Anand Bhardwaj

Education

PhD in Management. Desautels Faculty of Management, McGill University, Montreal

Defended: March 2026

Area: Strategy and Organization Theory 

Thesis: AI and OR Scheduling: Entangling knowledge and artificial intelligence in healthcare

This study, based on a comparative ethnography, examines how differences in local expertise arrangements and coordination practices lead to divergences in how an AI is conceived, developed onsite by a common technology developer, and enrolled in the scheduling of operating rooms (ORs) at two comparable ultra-specialty hospitals in the same public healthcare system .

PhD in Ecology. Laney Graduate School, Emory University, Atlanta

Graduated: December 2013

Area: Population Biology, Ecology, & Evolution; Graduate Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences

Thesis: The Impact of Demographics and Life History Characteristics on RNA Virus Evolution and Extinction

This study, based on a self-developed multi-level agent-based model and large-N bioinformatic analysis, contributed to disease ecology, population genetics, and computational systems biology by developing a branching-process based theoretical model of RNA viral "repeated bottleneck" travel and survival over a realistic rugged evolutionary fitness landscape.

Bachelor of Science. College of Arts and Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta

Biology Major. Graduated December 2007

Publications

Refereed Publications

Faraj, S., Renno, W., & Bhardwaj, A. (2021) Unto the breach: What the COVID-19 pandemic exposes about digitalization. Information & Organization (Co-First Author)

Faraj, S., Renno, W., & Bhardwaj, A. (2022) AI and Uncertainty in Organizing. in  Mark A. Griffin & Gudela Grote (Eds.) The Oxford Handbook of Uncertainty Management in Work Organizations. Oxford Academic.

Faraj, S., Perez-Torrents, J.,  Mantere, S., & Bhardwaj, A. (2026) A Time for Monsters: Organizational knowing after large language models. Strategic Organization

Working Papers

Bhardwaj, A. & Faraj, S. A Quality of Mercy is Not Trained: Practive vs. representation of care artificial intelligence  (Winner AOM HCM Best student-led paper, Spotlight presentation at 2025 MILA Montreal Symposium on Model Accountability, Sustainability and Healthcare)

Sadek, J., Nason, R., & Bhardwaj, A. On the emergence and fragmentation of blockchain and cryptocurreny market categories (Presented at AOM 2026)

Bhardwaj, A., & Essén, A. The representational ceiling: How healthcare data infrastructure limits AI learning (ICIS 2026 conference submission)

Bhardwaj, A. & Faraj, S. All that is solid melts into air: The epistemic work of crisis coordinating (Presented at AOM 2024, 2025; Preparing for Submission)

Bhardwaj, A., Faraj, S., Malas, K., & Brunet, F. Beyond the Command Center: Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic (Practitioner Paper; Presented at EGOS 2023; Preparing for Submission)

Bhardwaj, A. & Faraj, S. Knowings that matter: Entangling organizational process and artificial intelligence (Presented at EGOS 2024, ASAC 2024, AOM 2024, 2025)

Bhardwaj, A. Towards an ecology of knowledge: Inheritance and innovation in social science research conversations (Winner, Best Paper: 2022 Montreal B-School Symposium)

Conference Papers, Symposia, and Presentations

[WINNER: HCM Division Best Student-Led Paper] Bhardwaj, A.; Faraj, S. (2026) A quality of mercy is not trained: Practice vs. representation of care in artificial intelligence. Academy of Managment Annual Meeting 2026 Paper Session (Healthcare Managment divisiono). Philadephia, US

[ORGANIZER] Brelmaier, C; Bhardwaj, A. (2026) Intelligent Organizing: Strategy and Organization in the AI age. Academy of Managment Annual Meeting 2026 Professional Development Workshop (STR, OMT, CTO, TIM divisions). Philadelphia, US

Sadek, J.; Nason, R.; Bhardwaj, A (2026) So the SEC wont let me be: Regulators' jurisdictional battle over cryptocurrency. Academy of Managment Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, US

[ORGANIZER] Bhardwaj, A; Segal, E.; Bansal, T. (2026) Systems Thinking for Wicked Problems in Organizations and Society. Administrative Sciences Asssociation of Canada (ASAC) Professional Development Workshop. Calgary, AB

[CONFERENCE SPOTLIGHT] Bhardwaj, A.; Faraj, S. (2025) A quality of mercy is not trained: The imagined vs. the practiced in healthcare process-specialized AI. Symposium on Model Accountability, Sustainability and Healthcare 2025. MILA Quebec AI Institute, Montreal, Canada

