Stelios Kavadias

Professor Stylianos (Stelios) Kavadias is the Margaret Thatcher Professor of Enterprise Studies in Innovation & Growth, in the Judge Business School at the University of Cambridge. His research interests focus on the effectiveness of new product development (NPD) decisions. At a broader level he is seeking to understand the challenges that arise during the planning and execution phases of the innovation process, always with an operational/managerial perspective.

Previously Professor Kavadias was the Steven A. Denning Professor of Technology & Management, as well as an Associate Professor of Operations Management, at the College of Management at Georgia Tech. He has also been a Batten Fellow at the Batten Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the Darden School of Business.

He is an Associate Editor for Management Science's Entrepreneurship and Innovation department, and the Department Editor for the R&D, New Product Development and Project Management department of Production and Operations Management. At Georgia Tech's Huang Executive Education Center he regularly contributed to open enrolment and custom executive programmes on innovation and project management, and was the Academic Director of their GE Energy PLMP programme. He has authored several case studies through close collaboration with major firms across multiple industries.

Research interests

Strategy operationalisation, deployment, and execution through innovative business models and innovation processes/projects. Studying both larger corporates as well as small and medium size companies and startup ventures. More specifically (in no preference order):

• Cascading and translation of strategy to functional strategies, objectives and goals
• Strategy implementation through the the definition of the “right” portfolio of new projects and products
• Transformative and innovative business models
• Effective ideation, search (pivoting) and experimentation processes for innovation and growth
• Effective organisational design and the associated incentive schemes for innovation outcomes.

Engaging different methodologies ranging from qualitative case research to lab experiments, econometric analysis and mathematical economic modelling to understand the above management challenges and derive managerially relevant insights.

Professional experience

Professor Kavadias serves as an Associate Editor for Management Science (Entrepreneurship and Innovation department), for Manufacturing and Service Operations Management, and for Service Science. Previously he served as the department Editor for the R&D, New Product Development and Project Management department of Production and Operations Management.

Since he joined Cambridge Judge Business School he has founded its Entrepreneurship Centre, where he still serves as its Academic Co-Director alongside Professor Matthew Grimes.

At Cambridge Judge Business School Executive Education Professor Kavadias directs its Advanced Leadership Programme alongside directing and contributing to several other programmes (indicative clients: HSBC, Barclays, the Prime Minister’s Office of the UAE, The TTP Group, etc.). During 2019 he served as a visiting researcher at AstraZeneca’s Global Portfolio and Project Management (GPPM) unit. He has authored several case studies through close collaboration with major firms across multiple industries. He also serves as a non-executive director in new ventures, and he delivers keynotes in industry and company specific events.

Previous appointments

Professor Kavadias was the Steven A. Denning Professor of Technology & Management, as well as an Associate Professor of Operations Management, at the College of Management at Georgia Tech. He has also been a Batten Fellow at the Batten Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the Darden School of Business. At Georgia Tech he directed the Denning T&M Programme as well as the GE Energy PLMP programme.

Awards & honours

• Teaching Award as an Academic Programme Director in Executive Education, Cambridge Judge Business School, 2019, 2022
• Best Published Paper Award, Technology, Innovation Management & Entrepreneurship Society (TIMES), INFORMS, 2020
• Best Working Paper Award Technology, Innovation Management & Entrepreneurship Society (TIMES), INFORMS, 2018
• Meritorious Service Award, Management Science, 2014
• Professor of the Year Award from EMBA Management of Technology, 2012
• Professor of the Year, EMBA Management of Technology, 2012
• Honorable Mention, Advisor for Best Student Paper Competition, Service Science Section, INFORMS, 2011
• Meritorious Service Award, Management Science, 2009
• Brady Family Award in Research Excellence, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2009
• 1st Prize for the “Dragonfly” case, ECCH, Best Case Study Award, 2003
• 2nd Prize, George B. Dantzig Award, 2001

Education

• Ph.D. Management INSEAD (1997 — 2001)
• Diploma (MSc Equivalent) National Technical University of Athens (1992 — 1997)
• Apolytirio 1o Lykeio Lamias (1989 — 1992)