UIC Liautaud Loop

Faculty Profiles

Gilbert Bassett, PhD
Professor and Department Head
Finance

 

Sid Bhattacharyya, PhD
Associate Professor
Information and Decision Sciences

Joseph Cherian, PhD
Associate Professor
Marketing

Somnath Das, PhD
Professor
Accounting

Jenny Hoobler, PhD
Assistant Professor
Managerial Studies
 

Mary Beth Manheim-Watson, PhD
Associate Professor
Director, Center for Research in Information Management
Information and Decision Sciences

Cheryl Nakata, PhD
Associate Professor
Marketing

Mark Shanley, PhD
Professor and Department Head
Managerial Studies

Joseph Cherian, PhD

Associate Professor
Marketing

Degree: PhD, University of Texas at Austin
Courses: MKTG 500: Introduction to Marketing; MKTG 560: Marketing Management
Areas of Interest: Marketing Management, Diffusion of Innovations Research Specialties: Marketing, Product Development, Marketing Management, Diffusion of Innovations, Product Planning

More info:  Website

Which class do you enjoy teaching the most and why?
I do not favor one class over another. I enjoy teaching them both. We have a great system here at UIC where the professors are able to choose the classes they like to teach. I teach my favorite classes.

What was your most interesting research project?
Our research project consisted of looking at the front end of innovation for Motorola. Their product development was broken and needed fixing. We had the opportunity to work with several of the company's high-level officials. It was overall a great experience.

What is your favorite aspect of UIC?
I like the no nonsense student body. They are hard-working students that have a focus and purpose. UIC students have dedication and know the value of work.

What do you do on your days off?
I spend time with the family. I have a son that keeps me busy with all the sports he is involved in. I also enjoy reading on my free time.

What is one interesting fact about you?
Although you would not be able to tell from looking at my office, I am a very neat and organized person.

What was the last book you read for fun?
"Stumbling on Happiness" by Daniel Gilbert. It is about the systematic illusions the mind goes through when looking at things.

What advice do you have for students?
If you are not doing what you love, do a lot of things until you find it. An MBA allows you to explore many options and functions. The point is then to try something you enjoy.

What do you enjoy the most about Chicago?
I am from a small city so having access to all that this city has to offer is what I enjoy most.

What is your favorite memory from being a student?
While in the PhD program, I had all A's on my transcript. I had taken a class with several of my friends and by midterm we all knew there was no way we could get an A, so all my friends dropped it. I stuck with it. I ended up getting a B in the class but the memory still sticks.

Somnath Das, PhD

Professor
Accounting

Degree: PhD, Carnegie-Mellon University
Courses: ACTG 500: Introduction to Financial Accounting; ACTG 506: Management Accounting; ACTG 590: Case Based Research in Accounting; ACTG 593: Accounting Research: Methodology and Communication
Areas of Interest: Empirical Issues in Financial and Managerial Accounting, Information and Capital Market Valuation and Earning Forecasts
Research Specialties: International Accounting, Financial Accounting, Analysts Forecasts and Earning Surprises, Valuation of Alliances and Intangibles, Health Care Cost Controls, Earnings Management, Security Valuation

More info:  Website

Which class do you enjoy teaching the most and why?
I enjoy ACTG 506: Management Accounting because I feel as though I am preaching to the converts. There is no need to try and convince them to pursuing accounting. This course cuts across disciplinary boundaries. It is not only for accounting majors but for those who want to run their own business or in others area of study such as marketing and finance. The examples we discuss in class have to do with gathering and analyzing information which is does not always have to do with accounting. Students are able to bring their personal and corporate life into it.

What do you do on your days off?
I work on research during my weekends so I do not have too much time off. I enjoy biking along Lake Shore Drive. I play soccer mom and take my kids to dance class and soccer.

What is one interesting fact about you?
I am a movie buff who used to act in theatrical plays while I was in school. I had thought about pursuing acting but realized it was not right for me.

Why do you feel an MBA is essential in the business world?
At some point, one needs to have some conceptual basis for structured thinking. Experience is good to have but does not always suffice. Individuals need logical thinking and analysis. Both are critical aspects that students learn in the MBA program.

