Dr. Rao is a faculty member in the Technology, Operations and Information Management Division at Babson College. His research and consulting focus is in the areas of innovation, implementation of innovation programs within firms, and customer experience innovation. He teaches in the MBA and Executive Education programs. Prior to Babson, Dr. Rao taught at the University of Kentucky and at UCLA.

His research has appeared in The Sloan Management Review, The Academy of Management Executive, Journal of Innovative Management, Production and Operations Management Journal, Quality Management in Health Care, and the Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly. He has written over a dozen business cases that range in topics from Innovation, Customer Service, Operations Strategy, Strategic Alignment, Supply Chain Management, and Quality Management. He has consulted for Benchmark Assisted Living, EMDSerono, FitLinxx, Novartis, Lojack, Fidelity Investments, Boston Scientific Corporation and others. He has led executive programs for the U.S. Navy, Masco Corp., Fresenius Medical Care, Scottish Enterprise, North Atlantic Capital, EMC and others.

His areas of expertise include Innovation Strategy, Innovation Implementation and Scaling, Strategies for Innovation and Growth, Service Strategies and Customer Experience Innovation, and Corporate Entrepreneurship.