William ACAR
1
William ACAR
Professor Emeritus of Management
College of Business Administration
Kent, OH 44242
wacar@kent.edu
Home Address
213 Hill Blvd
Petaluma, CA 94952
(707) 774-6829
RESEARCH & TEACHING INTERESTS
Principal teaching focus is on strategic management and organization theory. Research focus is on methodological
issues in competitive strategy and its extensions to newer areas; in particular, its interface with knowledge management,
entrepreneurship and operations management.
EDUCATION
Ph.D.
1983
University of Pennsylvania, the Wharton School
Social Systems Sciences
(Corporate planning and organizational design)
M.A.Sc.
1971
University of Waterloo (Ontario, Canada)
Management Sciences
B.Eng.
1962
Ecole Supérieure d'Ingénieurs de Beyrouth (Dipl. Ing.)
Civil Engineering
Doctoral
dissert.
Toward a Theory of Problem Formulation and the Planning of Change:
Causal Mapping and Dialectical Debate in Situation Formulation (1983)
Ann Arbor, MI: University Microfilms International
PROFESSIONAL GROUNDING
UNIVERSITY TEACHING
Professor Emeritus of Management at Kent State University. (Professor of Management and full member of the
graduate faculty, Graduate School of Management, till May 2013. Associate Professor of Administrative Sciences till
August 2006; Assistant Professor from July '83 till August '87) Taught doctoral, MBA and undergraduate courses in
strategic management, strategy modeling, organizational analysis and principles of management. Also taught
operations management and systems simulation on an occasional basis. Obtained tenure in 1987. Chaired twelve
doctoral dissertations and a master’s thesis. All classes taught interactively, even the large ones.
Assistant Professor, Department of Industrial Engineering of the Ecole Polytechnique de Montréal (School of
Engineering of the University of Montreal) January 1976 - August 1978. Graduate courses in organization theory and in
corporate problem solving, and undergraduate courses in management information systems, job analysis and wage
evaluation. Also, lecturer in business policy at the Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales (business school of the
University of Montreal).
William ACAR
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RESEARCH AND RELATED PROJECTS
Full Member of the Graduate Faculty, Graduate School of Management, Kent State University. (Associate
member, Fall 1983-June 1986). Active in research and publishing, and chairing doctoral dissertations. Obtained grants
in 1986 and 1987. Member of the departmental research group on knowledge management and modern manufacturing
systems. Frequent publisher in and reviewer for academic journals. Active in several academic societies.
Systems Research Associate, Busch Center of THE WHARTON SCHOOL of the University of Pennsylvania,
and doctoral student at Wharton's department of Social Systems Sciences. September 1978 - August 1981. Duties
included consulting, research, leading research/consulting teams on funded projects in a multidisciplinary environment.
Awarded a Ph.D. and published several papers while attending the program.
The Busch Center project work consisted of strategic planning and organizational design (ALCOA-Tennessee
Planning Project), strategic planning and financial modeling (Moctezuma Brewery Planning Project), marketing
diversification (M&M/MARS Project), social and market research (IMM Project and Anheuser-Busch Young Black
Adults Project), organizational development (MPD Project), as well as some operational research (Anheuser-Busch
Forecasting and Inventory Management Study).
Assistant Professor at the University of Montreal. January 1976 - August 1978. Obtained a $6,000 grant from the
NRC renewable for three years and collaborated with K.D. Mackenzie on organizational research.
Internal consultant at the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. Developed a method of cost-effectiveness
analysis, a method for simulating the competition of urban centres over recreation opportunities, and a method of forest
land-use planning. These methodological contributions were published and utilized by other state agencies.
Research Assistant and graduate student at the University of Waterloo (Ontario). September 1969 - April 1971.
Obtained an M.A.Sc. in Management Sciences. Took courses in all three options offered in the program (Operations
Research, Applied Economics and Organizational Behavior) as well as some electives (Corporate Finance). Top term
paper in several courses. Performed a research project on forecasting Canadian zinc exports and a master's thesis on
measuring organizational hierarchy.
Civil Engineer with Acres Consulting. October 1964 - May 1969. A year of scientific programming and financial
feasibility analyses (e.g., Northumberland Strait Causeway).
CONSULTING
Kent State SBI (1992-1997): Private consulting while completing doctoral dissertation on corporate planning and
problem solving. September 1981 - June 1983: Cost-benefit analysis of R&D projects for SmithKline Corp.
Busch Center. Research/consulting (December 1978 - August 1981) described above.
Montreal consulting project (spring-summer 1978): TEMBEC Corporate and Financial Model which assisted in
procuring financing for a $60,000,000 project.
Senior Program Analyst (Land Management Program: $80,000,000) and internal consultant, Ontario Ministry
of Natural Resources. May 1971 - December 1975. Duties were of dual nature: they combined an element of
business administration (responsibility for PPBS program analysis, policy evaluation and policy planning) with
management consulting and quantitative analysis aspects (responsibility for developing models and information systems,
and also supervising external consultants). Developed methods of program evaluation in a public-sector setting.
Civil Engineer with Acres Consulting. October 1964 - May 1969. A year of civil engineering design (Manicouagan
powerhouses in Quebec), a year of scientific programming, and two-and-a-half years in construction supervision and
progress payment administration (Thorold Tunnel in the Niagara Peninsula in Ontario).
A variety of consulting engineering positions in Switzerland and in Lebanon.
William ACAR
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POSITIONS & UNIVERSITY SERVICE
Professor, Kent State University (Emeritus since 2014; Assoc. Prof.: Aug 1987 - Aug 2006). Member of the faculty
advisory committees at the college and departmental levels. Very active in the AACSB and doctoral-level reviews if the
M&IS Dep’t and writer of several related reports in 2010-2012. Member of the University’s Institutional Review Board
in 2012-13. Chair of the Chairperson’s Review Committee of M&IS in 2009-2010. Member of the college’s Strategic
Planning and Global Advisory committees in 2006-2008. Acting Graduate Coordinator during Fall 1998. Member of
departmental journal evaluation team in 1998-99. Member of departmental Faculty Advisory Committee (FAC) from
Sept. '93 till August '95, and again during the academic years 2002-03 and 2003-04. Alternate area coordinator for
strategic management for the academic year 1993-94. Area coordinator for strategic management, November '86 until
August '88, August '89 till December '89 and Sept. '91 till Dec. '92. When serving as Area Coordinator, was ex officio
member of departmental faculty advisory committee and also of the Ph.D. admissions committee. Graduate student
advisor for strategic management area. College representative on university-wide Faculty Senate from the academic
year 1987-88 till 1992-93. Departmental representative on the Ph.D. Programs Subcommittee from 1985-86 till 198788. Departmental representative on KSU Outcomes Assessment (1992-93). Member of departmental Handbook
Committee from 1995-96 till 1997-98. Repeated assignments as departmental and College library representative.
Assistant Professor, Kent State University (July 1983 - August 1987). Recruitment coordinator of strategic
management area; departmental representative on doctoral program committee.
Systems Research Associate, Busch Center, Wharton School (1979-1981). Participated in the interactive planning
of the Busch Center.
Assistant Professor, Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Montreal (1976 - 1978). Designed new
courses, helped the department head revise the study curriculum, and represented the department on the school's
Curriculum Committee.
Senior Program Analyst, Land Management, OMNR (May 1971 - December 1975). Coordinated divisional efforts,
led task forces, supervised and trained divisional analysts, coordinated the multiyear planning of the Land Management
Program, assisted divisional and branch directors in system analysis issues, and represented the ministry on
multidisciplinary task forces.
Civil Engineer with Acres Consulting (October 1964 - May 1969). Progress payment administration for two years
(Thorold Tunnel).
HONORS & AWARDS
. With K.E. Aupperle & D. Mukherjee, received the 2010 John F. Mee Award for contribution to Management
History.
. Received an Academic Year Creative Research Award, from the Graduate Research Office of Kent State
University, for research support during 2008-09.
. Nominated as one of 3 Kent State candidates for the U.S. Professor-of-the-Year Award in 2003 and 2004.
. Nominated for the Pfeiffer Creative Teaching Award in 1999, 2001 and 2003.
· Best-Track-Chair Award from the Midwest Decision Sciences Institute 1997 annual conference.
· Grants from the U.S. Small Business Administration to the Kent SBI totaling $6,700 (1992 till 1995).
· Beta Gamma Sigma: President of KSU Chapter in 1990-91.
· Awarded (with A. Melcher & K. Aupperle) a $19,000 grant from the Urban University Research Program for 1986-87.
· Awarded a $2,500 grant from the Urban University Research Program in 1985.
· Was one of 25 participants selected nationwide to attend the 1984 Academy of Management Junior Faculty Workshop.
· Received a tuition grant from the University of Pennsylvania every term from 1979 till 1981.
· Awarded a $9,000 departmental scholarship upon joining the Wharton doctoral program in 1978.
· Awarded a $6,000 grant from the Canadian National Research Council in 1976-77 and 1977-78.
