Tommy Pan Fang

I am a Ph.D. candidate in the Technology and Operations Management (TOM) unit at Harvard Business School.

My primary research interest is in understanding how digitization has impacted the organization and performance of firms. In my dissertation, I study how digital platforms can sustain long-term growth. My job market paper considers the tension in how value is shared between platforms and the third-party firms that provide complementary components and services that enhance the platform. I study the impact of an unexpected Apple iOS policy change that negatively impacted the advertising business model for mobile applications on the platform.

I graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2015, with degrees in Economics from the Wharton School and in Computer Science. Previously, I worked in product management at Microsoft and in venture capital at Osage University Partners.

Journal Articles

• Fang, Tommy Pan, Andy Wu, and David R. Clough. "Platform Diffusion at Temporary Gatherings: Social Coordination and Ecosystem Emergence." Art. 1. Strategic Management Journal 42, no. 2 (February 2021): 233–272. (Lead article.) View Details
• Clough, David R., Tommy Pan Fang, Balagopal Vissa, and Andy Wu. "Turning Lead into Gold: How Do Entrepreneurs Mobilize Resources to Exploit Opportunities?" Academy of Management Annals 13, no. 1 (2019): 240–271. View Details

Working Papers

• Chauvin, Jasmina, Prithwiraj Choudhury, and Tommy Pan Fang. "The Effects of Temporal Distance on Intra-Firm Communication: Evidence from Daylight Savings Time." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 21-052, September 2020. (Revised November 2021.) View Details
• Greenstein, Shane, and Tommy Pan Fang. "Where the Cloud Rests: The Economic Geography of Data Centers." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 21-042, September 2020. View Details

Additional Information

• Personal Website

Area of Study

• Technology and Operations Management
• Innovation