Nishtha Langer is an Assistant Professor of Information Systems at the Lally School of Management at RPI, Troy, NY, USA. Her research looks at the economics of Human Capital and the business value of Information Technology (IT). Dr. Langer’s research benefits from her rigorous academic training at Carnegie Mellon University combined with over 5 years of IT experience in India and USA.
Dr. Langer is interested in empirically analyzing how firms can use their IT and human assets most effectively. She has partnered with leading Indian IT service providers to research on optimum allocation of project managers to outsourcing projects, and on human capital. She has applied econometric modeling and simulation techniques to evaluate the challenges and value of eCommerce. Her research has been widely presented and acclaimed, most recently at the ICIS 2008 and SCECR 2009.
Prior to joining RPI, Dr. Langer worked as Assistant Professor, Indian School of Business, Hyderabad. Earlier she had worked as a Systems Analyst at Arbella Insurance, Boston, MA and as a Systems Engineer at Tata Infotech Ltd., India (now part of Tata Consultancy Services).
Ravindra Singh Bangari is an ex-military (Parachute Regiment) officer with considerable experience in security and operational domains, including active service both on the nation’s borders and in international environments. He is currently looking after the operations of a new start-up academic KPO, where his leadership responsibilities include hiring and training, as well as organizing the work of PhD- and Masters-qualified assessors.
He earned his MBA and “Fellow” in Business Administration (PhD) from the Indian Institute of Management. Bangalore. He has served in the Indian Army’s elite Parachute Regiment in various command, staff and training appointments. He is also a graduate of the prestigious Defence Services Staff College at Wellington (Nilgiris), where he earned a Master’s of Defence and Strategic Studies. After sustaining severe injuries in a military adventure expedition, he was released by the Army, whereupon he went back to graduate school to complete higher studies, before moving on to industry.
Dr. Bangari is also a guest faculty at IIM Bangalore, where he has taught courses on Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and Understanding Decision Making. He has presented papers at international conferences, and is a regular presenter at the Academy of Management. His research interests are in the areas of leadership, decision making, creativity and innovation, and learning and development.
Vijay has over 15 years of industry experience. He is currently Co-Founder & Managing Partner of Eduvisors, a business research and consulting firm dedicated to providing advisory and implementation services to the Indian Education sector. Vijay co-founded a successful mobile data services company, ValueFirst, which raised series-B funding from New Enterprise Associates. Vijay earlier worked with Steel Authority of India, E&Y, and Glaxo SmithKline and he specializes in the areas of business development, consulting and engineering. Vijay’s passions are in the area of innovation, value creation, entrepreneurship and education.
An engineering graduate from IIT-BHU and MBA from XLRI, he has mastered the ‘art’ of evaluating business strategies and organizational processes through his career with working in the domains of public sector, information and mobile technology, FMCG, and education research and education consulting.