David Pacuku - Doctorial Student

About Me

Welcome! I am David, a dedicated PhD candidate at Kühne Logistics University (KLU), specializing in Innovation Management. My academic journey is driven by a profound interest in understanding the causes and implications of information gaps that arise during the innovation process. By exploring how these information asymmetries influence the evaluation and selection of innovative ideas, my research aims to shed light on the intricate dynamics that ideators and evaluators navigate within the realm of innovation.

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You can also view my profile on the KLU Website for more details about my academic journey and research.

Research

Innovation is inherently uncertain. New ideas often carry hidden details and evolving potential, which means not everyone has access to the same information. This discrepancy—known as information asymmetry—is at the heart of my research. I focus on how ideators (the creators of ideas) and evaluators (those who judge and select ideas) navigate these asymmetries, and how that navigation can either spur ingenuity or cause biases that hinder the best ideas from seeing the light of day.

A Tale of Two Sides

The Ideator’s Perspective

When individuals or teams submit ideas to innovation contests, will they act opportunistically, taking advantage of knowledge gaps to make their submissions appear more appealing than they really are? Could the anticipation of competitors push ideators to develop even stronger proposals, turning information asymmetry into a catalyst for better ideas rather than a drawback? These questions drive my investigation into the motives and behaviors of ideators under different contest structures and incentive schemes.

The Evaluator’s Perspective

On the other side, evaluators also face information asymmetry when they encounter novel ideas. When does this gap lead to severe biases—such as undervaluing truly groundbreaking concepts or overlooking valuable ideas from external sources? How do factors like idea novelty or the origin of an idea (internal vs. external) shape the way evaluators perceive and judge submissions?

Methodological Approach

Field Studies: I observe real-world innovation contests to see how ideators and evaluators behave when stakes are high and time is limited.
(Quasi-)Experiments: I create controlled scenarios to test causal effects to underpin theoretical predictions.
Mathemtical Modeling and Simulations: I employ mathematical modeling and simulation to untangle the strategic behavior of stakeholders in idea contests.

Teaching

I enjoy teaching and mentoring students. Over the past two consecutive years (2023 and 2024), I have led a Math Tutorial at KLU, and I have also served as a visiting teacher in several lectures provided at KLU. My teaching philosophy emphasizes a student-centered, inquiry-based approach, aiming to foster a collaborative and engaging learning environment that encourages critical thinking and practical application of knowledge.