Dr. Charles L. Iacovou

Dean of the School of Professional Studies & Vice Provost of Charlotte Programs; Professor of Management

BIOGRAPHY

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.

HONORS

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

EXPERTISE

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

IN THE MEDIA

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

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

EDUCATION

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

PUBLICATIONS

Journal of the Association for Information Systems

The Dynamics of IT Project Status Reporting: A Self-reinforcing Cycle of Distrust

Keil, M. , Smith, H. J. , Iacovou, C. L. , & Thompson, R. L. (2014)

Journal of Information Science

A Taxonomy of Crowdsourcing Based on Task Complexity

Nakatsu, R. T. , Grossman, E. B. , & Iacovou, C. L.

MIT Sloan Management Review

The Pitfalls of Project Status Reporting

Keil, M. , Smith, H. J. , Iacovou, C. L. , & Thompson, R. L. (2014)

International Journal of Strategic Decision Sciences

A Comparison of Pairs, Triads and Quads in Multi-attribute Decision Making

Iacovou, C. L. , Shirland, L. , & Thompson, R. L. (2010)

Journal of Business Ethics

The Impact of Organizational Climate on Reporting Behaviors in Information Systems Projects

Smith, H. J. , Thompson, R. L. , & Iacovou, C. L. (2009)

MIS Quarterly

Selective Status Reporting in Information Systems Projects: A Dyadic Level Investigation

Iacovou, C. L. , Thompson, R. L. , & Smith, H. J. (2009)

Information & Management

A Comparative Study of Important Risk Factors Involved in Offshore and Domestic Outsourcing of Software Development Projects: A Two-Panel Delphi Study.

Nakatsu, R. , & Iacovou, C. L. (2009)

Communications of the ACM

A Risk Profile of Offshore-Outsourced Development Projects

Iacovou, C. L. , & Nakatsu, R. (2008)

Information & Management

The Linkage Between Reporting Quality and Performance in Information Systems Projects

Thompson, R. L. , Smith, H. J. , & Iacovou, C. L. (2007)

Decision Sciences Journal of Innovative Education

An Approach for Enhancing the Efficiency and Consistency of Qualitative Case Analysis Evaluations.

Iacovou, C. L. (2006)

Journal of Applied Business Research

A Comparison of Evaluation Techniques for Decision Analysis Involving Large Attribute Sets

Thompson, R. L. , Iacovou, C. L. , & Shirland, L. (2006)

Communications of the ACM

Surviving IT Project Cancellations

Iacovou, C. L. , & Dexter, A. S. (2005)

California Management Review

Turning-around Runaway Information Technology Projects

Iacovou, C. L. , & Dexter, A. S. (2004)

Journal of Applied Business Research

Job Selection Preferences of Business Students

Thompson, R. L. , Iacovou, C. L. , & Shirland, L. (2004)

Omega

Determining Attribute Weights Using Mathematical Programming

Shirland, L. E. , Thompson, R. L. , Iacovou, C. L. , & Jesse, R. R. (2003)

Health Management Information Systems: Methods and Practical Applications

Managing a Troubled Hospital IS Project: A Case Study

Iacovou, C. L. , & Dexter, A. (2001)

Journal of Cases on Information Technology

Managing the NICS Project at the Royal Canadian University

Iacovou, C. L. (1999)

Journal of Information Technology

The IPACS Project: When IT Hits the Fan

Iacovou, C. L. (1999)

MIS Quarterly

Electronic Data Interchange and Small Organizations: Adoption and Impact of Technology

Iacovou, C. L. , Benbasat, I. , & Dexter, A. (1995)