Behavioral Ordering, Competition and Profits: An Experimental Investigation.” Production and Operations Management, 28(9), 2242-2258

Practitioner-oriented article(s) about this paper:

  • Ovchinnikov A. “Managerial Biases Cost Your Firm More Than You Think” INSEAD Knowledge, December 11, 2019,
  • Morantz A. “Why You Can’t Be Trusted to Restock Your Shelves” Smith Business Insight, July 23, 2019.

7. Kirshner S. and A. Ovchinnikov. (2019) “Heterogeneity of Reference Effects in Competitive Newsvendor Problem.” Manufacturing & Services Operations Management 21(3) 571-58.1

8. Kremer M., Mantin B. and A. Ovchinnikov. (2017) “Dynamic Pricing in the Presence of Myopic and Strategic Consumers: Theory and Experiment.” (former title “Strategic Consumers, Myopic Retailers”) Production and Operations Management, 26(1), 116-133.

  • Practitioner-oriented article(s) about this paper: Morantz A. “Finding Retail Profit in Delayed Gratification” Smith Business Insight, Feb 23, 2017.

9. Baucells M., Osadchiy N. and A. Ovchinnikov. (2017) “Behavioral Anomalies in Consumer Wait-or-Buy Decisions and Their Implication for Markdown Management.” with Manel Baucells and Nikolay Osadchiy. Operations Research, 65(2), 357-378.

Practitioner-oriented article(s) about this paper:

  • Morantz A. “Markdowns: Decoding the Nuances of Consumer Behaviour” Smith Business Insight, Dec 29, 2016,
  • “Customer Focused Retail Strategy”, IEDP Editorial, July 28, 2016,
  • Baucells M. “Markdown Management: In Pursuit of the Optimal Discount” Darden Ideas to Action, Oct 7, 2016.

10. Raz G., Ovchinnikov A. and V. Blass. (2017) “Economic, Environmental and Social Assessment of Remanufacturing in a Competitive Setting.” IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, 64(4), 476-490.

11. Ovchinnikov A., Moritz B. and B. Quiroga. (2015) “How to Compete against a Behavioral Newsvendor.” Production and Operations Management, 24(11), 1783-2973.

  • Practitioner-oriented article(s) about this paper: Morantz A. “Out-Stocking Your Competitor.”, Smith Business Insight, July 3, 2015.

12. Raz G. and A. Ovchinnikov. (2015) “Coordinating Pricing and Supply of Public Interest Goods Using Government Rebates and Subsidies.” IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, 62 (1), 65-79.

  • Practitioner-oriented article(s) about this paper: Ovchinnikov A. and G. Raz. “Tweaking incentives could aid the adoption of electric vehicles.” The Washington Post, February 20, 2015.

13. Ovchinnikov A., Boulu-Reshef B. and P. Pfeifer. (2014) “Balancing Acquisition and Retention Spending for Firms with Limited Capacity.” Management Science, 60 (8), 2002–2019.

14. Ovchinnikov A., Blass V. and G. Raz. (2014) “Economic and Environmental Assessment of Remanufacturing Strategies for Product+Service Firms.” Production and Operations Management 23(5) 744-761.

  • Practitioner-oriented article(s) about this paper: Raz G., Ovchinnikov A. and V. Blass “Bringing new life to an old phone.” The Washington Post, May 29, 2015.

15. Krass D., Nedorezov T. and A. Ovchinnikov. (2013) “Environmental Taxes and the Choice of Green Technology.” Production and Operations Management 22(5), 1035-1055.

  • Labelled as a “Highly Cited Article” by the Web of Science
  • Per the Web of Science, as of late 2023, it is the most cited article published in POM in the last 15 years, and 9th most cited article in the journal of all times
  • The most-cited, top influential article on environmental/carbon tax across economics, business, finance, and social sciences published since 2001, according to the bibliometric study by Patel and Jhalani (2023).

16. Ovchinnikov A. and J. Milner. (2012) “Revenue Management with End-of-Period Discounts in the Presence of Customer Learning.” Production and Operations Management 21(1), 69-84.

