Prof. Alok Gupta

Keynote Address

Prof. Alok Gupta, Curtis L. Carlson Chair in Information Management, Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota, USA

Title:

XHumans “The Mirror and the Mentor”: Using LLMs to Explain Human Decision-Making at Work

Abstract:

As AI systems become increasingly embedded in decision-making, a significant amount of research attention has focused on explainable AI (XAI) — making decisions made by machines understandable to humans. But what if a more transformative opportunity lies in reversing this lens? In this talk, I argue that AI systems including large language models (LLMs), when designed and used appropriately, can serve as powerful tools to explain human decisions — better than humans can explain themselves.

Drawing from a series of published and unpublished studies, I will first talk about how human limitations — such as poor metaknowledge — impair effective collaboration with AI, especially in task delegation. These cognitive blind spots are not mere user-interface problems but fundamental constraints that limit human-AI synergy. Next, I will explore how AI systems can mitigate these challenges — not only by better advising humans but also by selectively choosing when to advise.  Building on these ideas, I introduce new empirical findings showing that LLMs can externalize tacit human knowledge from behavior more effectively than humans can articulate it. This has profound implications for training, team design, and knowledge transfer. Rather than relying solely on human introspection, organizations can use LLMs to model the “how” behind expert decisions — facilitating more scalable, accurate, and interpretable workflows using machines as well as humans.

Taken together, these results invite a reimagination of the role of AI — not just as a tool to augment decisions, but as a cognitive mirror and mentor, helping us better understand and organize human judgment in the future of work.

Brief Bio:

Alok Gupta, holds Curtis L. Carlson Schoolwide Chair in Information Management at the Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota. He served as a Senior Associate Dean of Faculty, Research and Administration at Carlson School in the past. From 2006 to 2014, he served as the Department chair of Information and Decision Sciences department at Carlson School. He started his academic career in 1996 as a visiting Assistant Professor at Dept. of OPIM, University of Connecticut. He received his Ph.D. in Management Science and Information from the University of Texas, Austin in 1996. His research focuses on Economic Engineering of systems – where system design explicitly considers incentives of participants – as applied to a variety of transactional systems from Internet, real-time databases, B2B systems to e-commerce and to his current focus — Human-AI collaboration.  He has published over 90 journal articles in various information systems, economics, and computer science journals.  Over 45 of these articles are published in premier journals — Management Science, ISR, and MIS Quarterly. He was awarded a prestigious NSF CAREER Award for his research on dynamic pricing mechanisms on the internet.

He is Emeritus Editor-in-Chief, Information Systems Research (ISR), INFORMS Fellow, AIS Fellow, and ISS Distinguished Fellow. He served multiple terms as an Associate Editor for Management Science and as Senior/Associate Editor for ISR. He guest edited several special issues in Management Science and ISR. He has been serving as Publisher of a premier academic journal MIS Quarterly since 2004. He served two terms as the Editor-in-Chief of the premier IS journal, Information Systems Research, from 2017-2022. His service contributions to the field were recognized with INFORMS ISS President’s Service Award in 2021.  He has been an engaged scholar working closely with external stakeholders for both his research and for creating experiential learning environments for students.  His research has been recognized for its impact and significance on practice through INFORMS Design Science Award three times (2001, 2012, and 2021), AIS Impact Award in 2020, and INFORMS ISS Practical Impacts Award in 2021.  He was chosen as INFORMS ISS Distinguished Fellow in 2014 and as AIS Fellow in 2016. He was awarded lifetime achievement award, LEO Award, by AIS in 2021. He was chosen as INFORMS Fellow for lifetime achievement and contributions to Analytics Research and Practice in 2024. He teaches courses in the areas of Human-AI collaboration, computer networking, electronic commerce, decision support, IT infrastructure, and computer programming at the undergraduate, MBA and Ph.D. levels.

