I completed my PhD in Management at La Trobe University in 2017. I also hold a Master of Information Technology Management, majoring in Quality and Operations Management, and a Bachelor of Business Administration.
I served as Head of the Postgraduate Project Management Program at La Trobe Business School for five years, where I led a team of academics and industry professionals in designing and developing eight courses. In my teaching leadership, I emphasise innovative and student-centred pedagogical approaches, including real-world learning, brainstorming, simulation, blended and flipped learning models, and structured peer-review techniques. These methods aim to enhance graduate employability by enabling students to develop practical, industry-relevant capabilities.
I also served the School as a senior member of the Research Committee and as a Senior Academic Integrity Advisor for six years, where I contributed to the development of institutional policies, roadmaps, and procedures that support ethical research practices, strengthen academic integrity, and guide both students and staff in maintaining high scholarly standards.
My research focuses on digital transformation, innovation, and technology strategy and management, particularly examining how organisations and supply chains adapt to technological change, enter new markets, and develop roadmaps for digital excellence. I have served as an Associate Editor for the Academy of Management Annual Meeting since 2021 and as a member of the Editorial Advisory Board of Technological Forecasting and Social Change. I have secured over AUD 500,000 in research funding for projects on emerging technologies—including service robots, social robots, and the Internet of Things—in both service and manufacturing sectors. I have supervised three PhD students and six Master by Research students to completion. My research has an H-index of 22 on Google Scholar with over 2,300 citations.
I am an active member of the Project Management Institute and hold the Project Management Professional (PMP®) certification. Prior to and alongside my academic career, I worked as a project and program manager on digital transformation initiatives across multiple sectors, including healthcare (such as aged care and autism services), oil and gas—particularly in the Middle East—and professional and knowledge-based services. Through evidence-based methodological approaches, I support organisations in adopting digital and innovative solutions, implementing hybrid agile and lean strategies, and becoming more customer-centric by strategically integrating emerging technologies.
Awards
- 2024 School Student Experience Award
- 2021 School Early Career Researcher Award
- 2021 School Award for Exemplary Contribution to Mission
Grants
- 07/2021-11/2021
Grant from Regional Development
Victoria (RDV) in collaboration with Bendigo Hospital
- 10/2018 –
10/2019 La Trobe Internal Grant: Role
of innovative behaviours (cognitive style) in relationship between social
network of actors and supply chain resilience
- 01/2018 –
12/2018 Grant from HWNS in
collaboration with HCI
- 06/2016 –
12/2017 2016 LTB School Internal
Research Grants Scheme (IRGS)
- 04/2015 – 6/2016 Grant
from Alzheimer’s Australia in collaboration with RECCSI
Teaching at AOU:
- Principles of Management I (MGT111)
- Principles of Management II (MGT112)
- Principles of Marketing I (MKT111)
Other Higher Education Institutes (Curriculum Design and Teaching):
- Project Management in Practice
(Postgraduate)
- Project Leadership (Postgraduate)
- Total Quality Management
(Postgraduate)
- Project Management (Postgraduate)
- Procurement and Contract Management
(Postgraduate)
- Management Practice and Theory
(Postgraduate)
- HRM in Global Economy (Postgraduate)
- Managing Innovation in Organisations
(Postgraduate)
- Entrepreneurial Business Planning
(Postgraduate)
- Business Research Methods
(Postgraduate)
- Management of Service Supply Chain
and Operations (Postgraduate)
- Human Resource Information Systems
(Undergraduate)
- Operations Management
(Undergraduate)
- Strategic Management (Undergraduate)
- Sustainability (Undergraduate)
- Entrepreneurship (Undergraduate)
- Digital Business (Undergraduate)
- Data Analytics Concepts
(Undergraduate)
- Responsible AI for Sustainability
(Undergraduate)
Academic
Experience - Teaching Leadership
- 12/2020 –
09/2025 Head of Major – Project
Management
- 01/2022 -
09/2025 Senior Lecturer
- 01/2017 –
01/2022 Assistant Professor
- 07/2014 –
01/2017 Sessional
Lecturer (Instructor)
- 07/2010 –
01/2012 Sessional
Lecturer (Instructor)
Academic Experience - Research and Service Leadership
- 02/2019 –
09/2025 La Trobe Business School Research
Committee Member
- 09/2019 –
09/2025 Academic Integrity Advisor
- 09/2017 –
09/2025 Performance Progress Reviewer
- 04/2019 –
09/2024 La Trobe Business School
Digital Champion
- 02/2013 –
02/2020 Research Projects Manager
Yousefi
Sarmad, M., Pishvaee, M. S., Jahani, H., Khaksar, S. M. S., & Ivanov, D.