Bender, G.; Faraj, S.; Bhardwaj, A. (2025) Implementation of AI in Precision Medicine. Symposium on Model Accountability, Sustainability and Healthcare 2025. MILA Quebec AI Institute, Montreal, Canada 

Bhardwaj, A. (2025) Knowings that Matter: Recognizing and Including Organizational Knowledge in AI development. Academy of Management Annual Meeting 2025 Paper Session (Communications, Digital Technology, and Organizations division). Copenhagen, Denmark

Bhardwaj, A.; Faraj, S. (2025) Coordinating Frontline Expertise in a Multi-Front Crisis. Academy of Management Annual Meeting 2025 Paper Session (Healthcare Management division). Copenhagen, Denmark

[INVITED PANELIST] Osterlund, C.; Erikson, I. (2025) What AI Models Can Reveal About the Changing Organization of Healthcare. Panel Symposium. Academy of Management Annual Meeting, Copenhagen, Denmark. 

[INVITED PANELIST] Karacic, T.; Elmholdt, C.; Mehrizi. M. (2025) How to Study Expertise and Emerging Technology In and Around Organizations. Professional Development Workshop, Academy of Management Annual Meeting, Copenhagen, Denmark. 

Bhardwaj, A. (2025) Performing Excel as Computer Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis Software. Interpretive Data Science (IDeaS) Workshop 2025. Telfer School of Management, University of Ottawa.

Bhardwaj, A. (2025) Articulating Expert Knowledge in Healthcare AI development. Interpretive Data Science (IDeaS) Workshop 2025. Telfer School of Management, University of Ottawa.

Bhardwaj, A.; Faraj, S. (2024) Artificial Intelligence in the Operating Room: Doing expertise and expert systems in healthcare. Academy of Management Annual Meeting 2024 Showcase Symposium  (Organized by Bhardwaj, A. and Karacic, T.): Entangling Expertise and AI at work: Tales from the Field. Chicago, Illinois

Bhardwaj, A.; Faraj, S. (2024) Leading from the Frontline: Autonomy and Improvisation in a hospital during times of crisis. Academy of Managment Annual Meeting 2024 Paper Session (Healthcare Management). Chicago Illinois

Bhardwaj, A; Faraj, S. (2024) AI and the OR schedule: Entangling artificial intelligence and expertise in healthcare coordination. European Group on Organizational Studies Colloquium 2023: Sub-theme 63: Rethinking Organizational Knowledge in Unsettling Times: People, Technology, and Knowing. Hosted by University of Milan-Bicocca, Italy

Bhardwaj, A; Faraj, S. (2024)  The AI of the Beholder: How local expertise arrangements shape AI. Administrative Sciences Association of Canada Conference 2024. Hosted by Universite de Sherbrooke, Montreal

Bhardwaj, A; Faraj, S. (2024)  Entangling Expertise and AI in the OR. Montreal Business Schools PhD Symposium 2024. Hosted by John Molson School of Business, Concordia University, Montreal

Bhardwaj, A.; Faraj, S. (2023). The AI of the Beholder: How explanations of AI produce AI. European Group on Organizational Studies Colloquium 2023: Sub-theme 11: Explaining AI in the context of organizations. Hosted by University of Cagliari, Italy

Faraj, S.; Bhardwaj, A.; Malas, K.; Brunet; F. (2023). Marching to Many Beats: Plural temporality in a hospital's COVID-19 response. European Group on Organizational Studies Colloquium 2023: Sub-theme 11: The Role Institutions, Networks, and Communities in Extreme Contexts. Hosted by University of Cagliari, Italy

Faraj, S.; Bhardwaj, A. (2023) A quality of mercy is not trained: The entanglement of AI and ethics in operating room scheduling. Academy of Management Annual Meeting 2023 Presenter Symposium: Navigating the ethical terrain of AI technologies: A practice based view. Boston, Massachusets 

Bhardwaj, A. (2023) Improvising Coordination and Coordinating Improvisations during the COVID pandemic. Montreal Business Schools PhD Symposium 2023. Hosted by l'Ecole des Sciences de la Gestion, Université de Québec à Montréal.

