Kaveh Abhari, Ph.D.
I’m committed to making education, innovation, and entrepreneurship accessible for underserved and disadvantaged communities. To this end, I research digital innovation and develop social technologies to support human-centered digital transformation.
I am an Associate Professor of Information Systems at Fowler College of Business at San Diego State University and affiliate research faculty at University of Hawaii at Manoa. I have an interdisciplinary Ph.D. in Communication & Information Sciences, a Ph.D. in Strategic Marketing and a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering.
orcid.org/0000-0003-1726-1357
teaching
I teach core and elective Information Systems courses such as Information Systems Analysis, Business Intelligence, and Digital Innovation & Entrepreneurship. I also developed and taught undergraduate and graduate classes in data management, data analytics, and business applications, CRM, and enterprise systems.
past classes and student feedback
Fowler College of Business | SDSU
Undergraduate:
MIS 496: Business Intelligence & Data Analytics: Spring 2019| Fall 2019 | Spring 2020
MIS 306: Information Systems Analysis: Fall 2020 | Fall 2019 | Spring 2019 {student feedback Group 1 | Group 2} | Fall 2018 {student feedback Group 1 | Group 2} | Spring 2018 {student feedback Group 1 | Group 2} | Fall 2017 {student feedback Group 1 | Group 2}
MIS 498: Investigation & Report: Fall 2019 | Spring 2020 | Fall 2020 (Undergraduate Research)
MIS 499 Special Study: Spring 2020 (Undergraduate Research)
Graduate:
MIS 691: Decision Support Systems: Fall 2019
Shidler College of Business | UHM
Graduate:
ITM685: Customer Relationship Management (VEMBA): Summer 2019 | Summer 2020
ITM660A: Business Modeling (VEMBA): Summer 2018
ITM660: Business Intelligence and Data Analytics for MBA: Summer 2015 {student feedback} | Spring 2016 {student feedback} | Summer 2016 {student feedback}
Undergraduate:
ITM387K: Introduction to Business Intelligence: Fall 2016 {student feedback} | Spring 2016 {student feedback}
ITM354: Computer and Data Systems: Summer 2016 {student feedback}
ITM387H: Enterprise Systems & Business Applications: Fall 2015 {student feedback}
BUS 311: Information Systems for Global Business Environment: Spring 2015 {student feedback}
my teaching philosophy
dMy teaching philosophy rests on several pedagogical principles. First, I believe ‘learning how to learn’ is more important than learning only what is currently known – for example, knowing how to develop analytical skills is more important than knowing a certain tool. Second, in-depth learning is facilitated by maintaining connections between different concepts, ideas, people, and real-world applications. Thus, finding and elaborating these connections is essential for meaningful learning. Third, knowledge rests in diversity of opinions, cannot be taken for granted, and is acquired in authentic and diverse environments. Fourth, students need experiential learning opportunities beyond the classroom boundaries to learn effectively in today’s networked society. And lastly, student engagement in learning is central to today’s education, and teachers’ main responsibility is to help learners effectively choose what, how, where, when, and from whom to learn.
instructional method
Education must produce action, rather than linger in the mind and lead to indecisiveness. I believe meaningful learning happens when students develop skills in exploring, experimenting, evaluating, and addressing real-world problems. As a pragmatist, rather than passing down organized bodies of knowledge to my students, I help them apply their knowledge to real situations through experimental inquiry. I encourage students to use the power of inquiry to expand their understanding, determine consequences and reflect on the possible solutions. I also bring academic disciplines together to focus on critical thinking in an interdisciplinary way. To enrich this learning experience, I value students’ critical reflection in my class and I treat the class as a community of inquiry. I promote critical thinking by having students make collective decisions in light of consequences. My firsthand knowledge of inclusive education also helps me in broadening participation of marginalized students.