What was the last book you read for fun?
"The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri.

Do you have any funny moments from your early days of teaching?
Several years ago, I had handed out a final to an undergraduate class that I was teaching. I combined all the sections of the course so there were approximately 150 students taking the exam. During the exam, a student came to me and asked for permission to use the restroom. I allowed him to do so and five minutes later the fire alarm went off. We were all required to evacuate and the student never returned.

Do you have a favorite spot in the city?
The view of the city in front of the Adler Planetarium. It is best at night. There is no other city that even compares, not even the view of Manhattan from Ellis Island.

Mary Beth Manheim-Watson, PhD

Associate Professor
Director, Center for Research in Information Management
Information and Decision Sciences

Degree: PhD, Georgia Institute of Technology
Courses: IDS 500: Information Systems in Organizations; IDS 495: Competitive Strategy
Areas of Interest: Implementation and adoption of virtual work environments, information-technology enabled work processes, telecommuting, computer-supported communications, and organizational communication
Research Specialties: Management Information Systems, Virtual Work Environments, Telecommuting, Organizational Communication

More info:  Website

Which class do you enjoy teaching the most and why?
IDS 500 because we research developing technology and figure out how it applies to an organization. Technology is rapidly changing so we learn the necessary principles and are then able to apply them.

What is your favorite aspect of UIC?
The diversity. I particularly like the different points of view that come out in class.

What was the last book you read?
"Snow" by Orhan Pamuk and "The Beak of the Finch: Evolution in Real Time" by Jonathon Weiner.

What drew you to UIC? What made you want to teach here?
I like urban campuses and really wanted to be at a research institution in Chicago. UIC has exciting undergraduate and graduate programs that grabbed my attention. So, UIC was it.

Do you have any funny moments from your early days of teaching?
Prior to coming to UIC, I taught in a small town in Florida. One of the courses I taught was a televised course that was on cable television during the week. The idea behind it was that those students who were registered for the course would turn their televisions on at 7p.m. and listen to the lecture so that they would not have to commute to school. However, it became clear that it wasn't only the students that watched my class. The entire town was watching me. I would go to the grocery store or cocktail parties and people would recognize me. I could not go anywhere without someone pointing me out from my televised course.

What do you enjoy most about the city of Chicago? Do you have a favorite spot?
I love the variety of restaurants this city has to offer. I like cultural museums and plays as well. My favorite spot in the city is my terrace because I have a great view.

What advice do you have for MBA students?
I would tell MBA students to try to get as much out of your MBA experience as possible by getting to know your peers. It is also important to get to know the faculty. Networking is undervalued. I would recommend you network during and after your MBA.

What is one interesting fact about you?
I am on the board of the Contemporary Arts Council. It is a not-for-profit organization that initiates and sponsors innovative projects and exhibitions by Chicago contemporary artists.

Cheryl Nakata, PhD

Associate Professor
Marketing

Degree: PhD, University of Illinois at Chicago
Courses: MKTG 571: International Business Operations; MKTG 572: International Marketing; Global Technologies for PhD students
Areas of Interest: International Marketing and Business, Technology and Innovation
Research Specialties: International Marketing, Product Development, Culture and Marketing, Global Marketing Strategy, Information Technology, Innovation Management

More info: Website

Which class do you enjoy teaching the most and why?
MKTG 571: International Business Operations. It is the broadest of the classes I teach. It touches on the areas of finance, human resources, marketing, ethics and many more. All areas are integrated into this one course with a global aspect to it that makes it very interesting.

From all your years of teaching at UIC, which student or story is the most interesting? Why?
Two come to mind. First, in my MKTG 571 course, students work in teams to profitably start and operate an international business through a Web-based simulation. Through this project, which replicates many aspects of real-world international business, they compete in an international competition with students all around the world. One year, a group in my class won first place, beating more than 100 teams worldwide. When they were presented with their awards, there was a celebration with the dean and the creator of the simulation software. I remember how happy and excited the students were. In another year, a team from this course placed second and generally UIC teams do very well.

