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Faculty Member

Dr. Yang Huo

Biography

Born in Inchon, South Korea.
B.S. from BYU-Hawaii
M.S. from UNLV
Ph.D. from Virginia Tech
Have a wife, Heysook, and two married daughters

Education

PhD, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1994

Major: Hospitality and Tourism Management

MS, University of Nevada, 1987

Major: Hotel Administration

BS, Brigham Young University, Hawaii, 1985

Major: Business Administration

Teaching

MGMT 2340

Business Statistics I, Spring 2026

MGMT 2340

Business Statistics I, Spring 2026

MGMT 2340

Business Statistics I, Spring 2026

MGMT 2340

Business Statistics I, Spring 2026

MGMT 2400

Data Analytics for Business, Spring 2026

Presentations

Huo, Yang (Co-Author), 2024 Utah Academy of Sciences, Arts, & Letters, "Reimagining Management Pedagogy_ Innovative Approaches to Engaging Learners", University of Utah, Salt Lake City. (April 1, 2025)
Huo, Yang (Author Only), Western Academy of Management (WAM) 2024 Conference, "Enhancement of Qualitative Research in Convention/Event Industry & ESG relationship through AI_ Case of ESG initiatives in Utah Valley Convention Center", Western Academy of Management (WAM), Long Beach, California. (March 14, 2024)
Huo, Yang , Western Business & Management 2023, "Enhancement of Qualitative Research in Convention/Event Industry & ESG relationship through AI_ Case of ESG initiatives in Utah Valley Convention Center", California State University Stanislaus, Lisbon, Portugal. (October 24, 2023)
Huo, Yang , Western Business & Management (WBM 2023) International Conference, "Enhancement of Qualitative Research in Convention/Event Industry & ESG relationship through AI_ Case of using Content Analysis Method", California State University Stanislaus, Lisbon, Portugal. (October 22, 2023)
Huo, Yang , Soni, Harsh (Presenter & Author), Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR)'s 2022 Students Transforming Through Research (STR). , "Economic Relation among Governance, Trust, Transaction Costs and Improving Performance in Franchising_ Empirical Evidence from Restaurants", Council on Undergraduate Research, Washington D.C.. (October 23, 2022)
Huo, Yang , Soni, Harsh (Presenter & Author), Array, Anna , NCUR 2022, "The Value of Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) in Hospitality Business_ Application of DEA", Council on Undergraduate Research, NCUR 2022 @Home. (April 4, 2022)

Scholarly/Creative Works

Hernandez, Edward , Huo, Yang , (2024) "Narrative Pedagogy_ Narrative Structure Choice in Business Storytelling" (Issue: 3, vol. 22). Turlock, California: Journal of Business Management & Change. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-bvFeubuHu8WRl7TVmtK1BMyexpsAf7c/view
Huo, Yang , (2024) "Relationships Franchising_ The Economic Values of Trust in Franchisee-Franchisor Relations" (Issue: 3, vol. 22). Turlock, California: Journal of Business Management & Change. https://www.wbmconference.net/jbmc-fall-2024.html
Huo, Yang , Cho, Si Yong , Hernandez, Edward H, "Relationships Franchising_ The Economic Values of Trust in Franchisee-Franchisor " (Issue: 22, vol. Fall). Turlock, CA: Journal of Business Management & Change. https://www.wbmconference.net/jbmc.html
Huo, Yang , Chan, Leo , Miller, Doug , (2024) "Bankruptcy Prediction for Restaurant Firms_ A Comparative Analysis of Multiple Discriminant Analysis and Logistic Regression" (Issue: 9, vol. 17). MDPI, Grosspeteranlage 5, 4052 Basel: Journal of Risk and Financial Management.
Huo, Yang , Wall, Tony , (2022) "Students' perspectives on why they drop out and possible retention strategies" . Bingley: Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning. https://www.emerald.com/insight/search?q=yang+huo&showAll=true
Huo, Yang , Park, Ki Yog , (2019) "Franchising" . Seoul: Dae Wang Sa. http://www.kyobobook.co.kr/product/detailViewKor.laf?ejkGb=KOR&mallGb=KOR&barcode=9788945649805&orderClick=LAG&Kc=

Awards

Dissemination Grant

The Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Works - January 27, 2026

Dissemination for the “AI-Enhanced Data Envelopment Analysis for Economic Impact in the Convention Industry_ Salt Palace Convention Center” has been approved and awarded $2,000. It is for a research ​paper presentation at the International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Logistics and Business Applications (ICAILBA-26) in Berlin, Germany, on 17th April - 18th April 2026​.

