CV

Education

  • University of Western Ontario, London, Canada. Ph.D. in Business Administration. 2002.
  • University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. MBA. 1995.
  • Martin Luther Universitaet Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany. Certificate in Management Information Systems. 1994.
  • Polytechnic University, Guayaquil, Ecuador. Bachelor in Computer Engineering. 1992.

Research

Research Interests

  • Improvisation
  • Organizational learning
  • Strategic leadership.

Publications

  • Jansen, J., Vera, D., & Crossan, M. 2009. “Strategic leadership and exploratory and exploitative innovation.” The Leadership Quarterly, forthcoming.
  • Nemanich, L. & Vera, D. 2009. “Transformational leadership and ambidexterity in the context of an acquisition.” The Leadership Quarterly, forthcoming.
  • Nemanich, L., Banks, M. & Vera, D. 2009. “Enhancing knowledge transfer in classroom versus on-line settings: The interplay among instructor, student, content, and context.’” Decision Sciences Journal of Innovative Education, forthcoming.
  • Crossan, M., Vera, D. & Nanjad, L. 2008. “Transcendent leadership: Strategic leadership in dynamic environments.” The Leadership Quarterly.
  • Elliot, C., Rouse, M. & Vera, D. 2008. “Learning fusion: Introduction to the dedicated organizational learning, knowledge and capabilities issue.” Management Learning, 38, 4: 371-374.
  • Nemanich, L., Keller, R. & Vera, D. 2007. “Managing the exploration/exploitation paradox in new product development: How top executives define their firm’s innovation trajectory.” International Journal of Innovation and Technology Management.
  • Vera, D. & Rodriguez-Lopez, A. 2007. “Leading improvisation: Lessons from the American Revolution.” Organizational Dynamics.
  • Cepeda, G. & Vera, D. 2007. “Dynamic capabilities and operational capabilities: A knowledge management perspective.” Journal of Business Research, 60: 426-437.
  • Vera, D. & Crossan, M. 2005. “Improvisation and innovative performance in teams.” Organization Science, 16, 3: 203-224.
  • Crossan, M. Cunha, M., Vera, D. & Cunha, J. 2005. “Time and organizational improvisation.” Academy of Management Review, 30, 1: 129-145.
  • Vera, D. & Rodriguez-Lopez, A. 2004. “Strategic virtues: Humility as a source of competitive advantage.” Organizational Dynamics, 33, 4: 393-408.
  • Vera, D. & Crossan, M. 2004. “Theatrical improvisation: Lessons for organizations.” Organization Studies, 25, 5: 727-749.
  • Vera, D. & Crossan, M. 2004. “Strategic leadership and organizational learning.” Academy of Management Review, 29, 2: 222-240.

Book Chapters

  • Vera, D. & Crossan, M. 2003 “Organizational learning and knowledge management: Toward an integrative framework.” In M. Easterby-Smith & M. Lyles (Eds.), The Blackwell Handbook of Organizational Learning and Knowledge Management, 122-141.

Papers under Review

  • Nemanich, L., Keller, R., & Vera, D. “Team absorptive capacity: A conceptualization and test with R&D teams.” Under first review at Journal of Management Studies.

Work in Progress

  • Vera, D., Crossan, M. & Rerup, C. “Antecedents and nature of improvisation.”
  • Nemanich, L. & Vera, D. “Building an improvisation capability in R&D teams.”
  • Kachra, A., Vera, D. & Velez-Castrillon, S. “An improvisational model of strategic decision making.”
  • Banks, M. & Vera, D. “Towards a typology of stakeholder management strategies.”
  • Vera, D. & Crossan, M. “Reconciling learning paradoxes through improvisation.”