· Awarded a $3,000 stipend by the University of Waterloo in 1969 and in 1970.
· Won the engineering design competition of the Toronto firm Cazaly & Associates in 1969.
· Awarded a tuition discount throughout high school on account of top academic performance.
William ACAR
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PUBLICATIONS

Research on strategic management, strategy-measuring instruments, knowledge management and, more
recently, entrepreneurship.

Research on strategic modelling and approaching strategy from an information theory perspective. Published
in 1995 a full-scale comprehensive and innovative book on the interface between modern planning theory, the
scenario method, quantitative analysis and organizational learning [Cf. Book & Book Chapters section below].
The book generated interest on list-serves and continues to sell.
ACADEMIC JOURNALS
CURRENT LINES OF RESEARCH:
STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT & MULTIDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH
(Authors are listed by order of contribution)
2015
G.G. Baigent & W. Acar: “On the Economic Significance of an Efficient Benchmark Portfolio.” Journal of
Economic & Financial Studies, 3 (6): 16-25.
A basic issue underlying financial theory is the constitution of the “market portfolio” M. The
paper suggests that the partial inefficiency of the S&P500 is laden with serious implications for
investors and portfolio managers, question the behavioral motivation for its continued use as a
benchmark, and introduce new measures of full diversification.
2015
W. Acar & B.A. Polin: “The Ascent of Resource-Based Theory as Constructive Rational-Behavioral
Integration for Looking Inward and Outward.” International Journal of Commerce & Management. 25
(4): 603-626.
RBT’s three strands are also presented. This is followed by a critical assessment of the ascent of
the RBT as a constructive rational-behavioral integration of strands derived from organizational
and strategic theories. Stressing the erodibility of resources, the paper sets up the doublespecificity conditions for their gradual transformation into value-adding specialized assets.
2015
W. Acar, S.V. Iverson & R.S. Al-Gharaibeh: “Reconceptualizing the Knowledge Hierarchy for Management
Education.” International Journal of Knowledge Management, 11 (1): 84-100.
The IJKM is a vastly read journal aiming at presenting discovery- and application-oriented
research that strives to be multi-cultural in scope. This particular article presents an expanded
way of viewing the knowledge hierarchy, more compatible with the study of international strategy
than the traditional approach predominantly rooted in the North-American experience.
2014
W. Acar, A.T. Burns & P. Datta: “Explicit Knowledge Transfers in New Product Development.”
International Journal of Strategic Decision Sciences, 5 (4): 16-50.
The IJSDS is a refereed quantitative management journal that publishes papers on the basis of
their potential impact on strategic decision making, rather than primarily on the basis of their
mathematical elegance. The paper presents the methods of a qualitative research approach for
measuring knowledge transfer directly in terms of knowledge characteristics such as its depth.
2013
K.E. Aupperle, W. Acar & D. Mukherjee: “Revisiting the Fit-Performance Thesis Half a Century Later: A
Historical Financial Analysis of Chandler’s Own Matched and Mismatched Firms.” Business History, DOI:
10.1080/00076791.2013.790369.
Chandler’s theory of the close linkage and subservience of structure to strategy has been a
world-accepted fundamental tenet of organizational and strategic thinking for decades. This
study disconfirms the empirical basis of Chandler’s classical views. Consequently, it contributes
to allowing the field to move forward toward novel ways of conceptualizing corporate strategy.
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2012 S. Anokhin & W. Acar: “Corruption and the Ethical Context of Country-Level Entrepreneurship.” International
Journal of Entrepreneurial Venturing, 4 (4): 391-408.
This paper was part of intriguing special issue of the IJEV designed at outlining the darker sides
of entrepreneurial life and their resulting pressures on entrepreneurial life. The paper
conceptualizes corruption as a form of business risk. Empirical comparison of perceived and
actual corruption levels provided statistical support for an inverted U-shaped relation between
ethical standards and domestic innovative activities.
2012 W. Acar & D.A. Druckenmiller: “Philosophical Requirements of a Comprehensive D.I. System.” International
Journal of Strategic Decision Sciences, 3 (3): 1-12.
The IJSDS is a refereed quantitative management journal that publishes papers on the basis of
their potential impact on strategic decision making, rather than primarily on the basis of their
mathematical elegance. The paper presents the philosophical foundation for Acar’s integrative
CSM approach to causal mapping and dialectical inquiry for use in strategic analysis and
scenario-driven planning.
2011 A.T. Burns, W. Acar & P. Datta: “A Qualitative Exploration of Entrepreneurial Knowledge Transfer.” Journal
of Knowledge Management, 15 (2):270-298.
The JKM is the premier journal in the knowledge management area. Based on a case study
comparing four project, the study explores knowledge transfer in new product development. The
contrast provided by the projects allows comparing the influence of organic with traditional
organizational structures, as well as learning by doing instead of learning before doing. On both
counts, the study produces intriguing results that complement current theories.
2010 D. Porr & W. Acar: “Validating the differences between Associate and Bachelor students by comparing
performances in a combined class setting.” Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 10 (3):
119-127.
The JoSoTL is the refereed journal on teaching pedagogy and effective learning edited and
published by Indiana University Northwest. The paper provides evidence for the traditional
wisdom of tailoring the teaching of academic students seeking a 4-year university degree
differently from the training designed for students aiming at a 2-year associate’s degree.
2010
W. Acar & D.A. Druckenmiller: “Designing Insightful Inquiring Systems for Sustainable Organizational
Foresight.” FUTURES, 42 (4): 405-416.
Futures is a dominant refereed journal in the areas of futurology, strategic foresight and scenario
planning. Building on the 2006 article, this paper clarifies some misconceptions in the groupdecision-making literature about Dialectical Inquiry, and explains the advantages of the AcarDruckenmiller computerized causal mapping system over other existing approaches.
2010
W. Acar, S. Anokhin & M.D. Troutt: “Using Decision Sciences to Enhance Entrepreneurial Foresight: the
Comprehensive Situation Mapping Approach.” International Journal of Strategic Decision Sciences, 1 (1):
81-100.
The IJSDS is a refereed quantitative management journal aiming to publish papers on the basis
of their potential impact on strategic decision making, rather than primarily on the basis of their
mathematical elegance. The paper demonstrates how Acar’s integrative CSM approach (to
causal mapping and dialectical inquiry) can be put to use in the field of Entrepreneurship, for
increasing organizational alertness to opportunities and assisting in their subsequent analysis.
2010
P. Datta & W. Acar: “Software and Human Agents in Knowledge Codification.” Knowledge Management
Research & Practice, 8: 45-60.
Being the I.S. journal of the oldest-established (British) Operational Research Society, KMRP is a
top journal in knowledge management. This paper extends Nonaka’s accepted conceptualization
in clarifying the contribution of information-based explicit knowledge to tacit knowledge, and
delineating the respective subsequent roles of software and human agents in the codification of
tacit knowledge into explicit knowledge.
William ACAR
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2009
D.A. Druckenmiller & W. Acar: “An Agent-Based Collaborative Approach to Graphing Causal Maps for
Situation Formulation.” Journal of the Association for Information Systems, 10: 221-251.
The JAIS is one of the premier journals of the I.S. field. This paper explains how the
computerization of Acar’s integrative CSM approach to causal mapping and dialectical inquiry
was achieved by Druckenmiller, and details the case studies being currently undertaken to test
and fine-tune its advantages over competing systems. http://aisel.aisnet.org/jais/vol10/iss3/3/
2008
C.D. Beugré & W. Acar: “Offshoring and Cross-Border Interorganizational Relationships: A Justice Model.”
Special issue of Decision Sciences on New Perspectives on the Sourcing Decision, 39 (3): 445-468.
DSJ is one of the main management journals. In view of the rising importance of offshoring in the
economies of most developed countries, this article investigates the role of organizational justice
in cross-border relations. By developing an explicit model, it lays the groundwork for future
conceptual and empirical research on the role of justice in offshoring activities.
2008
W. Acar & M.D. Troutt: “A Methodological Analysis of the Normalization, Calibration and Linearity of
Continuous Diversity Measures.” International Journal of Operational Research, 3 (1/2): 52-76.
The IJOR is an international quantitative journal that stresses the innovativeness and global
reach of techniques and ideas in addition to the usual requirement of methodological correctness.
The measures of firm diversification or social diversity in use have major inadequacies poorly
documented in the various branches of the literature. This is an important article that calibrates
the Entropy and Herfindahl measures and derives a new, fully linear one.
2007
D.A. Druckenmiller, W. Acar & M.D. Troutt: “Usability Testing of an Agent-Based Modelling Tool for
Comprehensive Situation Mapping.” International Journal of Technology Intelligence & Planning, 3 (2):
193-212.
The IJTIP is an international journal specializing in the area of technology management. This
paper details the usability testing of prototypes for decision-support systems in the context of
testing the interactive computerization of Acar's CSM approach to strategic analysis by
Druckenmiller et al.