17. Ovchinnikov A. (2011) “Revenue and Cost Management for Remanufactured Products.” Production and Operations Management 20(6), 824-840.

  • Finalist, 2009 INFORMS JFIG Best Paper Competition.

18. Pfeifer P. and A. Ovchinnikov. (2011) “A Note on Willingness to Spend and Customer Lifetime Value for Firms with Limited Capacity.” Journal of Interactive Marketing 25 (3), 178-189.

19. Krass D. and A. Ovchinnikov. (2010) “Constrained Group balancing: Why Does it Work.” European Journal of Operational Research 206(1) 144-154.

20. Ovchinnikov A. and J. Milner. (2008) “Spreadsheet Model Helps to Assign Medical Residents at the University of Vermont’s College of Medicine.” Interfaces 38(4) 311-323.

21. Krass D. and A. Ovchinnikov. (2006) “The University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management Uses Management Science to Create MBA Study Groups.” Interfaces 36(2) 126-137.

Practitioner-Oriented Publications [excluding Case Studies]

1. Ovchinnikov A. “Why Decarbonisation Is So Hard” INSEAD Knowledge April 22, 2024 (Earth Day special issue, Crossroads: Business and Society series)

  1. Reprints: Business Times, April 27, 2024, Forbes India, April 30, 2024

2. Ovchinnikov A. “How Anti-Discriminatory Measures Can Worsen AI Bias” INSEAD Knowledge October 26, 2023.

3. Kelley S., Ovchinnikov A., Heinrich A., and D. R. Hardoon. “Removing Demographic Data Can Make AI Discrimination Worse” Harvard Business Review (online), March 6, 2023.

4. Ovchinnikov A. “Should Companies Allow Returns of Customised Goods” INSEAD Knowledge, November 14, 2022.

  1. Reprint: Quality Digest, November 29, 2022.

5. Ovchinnikov A. “To Fight Food Waste, Grocers Turn to Analytics” Smith Business Insight, July 22, 2022

6. Ovchinnikov A. and S. Kelley. “AI Bias: When Antidiscrimination Laws Turn Sour” Smith Business Insight, June 28, 2022.

7. Ovchinnikov A., Pun H. and G. Raz. “Mind the Inventory Risk: Price Paradox Under Competition” INSEAD Knowledge, June 6, 2022.

8. Esenduran G., Letizia P. and A. Ovchinnikov. “Whose Customized Products Can Be Returned?” Harvard Business Review, 100 (7-8), 32.

9. Esenduran G., Letizia P. and A. Ovchinnikov. “Why You Should Allow Returns on Customized Products” Harvard Business Review (online), March 9, 2022.

10. Ovchinnikov A. “A national health data infrastructure could manage pandemics with less disruption” The Conversation Canada, Aug 16, 2020.

11. Ovchinnikov A. “To Fight Pandemics, Take the Netflix Approach” Smith Business Insight, Aug 11, 2020.

12. Evgeniou T., Hardoon D. R. and A. Ovchinnikov. “What Happens When AI is Used to Set Grades?” Harvard Business Review (online), August 13, 2020.

  1. Popular press coverage: Business Times (Singapore), The Standard (Hong Kong), NewsTalk, Academica (Canada).

13. Evgeniou T., Hardoon D. R. and A. Ovchinnikov. “Leveraging AI to Battle This Pandemic — And The Next One.” Harvard Business Review (online), April 20, 2020.

  1. Russian version: https://hbr-russia.ru/innovatsii/tekhnologii/830531
  2. French version: https://www.hbrfrance.fr/chroniques-experts/2020/07/30697-lintelligence-artificielle-au-service-de-la-lutte-contre-la-pandemie-actuelle-et-la-suivante/
  3. Popular press coverage: FT/Sifted, Challenges – France, Le Parisien, Business Times (Singapore), The Edge (Singapore), Yahoo Finance, Maeil (Korea).

14. Evgeniou T., Hardoon D. R. and A. Ovchinnikov. “Balancing Data Policies: What COVID-19 Taught Us.” United Nations Development Program (UNDP) blog, May 19, 2020. [link].