Pearman, E. ; Faraj, S.; Bhardwaj, A.; Samad, H. (2023) Waiting for Go, Doc: Navigating the datascape of healthcare access in Quebec. Desautels Integrated Management Fellowship Annual Showcase, McGill University

Faraj, S.; Bhardwaj, A; Malas. K (2022) How a Major Canadian Tertiary Care Center Responded to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Academy of Management Annual Meeting 2022 Presenter Symposium: Relationships and Resilience in the COVID-19 Pandemic. Seattle, Washington

Bhardwaj, A. (2022) A Rudderless Ship: How Leadership Transitions can affect Organizational Innovation. Montreal Business Schools PhD Symposium 2022. Hosted by HEC Montreal 

PDW (2021) Supporting Non-Traditional Research Career Paths in the Academy. PDW Facilitator. Academy of Management Annual Meeting 2021.

Bhardwaj, A.; Faraj, S. (2021) Triaging Breaches: A hospital’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. European Group on Organizational Studies Colloquium 2021: Sub-theme 14: The Role of Temporality and Coordination in Extreme Contexts. Hosted by Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam

Bhardwaj, A.; Faraj, S. (2020 - Accepted) The flow and evolution of knowledge across academic collaboration networks. European Group on Organizational Studies Colloquium 2020: Sub-theme 34: New Approaches to Organizing Collaborative Knowledge Creation. Hosted by University of Hamburg 

Other, Misc.

Bhardwaj, A. (2013) Effects of Life History and Genome Architecture on ssRNA Virus Evolution and Extinction. Three Essay Doctoral Dissertation. Emory University. 

Bhardwaj, A. (2013) Demographic and Adaptive Evolution of RNA Viral Populations. Conference Presentation, Society for the Study of Evolution Conference. Snowbird, UT

Bhardwaj, A. (2013) Dynamics of Replication & RNA Viral Sensitivity to Demographic Extinction. Conference Poster. Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Diseases Conference at Penn State University, University Park, PA

Bhardwaj, A. (2012) Is RNA Virus Evolution Regulated by Threshold-like Phenomena? Conference Poster. Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Diseases Conference at University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI

Bhardwaj, A. (2011) Evolution in RNA Viruses along a Latitudinal Gradient. Conference Poster. Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Diseases Conference at UC Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA

Teaching and Supervision

McGill University, Desautels Faculty of Management, Montreal: 2019 - 2026

Lecturer: Emerging Technologies: Organizing and Societal Stakes (Undergraduate), Winter 2023

• Co-designed and delivered 400-level undergraduate elective

• Enrolled local organization as sponsor for term impact project

• Course rating 4.9/5.0 | Instructor rating 5.0/5.0

Designer and Facilitator: The Organizational Consequences of Modern Data Science, Winter 2024

• Executive Workshop for MeGill Computational Data Systems Initiative

Research Supervisor: Marcel Desautels Integrated Management Student Fellowship Program: 2021 - 2026

• Supervised ten undergraduate research fellows.

• Aided fellows in study design, qualitative and quantitative data collection, and producing deliverables (Research poster and analytical essays)

• Trained fellows in exploratory quantitative data analysis of numerical data,  qualitative analysis of interviews and texts, and machine-assisted interpretive analysis of large organizational text archives.

Guest Lecturer: Developing AI in Organizations; for Emerging Technologies: Organizing and Societal Stakes (Undergraduate) - Offered by Prof. Samer Faraj: 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025

Guest Lecturer: Demystifying AI for Managers; for Special Topics in Technology Entrepreneurship (MBA) - Offered by Prof. Samer Faraj: 2023

Guest Lecturer: AI in Healthcare; for Innovation In Healthcare (Executive Ed.) - Offered by Prof. Samer Faraj: 2024, 2025

Guest Lecturer: Demystifying Simulations; for Systems Thinking and Sustainability- Offered by Prof. Anna Kim:  2021, 2024, 2025

Guest Lecturer: Causal Loops and Dynamic Models; for Social Context of Business - Offered by Ms. Hanieh Mohammedi: 2022, 2023

Teaching Assistant: Emerging Technologies: Organizing and Societal Stakes - Offered by Prof. Samer Faraj: Winter 2022 

• Co-designed and facilitated all lectures

• Research/Project design support

• Grading and in-class moderation and support

Teaching Assistant: Systems Thinking for Sustainability  - Offered by Prof. Anna Kim: Fall 2021

• Grading and in-class moderation and support

Research Assistant: Social Network Analysis for Social Science Research - Offered by Prof. Brian Rubineau: Winter 2022, 2024

• Assisted students in executing analyses in R programming language for weekly assignments and term projects.

