Warrington professor named among world’s most outstanding information systems scholars

INFORMS Information Systems Society recognizes global impact of Kenny Cheng's research and contribution to his field.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – John B. Higdon Eminent Scholar Chair and Chair of the University of Florida Warrington College of Business’s Information Systems and Operations Management department Hsing Kenneth Cheng is one of this year’s recipients of INFORMS’ Information Systems Society Distinguished Fellow Award.

The highest honor in the field of information systems, this award identifies Cheng as one of the world’s most outstanding contributors to information systems research, as shown through his intellectual leadership in the information systems community, intellectual stewardship and mentorship of doctoral students and young researchers.

“I am deeply honored to be among the elite list of information systems scholars in the world to receive this prestigious award,” he said. “It is a recognition of my lifelong commitment to the advancement of knowledge and promotion of excellence in the practice and study of information systems, in particular my pioneering research in the areas of software piracy, software free trial and the fierce and ongoing debate on net neutrality.”

In his research, Cheng focuses on interdisciplinary information systems, involving information technology, economics, finance, management, marketing and operations management. His work emphasizes big data and business analytics, economic and policy issues of artificial intelligence, blockchain and the internet commerce, and he is one of the most well-known scholars on net neutrality research.

“I hope that my scholarly research not only makes a significant impact on the information systems research, but also provides useful guidance that informs national policy,” he said.

Cheng’s research has been prominently featured in doctoral research seminars, news media and journals that influence politicians in Washington, D.C. and the White House, including Politico, The Hill, the Journal of Business Ethics, Journal of Management Information Systems, MIS Quarterly, Decision Sciences and Information Systems Research. His most recent paper, “Impact of Own Brand Product Introduction on Optimal Pricing Models for Platform and Incumbent Sellers,” won the 2024 Antitrust Writing Award, and his work has inspired over hundreds of papers on research streams he originated.