lesson plan
My lesson plans are designed to bring contextually relevant cases to the learning experience. Through such applied learning experience and using different software packages, my students gain a deeper understanding as well as practical skills to address real problems, especially local business cases. My lesson plans for both general business and IS technical courses require students use theories, vocabularies, or models to describe the components within the case, then to formulate different technical or analytical solutions to address the problems and finally evaluate and discuss different scenarios in the class. Social responsibility and ethics are inherent in of all my lesson plans. My students’ successful job placements based on what they learned in my class demonstrate how well this approach prepares them for promising careers.
evaluation
I hold high academic standards but help students meet those standards by making expectations clear, acknowledging their efforts, providing extensive feedback while being accessible to meet for guidance. I minimize use of conventional test, quizzes, and exams, as I believe evaluation is for improving the learning process and supporting students not judging them. Unlike traditional evaluation, I embedded evaluations in the hands-on learning activities and give the students multiple chances to improve and resubmit the results of their work. I spend the time needed to help low-performing students to satisfy requirements. Student course evaluations illustrate their response to and appreciation of my efforts to make evaluation a learning process.
personal development
My overarching teaching goal is to develop students’ capacities, competencies, and confidence to take responsible action for personal and professional success. I pay attention to my students’ individual development by understanding their goals, diverse backgrounds, unique situations, and competencies. I invest time to reach students who lack interest or self-confidence as well as those who come to class eager to learn. As a result, my students view me as a mentor who they can trust and share their dreams and difficulties with. This healthy rapport with students has led to open communication and lasting relationships.
research
innovation networks
I’m studying collaborative innovation networks such as social product development (SPD) communities and social innovation teams. My research focuses on actor co-innovation behavior and its potential drivers related to co-innovation system attributes. My works have covered the key research and design questions such as how SPD network can be modeled, how co-innovation behavior can be operationalized, what motivational, risk and experiential factors affect co-innovation behavior, and what role platform affordances play in driving co-innovation outcomes.
experience networks
I’m conducting research on customer experience and employee experience in online environments including customer virtual networks. I’m interested in the modeling and managing customer experience at the strategic, operational and individual levels. For example, I studied the design and performance of customer systems such as customer relationship management and customer experience management and their relationships with other strategic systems such as employee experience management, innovation management, and marketing intelligence. My current project is the development of an audit program for social experience marketing.
learning networks
I’m exploring how ‘connectivism’ can be implemented to improve self-directed learning in knowledge networks. I’ve studied concepts such as connectivity, autonomy, diversity, resource governance, and openness in social and professional networks, and developed social learning platforms to implement and test these concepts. My current federally-funded research grant is the development, implementation, and evaluation of a collaborative learning platform for diverse learners in Hawaii. STEMD² learning platform is supported by a book series that can be found here..
entrepreneurial networks
I’m investigating a new form of collaborative entrepreneurship inspired or directed by ‘wisdom’ of the crowd. I’m interested in practical, innovative and sustainable approaches to benefit society, in particular, marginalized youths and underserved communities. I’m studying new technologies that can support the development of intelligent entrepreneurial systems (e.g. AI applications for entrepreneurial innovation). I believe socially-enabled entrepreneurial systems can redefine social innovation. Currently, I’m working with BizGym Foundation to make entrepreneurship-based learning accessible to all students.
publications & presentations
recent refereed publications
Abhari, K., Davidson, E., & Xiao, B. (in press). Modeling Social Product Development Process, Technology, and Governance. IEEE Transactions of Engineering Management.
Abhari, K., Ostroff, C., Barcellos, B. & Williams, D. (in press). Co-Governance in Digital Transformation Initiatives: The Roles of Digital Culture and Employee Experience. Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences.
Abhari, K., Ascue, N., Boer, C., Sahoo, C. & Zarei, M. (in press). Enterprise Social Network Applications: Enhancing and Driving Innovation Culture and Productivity Through Digital Technologies. Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences.
Sosa, L., Abhari, K., Pesavento, M., Koobchehr, F., Xiao B., & Kohsuwan, P. (in press). Service Failure Recovery in the Sharing Economy: A Case Study of Airbnb. Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences.
Estell, P., Davidson, E & Abhari, K. (in press). Affording Employee Voice: How Enterprise Social Networking Sites (ESNS) Create New Pathways for Employee Expression. Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences.