2006
W. Acar & D. Druckenmiller: “Endowing Cognitive Mapping with Computational Properties for Strategic
Analysis.” FUTURES, 38: 993-1009
Futures is a dominant refereed journal in the areas of futurology, strategic foresight and scenario
planning. This paper discusses how Acar’s CSM approach to causal mapping combines the
features of other varieties of cognitive mapping with those of Churchman’s “Dialectical
Inquiry”, and the manner in which it offers rich computational properties that lend themselves to
quantitative or even computerized scenario analysis for use by executives.
2006
C.D. Beugré, W. Acar & W. Braun: “Transformational Leadership in Organizations: an Environment-Induced
Model.” International Journal of Manpower, 27 (1): 52-62.
The importance of transformational leadership is now established in the theoretical and practical
organizational literatures. This paper stresses the role of the environment by proposing a
descriptive model that could serve as a framework for further theoretical developments.
2005
M.D. Troutt & W. Acar: “A Lorenz-Pareto Measure of Pure Diversification.” European Journal of
Operational Research, 167 (2): 543-549.
The EJOR is the premier European journal of Operational Research and Management Science.
This paper remedies an existing deficiency in the measurement of product-line diversity in that it
develops a new measure intrinsically and fully calibrated for any number of product lines.
2004
William Acar: “Toward a Fair and Balanced World-View: Can Academia Lead the Way to Planetary
Consciousness?” International Journal of Commerce & Management, 13 (3&4): 58-72.
IJCM is the refereed journal of the International Academy of Business Disciplines. This paper
discusses the contribution that intensification of trade makes or could make to international
well-being and goodwill.
William ACAR
2003
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W. Acar & P. Bhatnagar: “Re-evaluating Diversity Measures: Calibrating for Scope to Capture the Distribution
Effect.” Vikalpa, the Journal for Decision Makers, 28 (4): 9-23.
VIKALPA is the refereed journal of the Indian Institute of Management, similar in structure
and thrust to the Academy of Management Executive. This paper discusses the lack of
calibration of existing measures of diversification (Herfindahl and Entropy), and devises two
new intrinsically calibrated measures for use by researchers and regulators.
2003 M.D. Troutt & W. Acar: “Cash vs. Installment Purchasing: Contrasting Axiomatic and Experimental Approaches
to a New Concept.” OMEGA, The International Journal of Management Science, 31: 379-385.
Published by the London School of Economics, OMEGA is the refereed international journal
of the philosophical and methodological side of Operational Research and Management
Science. This paper provides a theoretical treatment of the discrepancy between the lump sums
and total installments people commit. In addition, it shows how a judicious use of the
axiomatic approach can be parsimonious in comparison with experimental work.
2003
W. Acar, R.J Keating, K.E. Aupperle, W.W. Hall & R.A. Engdahl: “Peering at the Past Century’s Corporate
Strategy Through the Looking Glass of Time-Series Analysis: Extrapolating from Chandler’s Classic MidCentury American Firms?” Journal of Management Studies, 40 (5): 1225-1254.
The JMS is the top management journal in Britain. This paper has a dual theoretical thrust.
Substantively, it revisits the important “efficiency thesis” put forth by Chandler and that has
become a major tenet of management theory. Methodologically, it explores a novel,
quantitative approach to the empirical validation of basic organizational theories.
2001
W. Acar, K.E. Aupperle, R.M. Lowy: “An Empirical Exploration of Measures of Social Responsibility
across the Spectrum of Organizational Types.” International Journal of Organizational Analysis, 9 (1):
26-57.
The IJOA is the refereed journal of the ICAM society. This paper investigates empirically how
corporate responsibility modulates according to the type of organization from the fully forprofit organization to the fully nonprofit type. As such, it provides an integration of corporate
responsibility concepts with classical organization theory.
2000
G.G. Baigent & W. Acar: “The New Economy Creed: A Case Study in Thought Contagion.” Journal of
Psychology and Financial Markets, 1 (3): 193-199.
JFPM is a relatively new journal that deals with the behavioral side of investing in an effort to
complement mainstream financial theory based on efficient markets and the CAPM model with
a measure of behavioral realism.
1999
W. Acar & K. Sankaran: “The Myth of the Unique Decomposability: Specializing the Herfindahl and Entropy
Measures?” Strategic Management Journal, 20 (10): 969-975.
The SMJ is seemingly the top journal in strategic management worldwide. In the space of a
research note we prove that, although the field believes that only the Entropy measure is
decomposable, the Herfindahl diversification index is similarly decomposable into “related”
and “unrelated” components.
1999
A. Israeli, P. Albert & W. Acar: "Trading Off Time and Money Resources: An Activity-Based Flexible
Approach to Project Management". Journal of Management Science & Regional Development, 2 (January
’99): 61-90.
MSRD is a refereed journal on the application of management science theory to regional
development. The paper presents a realistic approach to the issue of imperfect substitutability
of human resources in the practice of project management.
1996
F.L. Winfrey, M.D. Michalisin & W. Acar: "The Paradox of Competitive Advantage: Achieving Strategic Fit
and Strategic Flexibility in a Hypercompetitive Environment." Strategic Change, 5: 199-209
SC is a refereed journal international in scope. This paper draws on the resource-based view
to suggest that a resolution of the strategic fit-vs.-flexibility paradox lies in the configuration of
William ACAR
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unspecialized assets into specialized strategic bundles.
1995
A. Mehrez, M. Muzumdar, W. Acar & G.J. Weinroth: "A Petri-Net Model of Decision Making: An
Operational Management Analysis". OMEGA, The International Journal of Management Science, 23 (1)
(Febr. '95): 63-78.
Published by the London School of Economics, OMEGA is the refereed international journal
of the philosophical and methodological side of Operational Research and Management
Science.
1994
T.J. Heintz & W. Acar: "Causal Modeling as a Tool for Problem Framing within a GDSS: An Object-Oriented
Approach". Information Systems Journal, 4: 291-310.
ISJ is a refereed mainstream journal in the MIS area. This paper develops a GDSS (groupdecision-support system) with some "intelligent" features by using the core concepts I
developed in my doctoral dissertation on aiding strategic dialectics with causal mapping
[1983]. A prototype has been developed by coauthor T.J. Heintz.
1994
W. Acar & F.L. Winfrey: "The Resilient Organization: Sustaining Organizational Renewal and
Performance. Journal of Strategic Change, 3: 165-173.
JSC is a refereed journal international in scope. The paper describes the various integrative
devices required for organizations to survive in increasingly complex and competitive business
environments.
1993
S. Surendran & W. Acar: "Restructuring Conglomerates for Global Competition: An Agency-Theoretic
Perspective". International Journal of Commerce and Management, 3 (1 & 2): 56-76.
IJCM is the refereed journal of the International Academy of Business Disciplines. This paper
develops a process model that explains the wave of corporate restructuring that was shaking
and reshaping the U.S. economy during the 1980s.
1993
O.F. Offodile & W. Acar: "Comprehensive Situation Mapping for Robot Evaluation and Selection
Decisions". International Journal of Operations & Production Management, 13 (1): 71-80.
IJOPM is a refereed European journal of international readership. This paper applies Acar’s
CSM causal mapping technique to the robot selection problem previously investigated by the
first author.
1992
T.J. Heintz & W. Acar: "Toward Computerizing A Causal Modeling Approach to Strategic Problem
Framing". Decision Sciences, 23 (5) (September-October 1992): 1220-1230.
DS is the refereed journal of the Decision Sciences Institute. This research note is a first
introduction to the GDSS research with T.J. Heintz submitted to ISJ [see 1994 publication in
previous page]; it builds an information-based approach to strategic analysis.
1990
A.J. Melcher, W. Acar, P.F. DuMont & M. Khouja: "Standard-Maintaining and Continuous-Improvement
Systems: Experiences & Comparisons". Interfaces, 20 (3) (May-June '90): 24-40.
OR/MS INTERFACES has the equivalent visibility of the AoM Executive for quantitative
management researchers and members of the INFORMS society. This paper contributes to
critiquing Theory Z by clarifying some misconceptions about Japanese-style management.
1990
D. Booth, W. Acar, T. Isenhour & S. Ahkam: "Robust Time-Series Models and Statistical Process Control."
Industrial Mathematics, 40 (1): 73-97.
Industrial Mathematics is a refereed journal. This paper develops a theoretical extension of
one of the principal methods in use in statistical process control for total quality management
(provides technical backing for Acar & Booth [1987]).
1989
W. Acar, A.J. Melcher & K.E. Aupperle: "The Implementation of Innovative Strategies". International
Journal of Technology Management, 4 (6): 631-651, 1989.
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IJTM is a refereed European journal of international readership. This paper describes the
range strategic postures and the features for implementing innovation.
1988
M.E. Darter, W. Acar & W.J. Amadio: "A Method for Diagnosing the Right Problem". Mid-American
Journal of Business, 3 (2) (Fall 1988): 32-39.
MAJB is a refereed journal. This paper develops an original problem classification scheme
based, not on problem ownership, but on intrinsic characteristics. An application to total
quality management is given in Acar & Booth [1987].
