Rate My Professor Scott Gallagher

Scott Gallagher, Professor of Management in the Business & Economics faculty at James Madison University, has made significant contributions to both teaching and research in the College of Business. Joining the faculty as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Management in 2000, he earned tenure and promotion in 2006 and advanced to full professor in 2011. From 2010 to 2015, Gallagher served as Academic Unit Head for the Department of Management, leading 22 full-time faculty members through a period of stability and support, particularly for junior faculty. In July 2019, he became Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, where he authored the 2021 Continuous Improvement Review report for AACSB accreditation, developed a strategic plan for the College of Business, and oversaw committees managing awards and professorships. Gallagher retired on September 1, 2025, after a career dedicated to enhancing undergraduate education, which he praised as a core strength of JMU.

Gallagher's scholarly work centers on innovation, strategic alliances, standards, and industry evolution, with a focus on high-reliability organizations and open innovation. His most influential publication, "Challenges of open innovation: the paradox of firm investment in open-source software" (West & Gallagher, 2006), has received over 2,098 citations. Other key works include "Firm resources as moderators of the relationship between market growth and strategic alliances in semiconductor start-ups" (Park, Chen & Gallagher, 2002; 584 citations), "Explaining alliance partner selection: fit, trust and strategic expediency" (Bierly & Gallagher, 2007; 366 citations), "Innovation and competition in standard-based industries: a historical analysis of the US home video game market" (Gallagher & Park, 2002; 333 citations), "Innovation decision making in high-risk organizations: A comparison of the US and Soviet attack submarine programs" (Bierly, Gallagher & Spender, 2008; 58 citations), and recent contributions such as "Navigating the myriad of corporate quality standards: a CSR and stakeholder perspective" (2024) and "Seeking more sustainable merger and acquisition growth strategies: A spatial analysis of U.S. hospital network dispersion and customer satisfaction" (Ritchie et al., 2025). Gallagher's excellence in teaching was recognized with the College of Business Distinguished Teacher Award in 2008, the student-elected Otto C. Brenner Teaching Award in 2009, and selection as Madison Scholar for the College of Business in 2010.