Dr. R.S. Sharma

Title:
Building for a Billion – via Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI)

Dr. R.S. Sharma is a retired member of the prestigious Indian Administrative Service (IAS) from the 1978 batch, with a celebrated career spanning over four decades in various roles across the Government of India and State Governments.
Throughout his service, Dr. Sharma has been a pioneer of reforms and an advocate of digital transformation, contributing significantly to shaping India’s policies in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and leading administrative modernization. Known for his ability to blend strategic vision with on-the-ground execution, Dr. Sharma has successfully implemented policies that have reshaped public service delivery in India.
In his most recent role as the CEO of the National Health Authority (NHA) (February 2021 to January 2023), Dr. Sharma was responsible for the implementation of Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), the world’s largest health insurance scheme. In addition, he spearheaded the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), laying the groundwork for a Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for India’s health sector. ABDM represents a transformative digital ecosystem that integrates healthcare services, making them accessible, interoperable, and scalable to India’s billion-plus population.
During the COVID-19 crisis, Dr. Sharma played a pivotal role as the Chairman of the Empowered Group on Vaccine Administration (EGVAC) and a member of the National Expert Group on Vaccination (NEGVAC). Recognizing the need for an efficient vaccination platform, he led the design and development of CoWIN, the digital backbone of India’s COVID-19 vaccination drive. CoWIN gained international recognition for its efficient handling of large-scale immunization and has since been adopted by multiple countries. In 2021, Voice & Data recognized CoWIN as a “Pathbreaker” for its role in the vaccination drive during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2023, CoWIN received the Global Game Changer Award from Marico Foundation, recognizing its innovative use of technology to facilitate the vaccination process.
Today, CoWIN has been repurposed to support universal immunization, blood, and organ donation initiatives, showcasing its adaptability and Dr. Sharma’s visionary approach.
As Chairman of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) from August 2015 to September 2020, Dr. Sharma drove a consumer-centric approach, working to ensure widespread, affordable access to telecom and broadcasting services across India. His tenure at TRAI was marked by significant policy changes and the introduction of data-driven policymaking, enhancing regulatory effectiveness and bringing India to the
forefront of the global telecom landscape. Among his contributions were policies advocating for net neutrality, the innovative use of crowd-sourced data to monitor service quality, and the integration of blockchain technology for regulatory purposes. Dr. Sharma’s leadership in fostering indigenous technologies led to initiatives like the nationwide Wi-Fi grid and the development of interoperable set-top boxes, which have greatly benefited consumers.
On the international stage, Dr. Sharma contributed to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), where he was actively involved in publications and initiatives, including the Digital Identity Roadmap Guide and the Business Model of Telcos. As a representative of India at global conferences and symposia, he played a key role in advancing communication technology and broadcasting policy frameworks. His work on the Digital ID Toolkit, developed with an international team, has guided numerous nations in building their own digital identity infrastructures.
Prior to TRAI, Dr. Sharma served as Secretary, Department of Electronics and Information Technology in the Government of India, where he was instrumental in implementing Digital India, a national initiative aimed at transforming India into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy. Under his leadership, policies promoting open source, open standards, and open APIs became cornerstones of government digital initiatives. His efforts helped consolidate various sectoral applications into modern, multi-tenanted enterprise systems, streamlining governance and enhancing service delivery. Key digital products championed during his tenure included Digital Locker, eSign, Electronic Know Your Customer (eKYC), the Online Reservation System (ORS) in hospitals, and Jeevan Pramaan for issuing digital life certificates for pensioners. These innovations have not only optimized governance but have also contributed to India’s rapid strides in digital payments, leading to the creation of Unified Payments Interface (UPI), one of the world’s most successful digital payment systems. Additionally, Dr. Sharma’s advocacy for electronics manufacturing has helped transform India from an importer to an exporter of mobile devices.