Publications in Proceedings

  • Banks, M. & Vera, D. 2007. “Towards a typology of stakeholder management strategies.” Academy of Management Best Paper Proceedings.
  • Nemanich, L., Banks, M. & Vera, D. 2007. “Knowledge transfer and enjoyment in classroom vs. on-line settings.” Academy of Management Best Paper Proceedings.
  • Vera, D. 2001. “A resource-based-view perspective of strategic reorientations and the role of the CEO in them”, Administrative Sciences Association of Canada Best Paper Proceedings.
  • Vera, D. 2000. “Evolution, characteristics, and performance of Japanese foreign direct investment in Latin America”, Administrative Sciences Association of Canada Best Paper Proceedings.

Referred Presentations

  • Velez-Castrillon, S., Vera, D., & Kachra, A. 2008. “An improvisational model of strategic decision making.” Academy of Management Conference, Anaheim, CA.
  • Banks, M. & Vera, D. 2008. “Stakeholder management, institutional forces, and performance: An examination of strategy content.” Academy of Management Conference, Anaheim, CA.
  • Nemanich, L. & Vera, D. 2007. “Building an improvisation capability in R&D teams.” Strategic Management Society, San Diego, CA.
  • Banks, M. & Vera, D. 2007. “Towards a typology of stakeholder management strategies.” Academy of Management Conference, Philadelphia, PA.
  • Nemanich, L., Banks, M. & Vera, D. 2007. “Knowledge transfer and enjoyment in classroom vs. on-line settings.” Academy of Management Conference, Philadelphia, PA.
  • Vera, D. & Crossan, M. 2007. “Reconciling learning paradoxes through improvisation.” International Conference on Organizational Learning, Knowledge, and Capabilities, London, Canada.
  • Kachra, A. & Vera, D., 2006. “Top management characteristics as antecedents of the improvisational model of decision making.” Strategic Management Society, Vienna, Austria.
  • Crossan, M., Nanjad, L. & Vera, D. 2006. “Transcendent leadership: Towards a framework of strategic leadership roles in dynamic environments.” Academy of Management Conference, Atlanta, GA.
  • Nemanich, L., Keller, R., & Vera, D. 2006. “Team absorptive capacity and the quality of innovations: A multi-level, multi-dimensional analysis.” Academy of Management Conference, Atlanta, GA.
  • Cepeda, G. & Vera, D., 2005 “Knowledge management and firm performance: Examining the mediating link of dynamic capabilities.” Iberoamerican Academy of Management, Lisbon, Portugal.
  • Nemanich, L. & Vera, D. 2005. “Learning in acquisitions: The roles of exploration and exploitation.” Academy of Management Conference, Honolulu, HI.
  • Nemanich, L. & Vera, D. 2005. “The roles of trust, relevance, and causal ambiguity in knowledge transfer and enjoyment: Classroom vs. distance learning.” 6th International Organizational Learning and Knowledge Conference, Trento, Italy.
  • Vera, D. & Kachra, A. 2004. “An improvisational model of strategic decision making: Antecedents, characteristics, and performance outcomes.” Academy of Management Conference, New Orleans, LA.
  • Nemanich, L., Keller, R. & Vera, D. 2004. “Redefining path-dependency: An
    oscillating model of innovation productivity, novelty and speed.” Academy of Management Conference, New Orleans, LA.
  • Vera, D. & Crossan, M. 2003. “Reconciling the tensions in knowledge and learning.” 5th International Organizational Learning and Knowledge Conference, Lancaster, UK.
  • Vera, D. & Crossan, M. 2003. “Improvisation and its impact on performance: Insights from a City government.” Academy of Management Conference, Seattle, WA.
  • Nemanich, L. & Vera, D. 2003. “Learning in mergers: The impact of exploration and exploitation on performance and job satisfaction.” Academy of Management Conference, Seattle, WA.
  • Vera, D. 2003. “Improvising change: Improvisation and top management teams’ strategic decision-making process.” Academy of Management Conference, Seattle, WA.
  • Rodriguez-Lopez, A. & Vera, D. 2003. “Strategic virtues: Humility as a source of competitive advantage.” Strategic Management Conference, Baltimore, MD.
  • Vera, D. & Crossan, M. 2002. “Training managers to improvise.” 1st Summit on Improvisation in Business, NASAGA Conference, San Diego, CA.
  • Crossan, M. Cunha, J., Cunha, M. & Vera, D. 2002. “Chairos meets Chronos: Time and Organizational Improvisation.” Academy of Management Conference on Dynamic Time and Creative Inquiry, Boston, MA.
  • Vera, D. 2001. “Co-alignment between business strategy and knowledge strategy and its impact on performance.” Academy of Management Conference, Washington DC.
  • Vera, D. & Crossan, M. 2001. “Challenging the link between improvisation and performance through a quasi-experiment”. Academy of Management Conference, Washington DC.
  • Najad, L., Vera, D. & Crossan, M. 2001. “Leadership on the edge: ‘Old wine in new bottles’?”, Strategic Management Conference, San Francisco, CA.
  • Vera, D. & Crossan, 2001. “Improvisation and its impact on group performance: Insights from the municipal context”, 1st International Symposium on Organizational Improvisation, Lisbon, Portugal.
  • Vera, D. & Crossan, M. 2001. “Organizational learning, knowledge management, and intellectual capital: An integrative conceptual model”, 4th International Organizational Learning and Knowledge Management Conference, London, Canada.
  • Vera, D. 2001. “A resource-based-view perspective of strategic reorientations and the role of the CEO in them”, Administrative Sciences Association of Canada Conference, London, Canada.
  • Vera, D. 2000. “Strategic leadership and organizational learning”, Academy of Management Conference, Toronto, Canada.
  • Vera, D. 2000. “Evolution, characteristics, and performance of Japanese foreign direct investment in Latin America”, Administrative Sciences Association of Canada Conference, Montreal, Canada.
  • Vera, D. & Crossan, M. 1999. “Improvisation: A theoretical model of its dimensions, antecedents, outcomes, and moderating variables”, Academy of Management Conference, Chicago, IL.

