•  varun.nagaraj@spjimr.org

Varun Nagaraj

Professor, Information Management & Analytics

Dean, SPJIMR

Varun Nagaraj is Dean and Professor of Information Management & Analytics at S. P. Jain Institute of Management & Research (SPJIMR), Mumbai. He holds a Ph.D. in Management: Designing Sustainable Systems from Case Western Reserve University’s Weatherhead School of Management.

He also holds an MBA from Boston University, an MS in Computer Engineering from North Carolina State University, and a BTech in Electrical Engineering from IIT, Bombay. His career spanning over three decades in digital products reflects his passion for product management, development, and innovation.

He has held senior leadership roles including C-level responsibilities for venture-funded start-ups as well as public companies in the US. His research interests encompass the impacts of digital innovation on teams, organisations, and society at large. Specific interest areas include Team Learning, Product Management, Design Thinking, Entrepreneurship and Venturing, and Digital Ecosystems and Platforms.

His research contributions have been presented in prominent journals, renowned international conferences, and popular periodicals. He has previously taught at the University of Notre Dame, Pepperdine University, and Boston University.

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EDUCATION

Case Western Reserve University (Weatherhead School of Management)   

Ph.D., 2019
Focus: Design and Innovation

Boston University (Questrom School of Business)  

MBA, 1995
Major: Finance and Strategy

North Carolina State University  

MS, 1988
Major: Computer Engineering

Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay   

BTech, 1986
Major: Electrical Engineering

  • RESEARCH INTERESTS

    Team Learning

    Product Management

    Design Thinking

    Entrepreneurship and Venturing

    Digital Ecosystems and Platforms

    Innovation at the base of the pyramid

  • SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

    Recker, J., von Briel, F., Yoo, Y., Nagaraj, V., & McManus, M. (2023). Orchestrating Human-Machine Designer Ensembles during Product Innovation. California Management Review, 65(3), 27–47. https://doi.org/10.1177/00081256231170028

    Nagaraj, V. (2022). How Product Managers Use Senseshaping to Drive the Front-end of Digital Product Innovation, Research-Technology Management, 65:2, 29-40. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08956308.2022.2014718.

    Nagaraj, V., Berente, N., Lyytinen, K., Gaskin, J. (2020). Team design thinking, product innovativeness, and the moderating role of problem unfamiliarity. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 37(4), 273–372. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jpim.12528

    Link to Google Scholar

  • BOOKS/BOOK CHAPTERS

    Nagaraj, V. (2022). Chapter 8: Digital Product-Assisted-Learning: Transforming the entrepreneurial learning process with digital product analytics. Handbook of Digital Entrepreneurship, 161 – 179. Edward Elgar Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781800373631.00016

    Nagaraj, V., Joglekar, N. (2017). Digital Product Management Thinking: Integrating Analytics, Business Models, Coordination and Design Thinking (pp. 155 pages). Senseshaping Ventures LLC. https://www.amazon.in/Digital-Product-Management-Thinking-Coordination-ebook/dp/B0741RQM7R

  • CONFERENCES

    Nagaraj, V. (Author & Presenter), 82nd Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management Symposium, “A Swarm of Scholars: Adopting & Improving on the Swarm
    Method of Collaborative Qualitative Research”. Academy of Management. (August 5, 2022)

    Nagaraj, V. (Keynote Presenter), Utility Analytics Summit, “Data-Driven Analytics: How Netflix Enhances Decision Making and Applications for Utilities”, Utility Analytics Institute. (June 4, 2020). Data-Driven Analytics: How Netflix Enhances Decision Making and Applications for Utilities.