As Chief Secretary of Jharkhand in 2013-2014, Dr. Sharma provided leadership across the state’s administrative apparatus, overseeing law enforcement, criminal justice, and public welfare initiatives. He leveraged technology to modernize governance in key areas, such as land and property registration, municipal administration, and the Public Distribution System (PDS). His use of digital tools significantly improved efficiency and transparency in state services.
Perhaps most notably, Dr. Sharma is renowned for his role as Director General and Mission Director of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) from 2009 to 2013. Working closely with Mr. Nandan Nilekani, he was instrumental in the design and implementation of Aadhaar, now the world’s largest biometric identity system, providing unique IDs to over a billion Indian residents. Aadhaar has since become the backbone of
India’s public service delivery systems. Dr. Sharma conceptualized and implemented services using Aadhaar’s authentication infrastructure, leading to the elimination of duplicate and fictitious beneficiaries, facilitating direct benefit transfers (DBTs), advancing financial inclusion, and reducing service delivery costs across the public and private sectors.
Earlier in his career, Dr. Sharma held key positions in the Department of Economic Affairs (1995-2000), where he shaped infrastructure financing policies for projects in railways, ports, airports, and highways. In Jharkhand (2002-2009), he headed multiple departments including Science and Technology, Human Resource Development, Rural Development, and IT. His achievements also include early innovations such as introducing over-the-counter payment for vehicle taxes in Bihar, where he served as State Transport Commissioner and Director of Treasuries. As a District Magistrate (DM) in several districts of Bihar, he led pioneering work in digitizing treasuries, grievance tracking, and land reform in the 1980s.
He has received numerous awards and recognitions during his career. Significant among these are Distinguished Alumnus Award of IIT Kanpur (2016), Voice and Data “Telecom Person of the Year” award for his role in balancing the interests of the telecom industry and consumers – 2019, Voice & Data Lifetime Achievement Award – 2022 and Economic Times Telecom Award for Lifetime Achievement – 2022.
Dr. Sharma is the author of The Making of Aadhaar: World’s Largest Identity Platform, a book well-received for its insights into the Aadhaar project.
He is also a Distinguished Visiting Professor at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur, where he teaches courses on Technology, Regulation and Public Policy. He is also mentoring development of Health Stack in the IIT focusing on Digital Health related DPIs and DPGs. He is also the Member, Board of the IITK Foundation for Medical Research and Technology (IITK-FMRT) and Member, Governing Body of DST NIDHI Centre of Excellence in MedTech Innovations at IIT Kanpur. Currently he is also Chairing the Task Force on India Energy Stack which has been constituted by the Ministry of Power, Government of India. He also chairs the SEBI Committee on Financial and Regulatory Technologies (CFRT).
He is a Member of the Advisory Council of Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) and a Member of the International Advisory Group, Centre for Open Societal Systems (COSS). He is also a Member of Advisory Council of Indonesia Open Network (ION)
An active writer, he regularly contributes to journals and newspapers on topics related to public policy, technology, health, and internet governance.
Dr. Sharma holds a Ph.D. from the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, a master’s in computer science from the University of California, USA, a master’s in mathematics
from IIT Kanpur, and a bachelor’s degree in law, reflecting his strong academic foundation in both technology and law.