1987
William Acar: "Toward a Consistent Terminology for Management Theory Building." Systems Research, 4
(2): 119-125, 1987.
SR is the refereed official journal of the International Federation of Systems Societies. This
paper proposes a methodological structure in which the respective roles of "model", "theory",
"method", "framework" and "methodology" are clarified.
1987
W. Acar & D.E. Booth: "Easier Quality Control: Combining Problem Classification with Time-Series
Analysis". Production & Inventory Management, 28 (3): 53-58, 1987.
PIMJ is the refereed official journal of APICS, the American Production and Inventory
Control Society. This paper combines two methods developed by its two authors into a
contribution to total quality management. [This article has been quoted in some textbooks (e.g.
OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT by J. B. Dilworth, McGraw-Hill, 1992).]
1987
William Acar: "Two Faces of Crisitis – Questions for Future Research." American Business Review, 5 (2)
(June 1987): 15-22.
This paper discusses the advantages and pitfalls of deliberately operating in a constant state of
crisis management.
1986
K.E. Aupperle, W. Acar & D.E. Booth: "An Empirical Critique of 'In Search of Excellence': How Excellent
Are the 'Excellent' Companies?" (with K.E. Aupperle & D.E. Booth). Journal of Management, 12 (4):
499-512.
The Journal of Management is the refereed journal of the Southern Management Association.
The Peters & Waterman book In Search of Excellence had considerable impact. Our paper
complements its message by critiquing its empirical base; we received over 150 requests for
reprints. [This paper has been quoted in a number of studies and textbooks (e.g. STRATEGIC
MANAGEMENT: TEXT & CASES by J.M. Higgins & J.M. Vincze, Dryden Press, 1993).]
1986
W. Acar & V. Bissonnette: "The Social Contract and the V-I-E Theory: A Linear Programming
Formulation". Behavioral Science, 31 (4) (October 1986): 278-285.
Behavioral Science is the refereed official journal of the American Society for General Systems
Research (formerly SGSR, now ISSS). This paper extends Vroom's famed ValencyInstrumentality-Expectancy (V-I-E) towards stricter formalism.
1986
W. Acar & R.J. Keating: "Decision-Making Tradeoff Dimensions in Management Culture: Toward a Unified
Model". American Business Review, 3 (2) (January 1986): 1-15.
This paper gives an overview of the cultural and managerial choices open to an organization
by presenting them within tradeoff dimensions. Five such dimensions emerge, corresponding
to Smircich's dimensions of organization; they are then integrated into a unified model.
1985
W. Acar, R. Chaganti & P. Joglekar: "Modes of Strategy Formulation: The Content-Focused and
Process-Focused Modes Can and Must Meet!” American Business Review, 2 (2) (January 1985): 1-9.
This paper presents a very cursory announcement of CSM, a method for causal mapping and
"what if” scenario analysis, which was developed in Acar’s dissertation at the Wharton.
William ACAR
10
DOCTORAL PROGRAM RESEARCH:
CONTRIBUTIONS TO GENERAL SYSTEMS RESEARCH
(Authors are listed by order of contribution)
1984
W. Acar & K.E. Aupperle: "Bureaucracy as Organizational Pathology". Systems Research, 1 (3): 157-166,
1984.
SR is the refereed official journal of the International Federation for Systems Research. This
paper is an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses bureaucracies derive from their structural
rigidity. It discusses the advantage of adaptive over initially-optimal management and control
systems.
1981
William Acar: "Counterpoint to Harari and Babcock – The Systems Approach and International Consulting."
Journal of Enterprise Management, 3 (1): 57-67, 1981.
JEM was a European journal with an international readership whose policy was to solicit
counterpoints to its published articles. The counterpoints themselves could be accepted or
rejected. This counterpoint was a full-length article to dispel the notion that planning is easier
in cases of under-development. It calls instead for realism in dealing with start-ups.
1981
William Acar: "Model and Design: Toward a New Paradigm for OR and MS." Journal of Applied Systems
Analysis, 8: 71-83, 1981.
The JASA is a European refereed journal of international readership. This paper analyses the
evolution of the application of formal approaches to business, namely the OR/MS paradigm.
It describes the growing difficulties in the field, introduces a systems approach based on the
work of Ackoff and Churchman.
PRE-DISSERTATION RESEARCH:
METHODS FOR APPRAISING NONPROFIT PROJECTS/PROGRAMS
(Authors are listed by order of contribution)
1978
William Acar: "Appraising Consulting Proposals: A Case of Cost-Effectiveness Analysis?" Journal of
Enterprise Management, 1 (3): 215-226, 1978. Also, a Preface to this article, JEM, 1(3): 213-214.
JEM was a refereed journal that allowed for prefaces and counterpoints to provide a better
forum. Although associated with the journal as a regional (and later joint) editor, my
submissions were fully refereed. This paper discusses the appraisal of consulting proposal as
an adaptation of my cost-effectiveness method (Acar [1976]).
1976
William Acar: "An Integrated Approach to Multidimensional Evaluation and Cost-Effectiveness Analysis."
Public Finance/Finances Publiques, 31 (1): 58-72.
PUBLIC FINANCE is a refereed European journal accepting articles in both English and
French for an international forum. This paper develops a method for cost/effectiveness
analysis by integrating features of cost/efficiency analysis and multidimensional evaluation.
This method allows program evaluation and monitoring in a nonprofit setting in which usual
methods do not apply.
1975
W. Acar & R.P. Smith: "An Aggregation Method of Setting Cost-Efficient Targets for Timber Production
and Recreation Opportunities on Forested Land". Canadian Journal of Forest Research, 5 (4): 562-573,
1975.
The CJFR is a refereed journal sponsored by the National Research Council of Canada. This
paper provides a method for the realistic planning and management of forested land for a dual
resource- and recreation-oriented output. More generally, it gives a two-dimensional
extension of Acar’s1976 cost-effectiveness analysis method.
William ACAR
1974
11
William Acar: "A Method for Allocating Recreation Supply to Urban Centres." Canadian Journal of
Information Systems & Operational Research (INFOR), 12(3): 231-244, 1974. [Lead article]
INFOR is the refereed official journal of the Canadian Operational Research and Information
Processing Society. This paper presents a method for simulating the way urban
conglomerations compete over the use of recreational supply areas. It was used for Ontario
land planners for deciding their spending priorities.
INVITED COUNTERPOINTS
1988
William Acar: "The Substantive and Methodological Hierarchies: Rejoinder to Sirgy's Responses." Invited
research note, Systems Research, 5(2): 176-177, 1988.
1988
William Acar: "Theory versus Model: Further Comments on 'Toward a Consistent Terminology for
Management Theory Building' and Rejoinder to Sirgy." Invited research note, Systems Research, 5(2):
172-173, 1988.
BOOKS AND BOOK CHAPTERS
Book
Scenario-Driven Planning: Learning to Manage Strategic Uncertainty
(Nicholas C. Georgantzas & William Acar)
Published by Quorum Books in February 1995 {ISBN: 0-89930-825-2} (First printing: Feb. 1995 - 2nd
print.: Oct. 1995 - 3rd print.: Summer 1997 – 4th print.: Winter 1999 – 5th print.: Oct. 2000)
Book Chapters
’14
•
W. Acar & D.A. Druckenmiller: “Implications and Philosophical Requirements of a Comprehensive D.I.
System.” Chapter 1 (pp. 1-15) in Madgid Tavana, editor: Analytical Approaches to Strategic DecisionMaking: Interdisciplinary Considerations. Hershey, PA: IGI Inc.
’08
•
M.D. Troutt, D.A. Druckenmiller & W. Acar: “Usability, Testing and Ethical Issues in Captive End-User
Systems”, a chapter in the book Evolutionary Concepts in End User Productivity and Performance:
Applications for Organizational Progress, in Stephen Clarke, editor: Advances in End User Computing.
(pp. 35-43). Hershey, PA: IGI Global, 2008.
‘05 •
B.A. Polin, M.D. Troutt & W. Acar: “Globalization and Supply Chain Strategy”, in Chi Kin Chan &
H.W.J. Lee, editors: Successful Strategies in Supply Chain Management (pp. 109-143). Hershey, PA:
Idea Group Inc., 2005.
’04 •
S. Surendran & W. Acar: “Restructuring Conglomerates for Global Competition: an Agency-Theoretic
Perspective.” In T.R. Hummel, editor: Schriften zum Internationalen Management (pp. 131-149).
Műnchen, DE: Rainer Hampp Verlag, 2004.
‘03 •
M.D. Troutt, M. Hu, M. Shanker & W. Acar: “Frontier versus Ordinary Regression Models for Data
Mining.” In P.C. Pendharkar, editor: Managing Data Mining Technologies in Organizations:
Techniques and Applications (ch . 2, pp. 21-31). Hershey, PA: Idea Group Inc., 2003.