Published Cases Studies

  • Vera, D. & Crossan, M. 2000. “Banco de Guayaquil (A) and (B)”. London, ON: Ivey Management Services. Cases 9B00M012 and 9B00M013. Teaching Note 8B00M12.
  • Vera, D. & Crossan, M. 2000. “Monsanto and the global water treatment industry”. London, ON: Ivey Management Services. Case 9A99M040. Teaching Note 8A99M040.
  • Vera, D. 2000. “Mundo Virtual BVG: www.bvg.fin.ec”. In IESE - Casos Iberoamericanos de Innovación en Operaciones: 149-176, Fundación Cotec para la Innovación Tecnológica, Spain.
  • Montealegre, R., Vera, D., Applegate, L. & Barone, K. 1998. “Bolsa de Valores de Guayaquil (BVG): Reaching worldwide investors through the Internet”. Harvard Business School Case 9-399-070.

Teaching

University of Houston, C.T. Bauer College of Business,
Department of Management

Assistant Professor
August, 2002 – present

  • MANA 8331: Strategic Management and Organization Theory – Doctoral seminar
  • MANA 6383: Strategic Management - MBA capstone course
  • MANA 7397: Global Leadership – MBA elective
  • MANA 4385: Industry and Competitive Analysis – Undergraduate elective
  • MANA 6398: Independent Study - MBA students
  • MANA 8398: Independent Study – Doctoral candidates
  • MANA 8396: Research Practicum – Doctoral candidates

Doctoral Dissertation Committee Chair/Member

  • Chair, H.G. Kim, Management, UH 2007-present
  • Member, Louise Nemanich, Management, UH 2004-2005
  • Member, Michael Dutch, Management, UH 2003-2004

Doctoral Advisory Committee Chair/Member

  • Chair, Michael Banks, Management, UH 2006-present
  • Chair, H. G. Kim, Management, UH 2005-present
  • Member, Moira Praxedes, Management, UH 2005-present
  • Member, Son Lam, Marketing, UH 2007
  • Member, Manoshi Samaraweera, Marketing, UH 2007
  • Member, Lakshmi Goel, Decision and Information Sciences, UH 2006
  • Member, Jennifer Gonzalez-Reinhardt, Decision and Information Sciences, UH 2006
  • Member, Tarun Mital, Decision and Information Sciences, UH 2002-2005
  • Chair, Louise Nemanich, Management, UH 2002-2004
  • Member, Carol Brown, Management, UH 2002-2004