Prof. Hillol Bala

Workshop on “Framing Research Problems for Impact: Perspectives from an Author, Reviewer, and Editor”

-Hillol Bala, Conrad Prebys Professor of Information Systems, Kelley School of Business, Indiana University, Bloomington

Abstract

Strong research begins with a well-framed problem—one that is timely, consequential, and clearly positioned for scholarly and practical impact. This interactive workshop offers practical guidance on crafting research problem statements/questions that resonate with multiple audiences, drawing on complementary perspectives from an author, reviewer, and editor. Participants will learn how to (1) articulate a compelling “why now” motivation, (2) specify the gap without overselling novelty, (3) align the problem with an appropriate theoretical lens, and (4) translate the problem into sharp, testable research questions and contributions. The session includes hands-on exercises and structured peer feedback. Attendees are encouraged to bring a working research idea, abstract, or introduction paragraph to refine during the workshop and to practice giving constructive feedback to others. By the end, participants will leave with a clearer, more persuasive framing of their research problem for strengthening future projects/papers.

Speaker’s Profile

Hillol Bala (hbala@iu.edu; ORCID: 0000-0002-3302-5015) is the Conrad Prebys Professor of Information Systems at the Kelley School of Business, Indiana University, Bloomington. His PhD is from the Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas. His research interests include the implementation of digital technologies, such as enterprise platforms and AI-enabled systems, digital transformation in organizations, and the use, adaptation, and impacts of technology. His work has appeared in premier academic journals, such as MIS Quarterly, Information Systems Research, Journal of Management Information Systems, Management Science, Production and Operations Management, Journal of Operations Management, IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering, Decision Sciences, European Journal of Information Systems, Information Systems Journal, IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, Journal of Business Research, Communications of the ACM, and MISQ Executive. He has held (or currently holds) editorial roles in major information systems journals (e.g., Information Systems Research, MIS Quarterly, and the Journal of the Association for Information Systems) and at conferences.

Prof. Ramesh Venkataraman

Workshop on “Designing a World-Class Information Systems Program: Lessons learned from 25 years of success”

– Dr. Ramesh Venkataraman, Dean of the Hutton Honors College, Professor of Information Systems in the Department of Operations and Decision Technologies, Indiana University, Bloomington

Abstract:

This workshop examines the design of a world-class Information Systems (IS) program through lessons drawn from the long-standing MSIS program at Indiana University. We present a framework organized around three interdependent pillars: an integrated core that unifies technical, managerial, and organizational perspectives; sustained corporate engagement that informs curriculum, projects, and talent pipelines; and the deliberate integration of professional development into the academic experience. The session highlights how close alignment with industry enables programs to also embed readiness for credentials and certifications—such as SAP and cybersecurity certifications—directly into coursework, strengthening both student capability and employer signaling without sacrificing academic rigor. Participants will engage with transferable design principles and implementation strategies applicable across institutional contexts, emphasizing scalability, industry relevance, and long-term program differentiation.

Profile:

Dr. Ramesh Venkataraman is the Dean of the Hutton Honors College at Indiana University, Bloomington. He also serves as a Professor of Information Systems in the Department of Operations and Decision Technologies. Dr. Venkataraman is a distinguished administrator with over 25 years of experience in higher education and spearheading numerous initiatives related to academic innovations, curricular developments, and programmatic designs. He has held visible and high-impact leadership roles at the Kelley School of Business, including Associate Dean of Information and Instructional Technologies, chair of the Kelley Direct (#1 ranked Online MBA program), chair of the undergraduate program, and chair of the MS in Information Systems program. During his time in senior leadership roles at the Kelley School, Venkataraman led nationally recognized curricular reforms, most notably in Kelley Direct, which was named the MBA Program of the Year by Poets & Quants in 2021. He also transformed the Master of Science in Information Systems program into a leading graduate program with consistently high placement rates, especially through economic downturn. He is widley credited for helping numerous MSIS programs nationwide improve their enrollments and international recognition. Venkataraman is an accomplished scholar whose research spans database design, information systems education, mobile applications and software engineering. His work has been published in leading journals such as MIS Quarterly, Information Systems Research, IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering, and Journal of Database Management. He is also co-author of the widely used textbook Modern Database Management, which has influenced over 200K students worldwide. He is a member of the AIS and of INFORMS ISS.

Prof. Bipin Prabhakar

Dr. Bipin Prabhakar is Chair of Information Systems Graduate Programs as well as Clinical Professor of Information Systems at the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University. He also holds the Fettig/Whirlpool Fellowship. He leads one of the most highly regarded MS in Information Systems programs in the country as well as online grauate degrees in IT Management and Business Analytics and Graduate Certificate Programs in AI Fundations and Cybersecurity.

