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Jelena Cer­ar

Postdoc

Emner
Beslutningstagning Management Strategi Kunstig intelligens Kvantitativ metode Metode

Primary research areas

Managerial AI Reliance

I study when and why managers rely on or reject AI-generated advice. My work examines cognitive, emotional, and contextual factors that shape human–AI collaboration, especially in complex or multi-stage decision settings.

Cognition in Strategic Decision-Making

My research focuses on how cognitive processes—such as mental workload, cognitive dissonance, and exhaustion—influence managerial judgments. I investigate how these processes interact with digital tools and shape strategic choices.

AI-Augmented Decision Processes

I explore how AI systems reshape decision processes, from problem formulation to evaluation and execution.

Quantitative and Experimental Methods in IB

I examine methodological challenges in international business research, with a focus on experimental designs.

VR and Behavioural Change

I explore how immersive virtual reality environments can shape managerial behaviour.

I explore how AI is changing strategic decision-making, one experiment at a time

My research examines how AI reshapes managerial decision-making and problem-solving. I use mainly lab and field experiments to explore when managers rely on AI, why they sometimes resist it, and how cognitive mechanisms—such as workload or dissonance—shape these choices. 

I also work on advancing quantitative and experimental research methods in international business. As Vice-President Communications and Board Member of the AIB Research Methods SIG and a member of the AOM IM Research Methods Committee, I contribute to building a stronger methodological foundation for IB scholarship. 

Beyond research, I collaborate with organizations and policymakers on projects involving AI adoption, problem-solving capabilities, and behavioral change related to diversity and inclusion. My goal is to help companies and societies benefit from technological change by understanding how people think, decide, and adapt in increasingly digital environments.

PUBLICATIONS

  • Cerar, J. 2024. From Insight to Impact: The Power of Experimentation in Multinational Corporations. AIB Insights, 25(1)
     
  • Cerar, J., Decreton, B., & Nell, P. C. 2022. What’s in a name? How Senior Managers Use Name-Based Heuristics to Allocate Financial Resources in Multinational Corporations. Journal of Management Studies. 60 (5), 1147-1177.
     
  • Cerar, J., Nell, P. C., & Reiche, S. 2021. The Declining Share of Primary Data and the Neglect of the Individual Level in International Business Research. Journal of International Business Studies. 52, 1365-1374. 

Recent research projects

Managerial AI Reliance in Multi-Decision Contexts: The Interplay of Cognitive Dissonance and Anticipated Workload

I develop and test a model that combines cognitive dissonance, anticipated workload, and paradox theory to explain how managerial AI reliance decisions evolve over the course of a multi-decision session. This framework addresses a core limitation in prior research, which has typically treated AI reliance as a series of isolated choices, overlooking the cumulative and dynamic psychological pressures that unfold across repeated decisions.

National Culture and AI reliance in AI-augmented decision-making

This project investigates the impact of national culture and national government on AI reliance in augmented strategic decision-making

Impact of GenAI Use and Hierarchical Integration Training on Problem-Solving in Organizational Hierarchies

This project explores two distinct pathways for improving problem-solving in organizational hierarchies: hierarchical integration training and generative AI use.

Experimental Design in International Business Research

Experiments are increasingly recognized as a powerful method for establishing causal inference in international business (IB), yet their adoption has long lagged behind other management fields. Responding to calls for more experimental work, we conduct the first comprehensive methodological review of IB experiments, provide an IB-specific design guide to address these challenges, illustrate how experiments can strengthen theory building in cross-border contexts, and outline opportunities for impactful future research at the intersection of IB and experimental methods.

Outside activities

Assistant Professor , 2020–ongoing

Assistant Professor (tenure track) at WU Vienna
My profile at WU