‘98 •
F.L. Winfrey, M.D. Michalisin & W. Acar: "The Paradox of Competitive Advantage." In David Hussey,
editor: The Strategic Decision Challenge (ch. 6, pp. 101-116). Chichester, UK: Wiley, 1998 - Reprinted
from the Journal of Strategic Change, 5: 199-209.
William ACAR
12
‘94 •
W. Acar, A.J. Melcher & K.E. Aupperle: "The Implementation of Innovative Strategies." Bengt-Arne Vedin,
editor: Management of Change and Innovation (ch. 31, pp. 493-513). Aldershot, UK: Dartmouth Publ.
Co., 1994 - Reprinted from the International Journal of Technology Management, 4 (6): 631-651, 1989.
‘93 •
N.C. Georgantzas & W. Acar: "Scenario-Driven Technology Development Planning: A Process Review." In
Christian N. Madu, editor: Management of New Technologies for Global Competitiveness (ch. 14, pp.
243-260). Westport, CT: Quorum Books, 1993.
REFEREED PROCEEDINGS
(Authors are listed by order of contribution)
2011
Bhattacharyya, K., Acar, W., Datta, P. & Guiffrida, A.L. “Exploring the Black Box of Purchasing: Total
procurement Costs.” Proceedings, November 2011, Decision Sciences Institute annual conference in
Boston, MA.
2011
Beugre, C.D. & Acar, W. (2011). “Offshoring and Uncertainty Management in Cross-border
Interorganizational Relationships: A Fairness Perspective.” Proceedings, 13 May 2011, Eastern Academy
of Management annual conference in Boston, MA.
2011
W. Acar & D.A. Druckenmiller: “Philosophical Requirements of a Comprehensive D.I. System for
Collaborative Modeling.” Proceedings, January 2011, Hawaii International Conference on Systems
Sciences (HICSS) in Kauai, HI. Digital Object Identifier: 10.1109/HICSS.2011.341
2010
K.E. Aupperle, W. Acar & D. Mukherjee: “Chandler Revisited: A Historical Financial Analysis of
Chandler’s Own Matched and Mismatched Firms.” Best Paper Proceedings (& John F. Mee Award),
August 2010, Academy of Management annual national conference in Montréal, QUE, CA, pp. 258-264.
2010
W. Acar, S. Anokhin, D.L. Baker, J. Franquesa & M.A. Ellis: “Some Correlates of Entrepreneurial
Activities at the Country Level.” Proceedings, April 2010, Midwest Decision Sciences Institute conference
in Toledo, OH, pp. 791-796.
2010
W. Acar, D.L. Baker & M.A. Ellis: “Examining International Entrepreneurial Activity within CountryLevel Cross-Border Offshoring Trade.” Proceedings, April 2010, IIIrd International Practical-Scientific
Conference: “The vital problems of calculation, economic analysis and the financial-economic control of
the activity of organizations”, in Voronezh State U., Voronezh, RU, pp. 5-6.
2010
D.A. Druckenmiller & W. Acar: “Engineering Dialectical Inquiry: Lessons Learned from Lab Explorations.”
Proceedings, January 2010, Hawaii International Conference on Systems Sciences (HICSS) in Kauai, HI,
(Computer Society Press). http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/HICSS.2010.185
2009
D. Porr & W. Acar: “Paradoxes and Dilemmas of the Joint Pursuit of Teaching Effectiveness and
Administrative Efficiency in Management Curricula.” Proceedings, October 2009, Midwest Academy of
Management conference in Chicago, Management Education Division, pp. 22-25.
2009
D. Porr & W. Acar: “Adding Accountability to Training and Confidentiality in Improving Peer Assessment
Effectiveness.” Proceedings, April 2009, 40th Midwest Decision Sciences Institute conference in Oxford,
OH (ref # P26).
2009
D. Porr & W. Acar: “The Disservice of Combined Management Courses: Difference of Means in
Performance.” Proceedings, April 2009, 40th Midwest Decision Sciences Institute conference in Oxford, OH
(ref # P25).
William ACAR
13
2007
D.A. Druckenmiller & W. Acar: “Engineering Dialectical Inquiry: Theoretical Foundations and Practical
Application.” Proceedings, August 2007, Third Foresight and Scenario Planning Conference at
Strathclyde University in Glasgow (paper # 4).
2007
W. Acar & D.A. Druckenmiller: “The Concept of Dialectical Inquiry in Organizational Foresight and
Collaboration Engineering.” Proceedings, August 2007, Third Foresight and Scenario Planning Conference
at Strathclyde University in Glasgow (paper # 16).
2006
D.A. Druckenmiller & W. Acar: “A Prototype System for Strategic-Decision Support: Usability Testing
Results.” Proceedings, April 2006, Midwest Decision Sciences Institute conference in Indianapolis, IN.
2004
R. Al-Gharaibeh, W. Acar, A.G. Kotulic & T.J. Froehlich: “Discussing Issues of Information Technology in
Country Development.” Proceedings, October 2004, International Information Management Association
conference in Chicago, pp. 1-15.
2004
W. Acar & D.A. Druckenmiller: “Endowing Cognitive Mapping with Dialectical as well as Computational
Properties.” Proceedings, August 2004, Second Foresight and Scenario Planning Conference at Strathclyde
University in Glasgow (paper # 2).
2004
D.A. Druckenmiller & W. Acar: “Computerising Acar’s Causal Mapping through Agent-Based
Modelling.” Proceedings, August 2004, Second Foresight and Scenario Planning Conference at
Strathclyde University in Glasgow (paper # 9).
2004
B.A. Polin, W. Acar & M.D. Troutt: “Reframing the Formal Planning-Incrementalism Debate.”
Proceedings, April 2004, Midwest Decision Sciences Institute conference in Cleveland, OH, pp. 11-13.
2004
D.A. Druckenmiller, W. Acar, M.D. Troutt: “Agent-Based Modeling and Simulation: A new Approach to
Strategic Decision Support.” Proceedings, April 2004, Midwest Decision Sciences Institute conference in
Cleveland, OH, pp. 41-43.
2004
C.D. Beugré, W. Acar & Y. Badu: “Emergence of Transformational Leadership in Organizations: An
Environment-Induced Model.” Proceedings, March 2004, Society for Advancement of Management
international conference in Baltimore, MD, pp. 257-265.
2002
C.D. Beugré & W. Acar: “Transformational Leadership Modes for the Twenty-First Century.” Proceedings,
May 2002, Eastern Academy of Management conference in New Haven, CT (AoM, Eastern Div. website).
2002
A.T. Burns & W. Acar: “Conceptualizing Levels of Shared Knowledge in Product Development.”
Proceedings, April 2002, Midwest Academy of Management conference in Indianapolis, IN (AoM, M-W
Div. website) (Nominated for Best paper Award).
2001
A.T. Burns & W. Acar: “Capturing Knowledge Transfers in Product Development with Semi-Structured
Interviews.” Proceedings, November 2001, Southern Management Association conference in New
Orleans, pp. 386-391.
2001
William Acar: “What Constitutes Good Teaching?” Proceedings, October 2001, 8th Celebration of College
Teaching annual conference, Kent State University, OH, pp. 2-5.
2001
W. Acar & A.T. Burns: “Conceptualizing the Grey Areas of Knowledge Management and the Long Shadow
of the Tacit-Explicit Dichotomy.” Proceedings, June 2001, research conference on New Directions in
Organizational Learning & Knowledge Management in London, ON, pp. 5-18.
2001
C.D. Beugré & W. Acar: “Three Known Modes of Transformational Leadership and One Unknown.”
Proceedings, April 2001, Midwest Academy of Management conference in Toledo, OH (AoM, M-W
Division website), pp. 19-21.
William ACAR
14
2000
William Acar: “Four Complementary Contributing Frameworks to the Theory of Corporate Responsibility.”
Proceedings, November 2000, Conference on Emerging Issues in Business and Technology in Myrtle Beach,
SC, pp. 121-126.
1998
W. Acar, K.E. Aupperle & C.B. Mueller: "Identifying Six Dilemmas in Corporate Social Responsibility."
Proceedings, November 1998, Decision Sciences Institute national conference in Las Vegas, NV: 458-460.
1997
N. Duncan & W. Acar: "In Search of the IS Question: Stalking the Wild Information Event in its Amorphous
Habitat." Proceedings, August 1997, Americas' Conference on Information Systems in Indianapolis, IN, pp.
375-377.
1997
M. Suh, T. Janicki, J. Mahaney Jr & W.Acar: "A Market-Return and Strategic-Implication Study of
Downsizing in the 1980s." Proceedings, April 1997, Midwest Decision Sciences Institute annual conference
in Indianapolis, IN, pp. 72-74.
1997
T. Janicki, M. Suh & W. Acar: "Two Approaches to Computerizing Comprehensive Situation Mapping."
Proceedings, April 1997, Midwest Decisions Sciences Institute annual conference in Indianapolis, IN, pp.
133-135.