Dr. Prabhakar’s teaching expertise is in the areas of Enterprise Systems, IT Architecture, Cloud Computing and Information Systems Security. He teaches in the MS in Information Systems (MSIS) Program Core, the MSIS concentration in Digital Enterprise Systems, Kelley Direct MBA Core, Online MS programs and Kelley Executive programs. He was awarded the Dr. James E. Mumford Excellence in Extraordinary Teaching Award by Indiana University May 2021

Dr. Prabhakar’s research interests are in the areas of technology adoption and the evolution of IS job skills. His research has been published in leading journals such as The Communications of the ACM, The DATABASE for Advances information Systems, The Journal of Computer Information Systems and Systems Management Journal. He is a co-author of the book titled Business Process Configuration with SAP ERP and the forthcoming book Business Process Configuration with SAP S/4 HANA. He has contributed a chapter to the book titled Readings on ERP Systems. Dr. Prabhakar also served as the Chair of the SAP University Alliances Program North American Academic board from 2014-2019.

Prior to joining the Kelley School of Business in 2008, Dr. Prabhakar was on the faculty of the University of Cincinnati from 1997. At UC, he served as the Academic Director for the MSIS program. In addition, he served as the Director of Information Technology with responsibility for all technology related aspects for the college of Business from 2002 to 2007. He was also designated as an SAP Fellow in Enterprise Systems from 2004 – 2008.

Dr. Prabhakar has an undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering and Masters and Doctoral degrees in Information systems. He has also attained the CISSP certification and is an Amazon AWS Academy accredited instructor.

Prof. Saji Mathew K

Dr. Saji K. Mathew is currently the Professor and Head of the Department of Management Studies, Indian Institute of Technology Madras. His doctoral research and subsequent academic work focused on the role of Information Technology in Business and Management. As a Fulbright Scholar, he did his post-doctoral research on risk mitigation in offshore IT outsourcing at the Goizueta Business School of Emory University, Atlanta (USA). His current research interests cover behavioral cyber security, misinformation & its cure, assistive technologies & accessibility, information privacy and personalization strategy, and cyber risk management. He is one of the founding members of the Association for Information Systems (AIS) India Chapter and has served as its Treasurer and Vice President. He is also the co-founder of the Accessibility research Centre (theARC) at IIT Madras. He has published in reputed information systems journals which include senior scholar premier journals such as Information Systems Journal, Information & Management, and the Journal of Strategic Information Systems. He has served as a visiting faculty in India and abroad which includes the University of Passau, Germany, Oakland University, Rochester, USA, and the Hof University of Applied Sciences, Germany.

Prof. Pankaj Setia

Professor of Information Systems, Founding Chair, Centre for Digital Transformation, IIM Ahmedabad

Prof. Priya Seetharaman

Profile:

https://www.iimcal.ac.in/users/priyas

Prof. Abhishek Kathuria

Prof. Abhishek Kathuria is a Professor of Information Systems & Business Analytics at Deakin Business School, Australia. He has previously served as a faculty at premier institutions in India and China — the Indian School of Business and The University of Hong Kong Business School, respectively. At the Indian School of Business, he served as the Academic Director of the Executive Fellow Programme in Management, a doctoral-level program (equivalent to an Executive Doctorate in Business Administration) targeted at senior executives. His research, teaching, and consulting lie at the intersection of emerging technologies and strategy, with a focus on how information technology creates value for organizations.

Prof. Kathuria has been consistently ranked among the top 10 most productive researchers in the world (rank order) for publications in the Financial Times-50 Information Systems journals – MIS Quarterly (MISQ), Information Systems Research (ISR), and Journal of Management Information Systems (JMIS), for each three-year period since 2018. His research explores the antecedents and business value of firm-level IT, focusing on innovation, globalization, and emerging economies. He has published over 80 scholarly works, including journal articles, refereed conference proceedings, book chapters, and books, with his work appearing in leading journals such as MISQ, ISR, JMIS, Production & Operations Management (POM), and Journal of the Association of Information Systems (JAIS). His contributions have earned five and nine best paper awards and nominations, respectively.

