Christian Terwiesch

Christian Terwiesch
  • Andrew M. Heller Professor at the Wharton School
  • Professor of Operations, Information and Decisions
  • Professor of Health Policy, Perelman School of Medicine
  • Co-Director, Mack Institute of Innovation Management
  • Department Chair

Contact Information

  • office Address:

    3730 Walnut Street
    573 Jon M. Huntsman Hall
    Philadelphia, PA 19104

Research Interests: healthcare operations, innovation management, lean operations, new service delivery models

Links: CV, Personal Website, Coursera - Operations Management, Healthcare Operations Online, Mastering Innovation

Overview

Christian Terwiesch is the Andrew M. Heller Professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He is a Professor in and the chair of Wharton’s Operations, Information, and Decisions department, co-director of Penn’s Mack Institute for Innovation Management, and also holds a faculty appointment In Penn’s Perelman School of Medicine. His research on Operations Management and on Innovation Management appears in many of the leading academic journals ranging from Management Science to The New England Journal of Medicine. He is an award winning teacher with extensive experience in MBA teaching and executive education.

Professor Terwiesch is the co-author of Matching Supply with Demand, a widely used text-book in Operations Management that is now in its third edition. Based on this book, Professor Terwiesch has launched the first Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) in business on Coursera. By now, well over half a million students enrolled in the course.

His first management book, Innovation Tournaments, was published by Harvard Business School Press. The novel, process-based approach to innovation outlined in the book was featured by BusinessWeek, the Financial Times, and the Sloan Management Review and has lead to innovation tournaments in organizations around the world. His latest book, Connected Strategies, combines his expertise in the fields of operations, innovation, and strategy to help companies take advantage of digital technology leading to new business models. The book has been featured as the cover story of the Harvard Business Review and has been shortlisted for the prestigious Thinkers 50 award, the “Oscar of Management”.

Professor Terwiesch has researched with and consulted for various organizations. From small start-ups to Fortune 500 companies, he has helped companies become more innovative, often by implementing innovation tournament events and by helping to restructure their innovation portfolio. He holds a doctoral degree from INSEAD and a Diploma from the University of Mannheim.

Continue Reading

Research

  • Christian Terwiesch (Forthcoming), Work after Work: The Impact of eVisits on Provider Work Hours.

  • Diwas KC, Stefan Scholtes, Christian Terwiesch (2020), Empirical Research in Healthcare Operations: Past Research, Present Understanding, and Future Opportunities, Manufacturing and Service Operations Management, 22 (1), pp. 73-83.

  • Dawson Kaaua, Santiago Gallino, Christian Terwiesch, S Mehta (Working), The Impact of Waiting Location on Customer Satisfaction: An Empirical Analysis of Preoperative Patient Flow.

  • Christian Terwiesch, Bradley R. Staats, Marcelo Olivares, Vishal Gaur (2019), A Review of Empirical Operations Management over the Last Two Decades, Manufacturing and Service Operations Management.

  • Tan (Suparerk) Lekwijit, Christian Terwiesch, David Asch, Kevin Volpp (Forthcoming), Evaluating the Efficacy of Connected Healthcare: An Empirical Examination of Patient Engagement Approaches and Their Impact on Readmission.