15. Ovchinnikov A. “Managerial Biases Cost Your Firm More Than You Think” INSEAD Knowledge, December 11, 2019.

16. Chun S. Y. and A. Ovchinnikov “Optimal Design of Loyalty Programmes” INSEAD Knowledge, August 2, 2019.

17. Raz G., Ovchinnikov A. and V. Blass “Bringing new life to an old phone.” The Washington Post, May 29, 2015.

18. Ovchinnikov A. and G. Raz. “Tweaking incentives could aid the adoption of electric vehicles.” The Washington Post, February 20, 2015.

19. Ovchinnikov A. “Pitched roofs or math — what matters for solar?” The Washington Post, June 14, 2013.

20. Laseter T., Ovchinnikov A. and G. Raz. (2010) “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle…or Rethink.” strategy+business 61, 28-32.






Working Papers

1. Krass D. and A. Ovchinnikov. “Competitive Industry's Response to Environmental Taxation.” Under review following a Major Revision in Production and Operations Management.

2. Ovchinnikov A. and D. Forestell. “From Range Anxiety to Charge Anxiety: Operations Scholars’ Reflections on the State of Electric Vehicles’ Public Charging Infrastructure.” Major Revision in Service Science.

3. Ovchinnikov A. and J, Wang. “Customer Lifetime Value and Algorithmic Pricing.” Under revision.

4. Chen Y., Kirshner S., Ovchinnikov A., Andiappan M. and T. Jenkin. “A Manager and an AI Walk into a Bar: Does ChatGPT Make Biased Decisions Like We Do?” Minor Revision at Manufacturing & Services Operations Management.

5. Chen Y., Kirshner S., Ovchinnikov A., Andiappan M. and T. Jenkin. “Biases of Humans, of AI, and of Humans with AI.” Under review following a Reject & Resubmit at Management Science.

6. Kelley S., Jenkin T., Ovchinnikov A. and C. Ying. “Explanation Seeking and Recommendation Adherence in Human-to-Human versus Human-to-Artificial Intelligence Interactions.” Under review following a Minor revision at Decision Sciences, special issue on AI-driven Decision Sciences.

7. Kelley S., Ovchinnikov A. and A. Heinrich. “Tailoring Explainable AI: User Preferences and Profitability Implications for Firms.” Under revision. Rejected from a special issue of Management Science, but a regular (non-SI) resubmission was welcomed.

8. Meng X., Li G. and A. Ovchinnikov. “Selling and Renting Mechatronics.” Under revision following a Rejection from Management Science. Target journal: Manufacturing & Services Operations Management, target resubmission: Fall 2024.

9. Chen Y., Ovchinnikov A. and N. Robitaille. “Does Size Matter for Loyalty Reward Redemptions?” Rejected from Management Science, but revision currently on hold as the student (Yang Chen) is busy with timelier “ChatGPT” revisions.

10. Chen Y. and A. Ovchinnikov. “Quantifying Mileage-Runs: Empirical Investigation of Strategic Consumer Behavior in Premium-Status Loyalty Programs.” Rejected from Management Science, but revision currently on hold as the student (Yang Chen) is busy with timelier “ChatGPT” papers

Work in Progress [active]

1. Hassani K., Lei M. and A. Ovchinnikov. “Pricing and Returns in the Era of Big Tech: Implications of Information Asymmetry Reversal.” Target journal: Management Science, target submission: Fall 2024.

2. Krass D. and A. Ovchinnikov. “Green Technology Choice in a Competitive Industry Subject to Environmental Taxation.” Target journal: Operations Research, target submission: Fall 2024.

3. Meng X., Kunnumkal S., Lei M., Li G. and A. Ovchinnikov. “Estimating Consumer Demand through Product Bundling.” Target journal: Operations Research, target submission: Fall 2024.

