Alejandro Hernandez De la Lanza

Alejandro Hernández De la Lanza

Ph.D. Candidate in Operations Management

I’m a doctoral candidate in Operations Management at Kellogg School of Management. I am in the 2024-2025 job market. Professor Maria R. Ibanez advises me.

 

Contact Information

E-mail: alejandro.lanza [at] kellogg [dot] northwestern [dot] edu

Office 4168, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University

 

 

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Research Interests

My research empirically studies management issues on online platforms and mobile applications. Using empirical methods, I have worked on identifying the effect of internal decisions in mobile ecosystems (for example, mobile app updates) and external shocks (for example, viralization) on user behavior and mobile app revenue. We have collaborated with private companies to collect our data to answer our research questions. We establish industry relationships with companies by highlighting the potential value of our research questions. Through communication and networking, we secured access to private company data. The data was nonexistent; to collect it, we worked side by side with developers to collect the data using tools such as Google Analytics. Our efforts help position our research at the intersection of academia and industry, providing unique insights into mobile app management. 

 Job market paper

How do mandated mobile app updates influence user engagement and app performance?

with Maria R. Ibanez

Mobile app developers are often believed to have complete discretion over the content they release through updates. However, mobile app marketplaces such as Google Play and the App Store often mandate specific updates to ensure ecosystem compatibility. Failure to comply with these requirements within stipulated deadlines could result in the app losing discoverability in these markets. Using a large-scale clickstream data set from a mobile application, we examine the impact of releasing mandated and non-mandated mobile app updates on user behavior and app performance in a freemium app. Our findings show that non-mandated outperform mandated updates. Specifically, not-mandated updates significantly increase the overall number of ads watched and the time spent with the app, while mandated updates do not affect the number of ads watched even when they increase the time spent with the app. We argue that developers could potentially batch updates by integrating user-driven features alongside required system mandates- to mitigate the downside effects of mandated updates. Moreover, non-mandated and mandated updates affect user behavior through different mechanisms. Examining user reviews, compatibility is the most common theme in mandatory updates, while for non-mandated is features and engagement. Understanding these dynamics enables developers to navigate the update landscape better, ensuring compliance with marketplace requirements and enhanced user engagement.

Working paper

Beyond the Buzz: How does viral acquisition shape mobile app user behavior and revenue?

with Maria R. Ibanez

Organic user growth in mobile app ecosystems follows a gradual and predictable trajectory. However, the emergence of viral acquisition channels disrupts this established pattern, quickly introducing large cohorts of new users into the app. While the immediate effects of such surges are often celebrated for their market reach and revenue potential, their long-term consequences on existing users remain relatively unexplored. This research addresses this gap by investigating the impact of a viral YouTube video on the behavior of pre-existing users and new users in a specific mobile app. Utilizing a comprehensive dataset of daily user interactions, we analyze changes in engagement patterns, feature usage, and monetization preferences following the viral event. By comparing the post-surge behavior of viral and non-viral users, this study seeks to identify potential shifts in user dynamics and offer valuable insights for app developers and strategists navigating the complex landscape of viral acquisition. By analyzing user behavior before and after the viralization of the app, we find that users that join the app before the viralization leave more profit, while users that join the app after the viralization leave less profit to the app. This finding is surprising since a viralization campaign might not result in in-app purchases but only as a means to access a new pool set of users.

Work in Progress

Overcoming online user’s compliance: Role of social norms and feedback

One of the most cited issues with mobile apps is low user subscription levels, especially across freemium model apps. In this paper, we aim to conduct a field experiment that analyzes two different social norms: (1) altruism and (2) social exclusion impact on subscription levels in a freemium app.

Effects of Medical Travel: Empirical Evidence in Mexico

Seeking medical attention abroad has been around for centuries. However, it has only been in the past few decades that it has gained academic attention. Much of what has been written comes from a theoretical or qualitative perspective with just a small set of empirical papers. This first paper in a series uses official data from the Mexican government to provide empirical evidence on the effects on labor supply in Mexico that could be caused by medical travel. Such an effect could have two possible implications: it could generate competitive advantages in certain medical specialties but also leave a local population unattended within the region.

Teaching

Below is a list of courses I have assisted in at both Kellogg School of Management and IPADE Business School. Moreover, I have also been the instructor for one full course at Universidad Panamericana in Mexico City.

  • MBA courses, OPNS 440 – Designing and Managing Business Processes (2020-2021). Instructor: Sunil Chopra. Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, USA.
  • MBA courses, OPNS 430 – Operations Management (2020-2023). Intructors: Tarek Abdallah, Achal Bassamboo, Anton Braverman, Ruslan Momot, Maria R. Ibanez. Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, USA.
  • MBA courses, OPNS 951 – Operations for Social Impact (formerly, Humanitarian and Non-Profit Operations) (2020-2024). Instructor: Karen Smilowitz. Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, USA.
  • Undergraduate courses, KELLG 324 – Operations and Supply Chain Management (2020). Instructor: Martin Lariviere. Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, USA.
  • MBA courses, OM I – Operations Management (2018-2019). Instructor: Rodrigo Garza Burgos, Francisco Arenas. IPADE Business School, Mexico.
  • Executive MBA courses, OM I – Operations Management (2018-2019). Instructor: Rodrigo Garza Burgos, Francisco Arenas. IPADE Business School, Mexico.
  • Undergraduate courses, Business Economics (2018-2019). Instructor: Alejandro Hernandez De la Lanza. Engineering School at Universidad Panamericana, Mexico.

 

Teaching material

I have collabrated to create teaching material for MBA courses at different schools.

De La Lanza, Alejandro Hernandez, and Jan A. Van Mieghem. Inspiral: A Contrast in Operations Strategies. Case 5-420-755 (KE1199). Evanston, Ill, USA. Kellogg School of Management.

Garza, Rodrigo, Arturo Orozco and Alejandro Hernández De la Lanza. The electoral process Mexico 2018. Business Case Study – P19 C02. Mexico City, Mexico. IPADE Business School Publishing. Mexico City, Mexico. IPADE Business School

García, Fausto, Francisco Arenas, and Alejandro Hernandez De la Lanza. Huaxteca. Business Case Study – P19 C03. Mexico City, Mexico. IPADE Business School Publishing.  Mexico City, Mexico. IPADE Business School

Garza, Rodrigo, and Alejandro Hernández. E-conduce: Ridesharing. Business Case Study-P18 C05. IPADE Business School Publishing. Mexico City, Mexico. IPADE Business School

Arenas, Fausto, Alejandro Pérez, and Alejandro Hernández. The Papal Visit. Business Case Study-P18 C04. IPADE Business School Publishing. Mexico City, Mexico. IPADE Business School