New Faculty Member Examines the Intersection Between Advancements in Technology and Public Policy

How can you utilize technological and engineering advancements for public policy, business strategy and societal objectives? That’s the question that Anparasan “Anpu” Mahalingam is fascinated by in his work as one of the newest members of the faculty at the Whitman School of Management.


Mahalingam joined Whitman’s management department in the fall of 2022 as a tenure-track assistant professor to fill a need for someone with specific research experience in digital transformation, as well as a progressive impact on traditional business domains. 


“I have a particular interest in looking at the intersection between technology and public policy,” he explains. “Even when you come up with solutions, you can be limited by what the business community is willing to do. If you want to create a concrete solution, you have to come up with something that a business can, and is willing to, actually grab onto.”


Prior to joining Whitman, Mahalingam was a postdoctoral fellow at the David Eccles School of Business at the University of Utah. He has an impressive academic background, having earned two distinct PhDs from Purdue University in 2021: one in strategic management from the Krannert School of Management, and another in industrial engineering from the College of Engineering. Additionally, he holds master's degrees in economics, global supply chain management, and sustainability, development and peace.


Mahalingam's research emphasizes various approaches through which traditional corporate strategy can enhance comprehension of the burgeoning platform phenomenon. By incorporating unique features of this innovative organizational form of value creation, he has developed a line of inquiry that bridges the fields of strategic management, entrepreneurship and organizational economics.


His research has garnered a plethora of prestigious accolades. In 2022, Mahalingam won the Academy of Management's Wiley Blackwell Outstanding Dissertation Award, honoring the world's top strategic management Ph.D. dissertation. Additional awards include the Academy of Management Strategic Management Division's Distinguished Paper Award, the Best Track Paper Award in Strategic Entrepreneurship, and the Toronto FinTech Conference's Best PhD Paper Prize.


Since joining the Whitman faculty in 2022, Mahalingam has not only continued his research, but this spring he began sharing that expertise with students through course work in MGT 247: Introduction to Strategic Management. 


"Many students concentrate on specialized topics, so we examine issues related to strategy and technology. My aim is to contribute my expertise in observing the bigger picture and ensuring their specific interests are unleashed – be it in finance or the fashion industry. It's crucial to motivate them to achieve key sets of unique competencies, allowing them to develop expertise in a particular area. Equipping themselves with unique skills aids in differentiating and preventing others from outcompeting them," he says.


Originally from Sri Lanka, Mahalingam is delighted to call the Syracuse area his new home. Despite the change in scenery, he strives to maintain his "island spirit" by taking long walks, reading, and spending quality time with his family. This includes his wife, who serves as both an operations strategy consultant for a major consulting firm and a uniformed officer for the U.S. Army, as well as two children under the age of 3. Mahalingam appreciates the area for its "perfect balance of city life and kid-friendly atmosphere," and, above all, he has found the Whitman faculty and community to be exceptionally welcoming.

By Caroline K. Reff