Work in Progress [slow / on hold]

1. “Database Submission – The Loyalty Program Data Set” with Yang Chen and Nicole Robitaille. Invited Submission to Marketing Science. Target submission: Summer 2024. Student (Yang Chen) is busy with timelier “ChatGPT” revisions

2. “Optimization of Risk Weighted Assets: Algorithms and Insights” with Xianfeng Meng and Ilia Tsetlin Target journal: INFORMS Journal of Applied Analytics (formerly, Interfaces), target submission: Fall 2024. The work is done, but the student (Xianfeng Meng) is busy finishing other dissertation chapters.

3. “Operational Challenges in Distributed Manufacturing: Managing a Virtual Factory in Kenya” with Victor Araman and Andre Calmon. On hold due to collaborators’ availability and priorities.

4. “Trade Credit and the Lifetime Value of a Newsvendor Buyer” with Elaheh Fata. Progressing slowly due to student/RA availability.

5. “When Should an Entrepreneur Hire the First Employee: Experimental Analysis” with Beatrice Boulu-Reshef and Charles Corbett. Progressing slowly due to student/RA availability.

Book Chapters

1. Ovchinnikov A. and J. Mackinnon. (2024) “Green Technology Choice for Deep Decarbonization.” Sustainable Supply Chains, 2nd Eds. Bouchery Y., Tan T., Fransoo J. and C. Corbett, Springer International Publishing.

Practitioner-oriented article(s) about this paper:

  • Ovchinnikov A. “Why Decarbonisation Is So Hard” INSEAD Knowledge April 22, 2024 (Earth Day special issue, Crossroads: Business and Society series)

2. Soltani-koopa M., Habibkhani H. K., Nediak M. and A. Ovchinnikov. (2024) “Customer Lifetime Value and Fund Transfer Pricing.” Precision Retailing, eds. Cohen M., Dube L. and N. Yang. UofT Press.

3. Ovchinnikov A. (2018) “Incorporating Consumer Behavior into Operational Decisions.” Handbook of Behavioral Operations, eds. Donohue K., Katok E. and S. Leider, Willey.

4. Ovchinnikov A. (2017) “Green Technology Choice.” Sustainable Supply Chains. Eds. Bouchery Y., Tan T., Fransoo J. and C. Corbett, Springer International Publishing.

  • This chapter has ~120,000 downloads from the publisher’s website
5. Ovchinnikov A. (2015) “The Wait or Buy Game: How to Game the System That’s Designed to Game you Back.” Handbook of Behavioral Operations Management: Social and Psychological Dynamics in Production and Service Settings. Eds. Bendoly E., Van Wezel W. and D. G. Bacharach. Oxford University Press.

Teaching

Teaching Experience

At Queen’s:
  • Master of Management Analytics (MMA) core “Predictive Modeling,” 2018-21, 24 Student evaluations: ~4.8/5.
    • Faculty of the Year Award (cohorts of 2020S and 2020W)
  • MBA elective “Pricing Analytics” (formerly, “Dynamic Pricing and Revenue Management”), 2015, 17-22 Student evaluations: ~4.8/5.
  • MMA / Global MMA core “Operations and Supply Chain Analytics,” 2015-21, 24 Student evaluations: ~4-4.3/5.
    • Faculty of the Year Award (cohorts of 2020S and 2020W)
  • Master in Digital Product Management (MDPM) core “Data-Driven Decision Making,” 2023-24, Student evaluation: TBU.
  • Bachelor of Commerce core “Intro to Operations Management,” Fall 2014. Student evaluations: ~4.2/5.
At INSEAD:
  • MBA elective “Foundations of AI for Managers” (formerly “Data Science for Managers”) 2018-24, Median student evaluations: ~4.45/5
  • MBA elective “Decision Models”, 2016-18, 23 Recent student evaluations: 4.73/5.
  • MBA elective “Pricing Analytics,” 2017-24, Median student evaluations: ~4.55/5.
  • GEMBA elective “Foundations of AI for Managers” (formerly “Data Science (and Machine Learning) for Executives”) 2018-24 Median student evaluations: ~ 4.66/5.
  • GEMBA Alumni reunion plenary “Demystifying AI,” (2019, 2023)
At Darden:
  • MBA and EMBA Core “Decision Analysis,” Darden School of Business: Fall 2006-09, Winter 2007, -08, Summer 2009 -13. Student evaluations: 4.5 - 4.7/5.
  • MBA Elective “Data Analysis and Optimization,” Darden School of Business: Spring 2010 -13. Student evaluations: 4.5 - 4.8/5.
  • SYS Elective “Business Decision Analysis,” UVA Accelerated Master Program in Systems Engineering, Spring 2007-13. Student evaluations: 4.5 - 4.9/5.
At Rotman:
  • MBA Elective “Management Science,” Rotman School of Management: Fall 2004, -05. Student evaluations: 6.3/7.
    • Excellence in Teaching Award

