Dr. Charles Iacovou is professor of management and the Kirby Chair in Business Excellence. He currently serves as the founding dean of the School of Professional Studies and the vice provost for the University's Charlotte-based programs. In his current role, he is leading the development of accessible, flexible, career-focused offerings for adult learners in Charlotte and beyond.

Dr. Iacovou served as the Sisel Distinguished Dean of the School of Business from July 2014 until January 2021. Under his leadership, the School adapted its degree program portfolio in significant ways resulting in improved student outcomes and rankings. During this time, the school's first business analytics and online programs were launched yielding sizable enrollment growth. From 2014 to 2020, Dr. Iacovou led a capital campaign for the school, which raised over $120 million in support of student, faculty, facility, programmatic and diversity-enhancing needs.

With extensive teaching experience in information systems management, Dr. Iacovou has taught a variety of graduate and undergraduate courses on information technology management, project management, strategy, emerging technologies, programming, and business simulation. A student-centered teacher who utilizes experiential learning methods to challenge and develop his students, Dr. Iacovou has received several teaching awards from students and alumni.

Dr. Iacovou has published extensively on the subjects of information technology management, project management, outsourcing, and organizational decision-making and communication. Much of his research work is field-based and is frequently sponsored by business organizations and associations. MIS Quarterly, Journal of Business Ethics, MIT Sloan Management Review, California Management Review, Communications of the ACM, Information & Management, and other leading journals have published his work, which has been granted several awards for its significant impact on the academy and practice of management.

Before joining Wake Forest University in 2001, Dr. Iacovou managed an electronic bank for a diversified financial institution based in Europe. In that role, he was responsible for the management of electronic retail, commercial banking, and brokerage products and service channels. During the past three decades, Dr. Iacovou has provided strategic planning, management consulting, and leadership training services to firms in financial services, international trade, logistics, media, and other sectors.

Dr. Iacovou was a faculty member at the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University from 1997 to 1999. He received his PhD degree in Management Information Systems from the University of British Columbia and his BSc degree in Business Administration from the University of Vermont. Dr. Iacovou completed his undergraduate studies with the support of a scholarship from the Cyprus Fulbright Commission.

Dr. Iacovou's expertise includes information technology management, project management, outsourcing of IT services, electronic channels in financial services and academic administration.

• Ph D, University of British Columbia (Business Administration) - 1999
• BS, University of Vermont (Business Administration) - 1992

Research Interests

• IT Project Management
• Strategy and Technology
• Pedagogical Innovations
• Future of Higher Education

Teaching Interests

• Management of Information Technology
• Technology Strategy
• Project Management
• Business Ethics

