Tenure-track Faculty
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Lee, Taejun
Professor
AI-Driven Public Governance, STIE(Science, Technology, Innovation, Entrepreneurship), Public Communication and Media, CCS(Cultural and Creative Sectors)
Professor Taejun Leeis a Full Professor at the KDI School of Public Policy and Management, where he has been leading research on digital transformation, public governance innovation, and data-driven innovation ecosystems since 2015. Prior to joining KDI, he served as an Assistant Professor at Bradley University (2010–2012) in the United States and at Kookmin University (2012–2015) in South Korea, where he developed strong international research and policy expertise.
He defines himself as a “public governance designer and engineer”who leverages data and digital technologies to design institutions, decision-making systems, and innovation processes. His recent work extends beyond digital government innovation, AI-based governance, and content-driven innovation ecosystems to encompass the construction of policy knowledge ecosystemsand the advancement of public diplomacy strategies grounded in policy knowledge.
■ Research Agenda
Professor Lee’s research is grounded in an integrative theoretical program that brings together public administration, innovation studies, organizational theory, and platform economics. His work examines how emerging technologies—particularly artificial intelligence and data systems—reconfigure governments, organizations, and innovation ecosystems.
More recently, he has developed a novel theoretical framework that conceptualizes organizations and innovation systems as recursive decision systems. This approach explains how decision processes, data feedback loops, platform structures, and policy coordination interact to generate path-dependent and self-reinforcing trajectories of innovation.
He further emphasizes that policy knowledge is not merely a repository of information but a strategic resource that connects policy learning, institutional design, international cooperation, and public diplomacy. His research advances a comprehensive program aimed at strengthening national and regional capacities through the circulation and diffusion of policy knowledge.
■ Key Research Areas
Professor Lee’s research is structured around four core pillars:
1. AI-Driven Decision Infrastructure and Governance Transformation: He reconceptualizes state capacity and public governance in terms of decision capacityand algorithmic governance, analyzing how uncertainty becomes embedded within organizational and policy processes in the age of AI.
2. Data- and Platform-Based Recursive Innovation Ecosystems: His work develops a dynamic theoretical model of innovation ecosystems, where market validation, data feedback, intellectual property (IP) cycles, platform coordination, and policy interactions co-evolve through recursive feedback mechanisms.
3. Glocal Strategies for Cultural Industries and Regional Development: He proposes multi-layered development models that integrate cultural policy, regional innovation platforms, data-driven content industries, city branding, and cultural diplomacy, transforming regions into key nodes within global innovation networks.
4. Policy Knowledge Ecosystems and Public Diplomacy: He conceptualizes policy knowledge as an ecosystem encompassing its production, accumulation, translation, diffusion, and networking. His research explores how such ecosystems facilitate international policy learning and cooperation, and how policy knowledge–based public diplomacyenhances trust, influence, and soft power at both national and urban levels.
■ Policy Engagement & Global Collaboration
Professor Lee is the founder and director of the Open Government & Innovation (OGI) Lab, where he supports digital transformation and institutional innovation across central and local governments as well as public organizations.
He has established extensive international research and policy networks spanning the United Kingdom, Canada, Finland, the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Lithuania, and ASEAN countries. Through collaborations with global institutions—including the OECD, World Bank, United Nations, and innovation agencies under the European Union—he actively contributes to shaping global policy discourse.
In particular, he has played a leading role in building global policy knowledge networksand designing policy learning platformsthat promote the international circulation and co-creation of policy knowledge. His work moves beyond traditional policy transfer toward collaborative knowledge production and mutual learning, thereby enhancing the quality of international cooperation and advancing policy knowledge–based public diplomacy in practice.
He has participated in over 60 government-funded research projects and has served as a policy advisor to major Korean government bodies, including the Presidential Office, the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the Ministry of Science and ICT, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and the Korea Communications Standards Commission. In recognition of his contributions, he has received commendations from both the Minister of the Interior and Safety and the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
■ Publications
Professor Lee has published extensively in leading international academic journals:
• 22 SSCI-indexed articles
• 17 SCOPUS-indexed articles
• 41 KCI-indexed articles
His work has appeared in journals such as Information, Communication & Society; New Media & Society; Journal of Health Communication; Journal of Applied Communication Research; International Journal of Information Management; Government Information Quarterly; European Journal of Political Research; Public Performance & Management Review; Organizational Dynamics; Journal of Consumer Affairs; International Journal of Bank Marketing; Journal of Behavioral Finance; Journal of Services Marketing; Marketing Intelligence & Planning; International Journal of Advertising;and Journal of Individual Differences, reflecting a highly interdisciplinary research profile.
■ Research Identity
Professor Lee’s scholarship is distinguished by its ability to bridge theoretical innovation and policy practice. His work provides a systematic understanding of how data, artificial intelligence, and platform technologies are reshaping decision-making, institutions, and innovation systems in contemporary society.