Abhari, K., Williams, D., Pawar, P. & Panjwani, K. (in press). Smart Entrepreneurial Systems: An Application of Deep Reinforcement Learning in Improving Entrepreneurship Mentorship. In Springer series Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing.
Adžgauskaitė, M., Abhari, K., & Pesavento, M. (2020). How Virtual Reality Is Changing the Future of Learning in K-12 and Beyond. In S. C (Ed.), HCI International 2020 – Late Breaking Papers: Cognition, Learning and Games. Lecture Notes in Computer Science (pp. 279–298). Cham: Springer.
Abhari, K., Ascue, N., Boer, C., Sahoo, C., & Zarei, M. (2020). Enterprise Social Networks and Innovation Productivity : The Role of Innovation Culture. In AMCIS 2020 Proceedings.
Abhari, K., Koobchehr, F., Huxford, C., Olivares, F., Kohsuwan, P., & Sosa, L. (2020). Redefining Education in the Digital Economy : The Role of Social Innovation- based Learning in Information Systems Education. In AMCIS 2020 Proceedings.
Young, R., Wahlberg, L., Davis, E., & Abhari, K. (2020). Towards a Theory of Digital Entrepreneurship Mindset : The Role of Digital Learning Aptitude and Digital Literacy. In AMCIS 2020 Proceedings (best paper nominee)
Kelly, J., Abhari K., Durcikova, A., Frost, E. & Jennex, M. (2020). Data in the Wild: A KM Approach to Collecting Census Data Without Surveying the Population and the Issue of Data Privacy. Knowledge Management, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship in a Changing World.
Abhari, M., & Abhari K. (2020). Ambient Intelligence Applications in Architecture: Factors Affecting Adoption Decisions. Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing. Springer, Cham.
Abhari, K., Vemero A., & Davidson E. (2020). Psychology of Business Intelligence Tools: Needs-Affordances-Features Perspective. The 53rd Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences.
Abhari, K., Davidson, E., & Xiao, B. (2019). Experience First’: Investigating Co-Creation Experience in Social Product Development Networks. AIS Transactions on Human-Computer Interaction. 11 (1). pp 1-32.
Abhari, K., Davidson, E., & Xiao, B. (2019). Collaborative Innovation in the Sharing Economy: Profiling Social Product Development Actors through Classification Modeling. Internet Research.
Abhari, M., & Abhari K. (2019). Design with Perfect Sense: The Adoption of Smart Sensor Technologies in Architectural Practice. The 52nd Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences.
Kelly, J., Jennex, M., Abhari K., Durcikova, A., & Frost, E. (2019). Data in the Wild: A KM Approach to doing a Census Without Asking Anyone and the Issue of Privacy. The 52nd Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences.
Abhari K., Xiao B., & Davidson E. (2018). The Role of Actor Capability in (Re)Defining Technology Affordances: The Case of Open Innovation Platform. In: Nah FH., Xiao B. (eds) HCI in Business, Government, and Organizations. HCIBGO 2018. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 10923. Springer, Cham.
Abhari, K., Davidson, E., & Xiao, B. (2018). A Risk Worth Taking? The Effects of Risk and Prior Experience on Co-Innovation Participation. Internet Research. 28 (3) pp. 804-825.
Abhari, K., Davidson, E., & Xiao, B. (2018). Classifying Motivations in Social Product Development Networks: A Discriminant Analysis of Actor Profiles. The 51st Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, Hawaii. pp. 523-532.
Abhari, K., Davidson, E., & Xiao, B. (2017). Co-innovation Experience in Social Product Development Networks: Construct Development and Measurement Validation. The 23rd Americas Conference on Information Systems, Boston.
Abhari, K., Davidson, E., & Xiao, B. (2017). Co-Innovation Platform Affordances: Developing a Conceptual Model and Measurement Instrument. Industrial Management & Data Systems. 117 (5), pp. 873-895.