2025 Summer Externships

The Woodbury School of Business Dean’s Office and Leadership - April 11, 2025

2025 WSB Summer Grant Report with Plurslsight
Location: Pluralsight Headquarters (Draper, UT) – Onsite and Online (I plan to spend at least 60% of my externship on-site to maximize collaboration with their teams).
Total Hours_ 160/150 hours completed
Contact Persons at Pluralsight_ Rob Murdock/Customer Success & Christina-Cummings/Organizer
Externship Alignment with UVU/WSB Mission & Themes
My proposed externship at Pluralsight (Draper, UT) directly supports WSB’s mission of developing "successful professionals who build our community" by deepening my expertise in data-driven business education. “Pluralsight give students the modern technology skills they need to succeed as they enter the workforce. Pluralsight enables higher education institutions with comprehensive solutions and tailored training to supplement student’s primary degree paths with specialized tech skills.”/ https_//www.pluralsight.com/industries/public-sector/higher-education
Pluralsight’s tech-driven learning allowed me to bridge the gap between statistical theory and real-world business analytics, ensuring students gain job-ready data skills. This experience aligns with WSB’s core themes in the following ways_
Projects & Activities_
During my externship at Pluralsight, I engaged in the learning and tasks to enhance my industry knowledge and teaching effectiveness through following courses_
AI & Generative AI, ChatGPT & Generative AI, Cloud Computing, Data Analysis with Generative AI, Data Mining, Data Visualization, Excel 365 Essentials/Advance Data Visualization/Mastering Excel Functions/Pivot Tables for Excel/Perform Basic Statistical Analysis in MS Excel, Key Concepts Machine Learning,
Python 3_ Working with Databases in Python 3, Working with Files in Python 3, Working with Stakeholders a Data Analyst, Python Data Essentials_ Data Structures/Programming Fundamental, Python Introduction, Design Patterns in Python 3/Practices/Decorators/Fundamentals/Performance/Playbook/The Big Picture/Data Structures
Introduction to SQL_ Querying Data Using T-SQL/Simplify SQL Queries, Sustainability Explained, Writing Complex Subqueries in SQL
Course Content ModernizationShadow Pluralsight’s data analytics and business intelligence instructors to observe how they teach technical concepts to corporate learners.Audit Pluralsight’s most in-demand business analytics courses (e.g., SQL for Data Analysis, Tableau for Business Decisions) to identify gaps in my own curriculum.Collaborate with their Customer Success Team to adapt Pluralsight’s proprietary case studies (e.g., sales forecasting, operational metrics dashboards) for my Business Statistics and Data Analytics for Business courses.Tool & Workflow IntegrationTrain on Pluralsight’s interactive learning platforms (e.g., Skill IQ assessments, sandbox environments for Python/R) to replicate similar hands-on experiences for UVU students.Work with their technical teams to integrate Pluralsight’s API or learning modules into my courses, giving students access to premium analytics training resources.Community Impact ProjectAccess “Approaches to Data Enabled Decision Making” session to design a student-facing data challenge (e.g., analyzing Utah nonprofit performance metrics) that combines WSB’s community focus with real-world datasets through systematic process with defined elements).Students EngagementTwo WSB students who are working for as the research assistants on Salt Palace Convention Center project and I attended the information session given by Customer Service to engage in Pluralsight’s all training modules to observe from the students’ perspective and how to utilize the AI tech such as Python can implement in the project. They were impressed by the AI tech8888
Deliverables for UVU & WSB mission statement_
Transformational Teaching (5% Improvements, Recognition as a Top Teaching School)Pluralsight’s platform specializes in data science, statistical programming (Python, R, SQL), and business analytics tools (Tableau, Power BI). Through this externship, I will_

Update my Business Statistics and Data Analytics for Business courses with industry-standard tools and workflows, ensuring students learn the most relevant software and methodologies.

