Biography
Mohsen Attaran is the 2004-05 Millie Ablin Outstanding Professor of Management at California State University, Bakersfield. He obtained his Ph.D. in Systems Science with specializations in Operations Management and Business Forecasting from Portland State University. He is the author/co-author of four books, four book chapters, over 120 peer-reviewed research papers, and ten commercial software packages. He has taught in the Europe, and the Middle East, and was a three-time recipient of the Meritorious Performance and Professional Promise Award for outstanding performance in teaching, research and community services. In 1996 he was honored as recipient of the El Paso Natural Gas Faculty Achievement Award. In 2006 and 2017, he was nominated for Wang Family Excellence Award. In 2019 he was honored with Emeritus Award for his significant contributions to the university, community, and his discipline and profession.
Professor Attaran was president of the National Tax Sheltered Accounts Association Educational Institute and served as an educational consultant for the National Institute for Pension Administrators for 10 years. He has been a consultant for public and private organizations and has conducted numerous in-house workshops and seminars for Fortune 1000 companies. He is founder and president of IES, Inc. a Web and Mobile App Development Company. For the past 20 years, IES, helped several thousand for-profit and nonprofit organizations establish, expand, and strengthen their digital brand presence on the Internet. He has founded, launched and managed several businesses in his career in a variety of technological fields including a Telehealth Doctor Visits, a subscription based virtual business, and a few non-profit organizations.
Research Statement
Professor Attaran’s research agenda lies in the interface of operations, knowledge management, and information technology. Much of his current research is focused on studying technology and its societal impacts and identifying the implications for individuals and businesses. Moreover, he is interested in issues arising in the operations of internet-based markets.
Teaching
Undergraduate
- Introduction to Operations Management
- Intoduction to Total Quality Management
- Data Analysis and Decision Making
Graduate
- Seminar in Operations Management
- Seminar in Global Operations Management
- Seminar in Management of Technology & Innovation
- Master Culminating Project – Entrepreneurship
Featured Published Journal Articles
Digital Technology Enablers and their Implications for Supply Chain Management
Several technologies drive digital trends and bring about change in SCM. They include AI and robotics, cloud computing, 3D printing, advanced analytics, blockchain, AR, RFID, IoT, and cloud technology. These technologies are changing the face of the industry, transforming many aspects of business models, supply chains, products, sales, and services. This paper conducts a literature review that aims to identify current research and directions in terms of how these technologies can enable or enhance and streamline digital supply chain (DSC) .More …
Harnessing the Power of Blockchain: Improving Organizational Efficiencies
Blockchain technology is one of the most exciting innovations of this century. It not only provides operational and regulatory verification efficiencies, it also enhances tractability and visibility throughout the supply chain. This technology is recognized as a powerful database which could easily combine with big data. Furthermore, this technology, as portrayed in the sparse academic literature, as well as the wider trade literature, is found to be able to reshape and decentralize many industries besides financial institutions.More …
The Need for Digital Workplace: Increasing Workforce Productivity in the Information Age
Advances in communications, combined with lifestyle trends, point to a future workforce that is more productive and more capable than ever before. Employees are becoming increasingly dissatisfied with workplace capabilities as communications and productivity technology advances. Employees feel that their workplace is not smart enough and they are ready for a workplace that can accommodate their
changing lifestyles. More…
Technology and Organizational Change: Harnessing the Power of Digital Workplace
This chapter explores the changing dimensions of the workplace and highlights the relationship between technology and organizational change. The chapter begins by briefly reviewing some key perspectives that have emerged in the information systems (IS) literature to account for the relationship between technology and organizational change. It highlights the importance of smart workplace technologies, identifies determinants of successful workplace transformation, proposes a conceptual model for implementation, identifies key factors to consider, and covers some of the potential benefits. More…
Your Future Reality Will be Digital
Virtual Reality (VR) takes the user into a three-dimensional interactive computer generated environment. Participants wear a headset connected to a computer where 3D images are displayed on a screen inside the headset. Users control movement around the simulated environment using a handheld device or with body movement. In case of Augmented Reality (AR), virtual information in the form of graphic, sounds, or a computer generated image are added into a user’s existing natural environment thus enhancing one’s current perception of reality. More …
Opportunities and Challenges of Implementing Predictive Analytics for Competitive Advantage
Predictive analytics has become an increasingly hot topic in analytics landscape as more companies realize that predictive analytics enables them to reduce risks, make intelligent decisions, and create differentiated customer experiences. More …
The Rise of Embedded Analytics: Empowering Manufacturing and Service Industry with Big Data
The key objective of this article is to propose a conceptual model for successful implementation of Embedded Analytics in organizations. This article also covers some of the potential benefits of analytics, explores the changing dimensions of analytics, and provides a guide to some of the opportunities that are available for using embedded analytics in business. More …
The Internet of Things: Limitless Opportunities for Business and Society
This study discusses potential strategic benefits of IOT technology as well as its risks and limitations. It highlights its evolving technologies and trends and their impact on the world of tomorrow. Also, it reviews IoT’s potential economic impact and explores many factors that may contribute to its successful adoption and deployment. More …
The Rise of Additive Manufacturing and Advantages over Traditional Manufacturing
Manufacturing technologies are opening new opportunities in term of manufacturing possibilities. This study identifies Additive Manufacturing implementation challenges, highlights its evolving technologies and trends, discusses its advantages over traditional manufacturing, explores its impact on the supply chain and investigate its transformative potential and its impact on various industry segments. More …
Opportunities and Challenges for Big Data Analytics in American Higher Education- A Conceptual Model for Implementation
The key objective of this article is to propose a conceptual model for the successful implementation of analytics in higher education. The article also examines some of the potential benefits of big data and analytics as applied to the world of higher education and explores implementation challenges that can be expected. Furthermore, the study reviews key attributes of successful analytics platforms and illustrates some of the routes that might be taken to implement these technologies in education. Finally, it highlights the successful implementation of analytics solutions in several universities. More …
Promises and Challenges of Cloud Computing in Higher Education: A Practical Guide for Implementation
The key objective of this article is to propose a conceptual model for the successful implementation of analytics in higher education. The article also examines some of the potential benefits of big data and analytics as applied to the world of higher education and explores implementation challenges that can be expected. Furthermore, the study reviews key attributes of successful analytics platforms and highlights the successful implementation of analytics solutions in several universities. More …
Cloud Computing Technology: A viable Option for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses
The cloud has revolutionized IT infrastructure. It is predicted that 2017 will mark the rapid proliferation of enterprises transitioning to the cloud-based computing technology. The utilization of this innovative technology makes collaboration easier among companies and has the potential to create financial and operational benefits. This study discusses potential strategic benefits of this technology, reviews different phases necessary to deploy the technology, highlights key adoption factors, and surveys its potential application in different industries. More …
Machine Learning: the New ‘Big Thing’ for Competitive Advantage
While machine learning (ML) has existed for a long time, the business world’s focus on it may seem like an overnight development. The technology has been steadily growing since the early days of big data. However, the ability to give machines access to big data and allow them to apply complex mathematical calculations repetitively, while learning for themselves, is a new development. The key objective of this article is to propose a conceptual model for successful implementation of ML in organisations. More …
Additive Manufacturing: The Most Promising Technology to Alter the Supply Chain and Logistics
Additive manufacturing improves efficiencies of the entire supply chain, from the cost of distribution to assembly and carry, all the way to the component itself. This article reviews evolution of new supply chain models, examines some of the potential benefits of AM in challenging traditional manufacturing constraints, explores its impact on the traditional and global supply chain and logistics, and investigates its transformative potential and its impact on various industry segments. More …
