By Nicarlyle Hanchard / The Jambar
Boasting a series of internationally and nationally accredited recognitions, Youngstown State University can add Yogesh Uppal to the list.
Uppal, professor of economics and director of the Master of Science in Business Analytics with the Williamson College of Business Administration, was recently appointed as an associate editor of the Economics of Governance academic journal.
Grateful for the opportunity, Uppal said he is honored to serve his field in such a way but understands the post comes with great responsibility.
“It comes with a lot of responsibility, in the sense that you have to devote a lot of time, because you want to scrutinize the [research] … Associate editors also have to write reports and evaluate the paper, so in that respect I feel a lot of responsibility and I hope to do this to the best of my abilities,” Uppal said.
Uppal said journal editors often prospect for researchers in the respective academic field, and review their works to determine if they would satisfy the needs of the position.
“[Editors] know what kind of papers they want to publish, so they seek out researchers with that kind of expertise,” Uppal said. “They seek you out and ask if you’re willing to serve, and that’s how [my appointment] came to be.”
Uppal cited India, his country of origin, as influence for his research on how the behaviors of elected officials affect constituents’ economic outcomes.
“I come from India, that’s where I grew up [and] that’s where I saw government wasn’t working properly, so those were the questions that interested me quite a bit,” Uppal said. “These are global questions, but I answer them in the context of India, ‘Do politicians manipulate policies around elections?’”
His work has also examined an increase in officials elected with a criminal background in developing countries and the election of women to India’s legislature. Christina Saenger, interim dean of WCBA, stated Uppal’s appointment emphasises his achievements as a scholar. Alongside previous international accreditations, such as from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, Saenger stated that Uppal’s new role underscores the quality work being produced at the WCBA.
“These recognitions, including [Uppal’s] appointment and [Ian Zhang’s] recent appointment as associate editor for Journal of Information Systems, signal that the research produced at the WCBA is rigorous and relevant,” Saenger stated. “Coupled with our AACSB accreditation, these achievements show that we are producing work that is both methodologically sound and practically meaningful to the challenges facing today’s businesses, governments and organizations.”
She added Uppal’s appointment brings positive attention to YSU and provides research insight for students.
“For YSU, Dr. Uppal’s role reinforces our identity as a research-active institution committed to academic excellence. When our faculty hold leadership positions in global journals, it brings national and international attention to YSU,” Saenger stated. “It directly benefits our students because working in the classroom with engaged, expert faculty like [Uppal] prepares them to be more critical thinkers in their own careers.”
Sharing Saenger’s sentiments, Uppal said as his horizon is broadened by the new position, it will show in his teaching.
The Economics of Governance journal focuses research on different governmental structures — local and federal governments and international and nonprofit organizations, along with private corporations — and their impact on varied economic outcomes.