(2025). Integrated planning for a global pharmaceutical supply chain: an
ambidexterity perspective. Annals of
Operations Research (Q1) doi:10.1007/s10479-023-05554-5
Khaksar,
S. M. S., Maghsoudi, T., Soleimani, M., Nawaser, K., Saki, A., & Jahani, H.
(2025). (Un) Intended Consequences of Social Robot Adoption in Aged Care: A
Hybrid Literature Review. International Journal of Social Robotics,
1-27. (Q1) Doi: doi.org/10.1007/s12369-024-01200-7
Shahmehr,
F. S., Khaksar, S. M. S., Miah, S. J., Moughari, M. M., & Daim, T. (2024).
Reconciling Technophilia and Technophobia Using Intra-Role Identity Tensions: A
Paradox Theory Perspective. IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management.
(Q1) doi: 10.1109/TEM.2024.3454547
S., Sohal, A., & Khaksar, S. M. S. (2024). How do service innovation
practices develop frontline employee resilience capabilities in
not-for-profits? Journal of Services
Marketing, 38(4), 494-508. (Q1) doi:10.1108/JSM-03-2023-0096
Khaksar, S. M. S.,
Shahmehr, F. S., Miah, S., Daim, T., & Ozdemir, D. (2024). Privacy concerns versus personalisation benefits in social robot
acceptance by employees: A paradox theory — Contingency perspective. Technological Forecasting and Social Change,
198, 14 pages. (Q1) doi:10.1016/j.techfore.2023.123034
Khaksar, S. M. S., Chu, M. T., Rozario, S., &
Slade, B. (2023). Knowledge-based dynamic capabilities and knowledge worker
productivity in professional service firms the moderating role of
organisational culture. Knowledge
Management Research and Practice, 21(2),
241-258. (Q1) doi:10.1080/14778238.2020.1794992
Jahani, H., Chaleshtori, A. E., Khaksar, S. M. S.,
Aghaie, A., & Sheu, J. B. (2022). COVID-19 vaccine distribution planning
using a congested queuing system—A real case from Australia. Transportation Research Part E: Logistics
and Transportation Review, 163,
33 pages. (Q1) doi:10.1016/j.tre.2022.102749
Singaraju, S. P., Rose, J. L., Arango-Soler, L. A.,
D'Souza, C., Khaksar, S. M. S., & Brouwer, A. R. (2022). The Dark Age of
Advertising: An Examination of Perceptual Factors Affecting Advertising
Avoidance in the Context of Mobile Youtube. Journal
of Electronic Commerce Research, 23(1),
13-32. (Q1) Retrieved from http://www.jecr.org/node/649
Khaksar, S. M. S., Afshar Jahanshahi,, A., Slade, B.,
& Arisian, S. (2021). A dual-factor theory of WTs adoption in aged care
service operations – a cross-country analysis. Information Technology and People, 34(7), 1768-1799. (Q1) doi:10.1108/ITP-10-2018-0449
Rozario, S. D.,
Venkatraman, S., Marimuthu, M., Khaksar, S. M. S., & Subramani, G. (2021). Creating Smart Cities: A Review for Holistic Approach. Applied System Innovation, 4, 24 pages. (Q1) doi:10.3390/asi4040070
Ratten, V., & Khaksar,
S. M. S. (2021). COVID-19: future marketing and technology research
challenges. In V. Ratten, & P. Thaichon (Eds.), COVID-19, technology and marketing: moving forward and the new normal
(pp. 143-157). Singapore: Palgrave Macmillan. doi:10.1007/978-981-16-1442-2_8
Khosla, R., Chu, M. T., Khaksar, S. M. S., Nguyen, K.,
& Nishida, T. (2021). Engagement and experience of older people with
socially assistive robots in home care. Assistive
Technology, 33(2), 57-71. (Q1) doi:10.1080/10400435.2019.1588805
Khaksar, S. M. S., Khosla, R., Singaraju, S., &
Slade, B. (2021). Carer’s perception on social assistive technology acceptance
and adoption: moderating effects of perceived risks. Behaviour & Information Technology, 40(4), 337-360. (Q1) doi:10.1080/0144929X.2019.1690046
Khaksar, S. M. S., Slade, B., Wallace, J., &
Gurinder, K. (2020). Critical success factors for application of social robots
in special developmental schools: Development, adoption and implementation. International Journal of Educational
Management, 34(4), 677-696. (Q2) doi:10.1108/IJEM-08-2019-0304
Khaksar, S. M. S., Maghsoudi, T., & Young, S.
(2019). Social capital, psychological resilience and job burnout in hazardous
work environments. Labour and Industry: a
journal of the social and economic relations of work, 29(2), 155-180. (Q2) doi:10.1080/10301763.2019.1588196
Balouei Jamkhaneh, H., Khazaei Pool, J., Khaksar, S.
M. S., Arabzad, S. M., & Verij Kazemi, R. (2018). Impacts of
computerized maintenance management system and relevant supportive
organizational factors on total productive maintenance. Benchmarking, 25(7),
2230-2247. (Q1) doi:10.1108/BIJ-05-2016-0072
Khaksar, S. M. S., Shahmehr, F. S., Afshari, L., &
Khosla, R. (2017). Service Innovation in Aged Care Providing Organisations
through Social Assistive Technology. In Australian
and New Zealand Academy of Management (ANZAM), RMIT University.
Kamalian, A., Shahmehr, F.