    Abstract: Connected healthcare is a form of health delivery that connects patients and providers through connected health devices, allowing providers to monitor patient behavior and proactively intervene before an adverse event occurs. Unlike the costs, the benefits of connected healthcare in improving patient behavior and health outcomes are usually difficult to determine. In this study, we examine the efficacy of a connected health system that aimed to reduce readmissions through improved medication adherence. Specifically, we study 1,000 patients with heart disease who received electronic pill bottles that tracked medication adherence. Patients who were non-adherent received active social support that involved different types of feedback such as text messages and calls. By integrating data on adherence, intervention, and readmission, we aim to (1) investigate the efficacy of connected healthcare in promoting medication adherence, (2) examine the relationship between medication adherence and readmission, and (3) develop a dynamic readmission risk-scoring model that considers medication adherence and use the model to better target non-adherent patients. Our findings suggest that patients are more likely to become adherent when they or their partners receive high levels of intervention that involve personalized feedback and when the intervention is escalated quickly and consistently. We also find that long-term adherence to two crucial heart medications, statins and beta-blockers, is strongly associated with reduced readmission risk. Lastly, using counterfactual simulation, we apply the dynamic readmission risk-scoring model to our setting and find that, when using an intervention strategy that prioritizes high-risk patients, we obtain 10% fewer readmissions than we would obtain without considering readmission risk while using the same effort level from the patient support team.

  • Nicolaj Siggelkow and Christian Terwiesch (2019), Five Questions to Consider When Pricing Smart Products, Harvard Business Review.

  • Nicolaj Siggelkow and Christian Terwiesch, Connected Strategy (Harvard Business Review Press, 2019)

  • Christian Terwiesch (2019), Empirical Research in Operations Management: From Observational Studies to Analyzing Digital Exhaust, Manufacturing and Service Operations Management, 21 (4), pp. 713-722.

  • Nicolaj Siggelkow and Christian Terwiesch (2019), The Age of Continuous Connection, Harvard Business Review.

  • Gérard Cachon and Christian Terwiesch, Operations Management (McGraw Hill, 2019)

Teaching

Online Teaching:

HEALTH CARE OPERATIONS with LAB: APPLYING HEALTH CARE OPERATIONS (Penn Medical Ethics and Health Policy Online Education Center)

INTRODUCTION TO OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT (Coursera)

Current Courses (Spring 2024)

  • OIDD8990 - Independent Study

    OIDD8990702 ( Syllabus )

All Courses

  • HCIN6010 - Health Care Operations

    The word "operations" derives from the Latin "opus," and opus means work. So by definition, operations is about work. This course offers an introduction to operations management. After completing the course, you will be able to use a systematic approach to analyze and improve your work in health care settings. The course includes an examination of inefficiencies resulting from the three system inhibitors: waste, variability, and inflexibility. And it provides strategies for engaging in the ongoing process of reducing these negative impacts without sacrificing quality of care. Major units also cover health care delivery processes, lean ops, agility, and managing the service organization. You will practice identifying key performance indicators in health care systems, forecasting demand, predicting utilization and variability, determining staffing levels, and recommending process improvements and innovations to improve client satisfaction.

  • HCIN6012 - Connected Health Care

    Connected strategies have the potential to radically transform health care business models. By designing connected relationships and architectures, and developing digital and analog networks, we may be able to improve quality of care while also making efficient use of resources. These strategies can enhance existing organizations and can also foster disruptive innovation. In the first 4 weeks of the course, we will practice using the conceptual and practical components of connected strategies, including: • Building connected customer relationships • Designing connection architectures • Understanding new revenue models • And creating the infrastructure of connection In the final 2 weeks, you will methodically apply what you have learned to design a connected strategy for your organization or service, and you will come away with a body of work you will be able to build upon in future endeavors. After completing this course, you will be able to: 1. Identify points along the customer or patient journey that are good candidates for innovation. 2. Customize connected relationships to anticipate and seamlessly meet customer needs. 3. Discern financial opportunities offered by the implementation of connected strategies. 4. Select technological solutions that facilitate the implementation of connected relationships. 5. Create comprehensive connected strategies that are applicable in health care settings.

  • MGMT8910 - Advanced Study-Smgt

  • OIDD6110 - Quality and Productivity

    Matching supply with demand is an enormous challenge for firms: excess supply is too costly, inadequate supply irritates customers. In the course, we will explore how firms can better organize their operations so that they more effectively align their supply with the demand for their products and services. Throughout the course, we illustrate mathematical analysis applied to real operational challenges--we seek rigor and relevance. Our aim is to provide both tactical knowledge and high-level insights needed by general managers and management consultants. We will demonstrate that companies can use (and have used) the principles from this course to significantly enhance their competitiveness.