• Nakatsu, R. T., Grossman, E. B.,  Iacovou, C. L. (Forthcoming). A Taxonomy of Crowdsourcing Based on Task Complexity. Journal of Information Science.
• Keil, M., Smith, H. J., Iacovou, C. L.,  Thompson, R. L. (2014). The Dynamics of IT Project Status Reporting: A Self-reinforcing Cycle of Distrust. Journal of the Association for Information Systems, 15 (12),  879-912.
• Keil, M., Smith, H. J., Iacovou, C. L.,  Thompson, R. L. (2014). The Pitfalls of Project Status Reporting. MIT Sloan Management Review, 55 (3),  57-64.
• Iacovou, C. L., Shirland, L.,  Thompson, R. L. (2010). A Comparison of Pairs, Triads and Quads in Multi-attribute Decision Making. International Journal of Strategic Decision Sciences, 1 (4),  1-23.
• Smith, H. J., Thompson, R. L.,  Iacovou, C. L. (2009). The Impact of Organizational Climate on Reporting Behaviors in Information Systems Projects. Journal of Business Ethics, 90 (4),  577-591.
• Iacovou, C. L., Thompson, R. L.,  Smith, H. J. (2009). Selective Status Reporting in Information Systems Projects: A Dyadic Level Investigation. MIS Quarterly, 33 (4),  785-810.
• Nakatsu, R.,  Iacovou, C. L. (2009). A Comparative Study of Important Risk Factors Involved in Offshore and Domestic Outsourcing of Software Development Projects:A Two-Panel Delphi Study. Information & Management, 46 (1),  57-68.
• Iacovou, C. L.,  Nakatsu, R. (2008). A Risk Profile of Offshore-Outsourced Development Projects. Communications of the ACM, 51 (6),  89-94.
• Thompson, R. L., Smith, H. J.,  Iacovou, C. L. (2007). The Linkage Between Reporting Quality and Performance in Information Systems Projects. Information & Management, 44 (2),  196-205.  | more information
• Iacovou, C. L. (2006). An Approach for Enhancing the Efficiency and Consistency of Qualitative Case Analysis Evaluations.. Decision Sciences Journal of Innovative Education, 4 (2),  303-311.
• Thompson, R. L., Iacovou, C. L.,  Shirland, L. (2006). A Comparison of Evaluation Techniques for Decision Analysis Involving Large Attribute Sets. Journal of Applied Business Research, 22 (2),  25-38.  | more information
• Iacovou, C. L.,  Dexter, A. S. (2005). Surviving IT Project Cancellations. Communications of the ACM, 48 (4)
• Iacovou, C. L.,  Dexter, A. S. (2004). Turning-around Runaway Information Technology Projects. California Management Review, 46 (4),  68-88.
• Thompson, R. L., Iacovou, C. L.,  Shirland, L. (2004). Job Selection Preferences of Business Students. Journal of Applied Business Research, 20 (1),  87-98.  | more information
• Shirland, L. E., Thompson, R. L., Iacovou, C. L.,  Jesse, R. R. (2003). Determining Attribute Weights Using Mathematical Programming. Omega, 31 (6),  423-437.  | more information
• Iacovou, C. L.,  Dexter, A. (2001). Managing a Troubled Hospital IS Project: A Case Study.  J. K. H. Tan (Ed.),  (pp. 347-365). Gaithersburg, MD: Health Management Information Systems: Methods and Practical Applications.
• Iacovou, C. L. (1999). Managing the NICS Project at the Royal Canadian University. Journal of Cases on Information Technology, 1,  174-185.
• Iacovou, C. L. (1999). The IPACS Project: When IT Hits the Fan. Journal of Information Technology, 14 (3),  267-275.
• Iacovou, C. L., Benbasat, I.,  Dexter, A. (1995). Electronic Data Interchange and Small Organizations: Adoption and Impact of Technology. MIS Quarterly, 19 (4),  465-485.

• 2011 - Outstanding Educator Award, 2010 Class of Charlotte Saturday MBA Program, Wake Forest University
• 2010 - Cowan Faculty Research Award, Schools of Business, Wake Forest University
• 2010 - Kienzle Teaching Award, Schools of Business, Wake Forest University
• 2010 - Spirit of the Schools of Business Award, Schools of Business, Wake Forest University
• 2009 - Kienzle Teaching Award, Wake Forest University
• 2008 - Babcock Educator Award, 2007 Class of Charlotte Saturday MBA Program, Wake Forest University
• 2008 - Outstanding Teaching Award , 2007 Class of Executive MBA Program, Wake Forest University
• 2006 - Educator of the Year Award, Babcock Graduate School of Management, Wake Forest University
• 2005 - Professor of the Year Award, 2005 Class of Charlotte Evening MBA Program, Wake Forest University
• 2005 - Accenture Award (for Best Paper Published in California Management Review), California Management Review
• 2003 - Outstanding Teaching Award, 2003 Class of Charlotte Evening MBA Program, Wake Forest University
• 1999 - Best "Gateway to Business" Professor Award, McDonough School of Business, Georgetown University
• 1996 - Outstanding Teaching by Doctoral Student Award, Faculty of Commerce, University of British Columbia

• February 13, 2007 - AT&T offering parents tips on Internet security , Winston-Salem Journal
• February 10, 2007 - WFU forum hears expert: Marketing in future is topic , Winston-Salem Journal
• August 1, 2006 - Achievements , North Carolina magazine
• July 2, 2006 - On the Move , The Charlotte Observer
• June 21, 2006 - Who's News , High Point Enterprise