Abhari, K., Xiao, B., & Davidson, E. (2017). Actor Communication in Co-innovation Network: The Role of Social Affordances, Experience and Desire to Learning. In Nah, F., & Tan, C. (Eds.) HCI in Business, Government and Organizations. Interacting with Information Systems. HCIBGO 2017. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 10293. Springer, Cham.
Abhari, K. A (2017). Connectivist Approach to Meeting the Needs of Diverse Learners: The Role of Social Technologies. The Teaching Colleges and Community Worldwide Conference. Honolulu.
Abhari, K., Davidson, E., & Xiao, B. (2017). Measuring the Perceived Risk of Collaborative Innovation Networks. The 50th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, Hawaii.
Smidt, H., Thornton, M., & Abhari, K. (2017). The Future of Social Learning: A Novel Approach to Connectivism. The 50th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, Hawaii.
Abhari K., Davidson E.J. (2016) Creative Co-production: The Adaption of an Open Innovation Model in Creative Industries. In: Lugmayr A., Stojmenova E., Stanoevska K., Wellington R. (eds) Information Systems and Management in Media and Entertainment Industries. International Series on Computer Entertainment and Media Technology. Springer, Cham
Abhari, K., Davidson, E., & Xiao, B. (2016). Taking Open Innovation to the Next Level: A Conceptual Model of Social Product Development (SPD). The 22nd Americas Conference on Information Systems, San Diego.
Abhari, K., Davidson, E., & Xiao, B. (2016). Measuring the Perceived Functional Affordances of Collaborative Innovation Networks in Social Product Development. The 49th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, Kauai.
Abhari, K., Roberts, K., Young, R., & Toyofuku, J. (2016). Connectivism in Inclusive STEM Education. The 32nd Pacific Rim International Conference on Disabilities and Diversity, Honolulu.
Stodden, R.A., Abhari, K, & Kong, E. (2015). Secondary School Preparation & Transition of Youth with Disabilities. In Tankersley, M., Cook, B., & Landrum, T. In Cook B., Tankersley M., & Landrum T. (Eds.) Advances in Learning and Behavioral Disabilities. 28 (1). Council for Exceptional Children. Emerald.
upcoming and recent talks
Adzgauskaite, Marta, & Abhari, K. (2020). Virtual Reality Applications and Experiential Learning Needs : The Needs-Affordances- Features Perspective. In AMCIS 2020 TREO. Virtual.
Abhari, K., & Solomon, Z. (2020). Reciprocal Relationship between Employee Experience Management and Digital Transformation. In AMCIS 2020 TREO. Virtual.
Ostroff, C., Barcellos, B., & Abhari, K. (2020). Digital Culture , neither Strategy nor Technology , Drives Digital Transformation. In AMCIS 2020 TREO. Virtual.
Abhari, K. (2020). Digital Transformation and Experiential Values of Work. Interdisciplinary Conference on Advances in Communication and Information Sciences. Honolulu.
Abhari, K. (2020). Panel: Digital Entrepreneurship. California Education Conference, San Diego.
Abhari, K. (2020). Authentic Social Learning in Time of Crisis. San Diego State University, San Diego.
Abhari, K., Sue, S. & Furutani, D. (2019). Symposium: Secrets to Priming Entrepreneurship Platforms for Deep Learning & AI Research. The 52nd Hawaii International Conferences on System Sciences, Maui.
Abhari, K., Sue, S. & Furutani, D. (2018). Talk: From Learning to Earning: The Future of Entrepreneurship-based Education. Schools of the Future Conference, Honolulu.
Abhari, K., & Sue, S. (2018). Symposium: BIZGENICS – Toward Intelligent Youth Entrepreneurial Systems. The 51st Hawaii International Conferences on System Sciences, Hawaii.
Abhari, K., & Sue, S. (2017). Talk: The Future of Competency-based Assessment. Schools of the Future Conference, Honolulu. The 50th Hawaii International Conferences on System Sciences, Hawaii.
Abhari, K., Toyofuku, J., Smidt, H. & Gao, K. (2017). Talk: Operationalizing Connectivism for Inclusive Education. The 33rd Pacific Rim International Conference on Disabilities and Diversity, Honolulu.
