Back to top

Photograph of Gwanhoo Lee

View Resume (PDF)

View CV (PDF)

Gwanhoo Lee Professor Information Technology & Analytics

Additional Positions at AU
Department Chair
Kogod Research Professor
Degrees
Ph.D., Business Administration, University of Minnesota,
B.S. and M.S., Industrial Engineering, Seoul National University

Bio
Professor Lee, Chair of the Department of Information Technology and Analytics, teaches digital leadership and strategy to undergraduate students and project management to graduate students. His primary research areas include digital innovation, digital transformation, digital health care, information privacy, cybersecurity, smart government, software development agility and complexity, and project management. He is an advisor to the South Korea's Presidential Committee on the Fourth Industrial Revolution. He has consulted for the World Bank and Samsung on digital strategy. He worked closely with IT executives from large U.S. organizations including 3M, American Red Cross, AMTRAK, Cargill, CSC, Deloitte, Freddie Mac, GAO, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, IBM, Marriott, Medtronic, Northwest Airlines, Pfizer, and World Bank. His research has been published in MIS Quarterly, Journal of Management Information Systems, IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering, European Journal of Information Systems, Communications of the ACM, Journal of Information Technology, Information & Management, Government Information Quarterly, Telecommunications Policy, Information Technology and People, Journal of Information Technology Management, and IEEE Pervasive Computing.
See Also
For the Media
To request an interview for a news story, call AU Communications at 202-885-5950 or submit a request.

Teaching

Fall 2024

  • ITEC-460 Business Intelligence

Spring 2025

  • ITEC-460 Business Intelligence

  • ITEC-660 Business Intelligence

Partnerships & Affiliations

Scholarly, Creative & Professional Activities

Research Interests

1. Digital transformation, digital innovation

2. Public sector IT, smart government, smart nations

3. AI and environmental and social sustainability

4.ĚýAgility, ambidexterity, and complexity in global software development

5. Information privacy

6.ĚýProject management

Honors, Awards, and Fellowships

[Honors and awards]

  1. Research fellow, Kogod Cybersecurity Governance Center, May 2017 – April 2019
  2. Best Presentation Award, Kim Chang Jun Academy, Korea, 2016
  3. Kogod Achievement Award for Outstanding Research, American University, 2014
  4. Ranked as the second most recommended author among 337 prominent business/public administration scholars and experts who published research with IBM Center for the Business of Government, September 2013
  5. European Union Erasmus Mundus Award for Visiting Scholars, 2011
  6. Kogod Achievement Award for Outstanding Research, American University, 2010
  7. First Runner-up Best Paper Award from OCIS (Organizational Communication and Information Systems) Division at the Academy of Management, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, August 2007
  8. Kogod Achievement Award for Outstanding Research, American University, 2006
  9. Kogod Achievement Award for Outstanding Research, American University, 2005
  10. UPS Scholar, 2004 – 2009
  11. Kogod Endowed Fellow, 2004 – 2009
  12. Honorable mention, The Best Instructor in the MIS Major, University of Minnesota, 2002
  13. ICIS Doctoral Consortium Fellow, 2001
  14. Teaching Award, Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota, August 2001
  15. Juran Fellow Award, Juran Center for Leadership in Quality, 2001

Ěý

[Consulting and advisory engagement]

  1. Advisor to the Presidential Committee on the Fourth Industrial Revolution, South Korea, August 2021 - present
  2. Consulting engagement with the World Bank for Bulgaria's e-gov, 2021 - present
  3. Advisory committee member, research program on integrated knowledge-based system for power plant operation and maintenance ($1 million funded by Republic of Korea Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy), 2017. 12 – 2018. 12
  4. Advisory committee member, research program on development of smart plant technology for advancing AI-based operation and maintenance ($2 million funded by Republic of Korea Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport), 2017. 12 – 2018. 9
  5. Consulting engagement with the World Bank, 2016 - 2017
  6. Advisory Fellow to Samsung Economic Research Institute (SERI), Korea, 2014 – 2017
  7. Advisor to National Research Foundation, South Korea, 2015 - present
  8. Advisor to Somansa (an information security company), Korea, September 2014 - 2015
  9. Global Leader Group Mentor, Korea Innovation Center, Ministry of Science, ICT, and Future Planning, Republic of Korea, April 2014 - 2017

Media Appearances

  1. Expert interview on the implications of the US Midterm Election result for Korea’s industries and economy was broadcasted on SBS, one of the three major national TV networks in South Korea, October 8, 2022, accessible at Ěý
  2. Expert interview on streaming serviceĚýplatforms was broadcasted on SBS, one of the three major national TV networks in South Korea, October 26, 2021, accessible at
  3. Quoted in The Economist whitepaper titled “Up in the Air: The Journey to the Cloud in ASEAN,” December 15, 2020, accessible at
  4. Expert testimonial for the World Bank’s report “Competing in the Digital Age: Policy Implications for the Russian Federation,” September 2018,
  5. “Net Neutrality Explained: A Conversation with Gwanhoo Lee,” Kogod Alumni Newsletter, March, 2018,
  6. Korea National Assembly News featured my book review and book recommendations, December 15, 2017
  7. Mentioned in the press release by US Chamber of Commerce on Trilateral Forum on Digital Economy and Internet of Things, November 9, 2016
  8. Featured in the cover story of Kogod Now, Spring 2014
  9. Media interview regarding government ideation programs, DorobekINSIDER, February 2014
  10. Quoted in the National Journal article entitled “Congress Embarks on Government IT Reform” November 18, 2013,
  11. Featured in AM 1660 New York Korean Radio Broadcasting News, July 25, 2013
  12. Quoted in the cover story of the Washington Business Journal entitled “How can LivingSocial get its mojo back? (And what happens if it can’t?)” April 26, 2013
  13. Quoted in AFP TV news entitled “Company Tells Workers to Cut the Cord on After Hours Email.” This TV news was globally aired in November 2012
  14. Quoted in an AFP news article regarding Employees’ email use after work. This article was published globally in numerous leading daily newspapers
  15. Featured in the article “Government 2.0: An Implementation Model,” Kogod Now, Fall 2011, pp. 29-31
  16. Quoted in the article “Juggling Your Job and School,” Project Management Institute (PMI) Career Central Online Portal, September 6, 2011
  17. Quoted in the article “M.B.A. Programs Focus on Project Management,” U.S. News andĚý World Report, March 30, 2011
  18. My IBM-sponsored research on Social Media and Open Government has been featured inĚýGovFresh,ĚýFierce Government IT,ĚýNextGov.com,ĚýFederal Computer Week,ĚýAustralian Policy Online, Policypointers.org, Openforumeurope.org, Washingtoncog.org, and GovLoop.com
  19. Featured in the article “Avoid Social Media Slip-Ups,” Kogod Now, Spring 2011, p. 36
  20. Radio show interview (one hour) regarding Open Government Implementation, Conversation with Authors Series, Federal News Radio (1500 AM) and CBS Radio, February 2011
  21. “Why did the Seventy-Five Years Old CEO of Marriott Hotel Become a Blogger? Totally Engage Your Customers and Employees,” Chosun.com, July 2010.

Selected Publications

Select Publications

[Journal articles]

“Will Machine Learning Algorithms Be Sufficient to Solve Complex Social Problems? The Case of the Social Welfare Blind Spot Identification System,” Gwanhoo Lee, Woo-Shik Lee (Korean Government), forthcoming in MIS Quarterly

“Unintended Consequences of the Implementation of Electronic Health Record Systems,” Cristina Trocin (University Ca’ Foscari of Venice, Italy), Gwanhoo Lee (corresponding author), Roberta Bernardi (University of Bristol), and Suprateek Sarker (University of Virginia), 2024 Information Systems Journal,Ěý