Second, I enjoy working with students who have struggled to get where they currently are and aspire to learn, excel and move their careers forward. There was a particular student who I worked very closely with that did not believe he could do much more than he was currently doing --working at a shoe store. Seeing this student finish the program and graduate was very gratifying. He went on to land a great job to an embassy commercial sector office doing exactly what he had only dreamed of doing, combining his interest in political science, foreign affairs and business.

What is your most interesting research project?
It is an organizational ethnography project where I study a company's daily routines and actions. I analyze how they do their marketing, looking at culture related differences that affect how the employees function with one another and problem solve. I study individuals working for the same company but in two different locations (United States and China).

What is your favorite aspect of UIC?
The diversity and the multilingualness of the student body is my favorite aspect of UIC. I also appreciate that many students work while going to school. Few students have silver spoons in their mouths. They are sincere and willing to learn, and do not take things for granted.

How has the Liautaud MBA program progressed since you started teaching here?
It is more focused. It is finding its niche in competencies (e.g. entrepreneurship and innovation). The student body is improving. I have noticed that more are prepared when they enter the program. The program is also now more recognized and has a clearer identity as compared to the past.

What do you do on your days off?
I enjoy cultural activities such as foreign films, live performances, ethnic restaurants and the various arts, such as attending the CSO. Chicago is an amazing city because of its rich cultural offerings.

What is one interesting fact about you?
I was born in the prune capital of the world: Fresno, California.

Why do you feel an MBA is essential in the business world?
An MBA gives tangible and useful tools to graduates that they can apply well into their careers. It provides critical thinking skills, enabling students to recognize a problem and find the best solution. Students are exposed to various disciplines and learn to integrate them as well as focus on concentrations that interest them. An MBA provides students or graduates with highly useful mental models, guiding them to think rigorously.

What drew you to UIC? What made you want to teach here?
The students and the diversity. The students here also go out and make a difference in the Chicago community and world beyond, having learned essential business skills and appreciate and work with other cultures.

What advice do you have for students?
Take advantage of the many resources available at UIC and within the city of Chicago. Learning takes place outside of the classroom as inside classroom. Expose yourself to different people and businesses. Don't be passive about it. Find what you are passionate about and make it happen.

What do you enjoy most about Chicago? Do you have a favorite spot in the city?
I like the various cultural neighborhoods such as Roger's Park, Pilsen, Devon Street. The world is in Chicago, our backyards. Why not explore and learn from that?

Mark Shanley, PhD

Professor and Department Head
Managerial Studies

Degree: PhD, University of Pennsylvania
Courses: MBA 500: Corporate Strategy
Areas of Interest: Strategic Management and Organizations
Research Specialties: Strategic Management, Organization Theory, Economics of Strategy, Vertical Group Formation, Small Group Research, New Venture Strategy

More info: Website

Which class do you enjoy teaching the most and why?
MBA 500: Corporate Strategy because it provides an opportunity for students to get big changes on how they view firms. It presents a view they have not experienced before. It is rewarding for me to see the payback they receive.

From all your years of teaching, which student is the most memorable? Why?
I was a graduate student at Penn State teaching an undergraduate management course. It was right after midterms when I was sitting in my office and received a phone call. It was a student who asked how she had done on her midterm. I told her that I had not graded them yet but would do so very soon. We hung up and a couple hours later she appeared in my office. She had jumped on a train from New York City, where she lived, to come to my office in Philadelphia because she was worried and had not liked my tone of voice over the phone when I told her I had not graded the exams yet.

What is your favorite aspect of Chicago?
My favorite aspect is being in the center of Chicago. It is the best business district in the world.
(He can prove it, too! Just ask him.)

How has the Liautaud MBA program progressed since you started teaching here?
I have noticed several positive changes which include improvements in core courses, the hiring of great new faculty, the introduction of several new innovative programs and the incorporation of top professional organizations in the area to the program.

What is one interesting fact about you?
I commuted from Wilmette to Purdue University for six years. It was approximately 140 miles each way.

