Honorary Doctorate for Prof. Shaker A. Zahra from the University of Minnesota

Shaker A. Zahra is Professor of Strategy und Entrepreneurship and holds the Robert E. Buuck Chair of Entrepreneurship at the Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota. Professor Liudvika Leišyte, Professor of Higher Education at TU Dortmund University, gave the laudatory speech and said of the new honorary doctor: "He numbers among the most cited and influential academics worldwide in the field of entrepreneurship and strategic management." Professor Shaker A. Zahra already received the prestigious "Global Award for Entrepreneurship Research" in 2014 for his outstanding achievements in this field. He holds six further honorary doctorates from universities in Belgium, Spain, Italy and Sweden.

His work on thinking and action in existing companies and on firms' dynamic capabilities has substantially furthered our understanding of innovation in firms and their ability to adapt. In his research, he combines strategic and entrepreneurial perspectives, also taking international, social and sustainability aspects into consideration. Beyond that, Professor Shaker A. Zahra is actively involved in the education of young academics and knowledge transfer, which he achieves by translating his findings into practice-oriented strategies – for example in the context of digital transformation.

Inspiration for researchers and students worldwide

"With his research, Professor Shaker A. Zahra has inspired countless established and budding economists throughout the world. We are very proud that our own department has also been able to profit from his expertise on several occasions, for example in research projects or workshops for doctoral candidates," said Professor Steffen Strese, Dean of the Department of Business and Economics. "We are looking forward to staying in touch with our new honorary doctor in the coming years as well."

In his acceptance speech before an audience of around 70 guests, Professor Zahra presented key insights into the development of an entrepreneurship-oriented university ecosystem. He outlined the main features of an "entrepreneurial university" and highlighted international role models such as those in Silicon Valley, discussing both the opportunities and the challenges that such an entrepreneurial orientation presents for universities. Among the main success factors he listed were a clear strategy, sustainability, close collaboration with industry and the dovetailing of teaching, research and knowledge transfer – all supported by a vibrant culture that fosters innovation.

About Professor Shaker A. Zahra

Shaker A. Zahra began his academic career in the USA in the early 1980s. Before joining the University of Minnesota in 2005, he worked at Babson College in Massachusetts and Georgia State University. In addition, numerous guest professorships in the course of his career led him to several universities in Europe, the Middle East and Asia. He also held the Chair in International Entrepreneurship at the University of Twente in the Netherlands.

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