Ali Ahmadi
PhD Candidate in Management – Strategy
Smith School of Business – Queen's University
I'm a fifth-year Ph.D. candidate specializing in competitive dynamics. My dissertation focuses on how competitive surprises influence performance and affect rival responses. I use natural language processing, large language models, and case study methods to empirically investigate the element of surprise in strategic management.
I also teach strategic management, where I integrate AI-driven simulations, real-world case studies, and live industry challenges into my courses.
Research
Competitive Surprise
How firms identify, process, and respond to unexpected rival moves in competitive markets.
Positioning Threats
Understanding how organizations navigate and respond to direct challenges to their market position.
Competitive Dynamics
Exploring the interplay between firms as they compete and respond to each other in dynamic environments.
Teaching Experience
COMM401: Strategic Management
Instructor | Fall 2024 & 2025
A capstone strategy course with 85 students, featuring AI-powered business simulations (Capsim), real-world live cases, and executive speaker series.
AI Case Method
An innovative method to teach case studies in the age of artificial intelligence.
Integrating AI tools into traditional case-based learning to prepare students for the future of strategic decision-making.