“How Can the Artificial Intelligence of Things Create Public Value? Lessons Learned from Use Cases,” Gwanhoo Lee, accepted for Digital Government: Research and Practice,ĚýDOI: )

“How Are Service Automation and National ICT Development Associated with International Trade in Services,” Gwanhoo Lee and Min-Seok Pang (Temple University),ĚýInformation Technology for Development, 2022, 28(4), pp. 837-85

“The Impact of IT Decision-Making Authority on IT Project Performance in the U.S. Federal Government,” Min-Seok Pang (Temple University) and Gwanhoo Lee, MIS Quarterly, 2022, 46(3), pp. 1759-1776

“Delivering a Rapid Digital Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Lessons Learned fromĚýSouth Korea’s Contact-Tracing System,” Gwanhoo Lee and Jaeho Kim, Communications of the ACM, 2022, 65(1), pp. 68-75.

“Information Systems Development,” Sabine Matook (University of Queensland), Gwanhoo Lee, and Brian Fitzgerald (University of Limerick), inĚýMIS QuarterlyĚýResearch Curations, Andrew Burton-Jones and Priya Seetharaman, Eds., http://misq.org/research-curations, December 7, 2021.

“The Complex Effect of Cross-Domain Knowledge on IS Development: A Simulation-Based Theory Development,” Jungpil Hahn (National University of Singapore) and Gwanhoo Lee (corresponding author), MIS Quarterly, 2021, 45(4), pp. 2023-2054.Ěý

“What Roles Should the Government Play in Fostering the Advancement of the Internet of Things?,” Gwanhoo Lee (sole author), Telecommunications Policy, 2019, 43(5), pp. 434-444.

“A Chronological Review of Empirical Research on Personal Information Privacy Concerns: An Analysis of Contexts and Research Constructs,” Haejung Yun (Ewha Womans University), Gwanhoo Lee (corresponding author), Dan J. Kim (University of North Texas), Information & Management, 2019, 56(4), pp. 570-601

“A Design Theory for Digital Platforms Supporting Online Communities: A Multiple Case Study Approach,” Paolo Spagnoletti (LUISS Guido Carli University), Andrea Resca (LUISS Guido Carli University), and Gwanhoo Lee, Journal of Information Technology, 30(4), 2015, pp. 364-380.

“IT Resources, Organizational Capabilities, and Value Creation in Public Sector Organizations: A Public-Value Management Perspective,” Min-Seok Pang, Gwanhoo Lee, and William DeLone, Journal of Information Technology, 29(3), 2014, pp. 187-205.

“Editorial: Special Issue on Leveraging the IS Organization for Business Value Creation,” Gwanhoo Lee, William DeLone, Margaret Tan, Martha Corrales, Journal of Information Technology, 29(2), 2014, pp. 111-113.

“Task Environment Complexity, Software Process Capabilities, and Coordination in Global Software Development,” Gwanhoo Lee, J. Alberto Espinosa, and William H. DeLone, IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering, 39(12), 2013, pp. 1753-1771.

“An Open Government Maturity Model for Increasing Social Media-Based Public Engagement,” Gwanhoo Lee and Young Hoon Kwak, Government Information Quarterly 29(4), 2012, pp. 492-503.

“A Longitudinal Experimental Study on the Influences of Persuasion Quality, User Training, and First-hand Use on User Perceptions of New Information Technology,” Gwanhoo Lee and Weidong Xia, Information & Management, 48(7), 2011, pp. 288-295.

“Towards Agile:ĚýAn Integrated Analysis of Quantitative and Qualitative Field Data on Software Development Agility,” Gwanhoo Lee and Weidong Xia, MIS Quarterly, 34(1), 2010, pp. 87-114.

“Why Consumers (Don’t) Adopt Smart Wearable Electronics,” Gretchen Anderson and Gwanhoo Lee, IEEE Pervasive Computing 7(3), Jul-Sept, 2008, pp. 10-12.

