Sukhun Kang
Assistant Professor
https://www.linkedin.com/in/
CV: Link here
Sukhun Kang is an Assistant Professor of Technology Management at UC Santa Barbara. His research primarily focuses on the intersection of innovation and entrepreneurship, especially within the biopharmaceutical and high-tech industries. His work explores the intricate ways in which technology influences innovation, aiming to identify the key drivers and obstacles to technology adoption and its effects on individuals, firms, and our society.
His research also investigates the broader implications of technology and innovation, with an emphasis on how technology alters firm strategy and behavior. His goal is to deepen our understanding of how to effectively use technology to foster innovation within a business context.
Before his academic career, he gained industry experience as a semiconductor engineer at Samsung Electronics and as a founder of an internet startup in 2010. These experiences continue to inform his research.
His dissertation was recognized as a finalist for the 2024 AOM STR/TIM Outstanding Dissertation Awards, 2022 Organization Science/INFORMS Dissertation Proposal Competition, and was a runner-up for the 2024 ISA Giarrantani Rising Star Award. It was also supported by the Strategic Research Foundation (SRF) Dissertation Grant Program and the Sir James Ball PhD Prize.
He holds a Ph.D. in Strategy and Entrepreneurship from the London Business School, an M.S. in Entrepreneurship & Innovation and an M.S. in Computer Engineering, both from the University of Southern California, and a B.S. in Computer Engineering from the University of Illinois.
Recent Publications
Balachandran, Sarath, Sungyong Chang, and Sukhun Kang. (2025). How Do Investors Shape Startups’ Response to New Market Opportunities?. Academy of Management Proceedings. Vol. 2025. No. 1. Valhalla, NY 10595: Academy of Management, 2025.
Monaco, L., Letinturier, M. C. V., Aketa, N., Athanassiou, D., el Hajjar, J., Frost, S., ... & Hartman, A. L. (2024). The Complexity of Funding Rare Disease Research: An IRDiRC Assessment of the Landscape. Rare Disease and Orphan Drugs Journal, 3(4), N-A.
Kang, S. (2023). Objects May Be Closer Than They Appear: The Impact of Public Scientific Map on Organizational Search. In Academy of Management Proceedings (Vol. 2023, No. 1, p. 10312). Briarcliff Manor, NY 10510: Academy of Management.
Kang, S., Chang, S., Ross, J. S., & Miller, J. E. (2021). Implementation of 21st Century Cures Act Expanded Access Policies Requirements. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 110(6), 1579-1584.
Kacperczyk, A., Kang, S., & Paik, Y. (2021). The Double-Edged Sword of Female Political Leadership: Gender Diversity-Inducing and Gender Diversity-Reducing Effects in Organizations. Available at SSRN 3866169.
Paik, Yongwook, Sukhun Kang, and Robert Seamans. Entrepreneurship, innovation, and political competition: How the public sector helps the sharing economy create value. Strategic Management Journal 40.4 (2019): 503-532.