University of Western Ontario, Richard Ivey School of Business

General Management Area

Teaching Assistant, General Management Teaching Group
September 1999 – May 2000

  • Assisted faculty in preparing case teaching plans for the “Strategic Management” course.
  • Attended “Case Teaching Workshop” and “Case Writing Workshop.”

Instituto de Desarrollo Empresarial (IDE)
Instituto de Desarrollo Gerencial (INDEG)
Guayaquil, Ecuador

Faculty member, January-August 1998; Summer 1999, 2000

  • Taught “Strategic Management” course and “Management Information Systems” course in Executive MBA program and Management Development programs

Instituto de Alta Direccion Empresarial (INALDE)

Bogota, Colombia

Visiting Instructor, Summer 1998-2001

  • Taught “Management Information Systems” course in Executive MBA program and Management Development programs

Polytechnic University
Guayaquil, Ecuador

Instructor (part-time)
1995-1998; 1992-1993

  • Taught several courses in the areas of information systems and operations management in undergraduate and graduate programs.
  • Received Best Teaching Award in 1997 and 1998
  • Chair of seven Thesis Committees; member of three Thesis Committees

Academic Service

Department Level

  • Department Chair Search Committee, 2007
  • Ph.D. Admissions Committee, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
  • New Faculty Recruiting Committee, 2003, 2004, 2006
  • Ad hoc Journal List Committee Member, 2002, 2006

College Level

  • Ad hoc Committee on Bauer MBA Program, 2004
  • Collaborated with Todd Chaykosky in the implementation of the assessment program (AACSB re-accreditation effort) — collected data to measure the “ethical reasoning” learning goal in the MBA program, Fall 2004 and Spring 2005.

University Level

  • Bauer College representative to University Library Committee, 2003-present

Professional

  • Editorial Board Member: Academy of Management Journal, starting on July 2007
  • IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, 2004-present
  • Ad hoc reviewer: National Science Foundation, Academy of Management Journal, Academy of Management Review, Organization Science, Journal of Management Studies, IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, Journal of Business Research, Social Science Quarterly, Academy of Management Conference, Administrative Sciences Association of Canada Conference, and Organizational Learning, Knowledge, and Capabilities Conference.

Professional Memberships

  • Academy of Management
  • Strategic Management Society
  • Volunteer, Administrative Sciences Association of Canada Conference, 2001
  • Volunteer and Proceedings Production Assistant, 4th International Organizational Learning and Knowledge Management Conference, 2001

Awards & Grants

  • Best Conference Paper Prize - Honorable Mention, Strategic Management Society, 2007
  • Best Paper Award, Management Education Division of the Academy of Management Conference, 2007
  • Lucille and Leroy Melcher Faculty Excellence Award for Excellence in Teaching, C.T. Bauer College of Business, University of Houston, 2007
  • Melcher Faculty Excellence Award for Excellence in Research, C.T. Bauer College of Business, University of Houston, 2006
  • New Faculty Grant, University of Houston, 2003
  • Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) Doctoral Grant, 2001-2002
  • Polytechnic University, Ecuador, Best Teaching Award, 1998
  • Polytechnic University, Ecuador, Best Teaching Award, 1997
  • University of Pittsburgh, Dean’s Honor List, 1995
  • University of Pittsburgh, Beta Gamma Sigma Business Administration Honor Society, 1995
  • Fulbright Commission Scholarship, 1994
  • Encyclopedia Britannica Scholarship, 1994
  • Deutscher Akademisher Austauschdienst (DAAD) Scholarship, 1993
  • Polytechnic University, Ecuador, academic awards, 1987-1992