Dr. Lawton Burns | Quality of Care | Best Researcher Award

The Wharton School – Univ of Pennsylvania | United States

Dr. Lawton Robert Burns, PhD, MBA, serves as the James Joo-Jin Kim Professor of Health Care Management and Professor of Management at The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. Educated at the University of Chicago and the University of Pennsylvania, he has built an eminent career specializing in health care systems, organizational theory, hospital management, and the economics of medical technology. His scholarship has significantly influenced the understanding of value chains, physician-hospital integration, and strategic decision-making in health care organizations. Dr. Burns has delivered invited lectures at globally renowned institutions, including the University of Cambridge, the National University of Singapore, and leading universities in Italy, reflecting his international academic impact. His exemplary teaching record is marked by consecutive Wharton Teaching Excellence Awards (2020–2025) and numerous distinguished honors such as the Academy of Management’s Distinguished Scholar Award and the Emerald Literati Outstanding Author Contribution Awards. Through his research, teaching, and mentorship, Dr. Burns continues to shape future leaders in health care management, advancing innovation, education, and policy within the global health care landscape.

Profile: Google Scholar

Featured Publications

Burns, L. R., & Wholey, D. R. (1993). Adoption and abandonment of matrix management programs: Effects of organizational characteristics and interorganizational networks. Academy of Management Journal, 36(1), 106–138.

Schneller, E., Abdulsalam, Y., Conway, K., & Eckler, J. (2023). Strategic management of the healthcare supply chain. John Wiley & Sons.

Burns, L. R., & Pauly, M. V. (2002). Integrated delivery networks: A detour on the road to integrated health care? Health Affairs, 21(4), 128–143.

Burns, L. R. (2002). The health care value chain: Producers, purchasers, and providers. Jossey-Bass.

Burns, L. R., & Wholey, D. R. (1991). The effects of patient, hospital, and physician characteristics on length of stay and mortality. Medical Care, 29(3), 251–271.