  • OIDD9410 - Dist System Sem

    Seminar on distribution systems models and theory. Reviews current research in the development and solution of models of distribution systems. Emphasizes multi-echelon inventory control, logistics management, network design, and competitive models.

Awards and Honors

  • Distinguished Fellow: Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, 2017
  • Executive MBA Excellence in Teaching Award (Philadelphia), 2017
  • Executive MBA Excellence in Teaching Award (San Francisco), 2017
  • Executive MBA Excellence in Teaching Award (Philadelphia), 2016
  • Executive MBA Excellence in Teaching Award (San Francisco), 2016
  • Named by Online Course Review as one of the 50 Most Popular MOOCs of All Time, 2015
  • Named by Talk Magazine as one of the Five Best Business Courses Online, 2015
  • Executive MBA Excellence in Teaching Award (San Francisco), 2015
  • Executive MBA Excellence in Teaching Award (Philadelphia), 2015
  • Executive MBA Excellence in Teaching Award (San Francisco), 2014
  • Helen Kardon Moss Anvil Award winner, 2012
  • “Tough, but I’ll thank you in 5 years”, 2012
  • “Goes above and beyond the call of duty”, 2012
  • MBA Excellence in Teaching Award, 2012
  • “Goes above and beyond the call of duty” award recipient, 2011
  • “Tough but I will thank you in five years” award recipient, 2011
  • One of ten faculty nominated by the MBA student body for the Helen Kardon Moss Anvil Award, 2010
  • MBA Excellence in Teaching Award, 2010
  • Executive MBA Core Teaching Award, 2009
  • “Goes above and beyond the call of duty” award recipient, 2009
  • “Tough but I will thank you in five years” award recipient, 2009
  • Wharton Class of 2008 “Goes above and beyond the call of duty” award recipient, 2008
  • One of ten faculty nominated by the MBA student body for the Helen Kardon Moss Anvil Award, 2007
  • MBA Core Teaching Award, 2007
  • Miller-Sherrerd Core Teaching Award, 2006
  • MBA Core Curriculum Award “Goes above and beyond the call of duty”, 2006
  • Teaching Awards for MBA and Executive MBA teaching, 1998-2005
  • MBA Core Curriculum Award “Goes above and beyond the Call of duty”, 2003
  • Research Grant from Wharton e-Business Initiative for Analysis of Name-Your-Own Price Retailing, 2002 Description

    $7,000

  • Finalist in the Helen Kardon Moss Anvil Award, 2002
  • Executive MBA Teaching Award for best Core Course, 2002
  • Miller-Sherrerd MBA Core Teaching Award, 2002
  • Teaching Excellence Award (Wharton), 2002
  • Research Grant from Wharton e-Business Initiative for Analysis of Name-Your-Own Price Retailing, 2001 Description

    $17.1K

  • Finalist in the Helen Kardon Moss Anvil Award, 2001
  • Miller-Sherrerd MBA Core Teaching Award, 2001
  • Teaching Excellence Award (Wharton), 2001
  • Finalist in the Helen Kardon Moss Anvil Award, 2000
  • Teaching Excellence Award (Wharton), 2000
  • Teaching Excellence Award (Wharton), 1999
  • Daimler Benz Research Grant as a participant of the Circle Member Group, 1995
  • Distinguished Fellow: Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, 1970

In the News

Knowledge at Wharton

Activity

Latest Research

Christian Terwiesch (Forthcoming), Work after Work: The Impact of eVisits on Provider Work Hours.
All Research

In the News

AI in 2024: What Can We Expect?

Wharton’s Christian Terwiesch reflects on how far AI has come and what's in store this year.Read More

Knowledge at Wharton - 1/3/2024
All News