Since joining Keck Graduate Institute (KGI) in 2023, Haibo Liu, assistant professor of management, has brought a unique perspective to human capital, motivation, and strategic decision-making. His research spans industries, from healthcare to emergency medical services (EMS), uncovering insights that help organizations cultivate more engaged and effective workforces.
Most recently, Liu's work has gained recognition with two notable achievements: a main panel presentation at the 2025 Organization Science Winter Conference at UCLA and the Best Paper Prize in the Strategic Human Capital Division of the Strategic Management Society Annual Meeting. His award-winning paper, co-authored with Tim Gubler from BYU and Alexandru Roman from the University of Maine, explores how exposure to high-stakes 911 calls influences the motivation and efficiency of EMS crews.
Uncovering Motivation in High-Stakes Environments
Liu's research tackles a surprising reality: despite their life-saving mission, many EMS professionals report feeling unchallenged or even bored in their day-to-day work. His study, which analyzed over 57 million 911 calls across 31 states, found that responding to a true emergency — such as cardiac arrest — boosted crews’ motivation, leading to faster response times on subsequent calls.
"Many EMS workers enter the field expecting to save lives, but the reality is that life-threatening emergencies are rare — less than 1% of their calls," Liu said. "A significant portion of their work involves non-life threatening cases, which can lead to disengagement."
His study found a 2.4–2.8% improvement in response times after EMS teams handled a life-threatening situation, an effect that was strongest when such emergencies were infrequent in their past shifts. However, the boost in motivation faded after about four hours, highlighting the transient nature of this “motivational spillover.”
The findings extend beyond EMS. Liu emphasizes that many jobs involve repetitive tasks, from educators teaching multiple classes to surgeons performing back-to-back procedures.
"Our study suggests that strategically integrating meaningful tasks into the workflow can sustain motivation and improve performance across industries," he said.
From Research to Real-World Impact
Liu’s work at KGI extends beyond research, as he actively applies his expertise to prepare students in KGI's Master of Business and Science in Biotechnology (MBS) program for leadership roles in the biotech and healthcare industries. He teaches Competitive Strategy and Design Thinking, guiding students through complex decision-making scenarios and innovation strategies.
"Competitive Strategy focuses on how leaders make decisions with limited resources," Liu explained. "In biotech and pharma, managers constantly face trade-offs — where to allocate R&D budgets, how to structure incentives, or when to introduce new products. Understanding these dynamics helps our students anticipate and navigate real-world challenges."
In Design Thinking, students learn how to improve user experiences in healthcare services.
"Hospitals and medical facilities are complex environments where patients often struggle with navigation and communication," he said. "By applying design thinking, we can enhance how services are structured to improve both patient outcomes and operational efficiency."
Transforming Student Learning Through Industry Collaboration
Liu also plays a pivotal role in KGI’s Team Master’s Project (TMP), where students tackle real-world challenges in collaboration with industry partners. Last year, his TMP team partnered with Amgen to develop a comprehensive data management and visualization system aimed at optimizing financial decision-making.
The project won the TMP Collaborative Excellence Award for its impact, and one student, Vahe Akopyan, ’24 MBS, was hired by Amgen as a direct result of the experience.
“We were tasked with data management, cleansing, and preparation,” Akopyan said. “The financial data was floating around without a centralized system, so we had to create a structure that allowed easy retrieval and visualization.”
To accomplish this, the team worked with two key software tools: Alteryx, which enabled data integration and transformation, and Tableau, which provided dynamic dashboards for real-time decision-making.
“The Alteryx group collaborated with stakeholders to understand what transformations were necessary, ensuring the data was structured correctly,” Akopyan said. “Meanwhile, the Tableau team worked closely with senior leadership to design dashboards that provided instant insights, eliminating the need to dig through Excel spreadsheets.”
The system they developed is now actively used at Amgen, streamlining financial data processes and improving accessibility for decision-makers.
“This experience was invaluable,” Akopyan said. “It wasn’t just about technical skills — it was about working with real stakeholders, solving industry problems, and understanding how companies operate at scale.”
A Multidisciplinary Approach to Management
Liu’s academic background bridges engineering, business, and management, giving him a unique perspective in his research and teaching. Before joining KGI, Liu taught at UC Riverside’s School of Business, where he researched human capital, organizational learning, and the challenges of balancing financial and social goals in companies.
With his cross-disciplinary background, Liu is particularly attuned to KGI students, many of whom come from STEM fields.
"Transitioning from a technical background to a management role can be challenging," he said. "I understand that journey because I’ve been through it myself. My goal is to help students bridge the gap between technical expertise and strategic thinking."
Shaping the Future of Management and Innovation
Whether through groundbreaking research, industry collaborations, or student mentorship, Liu’s work exemplifies KGI’s mission to blend science, business, and innovation. His insights into motivation and decision-making have broad implications — not just for emergency responders but for professionals across industries.
"At the end of the day, every organization is about people," Liu said. "If we can understand what drives motivation and how to design better work environments, we can create workplaces that are both more effective and more fulfilling."