From the latest trends in entrepreneurial innovation to crowdfunded microfinance, the two incoming management professors at Cal State Fullerton’s College of Business and Economics this fall bring a new and broadened perspective to a department that spans a wide range of business disciplines from startups to the supply chain.

Sid Yamalakonda: Connecting Supply Chains, Technology, and Social Responsibility

For incoming management professor Sid Yamalakonda, the journey to business professor began as an engineering undergrad at the National Institute of Technology in Kerala, India. He earned two master’s degrees in information systems and business at Auburn University. After several years in California, Yamalakonda returned to his alma mater to earn a doctorate in supply chain management.

Yamalakonda is the author of two research studies, “On subsistence‐type rural independent retailers and crowdfunded microfinance—Prosocial lending, nudges, and unintended consequences” and “On tariff elimination, trade harmonization, and household well‐being: A study of the GST rollout in India,” both appearing in the Journal of Business Logistics in 2024.

The first of these studies examines loans that benefit business startups in the developing world. “Crowdfunded microfinance connects lenders with small businesses across the globe. This study looks at success outcomes within prosocial lending,  an avenue through which people in emerging economies such as Nigeria or Bangladesh can start businesses with the help of lenders from affluent parts of the world with expendable income,” explains Yamalakonda.

In the second study, Yamalakonda looks at the goods and services tax (GST) rollout in India, which eliminated tax barriers across 28 states and 8 union territories of India, overhauled supply chains throughout the country, and produced differential impacts across various socio-economic groups of society.

In his free time, Yamalakonda is an avid soccer fan, with a strong love for his team, Manchester United from the English Premier League, even waking up at 4 A.M. to watch some of the games live that are played in other time zones!

Scott Taylor: A Serial Entrepreneur Whose True Calling is Teaching and Research

In addition to leading the Conrey Center for Entrepreneurship, Scott Taylor is also joining the College of Business and Economics as a management professor. The University of Washington doctoral graduate has research focus on entrepreneurship, particularly social enterprises, traditionally underserved populations, and business innovation.

Taylor’s research examines how new businesses build credibility, how Black CEOs respond to corporate diversity and racial justice efforts, and how entrepreneurship programs can be tailored to better support women- and minority-owned companies. His studies are currently under review in such prestigious journals as Academy of Management Review, Entrepreneurship Theory & Practice, and Economic Development Quarterly.

“By combining real-world experience with cutting-edge research, I am helping the center prepare students to launch businesses that succeed in the market while also making a positive community impact.” says Taylor. “This strengthens Cal State Fullerton’s role as a hub for inclusive innovation across Orange County and beyond.”

Taylor and his wife are raising six children and enjoy traveling through the western United States, enjoying adventures such as cliff jumping, boating, snorkeling, fishing, hiking, hunting, skiing, kayaking and camping.

For More on Management

For more on the department’s research and academic activities, read more of our articles on management education.