1994
R.M. Lowy, W. Acar & K.E. Aupperle: "A Unified Classification for Strategic Planning Research". Global
Competitiveness, 2 (1): 550-558 (Best Papers Proceedings of the 1993 conference of the American Society
for Competitiveness [held in October in Washington, DC]).
1994
M.D. Michalisin & W. Acar: "Strategic Resource Management: Viewing Porter's Framework from a
Resource-Based perspective." Proceedings, November 1994, Southern Management Association annual
conference in New Orleans, LA, pp. 1-3.
1994
S. Surendran & W. Acar: "The Debate on Capital Investment Intensity in LBOs: A Market Test".
Proceedings, August 1994, annual conference of the International Federation of Scholarly Associations of
Management (IFSAM) in Dallas, TX, pp. 193-194.
1994
W. Acar, J.L. Keifer & M. Shaki: "Can Low-Cost and Differentiation Strategies be Complementary?"
Business Research Yearbook, Vol. I: 1011-1015 (April 1994, Proceedings of the annual conference of the
International Academy of Business Disciplines in Pittsburgh, PA).
1994
W. Acar, M.D. Michalisin & B. Wilson: "Generic Strategy Dynamics." Business Research Yearbook, Vol.
I: 1016-1020 (April 1994, Proceedings of the annual conference of the International Academy of Business
Disciplines in Pittsburgh, PA).
1992
S. Surendran & W. Acar: "Deconglomeration in the 'Eighties: a Process Model". Proceedings,
November 1992, Decision Sciences Institute national conference in San Francisco, pp. 484-486.
1992
N.C. Georgantzas & W. Acar: "Scenario-Driven Technological Development Planning." Proceedings, May
1992, Eastern Academy of Management annual conference in Baltimore, MD, pp. 234-237.
1991
S. Surendran & W. Acar: "Conglomerate Restructuring: A Framework for Adapting to the Globalization of
the Markets". Proceedings, October 1991, American Society for Competitiveness national conference on
U.S. Competitiveness in the Global Marketplace in Memphis, Tennessee, pp. 192-202.
1991
O.F. Offodile & W. Acar: "Comprehensive Situation Mapping for Robot Evaluation and Selection
Decisions". Proceedings, October 1991, University of Toledo conference on Gateways and Barriers to
Competitiveness in Toledo, OH, pp. 145-163.
1990
F.W. Schroath, W. Acar & C. Delaunay: "Multinational Planning & Strategy Formulation: A Literature
Review." Proceedings, November 1990, Decision Sciences Institute national conference in San Diego, CA,
William ACAR
15
pp. 239-241.
1989
W. Acar, S. Samaddar & A. Mehrez: "Flexibility in Strategic and Operational Planning: Ordering the
Paradigms." Proceedings, November 1989, Decision Sciences Institute national conference in New Orleans,
LA, pp. 877-879.
1989
A.J. Melcher, W. Acar, M. Khouja & P.F. DuMont: "Continuous Improvement Systems: Process, Structure
& Implications." Proceedings, University of Toledo conference "Manufacturing Management in the
Nineties", 28-29 April 1989, Toledo, OH.
1989
N.C. Georgantzas & W. Acar: "Scenario-Driven Interactive Planning: A Critical Review." Proceedings,
April 1989 Academy of Management Midwest conference in Columbus, OH, pp. 260-264.
1989
N.C. Georgantzas & W. Acar: "What Level of Manufacturing Automation?" Proceedings, February 1989,
Southeast Decision Sciences Institute conference in Charleston, SC, pp. 368-370.
1989
D.E. Booth, W. Acar, T. Isenhour & S. Ahkam: "Robust Time-Series Models Applied to Statistical Process
Control." Proceedings, American Statistical Association 1988 national conference in New Orleans, pp.
195-200.
1988
W. Acar & V.V. Raghavan: "A Framework for Modeling in Strategic Analysis: Rationale for Computer
Simulation." Proceedings, November 1988, Decision Sciences Institute national conference in Las Vegas,
pp. 220-222.
1988
William Acar: "Comprehensive Situation Mapping for Problem Framing, Expert Systems and Strategy
Analysis – A TUTORIAL." Proceedings, November 1988, Decision Sciences Institute national conference
in Las Vegas, p. 181.
1988
W. Acar & P. Bhatnagar: "Calibrating Measures of Product-Line Concentration and Diversification for the
'Distribution Effect'." Proceedings, November 1988, Decision Sciences national conference in Las Vegas,
pp. 1332-1334.
1988
L. Charalambides & W. Acar: "Can Managerial Modeling Be Taught?" Proceedings, May 1988, Midwest
Decision Sciences Institute annual conference in Louisville, KY, pp. 71-73.
1987
William Acar: "A Biased View of Problem Formulation." Proceedings, November 1987, Decision Sciences
Institute national conference in Boston, pp. 116-118.
1987
William Acar: "Toward Expanding Dialectical Inquiry: Design Requirements of a Comprehensive D.I.
System." Proceedings, November 1987, Decision Sciences Institute national conference in Boston, pp.
1133-1135.
1987
P.F. DuMont, R.M. DuMont & W. Acar: "Federal Science and Technology Funding: Fictions and Facts with
Implications for Research Strategies in Higher Education." Proceedings, November 1987, national
conference of the Association of Human Resources Management & Organizational Behavior in Philadelphia:
164-68.
1987
W. Acar & G.S. Howard: "Dialectical Inquiry and Comprehensive Situation Mapping in DSS Information
Requirements Analysis." Proceedings, July 1987, North American conference of the International Business
Schools Computer Users Group in Flint, Michigan, pp. 122-126.
1986
D.E. Booth & W. Acar: "Quality Management with Robust Time-Series Analysis and the O-I-P Problem
Classification Scheme." Proceedings, November 1986, Decision Sciences Institute national conference in
Hawaii, pp. 739-741.
William ACAR
16
1986
K.E. Aupperle, W. Acar & A.J. Melcher: "Efficiency and Entrepreneurship: A Strategic Paradox."
Proceedings, November 1986, Southern Management Association 25th anniversary conference in Atlanta,
pp. 240-242.
1986
W. Acar, A.J. Melcher & K.E. Aupperle: "Organizational Processes and Strategic Postures:
Cross-Classification or Continuum?" Proceedings, May 1986 annual conference of the International Society
for General Systems Research in Philadelphia, pp. J70-J84.
1985
W. Acar & R. Chaganti: "Looking Back at an R&D Project through the Lens of Causal Mapping: An
Example of C.S.M." Proceedings, November 1985, American Institute for Decision Sciences (now DSI)
national conference in Las Vegas, pp. 75-77.
1985
William Acar: "Dialectical Inquiry and Organizational Learning." Proceedings, May 1985, Decision
Sciences Institute Midwest conference in Akron, pp. 1-3.
1985
R. Chaganti & W. Acar: "Turnover in Organizations: An Environmental Perspective." Proceedings, May
1985, Midwest Decision Sciences Institute conference in Akron, pp. 43-45.
1984
William Acar: "What's a Problem? – A Summary." Proceedings, November 1984, American Institute for
Decision Sciences (now DSI) national conference in Toronto (on microfiche), pp. 28-30.
1973
William Acar: "An Integrated Approach to Multidimensional Evaluation and Cost-Effectiveness Analysis."
Proceedings, May-June 1973, national conference of the Administrative Sciences Association of Canada in
Kingston, Ontario, pp. 4-1 to 4-18.
ELECTRONIC PROCEEDINGS
1998
M. Suh, T. Janicki, W. Acar & G. Madey: "Comprehensive Business Situation Mapping Using CLIPS."
PWS: Electronic Proceedings of the CLIPS virtual conference as a aid to the 3rd edition of Expert Systems –
Principles & Programming.
CONTRIBUTION TO A COMPOSITE PAPER
2002
Long quote from Will Acar in the lead article of the opening issue of the AoM Learning and Education
journal entitled:“9/11 Montage: Professors Remember”, assembled by C.V. Fukami, 1 (1): 17.
PRACTITIONER JOURNALS
1978
R. Derome & W. Acar: "Une Présentation Succincte du Zero-Base Budgeting." L'Ingénieur, 363 (Jan-Feb
'78): 24-26.
1978
William Acar: "Organiser l'Organisation." Commerce, 78-8 (August '78): 66-70.
William ACAR
17
OTHER REFEREED
CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
(Authors are listed by order of contribution)
W. Acar & S. Anokhin: “Passive Search or Active Alertness? A Causal Mapping Approach to Implementing Informed
Foresight.” August 2009, Academy of Management annual national conference in Chicago.
D. Porr & W. Acar: “Peer Reviews: Do Management Students See what Instructors See?” October 2008, 15th
Celebration of College Teaching annual conference, Kent State University, OH.
D. Porr & W. Acar: “The Disservice of Combined Classes: Difference of Means in Performance.” October 2008, 15th
Celebration of College Teaching annual conference, Kent State University, OH.
C. Beugré & W. Acar: “Offshoring and the Management of Inter-Organizational Networks: An Organizational Justice
Model.” August 2008, Academy of Management annual national conference in Anaheim, CA.
