Melody H. Chang

Melody H. Chang serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Management and Organization at the Marshall School of Business, University of Southern California, where she conducts research at the intersection of entrepreneurship, labor markets, and innovation with a focus on diverse entrepreneurs' navigation of capital and labor systems.

Her academic credentials include:

• Ph.D., M.Phil., and M.A. in Management from Yale University
• B.A. in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania

Chang's research program centers on two critical streams: (1) organizational strategies for recruiting and managing entrepreneurial talent, and (2) how founder/investor backgrounds influence early-stage venture trajectories. She critically examines systemic barriers faced by women, Black, and Hispanic/Latino entrepreneurs, as evidenced by her findings that Regulation Crowdfunding (Reg CF) fails to address structural funding disparities despite its intended purpose.

Her empirical work, including the 2022 field experiment on founder evaluation and research on R&D team dynamics, reveals how biases in labor markets and capital allocation processes disadvantage underrepresented founders. These studies advance understanding of entrepreneurial ecosystems through rigorous experimental and observational methodologies, highlighting the interplay between diversity, experience, and venture outcomes.

While specific advising relationships aren't documented in available materials, her role encompasses teaching strategic management to undergraduate students through BUAD-497, which integrates case studies and simulations to explore decision-making in volatile business environments. Her prior investment banking experience at Goldman Sachs, where she advised startups on funding strategies and investors on emerging-sector acquisitions, provides practical grounding for her academic investigations.