What drew you to UIC? What made you want to teach here?
The location. I no longer had to commute. The fact that it is research-based university.

Do you have any funny moments from your early days of teaching?
I was teaching a fairly large sized class when a lady walked in and interrupted the class to whisper something to me. My daughter had locked the babysitter out of the house while she was still in it. So I had to end class immediately to go home.

What advice do you have for MBA students?
It is OK to think hard about what you want to do with your professional life. Just keep doing it. It is a continuous process that you can take your time with, there is no need to make an immediate decision.

What do you enjoy most about Chicago? Do you have a favorite spot in the city?
Wrigley Field and an Italian restaurant called Francesco's Hole in the Wall located in the North Suburbs.

Sid Bhattacharyya, PhD

Associate Professor 
Information and Decision Sciences

Degree: PhD, University of Florida

Courses: IDS 507: Advanced Systems Analysis and Design Project; IDS 512: Information Systems Project & Program Management; IDS 572: Business Data Mining

Areas of Interest: Emerging Technologies for Decision Support, Evolutionary Algorithms, Inductive Learning, Neural Networks, Case-based reasoning, Genetic Algorithms, Data and Knowledge Base Management Systems, Object-Oriented Databases. 

Research Specialties: Business intelligence, Data mining, Complexity, Network science, Computational modeling in business, Evolutionary computation, Machine learning, Information Technology, E-business 

More info:  Website

 

What class do you enjoy teaching the most and why? 

IDS 507: Business Systems Analysis and Design because it contains practical material relating to business practices rather than theory which is similar to what is done in the real world. 

From all your years of teaching at UIC, which story is the most memorable and why? 

I have a graduate level projects course where the students work with clients in an experiential learning atmosphere to learn how they perform and function day-to-day. Closer to the end of the semester, I go out with the class to a local bar and in an informal setting am able to learn more about the individual students, their backgrounds, hopes and dreams. I build relationships with my students, become friends with them and keep in touch even after they graduate. 

What do you do on your days off? 

I work from home at least one day a week but, aside from that, I enjoy playing music. I play the violin and I am currently learning to play the guitar. 

What was the last book you read for fun? 

A comic book called "The Adventures of Asterix." I happened to stumble across it recently and started reading it. 

What drew you to UIC? What made you want to teach here? 

The city drew me to UIC and the diversity made me want to teach here. I liked the idea of belonging to an entity that was moving ahead ambitiously. 

What advice do you have for MBA students? 

I recommend that it be the students that take the initiative to meet and speak with the faculty. As a result, both the faculty and the students will enjoy it. In addition, I follow the motto "work hard and play hard" and I recommend that students do the same. 

What do you enjoy most about the city of Chicago? Do you have a favorite spot in the city? 

I enjoy the city's music. My favorite place is Andy's Jazz Club on Grand and State.

Jenny Hoobler, PhD

Assistant Professor
Managerial Studies

Degree:  PhD, University of Kentucky
Courses:  MGMT 541: Organizational Behavior
Areas of Interest:  Human Resource Management, Organizational Behavior, Women's Studies
Research Specialties:  Dysfunctional Organizational Behavior, Family and Work Intersections, Gender and Diversity in Organizations

More info:  Website

Which class do you enjoy teaching the most and why?
MGMT 541: Organizational Behavior. Because most students have work experience, they can relate to it and grasp on easily. The class is enjoyable because everyone gets involved and participates in the discussion.

What is your most interesting research project?
The research project I am currently working on is quite interesting. We found that perceptions that women "don't fit" with their organizations and jobs can be fully explained by their bosses' (both women and men's) perceptions that the women experience work and family conflict. That is, the glass ceiling cannot be explained by women being a mismatch with business organizations and jobs. Rather, it's stereotypes related to their work-family conflict that hurt women's careers. And it's not just male bosses that stereotype, but both sexes.

What is your favorite aspect of UIC?
The diversity among students is my favorite aspect of this university. Not only am I able to benefit from UIC's diverse campus community but students benefit from the interaction with one another as well. Some may realize it now, while I think others may look back on their years at UIC and realize what a rich, multicultural experience they had.