Executive Education

At Queen’s:
  • “Demystifying AI,” Queen’s-Lagos Business School program (2023,24), Queen’s-ESADE program (2023), Evaluations: N/A.
  • “Advanced Analytics for Legal Professionals,” Queen’s custom ExecEd 2020-22, Evaluations: N/A.
  • “Customer Analytics,” Queen’s custom ExecEd. 2015-18, Student evaluations: ~4 – 4.9/5.
  • “Operations and Supply Chain Analytics,” Queen’s custom ExecEd. Fall 2015, 2016 Student evaluations: ~4.5/5.
At INSEAD:
  • Strategic Decision Making for Leaders” (SDML), 2024, Student evaluations: ~4.4-4.8/5.
  • “Data-driven Decision Making,” INSEAD custom ExecEd (Sberbank program), 2018-22, Student evaluations: ~4.8/5.
  • Custom Executive Education on AI and ESG topics, Student evaluations reaching: 5/5.
At Darden:
  • “Business Model Innovation,” 2013-14, KIBS program, Darden. Student evaluations: ~4.6/5.
  • Faculty leader for the Unilever custom program, (USA, Russia, China) 2008-10.

Teaching Materials: Cases and Teaching Notes [Average annual sales: ~15,000]

1. “Leveraging Analytics at Victory Farms” (A), (B) and (C) with Spyros Zoumpoulis, Christian Jaubert, and Clement Moreau. INSEAD 6801.

2. “Optimization of Risk Weighted Assets: Algorithms and Insights” with Ilia Tsetlin, Daria Drik and Maria Ryzhikova. INSEAD 6721.

3. “Credit Default Modeling at Taiwan International Bank” with Spyros Zoumpoulis. INSEAD 6772.

4. “Integration Planning at SFB” (A), (B) and (C) + Teaching note with spreadsheets, Solver models, and Python code. With Georgina Hall and Piyush Gulati. INSEAD 6684.

  • Winner, INFORMS 2021 Case Competition

5. “Ethics and AI: The 2020 International Baccalaureate Grading Scandal”, UVA-QA-0919 + Teaching note.

6. “Analytics and Strategy Vignettes” + Teaching note with spreadsheets, instructor slides, quizzes, and Python code. The vignettes are also available in Russian. With Ilia Tsetlin, INSEAD 6626.

7. “Presenting Banking Products” + Teaching note with spreadsheets, Tableau workbooks, and Python code. The case is also available in Russian. With Ilia Tsetlin, INSEAD 6620.

8. “Private Banking Advisers at BCB Edmonton” (A), (B) and (C), UVA- QA-0905, 06, 07 + Teaching note with spreadsheets, Tableau workbooks, and Python code. The case is also available in Russian.

9. “Retention Modeling at Scholastic Travel Company” (A) and (B), UVA-QA-0864, 865 + Teaching note with R and Python code. The case is also available in Russian.

  • Case Centre Top 15 Bestselling cases in 2018 (Specialist Management category)

10. “Outsourcing, Near-sourcing and Supply Chain Flexibility in Apparel Industry” (A) and (B), with Alexander Pyshkov, UVA-QA-0854, 855 + Teaching note with spreadsheets and R code.

