Naveen Gudigantala

Associate Professor of Business 

“After completing my bachelor’s degree and MBA in India, I worked at a local retail bank and became fascinated with how technology was used to streamline business and to make it convenient for customers. I came to the U.S. and earned an M.S. degree and Ph.D., both in information systems, before joining UP in 2009.

My current research includes the design and development of information systems to support consumer decision-making. The technology for this is called web-based decision support systems, and I study how to design, develop, and implement them effectively. I also research e-Commerce success factors that influence users’ intention to purchase on a website and factors that convert a website visitor into a buyer. If users don’t trust a website, the business will not work. I also am studying ethical issues surrounding the gray market for IT products, such as smart phones, laptops and cameras that are often purchased for a ridiculously low price by consumers who are unaware that they are buying via unauthorized channels. While manufacturers do not want wholesalers to sell to partners outside the distribution channels, they sometimes sell anyway to make more money. The problem is that consumers may later experience a problem with these products, and the manufacturer may decline to honor the warranty.

I train my students to use concepts, data, models, and tools to develop or use information systems to improve organizational processes and to make better decisions. I regularly involve Pamplin Fellows (graduate students with fellowships) in my research projects. I am also currently working with a student on a Dundon-Berchtold Initiative in Applied Ethics, and I advise undergraduates interested in majoring in operations and technology management. It is a great feeling to nurture students and see them become not only competent and confident individuals but also compassionate people who do great things in their careers.”

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