S., Ajdari, P., & Khaksar, S. M. S. (2017). Empirical
study on electronic government in developing countries by using fuzzy Delphi
and TOPSIS techniques. International
Journal of Electronic Business, 13(4),
295-322. (Q3) doi:10.1504/IJEB.2017.10007154
Chu, M. T., Khosla, R., Khaksar, S. M. S., &
Nguyen, K. (2017). Service innovation through social robot engagement to
improve dementia care quality. Assistive
Technology, 29(1), 1-11. doi:10.1080/10400435.2016.1171807
Khaksar, S. M. S., Shahmehr, F. S., Khosla, R., &
Chu, M. T. (2017). Dynamic capabilities in aged care service innovation : the
role of social assistive technologies and consumer-directed care strategy. Journal of Services Marketing, 31(7), 745-759. (Q1) doi:10.1108/JSM-06-2016-0243
Shahmehr, F. S., Khaksar, S. M. S., Safari, N., &
Yaghoobi, N. M. (2017). NPD process in active pharmaceutical ingredients
industry: a case study in Iran. International
Journal of Business Innovation and Research, 12(1), 1-22. (Q3) doi:10.1504/IJBIR.2017.080708
Yaghoobi, N. M., Shahmehr, F. S., Khaksar, S. M. S.,
& Safari, N. (2017). NPD process in active pharmaceutical ingredients
industry: a case study in Iran. International
Journal of Business Innovation and Research, 12(1), 1. (Q3) doi:10.1504/ijbir.2017.10000666
Khaksar, S. M. S., Khosla, R., Chu, M. T., &
Shahmehr, F. S. (2016). Service innovation using social robot to reduce social
vulnerability among older people in residential care facilities. Technological Forecasting and Social Change,
113(B), 438-453. (Q1) doi:10.1016/j.techfore.2016.07.009
Khaksar, S. M. S., Khosla, R., Chu, M. T., &
Shahmehr, F. S. (2016). Exploration of uncertainty in technological context
through the holographic approach to service innovation; a synthesis review. International Journal of Technology
Marketing, 11(2), 218-237. (Q3) doi:10.1504/IJTMKT.2016.075684
Khaksar, S. M. S., Khosla, R., Chu, M. -T., &
Shahmehr, F. S. (2016). The holographic service innovation in technological
context; a narrative synthesis review. Journal
of Modelling in Management, 11(2),
463-487. (Q2) doi:10.1108/JM2-08-2014-0064
Shahmehr, F. S., Khaksar, S. M. S., Zaefarian, R.,
& Talebi, K. (2015). How relational embeddedness affects business
performance through trust : empirical research on emerging SMEs. International Journal of Entrepreneurship
and Small Business, 26(1), 61-77. (Q3) doi:10.1504/IJESB.2015.071320
Khaksar, S. M. S., Khosla, R., & Chu, M. -T.
(2015). Socially Assistive Robots in Service Innovation Context to Improve
Aged-Care Quality: A Grounded Theory Approach. In IEEE 7th International Conference on Cybernetics and Intelligent
Systems (CIS) and IEEE Conference on Robotics, Automation and Mechatronics
(RAM) (pp. 161-166). Piscataway, NJ: Institute of Electrical and
Electronics Engineers. doi:10.1109/ICCIS.2015.7274614
Khaksar, S. M. S., Nawaser,
K., Jahanshahi, A. A., & Kamalian, A. R. (2011). The relation between after-sales services and entrepreneurial
opportunities: Case study of Iran-Khodro Company. African Journal Of Business Management, 5(13), 5152-5161. (Q3) Retrieved from https://www.webofscience.com/
Jahanshahi, A. A., Nawaser,
K., Khaksar, S. M. S., & Kamalian, A. R. (2011). The relationship between government policy and the growth of
entrepreneurship in the micro, small & medium enterprises of India. Journal of Technology Management and
Innovation, 6(1), 66-76. (Q3) doi:10.4067/S0718-27242011000100007
Nawaser, K., Khaksar, S. M. S., Shaksian, F., &
Afshar Jahanshahi, A. (2011). Motivational and legal barriers of
entrepreneurship development. International
Journal of Business and Management, 6(11),
112-118. (Q3) doi:10.5539/ijbm.v6n11p112
Asghar, A. J., Nawaser, K.,
Paghaleh, M. J., & Khaksar, S. M. S. (2011). The
Role of Government policy and the growth of entrepreneurship in the micro,
small (&) medium-sized enterprises in India: An overview. Australian Journal of Basic and Applied
Sciences, 5(6), 1563-1571. (Q3)
Khaksar, S. M. S., Yaghoobi, N. M., Jahanshahi, A. A.,
& Nawaser, K. (2011). The study of training impact on knowledge management
and organizational performance. Journal
of Applied Sciences Research, 7(7),
1069-1080. (Q3)
Yaghoubi, N. M., Khaksar, S. M. S., Afrasiabi, F.,
& Shakhsian, F. (2011). The relationship between organizational intelligene
and strategic thinking. Journal of
Theoretical and Applied Information Technology, 31(1), 60-73. (Q3)