• Reinforced in-class materials on social network concepts

• Guided students in data science and data management principles

Research Assistant: Group on Complex Collaboration, lead by Prof. Samer Faraj

• Helped establish two qualitative research field sites for research group, built durable local relationships. Successfully helped insert one peer graduate student each into the field sites.

• Coordinated research meeting series for two years.

• Wrote and published natural language processing (NLP) tools for systematic literature reviews, actively used by PhD students and faculty members.

Emory University, Laney Graduate School, Atlanta: 2008-2013

Graduate Teaching/Research Assistant for Prof. Leslie A Real

• Designed and delivered guest lectures on ecological strategies for competition and survival, co-evolution, community and niche development

• Moderated weekly primary literature discussion and data analysis sessions

Service

Division Coordinator: Administrative Sciences Association of Canada (ASAC), Technology and Innovation Management Division (TIM) 2025-2026

Division Editor: Administrative Sciences Association of Canada, Technology and Innovation Management Division 2024-2025

Division Student Representative-at-Large: Academy of Management (AOM), Communications, Digital Technology, and Organizations Division (CTO) 2022-2024

Organizer/Volunteer: The Montreal Business Schools PhD Symposium 2023

Vice President (Academic): Desautels Doctoral Students Society, McGill 2021-2022

Peer Reviews: Reviewed 7 manuscripts for: European Journal for Information Systems, Information Systems Research, Information & Organization, Organization Studies, Organization Science 2023-Present

Conference Peer Reviews: Reviewed 68 manuscripts for Academy of Management, International Conference on Information Systems (ICIS), European Conference on Informations Systems (ECIS), and Administrative Sciences Assocation of Canada annual meetings 2020-present

Awards

Academy of Management Healthcare Management (HCM) division 2026 Best Student-Led Paper Award: A Quality of Mercy is Not Trained: Practice vs. Representation of Care in Artificial Intelligence

Desautels Doctoral Student Society 2024 Teaching Excellence Award

Montreal Business Schools PhD Symposium 2024 Best Research Paper: AI of the Beholder: How expertise arrangements produce AI. Hosted by John Molson School of Business, Concordia University

Montreal Business Schools PhD Symposium 2022 Best Research Paper:  A Rudderless Ship: How Leadership Transitions can affect Organizational Innovation. Hosted by HEC Montreal

Funding

McGill Centre for Strategy Studies in Organizations Dissertation Award 2024. Amount: $8,000

McGill Graduate Excellence Award 2020, 2021. Amount: $30,000

Marcel A. Desautels PhD Fellowship 2019, 2023. Amount: $35,000

Professional Experience

Accenture Digital, Atlanta: 2014-2019

High Value Clients, North America Communications, High-Tech, and Telecommunications Verticals. Customer Sales and Service Analyics, Applied AI.

Architect & Delivery Lead; Analytics Center Of Excellence - National Telecoms Client: 2018-2019

• Co-developed analytics strategy, organizational design and operating model for new analytics organization

• Led analytics team; services include process mapping and optimization, forecasting, simulation, and behavior modeling

• Executed new organizational design by assisting client HR with hiring, training client teams and transitioning capabilities

Customer Behavior Subject Matter Advisor (SMA); Various Clients: 2016-2019

• B2B Customer Behavior SMA for the North America Applied Intelligence practice

• Participated in deal shaping, project proposal development, client orals, and project quality assurance for 27 projects at 16 telecommunications, entertainment and high-tech industry clients

Data Science Lead; Enterprise Analytics as a Service - Global Telecoms Client: 2015-2017

• Led a multinational team that analyzed customer behavior to drive client's $10B+ annual global sales and marketing operations

• Key activities include market segmentation, sales and marketing treatment strategy, customer targeting for acqusition, growth and retention campaigns, product rationalization, and sales resource allocation

Innovation Manager; Various Clients: 2015-2017

• Designed and produced reusable analytics assets (algorithms, best practices, visualization standards) for Accenture Digital

• Worked with C-Suite, Executive/Manager, and Rep-level clients to understand how they make data-driven decisions and designed dashboards with interfaces and user experiences specific to their decision processes

Data Scientist; Small/Medium Business Customer Retention - Regional Telecoms Client: 2014

• Designed and implemented a predictive model to identify high-risk customers in the client's B2B customer base

 The Emory University Library, Atlanta: 2006-2007

Reference and Technology Assistant

 The Emory Wheel, Atlanta: 2006-2007

Editorials Illustrator for college weekly paper