    Nagaraj, V. (Presenter), Product Collective, “Software Tools for the Product Manager”. The Product Conference. (January 1, 2019). Know more

    Nagaraj, V. (Presenter), Product Collective, “Implementing Design Thinking”. The Product Conference. (January 1, 2018). Know more

    Nagaraj, V. (Presenter), AOM Annual Conference 2018, “How does design thinking impact the market success of digital products?”Academy of Management (August 1, 2018)

    Nagaraj, V. (Presenter), Measurement Control and Automation Association Annual Conference, “Enabling Innovation – Improving your Organization’s Innovativeness through ‘Design Thinking’ Practices,” The Measurement, Control & Automation Association: MCAA, United States. (April 24, 2017).

  • CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS

    Nagaraj, V. (Presenter), Berente, N., Gaskin, J., Lyytinen, K., AOM Annual Conference 2018, “How does design thinking impact the market success of digital products?” Academy of Management, Chicago. (August 2018). https://journals.aom.org/doi/abs/10.5465/AMBPP.2018.15737abstract

    Nagaraj, V. (Presenter), Boland, R. J., Lyytinen, K., AOM Annual Conference 2017, “Senseshaping: The dynamics of sensemaking and sensegiving in high velocity product innovation,” Academy of Management, Atlanta. (August 2017). https://journals.aom.org/doi/abs/10.5465/ambpp.2017.13314abstract

  • ADVISORY WHITE PAPERS

    Nagaraj, V. (2019). Emphasize Customer Success Metrics to Accelerate Revenue Growth. Gartner Group. https://www.gartner.com/en/documents/3953741

    Nagaraj, V. (2019). Use In-Application Feedback to Continuously Improve Product-Market Fit. Gartner Group. https://www.gartner.com/en/documents/3947284

    Nagaraj, V. (2019). Reignite Growth through Targeted Investments in Software Tools for Product Management. Gartner Group. https://www.gartner.com/en/documents/3923902

    Nagaraj, V. (2019). Drive Product Growth by Emphasizing Packaging and Go-To-Market. Gartner Group. https://www.gartner.com/en/documents/3913386

    Nagaraj, V. (2019). Use Three Design Thinking Principles in Everyday Product Management to Drive Innovation. Gartner Group.
    https://www.gartner.com/en/documents/3912996

  • PERIODICALS

    Nagaraj, V. (2023). From patient capital to agile innovation: The balancing act for family businesses in India. Forbes India. Read more

    Jayakumar, T., Nagaraj, V. (2022). Let us raise a toast to family entrepreneurship in India. Mint.  Read more

    Nagaraj, V. (2022). Five Courses That Should Be Launched or Revamped By B Schools In The Post-Pandemic World. Business World (BW Education). Read more

    Nagaraj, V. (2021). Towards borderless and blended learning. India Today. Read more

    Nagaraj, V., Frey, J. (2021). The Ethical Edge of Persuasion – Where is the line between persuasion, manipulation, and coercion? Psychology Today. Read more

    Nagaraj, V., Frey, J. (2021).Ethical Manipulation in Leadership – The ethical spectrum of compelling leadership. Psychology Today. Read more

    Nagaraj, V., Frey, J. (2021). Ethical Influence – The ethical spectrum of compelling leadership. Psychology Today. Read more

    Nagaraj, V., Frey, J. (2021). Where Leadership Persuasion Tips Into Manipulation – The ethical spectrum of compelling leadership. Psychology Today. Read more

  • COURSES

    Wise Innovation Foundations

    Digital Product Management

    Product Entrepreneurship Lab

  • TEACHING INTEREST

    Product Innovation

    Digital Entrepreneurship

    Digital Transformation

    Systems Thinking

    Technology, Business, and Society

  • PROFESSIONAL SERVICE

    Guest Speaker, Pepperdine University. (2020).

    Guest Speaker, Case Western Reserve University. (2019 – 2020).

    Guest Speaker, Stanford University. (2019).

    Guest Speaker, California State University, Sacramento. (2018).

    Guest Speaker, NC State University. (2010 – 2018).

    Guest Speaker, University of Georgia. (2016).

  • PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

    Academy of Management (AOM)

    Product Development Management Association (PDMA)

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