Prof. Kathuria has mentored 28 doctoral scholars, 10 pre-doctoral associates, and numerous graduate and undergraduate students. A multidisciplinary scholar, he has served on the editorial review board / in editorial roles for top-tier journals across disciplines, including ISR, Journal of Management Studies, Marketing Strategy Journal, JMIS, JAIS, and Journal of Strategic Information Systems.

Prof. Kathuria has taught BBA, Masters, MBA, Executive MBA & DBA students, and coached C-level and senior executives on digital transformation, platform strategy, and business model design in India, China, and the USA.

With a passion for bridging research and practice, Prof. Kathuria has worked extensively with startups and established enterprises alike. He has co-founded three startups and advised multiple others across India and Hong Kong, helping refine business models, scale operations, and leverage digital technologies. An active angel investor, he has interests in several emerging market leaders. His consulting experience spans over two dozen assignments on digital & business transformation, IT governance, organizational restructuring, and growth strategy for large and medium-sized enterprises across India and the Middle East.

Prof. Sutirtha Chatterji

Paper Development Workshop (PDW) of the Information Systems Journal (ISJ)

———————————————————————————————————–

Prof. Sutirtha Chatterjee, Senior Editor, ISJ, AIS Distinguished Member–Cum Laude Professor, Department of Information Systems, Lee Business School, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, USA

Brief Bio:

Sutirtha (“Suti”) Chatterjee is a Full Professor at the Department of Information Systems (IS), LEE Business School, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). His primary research interests are: ethical and humanistic aspects of IS, technology-mediated work, IT and innovation, and IS disciplinary reflections. His research has been published (or accepted) in leading journals like MIS Quarterly (MISQ), Information Systems Research (ISR), Journal of Management Information Systems (JMIS), Journal of the Association for Information Systems (JAIS), Information Systems Journal (ISJ), European Journal of Information Systems (EJIS), Journal of Strategic Information Systems (JSIS), Decision Sciences Journal (DSJ), Decision Support Systems (DSS), and Information and Management (I&M). Suti has also co-authored multiple editorials in reputed journals such as ISR, JAIS, ISJ, and JSIS. He is a Senior Editor at ISJ and JSIS and an Associate Editor at ISR (2026-2027). He served as a Senior Editor at JAIS (2019-2025) and an Associate Editor at DSJ (2020-2025). He has also served on (or chaired) several committees at his institution(s) of employment. Suti has received multiple awards/honors in his career, such as the best reviewer awards at JAIS (2018), EJIS (2024, 2025), and JSIS (2024, co-winner), and an honorable mention as an ERB member for reviewing excellence at ISR (2023). His co-authored paper published in JAIS in 2024 received the best GTM (grounded theory methodology) publication award by the AIS Special Interest Group on GTM (SIG GTM).

Prof. M. N. Ravishankar

https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/mn-ravishankar/

Prof. M. N. Ravishankar, Senior Editor, ISJ, Dean and Head of Queen’s Business School, Queen’s University Belfast, UK

Information Systems Journal (ISJ), Paper Development Workshop (PDW) Mentor.

I am Professor of Technology & Globalisation, and Dean & Head of Queen’s Business School. Previously, I was Professor of Technology & Globalisation at Loughborough Business School, Loughborough University. During my stint at Loughborough University (2006-2022), I served in a number of roles including Associate Dean (Research), Director of Internationalisation, Head of the International Business, Strategy and Innovation Group, and MBA Admissions Tutor. I have provided leadership to initiatives around building internationally competitive and inclusive research teams, setting up research centres and international partnerships, new programme development, and student recruitment.

Prof. Rahul Dé

Independent Consultant and Researcher, Former Dean (Programmes) and Retired Professor of Information Systems, IIM Bangalore

Prof. Sujeet K Sharma

President INAIS, Professor of Information Systems, IIM Nagpur

Dr. Neena Pandey

IIM Visakhapatnam

Dr. Jang Bahadur Singh

IIM Trichy