Integrate Pluralsight’s learning modules into my curriculum, giving students access to professional upskilling resources.

By adopting applied, tech-enhanced teaching methods, I will contribute to WSB’s goal of continuous improvement in instructional quality.

Experience (Engaged Learning, HIPs, 5-Star Placements, Retention)Pluralsight’s project-based/lab-based learning model aligns perfectly with WSB’s focus on High-Impact Practices (HIPs). It helps me to_

Develop real-world case studies based on Pluralsight’s corporate training programs, allowing students to analyze live business datasets.

Create hands-on lab exercises using Pluralsight’s sandbox environments, where students can practice statistical modeling and visualization in a risk-free setting.

Value to Students/Class
This externship transforms how I teach data fluency for business decisions. Students will benefit from_

Industry-aligned coursework (e.g., forecasting models/regression and dashboarding) used at top Utah employers.

Stronger employer connections via Pluralsight’s network, leading to internships/jobs.

Inclusive, hands-on learning that demystifies statistics and analytics for all learners.

By merging Pluralsight’s tech-pedagogy with WSB’s mission, this internship ensures UVU graduates stand out as data-savvy professionals who drive organizational success.

Key Changes for Discipline_
Focused on statistics/analytics tools (not general tech).

Added specific software (Tableau, Python, Power BI, Generative AI) to show relevance.

Highlighted data literacy and STEM-business careers (key WSB growth areas).

Emphasized certifications and employer pipelines (for 5-star placements).
By networking with Pluralsight’s enterprise clients (e.g., Adobe, Microsoft, Workday), I can identify internship and job-shadowing opportunities for students pursuing data analyst, business intelligence, and operations research roles—boosting 5-star placements.

Students will gain certification-ready skills (e.g., Advanced Excel, Tableau/Python credentials), increasing their employability and retention in STEM-business fields.

Revise syllabi for Business Statistics and Data Analytics for Business for Fall 2025 semester with embedded Pluralsight resources to let student improve engaged learning and skill to prepare for the career development and for the Microsoft Excel Certification – Basic & Advanced.

Continue to explore a partnership proposal for student certifications (e.g., Tableau Desktop Specialist) via Pluralsight’s platform/Certification Prep Center. https_//app.pluralsight.com/explore/certifications

Augment the course content by implementing a repository of 5-7 industry-vetted case studies for classroom use.

GEL 1 Year Grant

The Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Works - February 19, 2025

We are pleased to inform you that your application for a GEL 1 Year for the “Enhancing Business Data Analytics with AI_ A Service-Learning Project to Boost Student Engagement at Salt Palace Convention Center” has been approved and awarded $8,927.

Fantastic Beast Award

Organizational Leadership Department - December 1, 2023

Jessica Ballard nominated Yang for the December Fantastic Beast award. Every year he engages students on research projects for NCUR and is a fantastic colleague in the HM program. We will miss him greatly as he transitions over to the Strategic Management and Operations Department next semester. Thanks for everything, Yang

Best Textbook Award

Department of Culture and Tourism, Korea & Association of Korea Publication Enhancement - August 5, 2020

The textbook I co-authored (I initiate writing the textbook and contribute 80%) on “Franchising”(534 pages) is awarded for “One of the Best Text books of the year in 2019-2020”

URSIG Research Grant

Office of Engaged Learning - May 1, 2020

The research gives an opportunity to help/hire two student research assistants at UVU and to have a mentorship opportunity as well.

Abstract
This research focuses on business failure in the U.S restaurant industry. Specifically, the project focuses on the bankruptcy prediction models and discusses the current bankruptcy prediction models based on recent years’ financial data and ratios of the U.S. restaurant firms. Analysis of the This is done in the context of the pros and cons of proposed models to determine the appropriate factors or failure phenomenon in cases involving restaurants that have filed for bankruptcy under Chapter 11. A sample of restaurant companies that filed for bankruptcy between 2000 and 2019 will be analyzed through the Form 8-K reported in EDGAR with the Stock Exchange Commission (SEC). By applying financial ratios retrieved from the financial information and operations this study will determine the best fit model as a preferred method for predicting restaurant firm failure.

The finding and results will be submitted to 2021 UCUR and NCUR then to peer-review academic Journal in the hospitality area.