Photo of Tafti, Ali

Ali Tafti

Professor and Department Head, Department of Information and Decision Sciences

Bielinski Family Faculty Scholar

Pronouns: He/Him/His

Contact

Building & Room:

UH 2400

Address:

601 S. Morgan St., Chicago, IL 60607

Office Phone:

(312) 996-1618

Email:

atafti@uic.edu

CV Link:

Ali Tafti

About

Experience

  • Associate Professor, Department of Information and Decision Sciences, College of Business Administration at University of Illinois at Chicago. 2017 – present.
  • Assistant Professor, Department of Information and Decision Sciences, College of Business Administration at University of Illinois at Chicago. 2013 – 2017.
  • Assistant Professor, Department of Business Administration, College of Business at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. 2009 – 2013.
  • Software Engineer, Integrated Business Systems (acquired by SunGard), 2001 – 2004

Classes Taught

  • Social Media and Network Analytics (IDS 564; Spring 2016 - present)
  • PhD Seminar: Econometric Methods for Business and Social Science Research (IDS 595; Spring 2020)
  • PhD Seminar: Econometric Methods for Information Systems Research (IDS 529; Spring 2015, Spring 2018)
  • Advanced Database Management Systems (IDS 521; Fall 2013 - Fall 2017)
  • Systems Analysis & Design (IDS 405; Fall 2013)

Research Interests

  • The role of Information Technology (IT) in inter-organizational relationships
  • Economic and strategic impacts of IT investment
  • Performance effects of participation in social and collaborative networks enabled by information technology
  • Causal inference methods

Selected Publications

  • Park, S., A. Tafti and G. Shmueli, (2023) “Transporting Causal Effects Across Populations Using Structural Causal Modeling: An Illustration to Work-From-Home Productivity,” forthcoming at Information Systems Research; published online in advance: https://doi.org/10.1287/isre.2023.1236
  • Basak E, Al Balawi R, Fatemi S, Tafti A (2023) When crisis hits: Bike-Sharing platforms amid the Covid-19 pandemic. PLoS ONE 18(4): e0283603. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0283603
  • Guo, R., R. Subramanyam, and A. Tafti, “Internal IT Modularity, Firm Size, and Adoption of Cloud Computing,” forthcoming at Electronic Commerce Research, available online: https://rdcu.be/c9WRD
  • Shmueli, G., and A. Tafti (2023). “Rejoinder: How to ‘improve’ prediction using behavior modification,” International Journal of Forecasting, 39(2), 566-569.
  • Shmueli, G., and A. Tafti (2023). “How to ‘Improve’ Prediction Using Behavior Modification,” International Journal of Forecasting, 39(2), 541-555 (lead article): https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijforecast.2022.07.008
  • Tafti, A., P. Rahmati, S. Mithas, and M.S. Krishnan. “How Human Resource and Information Systems Practices Amplify the Returns on Information Technology Investments,” Journal of the Association for Information Systems, 23(5) 2022, 1150-1183.
  • Rahmati, P., A. Tafti, J.C. Westland, and C. Hidalgo. “When all Products are Digital: Complexity and Intangible Value in the Ecosystem of Digitizing Firms,” MIS Quarterly (45:3) 2021, pp. 1025-1058.
  • Rahmati, P., Tafti, A., S. Mithas, and V. Sachdev. “How Does the Positioning of Information Technology Firms in Strategic Alliances Influence Returns to R&D Investments?” Journal of the Association for Information Systems (22:2) 2021, 6.
  • Tafti, A. and G. Shmueli. “Beyond overall treatment effects: Leveraging covariates in randomized experiments guided by causal structure,” Information Systems Research (31:4) 2020, 1183-1199.
  • Huang, P., A. Tafti, and S. Mithas. “Sponsor Investments and User Contributions in Knowledge Communities: The Role of Knowledge Seeding,” MIS Quarterly (42:1) 2018, 213-240.
  • Huang, P., A. Tafti, and S. Mithas. “The Secret to Successful Knowledge Seeding,” Sloan Management Review (59:3) 2018, 10-13.
  • Mithas, S., J. Whitaker and A. Tafti. “Information Technology, Revenues and Profits: Exploring the Role of Foreign and Domestic Operations,” Information Systems Research (28:2) 2017, 430-444.
  • Tafti, Ali, Ryan Zotti, and Wolfgang Jank, “Real-Time Diffusion of Information on Twitter and the Financial Markets,” PLoS ONE 11(8) 2016: e0159226.
  • Pang, Min-Seok, Ali Tafti, and Krishnan, M.S. “Do CIO IT Budgets Explain Bigger or Smaller Governments? Theory and Evidence from U.S. State Governments,” Management Science (62:4) 2016, 1020 – 1041.
  • Pang, Min-Seok, Ali Tafti, and Krishnan, M.S. “Information Technology and Administrative Efficiency in U.S. State Governments – A Stochastic Frontier Approach,” MIS Quarterly (38:4) 2014, 1079-1101.
  • Tafti, Ali, Sunil Mithas, and M.S. Krishnan, “The Importance of IT-Enabled Flexibility in Alliances,” Sloan Management Review (54:3) 2013, 13-14.
  • Mithas, Sunil, Ali Tafti, and Will Mitchell, “How a Firm’s Competitive Environment and Strategic Posture Influence Digital Business Strategy, ” MIS Quarterly (37:2) 2013, 511-536.
  • Tafti, Ali, Sunil Mithas, and M.S. Krishnan, “The Effect of Information Technology-Enabled Flexibility on Formation and Market Value of Alliances,” Management Science (59:1) 2013, 207 – 225.
  • Mithas, Sunil, Ali Tafti, I.R. Bardhan, and J.M. Goh, “Information Technology and Firm Profitability: Mechanisms and Empirical Evidence,” MIS Quarterly (36:1) 2012, 205-224. (2013 CIONET European Research Paper of the Year).
  • Mithas, Sunil, Ali Tafti, I.R. Bardhan, and J.M. Goh, “The Impact of IT Investments on Profits,” Sloan Management Review (53:15) 2012, 15.
  • Tafti, Ali, Sunil Mithas, and M.S. Krishnan, “Information Technology and Autonomy-Control Duality: Toward a Theory,” Information Technology and Management (8:2) 2007, pp. 147-167.

Notable Honors

2021, Outstanding Associate Editor, MIS Quarterly

2019, Dean’s Letter of Recognition for Outstanding Teaching, UIC Business

2013, European Research Paper of the Year, CIONET

2012, Information Systems Research Reviewer of the Year, University of Illinois

2012, Management Science Meritorious Service Award, University of Illinois

2012, List of Teachers Ranked Excellent by their Students, University of Illinois

Education

PhD, University of Michigan, December 2009. Business Administration with concentration in Business Information Technology, Ross School of Business.
MS,State University of New York at Stony Brook,December 1999. Computer Science.
BA, New College of Florida, May 1996. Physics.