Liang (Leon) Xu
I’m Leon Xu, Associate Professor of Operations Management at Singapore Management University (SMU). My research examines how algorithms, artificial intelligence, incentives, and psychological factors shape human behavior and decision-making in organizations and markets. Before joining SMU in 2022, I was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Supply Chain Management and Analytics at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. I earned my Ph.D. in Supply Chain Management from the Smeal College of Business at Penn State University.
My work combines machine learning and GenAI, lab and field experiments, mechanism design, game theory, and analytical modeling to address real-world challenges in healthcare, supply chains, retail, and new product development. I’m particularly interested in the interaction of AI with human judgment, organizational incentives, and public policy. Through research and teaching, I hope to inspire students and collaborators to pursue meaningful questions and develop rigorous, practical solutions.
RESEARCH
What I work on
Human–Algorithm Decisions
How people learn from, collaborate with, and respond to AI systems.
↗ 02AI Governance & Innovation
How regulation and incentives shape the development of adaptive AI.
↗ 03Behavioral Operations
Human judgment, social comparison, and operational decisions.
↗ 04Healthcare & Supply Chains
Pharmaceutical innovation, inventory management, and operational intelligence.
↗LET’S CONNECT
Good research begins with a conversation.
I welcome collaborations with academic researchers and industry partners, and conversations with motivated prospective Ph.D. and master's students interested in research.