“Organizational Size and IT Innovation Adoption: A Meta-Analytic Review,” Gwanhoo Lee and Weidong Xia, Information & Management, 43(8), 2006, pp. 975-985.

“Global Boundaries, Task Processes and IS Project Success: A Field Study,” J. Alberto Espinosa, William H. DeLone, and Gwanhoo Lee, Information Technology and People, 19(4), 2006, pp. 345-370.

“Flexibility and Rigor: Ambidextrous Coping Strategies in Globally-Distributed Software Development Projects,” Gwanhoo Lee, William H. DeLone, and J. Alberto Espinosa, Communications of the ACM, 49(10), 2006, pp. 35-40.

“Complexity of Information Systems Development Projects: Conceptualization and Measurement Development,” Weidong Xia and Gwanhoo Lee, Journal of Management Information Systems, 22(1), 2005, pp. 45-83.

“The Ability of Information Systems Development Project Teams to Respond to Business and Technology Changes: A Study of Flexibility Measures,” Gwanhoo Lee and Weidong Xia, European Journal of Information Systems, 14(1), 2005, pp. 75-92.

“Grasping the Complexity of IS Development Projects,” Weidong Xia and Gwanhoo Lee, Communications of the ACM, 47(5), 2004, pp. 68-74.

Ěý

[Reports]

“Preparing for a Connected World,” Gwanhoo Lee and Rebekah Lewis, a chapter in the Atlantic Council Report entitled Building a Smart Partnership for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, pp. 46-55, April 2018.

“IoT Innovation and Deployment: A Blueprint for U.S. and Korean Leadership,” Research Report, The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, November 2016.

“Federal Ideation Programs: Challenges and Best Practices,” Using Technology Series, IBM Center for the Business of Government, October 2013, available at

“An Open Government Implementation Model: Moving to Increased Public Engagement,” Using Technology Series, IBM Center for the Business of Government, January 2011, available at

Grants and Sponsored Research

  1. IBM Center for the Business of Government, PI, $20,000, 2020, project title: Creating Public Value with the Internet of Intelligent Things
  2. Hyundai Home Shopping, PI, $25,000, 2020, project title: A Comparative Study of the Ecosystem and Cost Structure of the TV Home Shopping Industry in the U.S. and South Korea
  3. Korean Institute for International Economics Policy (KIEP), co-PI, $36,000, 2018
  4. Atlantic Council, PI, $2,000, 2017
  5. Research fellowship, Kogod Cybersecurity Governance Center, 2017-2019, $4,000
  6. U.S. Chamber of Commerce, PI, $15,000, 2016
  7. IBM Center for the Business of Government, PI, $20,000, 2014
  8. Kogod Research Grants, $9,980, 2013-2014
  9. Kogod Small Research Grants, $2,500, 2012
  10. IBM Center for the Business of Government, PI, $20,000, 2011
  11. Center for IT and the Global Economy, American University, $3,000, 2011
  12. IBM Center for the Business of Government, PI, $20,000, 2009
  13. Kogod Research Grants, $12,000, 2009-2011
  14. Center for IT and the Global Economy, American University, $2,000, 2005
  15. Juran Center for Leadership in Quality, $5,000, 2001
  16. Special Grant for Dissertation Research, University of Minnesota, $2,000, 2001
  17. Minnesota CIO Consortium, $10,000, 1999-2003

AU Experts

Area of Expertise

Social media; open innovation; project management; information systems development and implementation; business agility; management of complexity; digital leadership and governance

Additional Information

Gwanhoo Lee teaches Project Management and Digital Leadership and Strategy. His research areas include management of IT projects, business agility, Web 2.0 and open innovation, and CIO leadership. His recent research projects examine how federal government agencies such as U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and Federal Communications Commission use social media to engage the public in their governing process.

For the Media

To request an interview for a news story, call AU Communications at 202-885-5950 or submit a request.

Related Links