  • Case Centre Top 15 Bestselling cases in 2021 and 2023 (Specialist Management category)

11. “Chevy Volt: Pricing and Capacity Decisions in Response to Government Incentives for the Electric Vehicle Industry,” with Gal Raz and Allison Elias UVA-OM-1519.

12. “Global Warming Revisited” (A) and (B), UVA-QA-0808, 809 + Teaching note.

13. “Predicting Customer Retention at QWE Inc.”, UVA-QA-0806 + Teaching note.

  • Case Centre Top 15 Bestselling cases in 2021 (Specialist Management category)

14. “Wells Fargo: Solar Energy for Los Angeles Branches” (A) and (B), with Anastasia Hvaleva, UVA-QA-800, 801 + Teaching note.

15. “Nils Baker”, with Phil Pfeifer, UVA-QA-0793 + Teaching note.

16. “The IQ Experiment”, with Phil Pfeifer, UVA-QA-0770 + Teaching note.

17. “R&D Project Selection at NorthBancTec Inc,” UVA-QA-0762 + Teaching note.

18. “Bloomex.ca Logistics Optimization”, with Sam Bodily, UVA-QA-0760 + Teaching note.

19. “Flora (A), (B)”, with Sam Bodily, UVA-QA-0754 + Teaching note.

  • Winner, INFORMS 2011 Case Competition

20. “c-Energy’s Red Hill plant: Meeting the SO2 challenge”, UVA-QA-0726 + Teaching note.

21. “Crawford Development Co. and Southeast Bank of Texas,” with Elena Loutskina, UVA-QA-0727 + Teaching note.

22. “Timeshare Exchange Fair” with Scott Sampson and Dmitry Krass, UVA-QA-0709, 0710 + Teaching note.

  • Winner, INFORMS 2005 Case Competition

 

Teaching Materials: Online Simulations, Tutorials and Technical Notes

1. Background note: “Identifying Opportunities for Analytics and AI” with Ilia Tsetlin and Alexei Lesin. INSEAD 6860. The note includes: “Analytics and AI Opportunity Worksheet.”

2. Online simulation: “Markdown Management in Retail”, redesigned in 2020.

3. Online simulation: “Autonomous Vehicles Alliance Game” with Andrew Shipilov, 2020 + Teaching note.

4. Online tutorial: “Steps in Building a Crystal Ball Decision Model.”

5. Online simulation: “Opera House Simulation” (revenue management with lifetime value considerations) [under redesign, the initial implementation uses outdated web technology leading to compatibility issues].

6. Online simulation: “Wait-or-buy Game,” UVA-QA-0729; redesigned in 2020.

7. Technical note: “Using Binary Variables to Represent Logical Conditions in Optimization Models,” UVA-QA-0786. The note is also available in Russian.

8. Technical note / Tutorial: "Spreadsheet Modeling Exercises," with Phil Pfeifer, UVA-QA-0775.

9. Technical note: "Modeling Discrete Choice: Categorical Dependent Variables, Logistic Regression and Maximum Likelihood Estimation," UVA-QA-0779. The note is also available in Russian.

Teaching Materials: Work in Progress

Teaching notes for:

  • “Credit Default Modeling at Taiwan International Bank”
  • “Optimization of Risk Weighted Assets: Algorithms and Insights”
  • “Leveraging Analytics at Victory Farms”
  • “Identifying Opportunities for Analytics and AI”

Student Supervision

PhD (all at Queen’s):
  • Stephanie Kelley (2017-2022), Assistant Professor, St. Mary’s University, Canada
  • Yang Chen (2016 – 20, 2021– 2023 [student took a leave of absence during COVID]), Assistant Professor, Ivey Business School, Canada
  • Xianfeng Meng (2019 – present, anticipated defense, AY 2024-25)
  • Kiarash Mohammad Hassani (2019 – present, anticipated defense, AY 2024-25)
Post-docs:
  • Beatrice Boulu-Reshef (at Darden School of Business, 2012-14), Professor of Economics at the University of Orléans, France
  • Tesfamariam Abuhay (at Queen’s, 2022-24), Assistant Professor, University of Illinois Medical School, Chicago, USA

