معرفی
James Gerard Conley is a Clinical Professor in the Managerial Economics and Decision Sciences department at the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, with a courtesy appointment in Mechanical Engineering at the McCormick School of Engineering. He is also a Faculty Fellow at the Kellogg Center for Research in Technology & Innovation and the Segal Design Institute. Additionally, he serves as a Visiting Professor at WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management in Germany and Keio University in Japan, reflecting his global academic engagement.
His education includes a PhD in Materials Engineering (1987) and an MBA in Management (1992) from Northwestern University, and a BS in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Virginia (1983).
Professor Conley's research centers on the strategic use of intellectual property and intangible assets to create and sustain competitive advantage. His work spans innovation management, brand strategy, patent policy, and technology commercialization. He has secured funding from prestigious organizations including the National Science Foundation, NASA, the Department of Defense, Microsoft, and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). His scholarship is published in top journals such as MIT Sloan Management Review, California Management Review, and Wall Street Journal, and he has authored key policy guides for WIPO on public domain patents.
His recent publications reflect a consistent focus on value creation through IP, innovation strategy, and the integration of legal, marketing, and technological perspectives. Themes include patent management, brand equity, open innovation, and global IP policy, with applications across healthcare, consumer goods, software, and engineering.
- Charter Fellow, National Academy of Inventors
- Multiple-time 'Professor of the Year' at Northwestern and WHU
- External Ph.D. examiner at Abo Akademi, Finland
- Editorial Board, California Management Review and Journal of the National Academy of Inventors
- Lead Expert, WIPO on Public Domain Use (2016–2020)
Professor Conley has advised numerous corporations and governments and has testified before international legal and policy bodies. He teaches courses such as Intellectual Capital Management, Commercializing Innovations, and Intellectual Property for Entrepreneurs to MBA, MMM, and executive audiences. He leads field studies and innovation projects with real-world impact. He has also contributed to curriculum development in technology and innovation management globally. His lab and research group explore how IP databases inform strategic decision-making in firms across developed and developing economies.