C. Beugré & W. Acar: “An Inter-Organizational Model of Offshoring.” April 2008, 9th Annual International Business
Research Forum, organized by Temple U. and Duke U. CIBERs in Temple U. in Philadelphia.
B.A. Polin & W. Acar: “Capability Lifecycles and Reconfigurations.” December 2007, First Israel Strategy Conference,
Jerusalem.
W. Acar & B.A. Polin: “A Synoptic View of the RBV: Assetization and Duality of Resources”. August 2007,
Academy of Management annual national conference in Philadelphia, PA.
William Acar: “Unifying Multinational Organizations According to the Systems Approach.” October 2005,
Academy of International Business-Northeast USA conference at CSU in Cleveland, OH.
William Acar: “A Transactional Model of Cultural Exchange in Majority-Minority Dynamics.” October 2005,
Academy of International Business-Northeast USA conference at CSU in Cleveland, OH.
W. Acar & B.A. Polin: “Offshoring: Some Preliminary Considerations.” October 2005, Academy of International
Business-Northeast USA conference at CSU in Cleveland, OH.
B. Polin, W. Acar & M.D. Troutt: “Delayed Adaptation: A Strategy for Capturing High Margins and Economies of
Scale in Global markets.” October 2005, Academy of International Business-Northeast USA conference
at CSU in Cleveland, OH.
W. Acar, J. Mwaka, R. Al-Gharaibeh & L. Lin: “Evolution of the Main Thrust of Strategic Theory and the Role of
Environmental Scanning.” April 2005, Midwest Decision Sciences Institute conference in Toledo, OH.
W. Acar & D.A. Druckenmiller: “The New Face of Strategic Management: Combining Scenario Analysis with
Distributed Artificial Intelligence?” October 2004, Strategic Management Society international conference in
San Juan, PR.
W. Acar & Richard Jackson: “A Basic Dilemma of Foresight Methods.” August 2004, Second Foresight and Scenario
Planning Conference at Strathclyde University in Glasgow.
A.T. Burns & W. Acar: “On the Learning-by-Doing Debate: Adapting and Expanding the Hoopes-Postrel Framework.”
August 2004, Academy of Management national conference in New Orleans, LA.
William Acar: “There are None so Blind…: Playing Cassandra in the Third Millennium?” July 2002, First Foresight &
Scenario Planning Conference at Strathclyde University in Glasgow.
William ACAR
18
G.G. Baigent & W. Acar: “Lessons from Enron and Nortel: The Distinction between ‘Overly Aggressive’ and ‘Just
Plain Risky’ Management.” April 2002, 2nd BGSU International Management Conference on global risk
management, Cleveland, OH.
William Acar: “From Key Factors to Influence Diagramming to Causal Mapping: An Introductory Tutorial to CSM.”
(SYMPOSIUM led by W. Acar – Presenters: W. Acar, K.E. Aupperle, N. Duncan & P.F. DuMont) August
1999, Academy of Management annual national conference in Chicago.
K Sankaran, W. Acar & A.J. Kos: "Potential Corporate Synergies in Mergers and Acquisitions: An Exploratory
Analysis." August 1998, Academy of Management annual national conference in San Diego, CA.
W. Acar, R.J. Keating, K.E. Aupperle, W.W. Hall Jr & R.A. Engdahl: "Revisiting Chandler's Fit-Performance Thesis:
Questions Arising from a Time-Series Analysis of Chandler's Firms." August 1998, Academy of
Management annual national conference in San Diego, CA.
William Acar: "Learning in Complex Strategic Environments: An Approach Based on Information Technology", July
1998, annual international conference of the International Society for the Systems Sciences in Atlanta, GA.
Panelist in the Symposium "Where Are We Going with the Field of Strategy?" April 1997, Midwest Decision Sciences
Institute annual conference in Indianapolis, IN.
Panelist in the Symposium "Is Business Ethics Really Researchable?" April 1997, Midwest Decision Sciences Institute
annual conference in Indianapolis, IN.
R. Lowy, K.E. Aupperle, W. Acar: "An Empirical Exploration of Social Responsibility across the Spectrum of
Organizational Types." August 1996, Academy of Management national conference in Cincinnati, OH.
William Acar: "Facets of Porter's Generic Strategies" (SYMPOSIUM led by W. Acar — Presenters: W. Acar, M.D.
Michalisin, P.C. Ensign, J. Keifer, M. Shaki & B. Wilson). April 1994, Midwest Decision Sciences Institute
conference in Cleveland, OH.
S. Surendran & W. Acar: "Investigating Success Determinants in Reverse LBOs."
Management Society annual international conference in Chicago.
September 1993, Strategic
W. Acar & S. Surendran: "Corporate Restructuring: A Process Perspective." September 1993, Strategic Management
Society annual international conference in Chicago.
K.E. Aupperle & W. Acar: "Reconfiguring the Corporate Social Responsibility Construct." August 1993, Academy of
Management annual national conference in Atlanta, GA.
T.J. Heintz & W. Acar: "Gaining Understanding through Causal Models." May 1993, TIMS/ORSA joint national
conference in Chicago.
"Causal Models as a Method for Dialectical Debate". Panelist on a symposium on the "impact of emerging information
technologies on strategic planning in the 21st century" (co-panelists: T.J. Heintz, J. Conklin & M.L.
Manheim). June 1992, 12th international conference on Decision-Support Systems (DSS-92) in Chicago.
T.J. Heintz & W. Acar: "Inferencing Based Upon Causal Effects: A Method for Intelligent Computer-Based Planning."
April 1992, joint TIMS/ORSA national conference in Orlando, FLA.
W. Acar & F.L. Winfrey: "The Resilient Organization: Sustaining Organizational Renewal and Performance." October
1991, Strategic Management Society annual international conference in Toronto.
V.V. Raghavan & W. Acar: "Levels of Strategic Computing." November 1990, Decision Sciences Institute annual
national conference in San Diego, CA.
William ACAR
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William Acar: "Technical Education and Productivity: Is There a Linkage?" October 1990, American Society for
Competitiveness first national conference on U.S. Competitiveness in World Markets in Pittsburgh.
W. Acar & B. Wilson: "A Dynamic View of Porter's Generic Strategies" (with B. Wilson). August 1990, Academy of
Management annual national conference in San Francisco.
K.E. Aupperle, F.B. Simmons III & W. Acar: "An Empirical Investigation into How Entrepreneurs View their Social
Responsibilities." August 1990, Academy of Management annual national conference in San Francisco.
William Acar: "On Method, Process and Content in Strategic Management Research". May 1990, University of Illinois
research workshop on Theory Building in Strategic Management in Urbana-Champaign, IL.
N.C. Georgantzas & W. Acar: "Comprehensive Situation Mapping of Technological Development Planning."
November 1989, Decision Sciences Institute annual national conference in New Orleans.
V.V. Raghavan & W. Acar: "An Approach to Competitive Modeling Using the Military Metaphor and Comprehensive
Situation Mapping." November 1989, Decision Sciences Institute national conference in New Orleans, LA.
M. Khouja & W. Acar: "Achieving Continuous Improvement." November 1989, Decision Sciences Institute annual
national conference in New Orleans.
W. Acar, P. DuMont, M. Khouja & A. Melcher: "Paradoxes of Japanese Manufacturing Systems." October 1989, joint
ORSA/TIMS national conference in New York.
W. Acar & N.C. Georgantzas: "Recent Developments in Strategic Scenario Analysis.
ORSA/TIMS national conference in New York.
"October 1989, joint
T.J. Heintz & W. Acar: "Using Causal Models & Object-Oriented Knowledge Representation to Support Managerial
Problem Solving." October 1989, joint ORSA/TIMS national conference in New York.
A.J. Melcher, M. Khouja & W. Acar: "Achieving Continuous Improvement: the Goal, the Method and the Strategic
Implications." May 1989, CORS/TIMS/ORSA joint national meeting in Vancouver, BC.
W. Acar, P.F. DuMont & S. Surendran: "Converging Thrusts in Strategic Management."
ORSA/TIMS national conference in Denver, CO.
October 1988, joint
A.J. Melcher & W. Acar: "Toward a General Typology of Organizational Adaptation." October 1988, ORSA/TIMS
joint national conference in Denver, CO.
K.E. Aupperle, W. Acar & P. Bhatnagar: "Chandler Empirically Revisited: A Financial Analysis of Chandler's Own
Matched and Mismatched Firms." August 1988, Acad. of Management national conference in Anaheim, CA.
William Acar: "Formulating Strategic Generic Strategies?" A SYMPOSIUM moderated by W. Acar at the May '88
Decision Sciences Institute Midwest conference in Louisville, KY.
William Acar: "Some Conceptual Issues in Information and Decision-Support Systems." A symposium moderated by
W.Acar at the 1988 Decision Sciences Institute Midwest conference in Louisville, KY.
