Hi, I am Fangchen
PhD Candidate in Information Systems at McCombs School of Business, UT Austin
PhD Candidate in Information Systems at McCombs School of Business, UT Austin
Hi, I am a PhD candidate in Information Systems at the McCombs School of Business, The University of Texas at Austin, where I am fortunate to be advised by Professor Ashish Agarwal.
My research examines how organizations adapt as increasingly capable generative AI reshapes knowledge work. I study how AI reshapes collaboration, human value creation, and organizational incentive design, with the goal of developing theories and evidence that help organizations adapt to increasingly capable AI.
My current research focuses on three interconnected questions:
How does AI reshape collaborative work? I study how generative AI changes collaboration, coordination, and collective knowledge work in open-source software development.
How does AI reshape human value creation? I examine how advances in AI capabilities change the value humans contribute beyond what AI can accomplish independently.
How should organizations adapt? I investigate how organizations can redesign managerial practices to support meaningful human contributions beyond what AI can accomplish independently.
Methodologically, I combine proprietary organizational data, large-scale field experiments, and econometric analyses to investigate how generative AI reshapes organizations in real-world settings. My research is conducted in collaboration with organizations such as Microsoft GitHub and a Big Four professional services firm.
Beyond my dissertation, I am broadly interested in how emerging digital technologies reshape individuals, organizations, and digital platforms. Extending the themes of organizational adaptation and technology-enabled work, I also study the emotional impact of generative AI, the role of AI capabilities in improving operational efficiency in supply chains, and how organizational policies such as remote work influence digital product innovation.