I.P.L. Png

I.P.L. Png serves as a Distinguished Professor at the National University of Singapore (NUS) Business School with courtesy appointments in Economics and Information Systems and Analytics across three faculties. Currently (2023-24), he holds an NUS Fellowship at Stanford's Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences. His prior academic roles include faculty positions at UCLA (1985-96) and HKUST (1993-96), plus visiting professorships at Dartmouth and Cornell.

Png earned first-class honours in economics from the University of Cambridge (1978) and a PhD from Stanford Graduate School of Business (1985). His educational trajectory began at Singapore's Anglo-Chinese School.

His research centers on innovation and productivity economics, examining patent law impacts, behavioral biases in decision-making, and technology-labor market interactions. Recent work synthesizes empirical field studies with theoretical modeling, particularly analyzing how intellectual property regimes affect R&D allocation and how automation reshapes workforce specialization. His interdisciplinary approach bridges economics, strategy, and information systems.

Analysis of his 15 most recent publications reveals dominant themes: patent policy effects on innovation (40% of works), behavioral economics applications (30%), and technology-driven labor market transformations (20%), with supplementary work in health and environmental economics. This portfolio demonstrates consistent focus on real-world economic mechanisms through rigorous empirical lenses.

His scientific recognition includes:

• NUS Fellow, Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences (2023-24)

Png has secured major research funding as Principal Investigator:

• SPIRE (Service Productivity and Innovation Research), $4.75 million (2017-22)
• BeWork (Behavioural Biases at Work), $1.63 million (2023-27)

While no specific lab affiliations are documented, his collaborative network spans institutions globally, evidenced by cross-university appointments and multi-institutional grants. His work with the Social Sciences Research Council of Singapore indicates active engagement in national policy research initiatives.