MSc (Master of Science, all at Queen’s):

  • Gaganpreet Singh (2015), Sheharyar Tauqeer (2016), Melanie Adler (2017), Xianfeng Meng (2019, cont. to PhD), Kiarash Mohammad Hassani (2019, cont. to PhD), Timothy Upson (2021), Daniel Forestell (2022), Farzad Iravani (2023), Jay MacKinnon (2024)
Numerous other Graduate and Undergraduate students. Most notable: Moez Ali (Queen’s MMA 2020), creator of PyCaret (https://pycaret.org/) – one of the leading open-source software packages for automated machine learning.

 

Research

Interests

  • Behavioral Operations
  • Sustainability
  • Revenue Management and Pricing
  • Applications of data driven decision making in business, government, and non-profits

Presentations

Invited Conference Talks (excluding presentations by co-authors/students) [post 2010]

  • 2024: POMS, INFORMS [upcoming]
  • 2023: POMS, Behavioral Ops. Conf., MSOM, iFORS, POMS International, INFORMS
  • 2022: POMS, CORS, Behavioral Ops. Conf., MSOM, INFORMS
  • 2021: POMS, CORS, INFORMS
  • 2020: POMS, INFORMS
  • 2019: RMP, MSOM, Behavioral OM Conference, INFORMS
  • 2018: POMS, RMP, EURO
  • 2017: Behavioral OM conference
  • 2016: BOM Handbook workshop, POMS, CORS, INFORMS
  • 2015: POMS, EURO, INFORMS, Chinese workshop on BOM (keynote)
  • 2014: POMS, RMP, Behavioral OM conference, M&SOM, World Remanufacturing Summit, CLSC workshop (INSEAD), INFORMS
  • 2013: INFORMS, POMS sustainability mini-conference and main conference, M&SOM Supply chain SIG and main conferences, EURO/INFORMS, Behavioral OM conference, Winter Operations Conference
  • 2012: INFORMS, POMS sustainability mini-conference and main conference, EURO
  • 2011: INFORMS, POMS, Behavioral OM conference
  • 2010, 2009: INFORMS, POMS, EURO, Behavioral OM conference

Invited Research Seminars [post 2010]

  • 2024: National Taiwan University, Seoul National University.
  • 2023: Singapore Management University, University of Virginia/Darden, University of Toronto/Rotman, University of Utah/Eccles, London Business School, University College London
  • 2022: Dalhousie University, Purdue Krannert School
  • 2020: Baruch College, CUNY
  • 2019: Indian School of Business, University of Toronto
  • 2018: Università della Svizzera Italiana, Nanyang Technological University
  • 2017: University of Tennessee, HEC Paris, Cambridge Judge
  • 2016: INSEAD Europe, Frankfurt School of Banking and Finance, Melbourne Business School, Australian Graduate School of Management
  • 2015: Emory, INSEAD Singapore, NUS, HKUST, Cornell, NYU, USC Marshall
  • 2014: Michigan Ross, Ivey, Queens, University of Calgary, ESSEC, University of Pittsburgh
  • 2013: UT Dallas, London Business School, University College London
  • 2012: University of Toronto
  • 2011: UCLA
  • 2010: Pennsylvania State University, University of Toronto, University of Waterloo

Practitioner-Oriented Presentations [2023 only, as an example]

  • April 2023: “AI for Legal Professionals,” at Morrison & Foerster Llp (MoFo).
  • June 2023: “Leadership Series — The ethics of AI and data” Scotiabank Perspectives podcast, in conversation with Grace Lee, SVP and Chief Data and Analytics Officer of Scotiabank.
  • July 2023: “Demystifying AI as of 2023”, INSEAD GEMBA Alumni Reunion plenary.
  • October-November 2023: “AI Reality Check” podcast series by Smith Business Insight. Episode 2, “Battling Bias,” and Episode 6 “The AI Colleague” (with Tracy Jenkin).
  • November 30th, 2023 [one-year anniversary of ChatGPT]: INSEAD Tech Talk X, “A Manager and an AI Walk into a Bar: Does ChatGPT Make Biased Decisions Like We Do?”
  • December 2023: Adidas Global Decision Science Community of Practice Roundtable, Inaugural meeting. “Identifying and assessing opportunities for analytics and AI.”
  • March 6th, 2024 [in conjunction with the International Women’s Day]: INSEAD Tech Talk X “When Good Intentions Go Awry: The AI Bias Paradox”
  • August 21st and September 23rd 2024 “How to Win with AI”: Danske Bank Top 100 and GenAI Week plenary keynotes (Copenhagen, Denmark)