W. Acar, P.F. DuMont & A.J. Melcher: "Matching Organizational Posture to Environmental Complexity? – A Case for
Causal Mapping." 1987 Research Workshop on Managerial Thinking in Business Environments, Boston U.
William Acar: "Can One Formulate Problem Formulation?" (Invited tutorial presentation). April-May 1987, Midwest
Decision Sciences Institute conference in Toledo, OH.
A.J. Melcher, W. Acar & K.E. Aupperle: "Toward a Theory of Business Modes." November 1986, Decision Sciences
Institute national conference in Hawaii.
William ACAR
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W.J. Amadio, M.E. Darter & W. Acar: "Moving Toward the Successful Implementation of Problem Diagnosis
Methods." November 1986, Decision Sciences Institute national conference in Hawaii.
W. Acar, K.E. Aupperle & A.J. Melcher: "Competitive Strategies under Different Conditions."
TIMS/ORSA joint national meeting in Los Angeles.
April 1986,
A.J. Melcher, K.E. Aupperle & W. Acar: "Toward a Theory of Strategic Efficiency and Entrepreneurial Behavior."
November 1985, ORSA/TIMS joint national meeting in Atlanta.
R. Chaganti, S. Parasuraman & W. Acar: "Managing Turnover: A Strategic Human Resources Perspective." August
1985, Academy of Management national meeting in San Diego.
W. Acar & G.J. Weinroth: "The Use of DIS methods in Strategic Management."
conference of the Strategic Management Society in Philadelphia.
October 1984, international
W. Acar & K.D. Mackenzie: "The OSI Method of Organizational Audit and Analysis. "May-June 1978, national
conference of the Administrative Sciences Association of Canada (ASAC) in London, Ontario.
William Acar: "Interest Rates and Rental Fees: Economic, Financial and Administrative Considerations." May-June
1978, national ASAC conference in London, Ontario.
William Acar: "Appraising Consulting Proposals to Government." May-June 1976, national conference of the
Administrative Sciences Association of Canada (ASAC) in Quebec City.
William Acar: "A Method of Allocation of Recreational Supply to Urban Centres." May 1973, national conference of
the Canadian Operational Research Society (CORS) in Ste-Adèle, Quebec.
BOOK REVIEW
2001 William Acar: Review of Introduction to Systemics by Gianfranco Minati & Arne Collen (Eagleye
Books, CA) for the Journal of Applied Systems Studies, 2 (2) July 2001.
OTHER PAPERS
William Acar: "Structure and Function: A Dialectical Approach." SSS Papers, # 81-01, 33 pp., 1981.
W. Acar, J. Pourdehnad, P.S. Sachdeva & S. Sharan: "Bureaucracy as a Social Pathology." SSS Papers, #
81-04, 36 pp., 1981.
William Acar: "La Méthode OSI de Diagnostic Organisationnel – Présentation et Discussion." Ecole
Polytechnique de Montréal paper EP78-R-4, 60 pp., 1978.
W. Acar & K.D. Mackenzie: "The Organizational Audit and Analysis: A New Avenue for MbO Extension."
Ecole Polytechnique de Montréal paper EP78-R-26, 32 pp, 1978.
William Acar: "Interest Rates and Rental Fees: Economic, Financial and Administrative Considerations."
Ecole Polytechnique de Montréal paper EP77-R-47, 34 pp, 1977.
William Acar: Two technical appendices in the book Canadian Outdoor Recreation Demand Study edited by
Parks Canada (presenting the ASAC cost-effectiveness and the INFOR methods). Published by the Ontario
Research Council on Leisure, 1976.
William ACAR
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William Acar: "The Measurement of the Degree of Hierarchy and the Detection of Cliques in the
Task-Oriented Organization" (Master's thesis). Department of Management Sciences, U. of Waterloo, 1971.
INVITED PRESENTATIONS
•
William Acar: "Scenario-Driven Planning in Uncertain and Information-Asymmetric Environments."
Presented to the Decision Sciences faculty and graduate students of Georgia State University in Atlanta, GA,
on 20 July 1998.
•
William Acar: "Scenario-Driven Planning in Turbulent Environments." Presented to the HighTechnology Strategic Management Forum of the University of Texas at Dallas, 21 March 1996.
WORK IN PROGRESS
Some examples of papers in advanced state of preparation:
•
"Synergy Components and Modes in Top Mergers and Acquisitions" (W. Acar, K. Sankaran & A.J. Kos).
This paper initiates a novel synthetic approach to the elusive concept of strategic synergy. It is being revised
for journal submission.
-
"On Method, Process and Content in Strategic Management Research" (William Acar).
-
"Integration for Global Strategy: A Transactional Model and a Transdisciplinary Perspective"
(William Acar).
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
AOM
SMS
INFORMS
ISSS
DSI
HRMOB
CORS
APEO
(Academy of Management)
(Strategic Management Society)
(Formerly TIMS, the Institute of Management Sciences)
(International Society for the Systems Sciences)
(Decision Sciences Institute)
(Society for Human Resources Management & Organizational Behavior)
(Canadian Operational Research Society – "full" or senior member since 1974)
(Association of Professional Engineers of Ontario from 1968 till 1996).
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITY
Journals
 Associate editor and book review editor of the Journal of Applied Systems Studies.

Associate editor of the Journal of Enterprise Management from 1976 until 1977, and joint editor from 1978 till
1982.

Served or serving as “ad hoc reviewer” for the Strategic Management Journal, the Academy of Management
Review, Organization Science, Decision Sciences, the Journal of Management, Behavioral Science, Organization
Studies and the Journal of Enterprise Management. Before the emeritus stage, on the editorial board of the
International Journal of Commerce and Management.
William ACAR
22
Executive Functions
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Track Chair for Management & Strategy at the 1997 Midwest DSI conference in Indianapolis.
Member of the Executive Committee of HRMOB
Membership Chairman of COO, the College on Organization of TIMS, from 1987 till 1989.
President of Beta Gamma Sigma's Kent State University chapter in 1990-91. Vice-President during the
academic years 1988-89 and 1989-90.
Track Chair for Business & Public Policy at the 1988 Midwest DSI conference in Louisville, KY.
Councilor, Executive Committee of the Montreal Section of CORS in 1977-78.
Treasurer of CORS Toronto Section in 1975.
Conferences
Served as a reviewer, discussant or session chair for many national and regional conferences (tracks: Business
Strategy, Planning Theory, OB/OD/OT and Decision-Support Processes).
DISSERTATIONS SUPERVISED
2011
David Lee Baker:
“Toward a Theoretical Model of the Principal Determinants of Country-Level Entrepreneurship” (cochair)
Defended in September 2011.
2010
Jino Okech Mwaka:
“Toward the Analysis of Informativeness of Theories in Management: an Empirical Assessment Building on
Miner’s Criteria of Importance” (co-chair)
Defended in May 2010.
2007
Rami S. al-Gharaibeh:
“The Effect of Information Structuring on Analytical Knowledge Acquisition” (co-chair)
Defended in May 2007.
2004
Douglas A. Druckenmiller:
“Exploring Agent-Based Simulation of Causal Maps: Toward a Strategic Decision-Support Tool” (co-chair)
Defended in October 2004.
2004
Brian A. Polin:
“Toward an Integrated View of Strategic Fit and Adaptive Planning” (co-chair)
Defended in August 2004.
2004
Alan T. Burns:
“Knowledge Acquisition and Transfer in Product Development: A Comparative Case Study” (chair)
Defended in February 2004.
1997
Anthony J. Kos:
"Performance Implications and Cluster-Analytically Derived Synergy Categories in Mergers and
Acquisitions" (chair)
Defended in August 1997.
1994
Kuruvilla John:
“Corporate Real Estate Holdings and the Value of the Firm: An Empirical investigation (Grad Faculty Rep)
Defended in October 1994.
William ACAR
23
1993
Sunil Surendran:
"The Causes and Consequences of Leveraged Buy-Outs" (chair)
Defended in October 1993.
1993
James L. Budd:
“Risk: A Strategic Management Perspective” (Committee member)
Defended in July 1993.
1993
Kizhekepat ("Kai") Sankaran:
"Types of Synergy and the Diversification Spectrum" (chair)
Defended in April 1993.
1992
Ronald M. Lowy:
"Modes of Strategic Theory: Extending Strategic Thinking to the Regulated and Nonprofit Arenas" (chair)
Defended in April 1992.
1991
Brian P. Green:
“Identifying Management Irregularities through Preliminary Analytical Procedures” (Grad Faculty Rep)
Defended in August 1991.
1990
Vijay V. Raghavan:
"An Approach to Competitive Modeling Using the Military Metaphor and Comprehensive Situation
Mapping" (chair)
Defended in May 1990.
1988
Kenneth D. Gartrell:
"Corporate Strategies for Competitive Advantage: The Combined Effects of Operating and Financial
Activities on Shareholder Value" (co-chair)
Defended in December 1988.
MASTER’S THESIS CHAIRED
Rami S. al-Gharaibeh:
“The Role of Information Technology in Country Development"
Defended in July 2003.