At its core, his research positions policy knowledge as a strategic asset, advancing the development of policy knowledge ecosystems that enable the structured production, connection, and diffusion of knowledge. Through this lens, he contributes to the advancement of policy knowledge–driven public diplomacy, ultimately enhancing sustainable innovation and global influence at both national and regional levels.
He defines himself as a “public governance designer and engineer”who leverages data and digital technologies to design institutions, decision-making systems, and innovation processes. His recent work extends beyond digital government innovation, AI-based governance, and content-driven innovation ecosystems to encompass the construction of policy knowledge ecosystemsand the advancement of public diplomacy strategies grounded in policy knowledge.
■ Research Agenda
Professor Lee’s research is grounded in an integrative theoretical program that brings together public administration, innovation studies, organizational theory, and platform economics. His work examines how emerging technologies—particularly artificial intelligence and data systems—reconfigure governments, organizations, and innovation ecosystems.
More recently, he has developed a novel theoretical framework that conceptualizes organizations and innovation systems as recursive decision systems. This approach explains how decision processes, data feedback loops, platform structures, and policy coordination interact to generate path-dependent and self-reinforcing trajectories of innovation.
He further emphasizes that policy knowledge is not merely a repository of information but a strategic resource that connects policy learning, institutional design, international cooperation, and public diplomacy. His research advances a comprehensive program aimed at strengthening national and regional capacities through the circulation and diffusion of policy knowledge.
■ Key Research Areas
Professor Lee’s research is structured around four core pillars:
1. AI-Driven Decision Infrastructure and Governance Transformation: He reconceptualizes state capacity and public governance in terms of decision capacityand algorithmic governance, analyzing how uncertainty becomes embedded within organizational and policy processes in the age of AI.
2. Data- and Platform-Based Recursive Innovation Ecosystems: His work develops a dynamic theoretical model of innovation ecosystems, where market validation, data feedback, intellectual property (IP) cycles, platform coordination, and policy interactions co-evolve through recursive feedback mechanisms.
3. Glocal Strategies for Cultural Industries and Regional Development: He proposes multi-layered development models that integrate cultural policy, regional innovation platforms, data-driven content industries, city branding, and cultural diplomacy, transforming regions into key nodes within global innovation networks.
4. Policy Knowledge Ecosystems and Public Diplomacy: He conceptualizes policy knowledge as an ecosystem encompassing its production, accumulation, translation, diffusion, and networking. His research explores how such ecosystems facilitate international policy learning and cooperation, and how policy knowledge–based public diplomacyenhances trust, influence, and soft power at both national and urban levels.
■ Policy Engagement & Global Collaboration
Professor Lee is the founder and director of the Open Government & Innovation (OGI) Lab, where he supports digital transformation and institutional innovation across central and local governments as well as public organizations.
He has established extensive international research and policy networks spanning the United Kingdom, Canada, Finland, the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Lithuania, and ASEAN countries. Through collaborations with global institutions—including the OECD, World Bank, United Nations, and innovation agencies under the European Union—he actively contributes to shaping global policy discourse.
In particular, he has played a leading role in building global policy knowledge networksand designing policy learning platformsthat promote the international circulation and co-creation of policy knowledge. His work moves beyond traditional policy transfer toward collaborative knowledge production and mutual learning, thereby enhancing the quality of international cooperation and advancing policy knowledge–based public diplomacy in practice.
He has participated in over 60 government-funded research projects and has served as a policy advisor to major Korean government bodies, including the Presidential Office, the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the Ministry of Science and ICT, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and the Korea Communications Standards Commission. In recognition of his contributions, he has received commendations from both the Minister of the Interior and Safety and the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
■ Publications
Professor Lee has published extensively in leading international academic journals:
• 22 SSCI-indexed articles
• 17 SCOPUS-indexed articles
• 41 KCI-indexed articles
His work has appeared in journals such as Information, Communication & Society; New Media & Society; Journal of Health Communication; Journal of Applied Communication Research; International Journal of Information Management; Government Information Quarterly; European Journal of Political Research; Public Performance & Management Review; Organizational Dynamics; Journal of Consumer Affairs; International Journal of Bank Marketing; Journal of Behavioral Finance; Journal of Services Marketing; Marketing Intelligence & Planning; International Journal of Advertising;and Journal of Individual Differences, reflecting a highly interdisciplinary research profile.
■ Research Identity
Professor Lee’s scholarship is distinguished by its ability to bridge theoretical innovation and policy practice. His work provides a systematic understanding of how data, artificial intelligence, and platform technologies are reshaping decision-making, institutions, and innovation systems in contemporary society.
At its core, his research positions policy knowledge as a strategic asset, advancing the development of policy knowledge ecosystems that enable the structured production, connection, and diffusion of knowledge. Through this lens, he contributes to the advancement of policy knowledge–driven public diplomacy, ultimately enhancing sustainable innovation and global influence at both national and regional levels.