Winner of the 2020 Wharton People Analytics Research Paper Competition.
Olivia S Jung
Doctoral Student
Doctoral Student
Olivia's research is about engaging frontline workers to innovate, particularly when innovating is not part of the job. Frontline workers are well-equipped to innovate (e.g., identifying and solving problems, generating and implementing ideas). Capturing their innovative input is critical for improving organizational functioning and performance. Especially as volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity become more prevalent in our world, anyone's voice can be mission-critical. However, for frontline workers whose job tends to focus on efficient production and delivery of goods and services, innovation is often not a priority.
Olivia's research is about engaging frontline workers to innovate, particularly when innovating is not part of the job. Frontline workers are well-equipped to innovate (e.g., identifying and solving problems, generating and implementing ideas). Capturing their innovative input is critical for improving organizational functioning and performance. Especially as volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity become more prevalent in our world, anyone's voice can be mission-critical. However, for frontline workers whose job tends to focus on efficient production and delivery of goods and services, innovation is often not a priority.
In her dissertation, Olivia examines how managers can use distributed innovation processes, such as crowdsourcing and innovation contests, to motivate and activate extra-role innovative behaviors. How do people react to being invited to participate in idea generation and selection when such activities are not part of day-to-day tasks? How does broadening the locus of innovation impact existing relationships and practices? Do people innovate more when technology and platforms that facilitate distributed innovation are introduced? These questions drive Olivia's research agenda.
Olivia uses myriad research methods, such as field experiments, surveys, interviews, and observations, because the complexities of organizational life requires flexible approaches. She partners with organizations to collect original data from the field to explore the social contexts of people and processes. To date, Olivia has collaborated with academic hospitals, community health centers, and NASA to design, implement, measure, and analyze the impact of distributed innovation processes.
In-between graduate studies, Olivia worked at Abt Associates, where she researched impacts of federal payment and delivery system reform, including the Oncology Care Model (OCM), Medicare Care Choices Model (MCCM), and Medicaid Innovation Accelerator Program (IAP), for clients like Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). She holds a BS in Economics from the Wharton School of Business and a BA in International Studies from the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania.
- Working Papers
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- Gallus, Jana, Olivia S. Jung, and Karim R. Lakhani. "Recognition Incentives for Internal Crowdsourcing: A Field Experiment at NASA." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 20-059, November 2019. (Revised May 2020.) View Details
- Journal Articles
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- Kundu, Palak, Olivia Jung, Amy C. Edmondson, Nzhde Agazaryan, John Hegde, Michael Steinberg, and Ann Raldow. "Resilience vs. Vulnerability: Psychological Safety and Reporting of Near Misses with Varying Proximity to Harm in Radiation Oncology." Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety 47, no. 1 (January 2021): 15–22. View Details
- Blasco, Andrea, Olivia S. Jung, Karim R. Lakhani, and Michael Menietti. "Incentives for Public Goods Inside Organizations: Field Experimental Evidence." Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization 160 (April 2019): 214–229. View Details
- Jung, Olivia, Andrea Blasco, and Karim R. Lakhani. "Innovation Contest: Effect of Perceived Support for Learning on Participation." Health Care Management Review 45, no. 3 (July–September 2020): 255–266. View Details
- Jung, Olivia, Andrea Blasco, and Karim R. Lakhani. "Organizational Support for Learning and Contribution to Improvement by Frontline Staff." Academy of Management Best Paper Proceedings (2017). View Details
- Awards & Honors
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Runner up for Best Paper at the 2019 Wharton Innovation Doctoral Symposium.Paper selected for publication in the 2017 Academy of Management Best Paper Proceedings.Received the 2016 Academy of Management Outstanding Reviewer Award from the Health Care Management Division.Winner of the Wharton Undergraduate Research Award in 2012.
- Additional Information
- Area of Study
- Areas of Interest