Awards

Awards & Honours

Research awards:
  • Co-winner, Best Paper Award, 2023 MSOM Society Special Interest Group on the interface between Finance and Operations Management (iFORM SIG)
  • UNESCO’s IRCAI 2022 Global Top 100 AI projects to advance UN Sustainable Development Goals
  • Co-author of the most-cited, top influential article on environmental/carbon tax across economics, business, finance, and social sciences published since 2001 [source: Patel and Jhalani (2023)]
  • Winner, Smith School of Business Research Excellence Award, 2018
  • Winner, 2015 POMS Paul Kleindorfer Award in Sustainability
  • Finalist, INFORMS Revenue Management and Pricing section Practice Award, 2014
  • Finalist, INFORMS Junior Faculty Interest Group’s Best Paper Competition, 2009
Teaching awards (and awards for teaching materials and curriculum development):
  • Winner, INFORMS Case Competitions, 2005, 2011, 2021
  • Co-winner, INFORMS UPS George D. Smith Prize, 2020
  • Faculty of the Year Award, Smith Master in Management Analytics (MMA), 2020S and 2020W
  • Excellence in Teaching Award, 2005, 2006, Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto
Service awards:
  • Management Science Distinguished Service Award, 2016
  • M&SOM Meritorious Service Award, 2013, 2014
  • POM Best Reviewer Award, 2013

Grants & Funding

  • Co-PI (with Ceren Kolsarici), NSERC Alliance Grant, 2024-2029, ~CAD$ 1,200,000
  • Co-applicant (with Yuri Levin, Mikhail Nediak, and Matt Thompson), NSERC CRD Grant 2018-21, ~CAD$ 1,800,000
  • Co-PI (with Tracy Jenkin) SSHRC Idea Generation Grant 2019-23, ~CAD$ 80,000
  • Principal investigator, SSHRC Idea Generation Grant 2015-17, SSHRC Insight Grant 2018-22, 2023-27 Total ~ CAD$ 400,000
  • UVA Batten Institute research grant 2014 and 2015, US$ 20,000
  • 3M non-tenured faculty research grant, 2008-10, US$ 45,000

Service

Professional Service

  • Associate Editor at Operations Research 2024-present
  • Senior Editor at Production and Operations Management, 2023-present
  • Ad-hoc Associate Editor at Management Science, 2020 – present
  • Ad-hoc Senior Editor at Production and Operations Management, 2020-2023
  • Editorial Review Board Member for the Production and Operations Management, Behavioral Operations Department, 2010 – present
  • Editorial Review Board Member for the Journal of Operations Management, 2012 – present
  • INFORMS Behavioral Operations Section, Best Working Paper Award, Inaugural Committee chair, 2013, Committee member, 2014.
  • Conference co-chair: POMS College of Sustainable Operations Mini-Conference, April 2012
  • Conference chair: 5th Annual Behavioral Operations Conference, June 2010
  • NSF grants review panel in Manufacturing and Services Enterprise Systems: 2010, 2011
  • Session chair, INFORMS 2009, 12-16, EURO 2015, POMS 2012-16, CORS 2016
  • Cluster/Track char: INFORMS 2014, POMS 2015, CORS 2016
  • Ad-hoc reviewer for MS, OR, MSOM, POM, EJOR, IEEE, JOM, DS, Interfaces
  • Judge, INFORMS 2006 Case Competition, MSOM Student Paper Competition (2013 – present), BOM Best working paper award (2013 – present)