Research Fields

This research field looks at how the boundaries of the firm can be extended effectively in order to improve innovation performance and overall value creation in the best possible way. Social network theory derived from sociology and behavioral theories derived from social psychology are used to analyze how individuals, groups and organizations interact in the creation of innovation and what implications this has for existing theories and the management of innovation

Contact person: Prof. Dr. Jan Kratzer

The focus within this research field is on the identification of lead users and opinion leaders via social networks. We study the impact of lead users as well as their creative potential within social networks. Results suggest that opinion leaders can be identified by their high number of direct contacts within local social network clusters (high degree centrality) and lead users by their high variety of links between network clusters (high betweenness centrality)

Contact person: Prof. Dr. Jan Kratzer

EWB focuses on the experience, satisfaction and health of individuals or groups considering, starting or running a business venture. Despite metrics like profit or impact are important predictors or an enterprise's success, it is not the only determinant of how individuals determine sucess. With our research we help identify what factors subjectively consitute entrepreneurial success, how psychological and (mental) health aspects influence the entrepreneurship process and organizations, and decision making -  and what can be done about mitigating possible negative effects or reinforcing positive habits. EWB draws heavily from positive psychology, but also incorporates concepts from behavioral science, sociology or neuroscience. 

Contact person: Karina Cagarman und Nicolas Noak

This research field focuses on the drivers of international entrepreneurial activity as well as on cross-country differences in entrepreneurial phenomena. By investigating attitudinal elements of the entrepreneurial decision maker, it is suggested that individual level factors are a key determinant to explain entrepreneurial internationalization.

Contact person: Dr. Laura von Arnim

Sustainable entrepreneurship helps to solve social and ecological problems in emerging and developing countries. We study which factors impact the intention to engage in sustainable entrepreneurship and how sustainable business models look like in emerging countries.

Contact person: Dr. Laura von Arnim

The Circular Economy is a sustainable transition concept that establishes new rules of the game. It has gathered significant momentum in academia, practice, and politics as a tool for reorganizing production and consumption, and revaluating the resource inputs. A circular economy combats problems often resulting from modern developed economies, such as consumerism, throw-away culture and product obsolescence. 

We research contexts in which new Circular Economy agents and ecosystems thrive or succumb to the pressures of the current socio-technical regime. In theory and pure volume, large corporations constitute the biggest lever to reduce negative externalities by incorporating circular principles. However, in practice organizational inertia, the economic attractiveness of unsustainable business models and the run for short-term revenues prevent innovations for sustainability,  as well as contextual factors in the adoption of circular economy practices. Therefore, we focus intently on entrepreneurial engagement to side-step such challenges embedded in the current economy. This research incorporates network analysis, social practice theory, and the multi-level transition perspective. 

Contacts: Malte Hager & Paul Wolf

Social Entrepreneurs are important economic agents as they take on the difficult task to create value for marginalized groups and confront wicked social problems with innovative solutions. In our research we focus on the process of social value creation and the social entrepreneurs' profile.

Contact person: Ines Wolf