What do you do on your days off?
Run, take my dog to the Montrose doggie beach and cook.

What is one interesting fact about you?
I climbed to the base camp of Mt. Everest. It took me two weeks to complete the journey but after doing so, I realized I can do anything.

Why do you feel an MBA is essential in the business world?
An undergrad degree is almost what a high school degree used to be, given how many people attain a BS or BA. These days, you need an advanced degree to set yourself apart from others. An MBA degree is important for self development and to signal to employers that you believe in lifelong continuous learning.

What was the last book you read for fun?
"The Meaning of Wife" by Anne Kingston.

What drew you to UIC? What made you want to teach here?
I was drawn to UIC because I wanted to teach and do research in the PhD program in Organizational Behavior and Human Resources. But also it was important to me that there were senior researchers that I felt I could learn a tremendous amount from such as Professors Liden and Wayne. The urban location of the university and the diversity of the faculty and students were also factors that I considered very important.

Do you have any funny moments from your early days of teaching?
I had an adult male student who asked me if he could bring his four-year-old son to class. His son wanted to know "what daddy's school was like." I agreed to allow my student to bring his son to class. When I walked into class, everyone was aware that he was there and they were paying a lot of attention to the child. I started class and about ten minutes into it, the entire class was laughing hysterically. Apparently, the child was bored out of his mind and let out a very loud, drawn-out yawn. The entire class must have felt the same way about my lecture, but he was the only one to indicate it!

What advice do you have for MBA students?
I would recommend that students not treat UIC as a commuter campus. The more interaction you have with fellow students the more you will get out of your time here at UIC. Get involved in student activities and make friends.

What do you enjoy most about Chicago? Do you have any favorite spot in the city?
I enjoy the doggie beach on Montrose, the view looking back at the city from the trail around the Shedd Aquarium, Blackbird restaurant on Randolph, Sweet Maple Café on Taylor, and Bubble Tea from Joy Yee's in Chinatown. Chicago's a great place to live.

Gilbert Bassett, PhD

Professor and Department Head
Finance

Degree:  PhD, University of Michigan
Courses:  MBA 590: Chicago Exchanges; FIN 571 Empirical Issues in Finance; Seminar on Quantile Modeling
Areas of Interest:  Statistics, Empirical Finance
Research Specialties:  Empirical Finance, Quantile Models and Estimation, Statistics, Energy and Environment, Statistics and Sports, Decision Risk and Voting

More info: Website

Which class do you enjoy teaching the most and why?
I have been teaching Chicago Exchanges since 2002 and it has become the class I enjoy teaching the most. I am able to put the CEO of the Chicago Exchanges in front of my MBA students. We all have the opportunity to hear from leaders of financial exchanges and learn about rapid developments occurring in the economy.

What do you do on your days off?
I enjoy hanging around the house, spending time with my two grandchildren, reading, exercising and digital photography.

What was the last book you read for fun?
"The Difference" by Scott Page. I am only half way through it so I am not sure whether to recommend it to others yet.

Why do you feel an MBA is essential in the business world?
An MBA is an important ingredient to an individual's career. Finance has become more and more technical over the years. An MBA is the first step in a life-long process in staying on top of the constantly changing field that allows you the ability to continue to absorb and learn. It is not just the ticket but the part of learning associated with the ticket.

What drew you to UIC? What made you want to teach here?
The location was most important to me. Next was the opportunity to do research here.

What advice do you have for students?
I would advise students to view MBA courses as an opportunity to learn the basic fundamental materials needed for the real world. Don't just earn the piece of paper. Down the road use the education you receive. It is critical to put as much effort as possible into it because that is what you will get out of it.

What was your favorite memory from being a student?
The adrenaline rush I would get from solving problems.

What do you enjoy most about Chicago?
The diverse array of restaurants. I enjoy Thai and Mexican food. The best Thai restaurant is Amerinds although it's in River Forest, it is well worth the drive. Maiz, Topolobampo and Frontera Grill are among my favorite Mexican restaurants in this city.