Abhari, K., Toyofuku, J., Smidt, H. & Gao, K. (2017). STEMD2 Product & Services. The 33rd Pacific Rim International Conference on Disabilities and Diversity, Honolulu.
Abhari, K., & Smidt, H. (2017). Talk: The Future of Social Learning: A Connectivist Approach to Using Social Technologies for Inclusive and Socially Responsible Education. TERO, the 23rd Americas Conference on Information Systems, Boston.
Abhari, K. A (2017). Connectivist Approach to Meeting the Needs of Diverse Learners: The Role of Social Technologies. The Teaching Colleges and Community Worldwide Conference. Honolulu.
Abhari, K., Young, R., Toyofuku, J., Smidt, H., & Chu, T. (2016). Socio-culturally Responsive STEM Curriculum Development. The 32nd Pacific Rim International Conference on Disabilities and Diversity, Honolulu.
Abhari, K., McCann, K., Roberts, K., Young, R. & Toyofuku J. (2016). Taking a Connectivist Approach to Inclusive STEM Education. The 32nd Pacific Rim International Conference on Disabilities and Diversity, Honolulu.
Abhari, K., Roberts, K., Young, R., & Toyofuku, J. (2016). Connectivism in Inclusive STEM Education. The 32nd Pacific Rim International Conference on Disabilities and Diversity, Honolulu.
recent funded projects
2018 – now Ne’epapa Ka Hana 2.0 (PI) – funded by the US Department of Education. Learn more
2018 – now Hoʻokuʻi III: Na Kumu Alakaʻi (co-PI) – funded by the US Department of Education. Learn more
2014 – 2017 Ne’epapa Ka Hana (PI) – funded by the US Department of Education. Learn more
2013 – 2014 Kakau Mea Nui Project – funded by the US Department of Education
2011 – 2014 Hawaii Model Demonstration Project – funded by the US Department of Education. Learn More
recent research notes
Using Smart Sensor Technology in Building Design. SDSU (2019). Read here.
Why meaning is the key to employee experience – and customer satisfaction. The Economist. (2019). Read Here
SDSU MIS Faculty Spotlight. SDSU. (2019). Read Here
A Data-Centric Approach to the US Census. information Week. (2019). Read Here
A Connectivist Approach to Inclusive and Socially Responsible Education. CDS. (2017). Read Here
services
I’m a ‘digital transformation’ consultant. I help organizations choose, implement, and evaluate technology-enabled solutions to better serve people and planet. I provide services through different channels, including but not limited to:
STEMD2 R&D Group provides educational services. We innovate, test, and disseminate research-based practices to support STEM education in diverse populations. STEMD2 service portfolio includes the design, implementation, and evaluation of inclusive pedagogies, curricula, teacher professional development events, and learning platforms. For more information visit: http://stemd2.org
The Digital Innovation Lab focuses on four research streams: redefining education using new technologies, democratizing digital innovation, transforming digital entrepreneurship and actualizing digital transformation. For example, we study theories such as connectivism and networked learning and develop social learning platforms to support education reform with an emphasis on inclusive education and authentic learning. We examine the role of social computing and social technologies in new product or service development. We develop and validate different algorithms, assessment, and technologies to inform digital entrepreneurship efforts. We study different organizational and Information Systems theories to understand the role of people, process and technologies in realizing the values of digital transformation.
Bizgenics Foundation provides entrepreneurship programs with an emphasis on inspiring the disadvantaged, at-risk and under-served. Bizgenics educational programs are focused on promoting innovation, entrepreneurship and business literacy to empower the disenfranchised youth to achieve positive legacy through business.
Kanalytix is a human intelligence institute that provides consulting services to SMEs in order to help them navigate their digital transformation journey. Kanalytix assists its clients with identifying their employees’ needs, evaluating their experience and performance, and constructing data-driven support systems. Kanalytix service portfolio includes professional development as well as the design, deployment, and maintenance of human intelligence solutions, open innovation platforms, and employee experience management systems.