Atul Nerkar is Associate Professor of Organizational Behavior/Strategy at the University of North Carolina, Kenan–Flagler Business School. His research focus is on how technology, innovation and entrepreneurship affect business and corporate strategy. Professor Nerkar studies research productivity in organizations and the evolution of technological capabilities in the context of the pharmaceutical, chemical and optical disc industries. His current research examines the drivers of R&D success in the pharmaceutical, chemical and optical disc industries. In particular, he focuses on firms' patent portfolios and the evolutionary process underlying their development. He won the McKinsey and Company best conference paper award at the Strategic Management Society Meetings at San Jose, California in 2001.

Professor Nerkar came to UNC Kenan-Flagler from Columbia University's Graduate School of Business, and he was a visiting professor at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School. Prior to joining the academic world, Professor Nerkar worked with the Unilever Group of Companies in India as a manager in their exports division. He has worked with companies like GKN, SAP, Standard & Poors, Emirates Bank and Ericsson on custom programs.

Professor Nerkar received his PhD in strategic management from Wharton, where he also received an MA in Managerial Science and Applied Economics. He has a Bachelors degree in Production Engineering from the University of Bombay and an MBA from the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade.