Professor Dr. Melanie Richards

Biography

Melanie Richards is a Professor at the Technical University of Munich, specializing in family business and entrepreneurship. Her research focuses on how values, identity, and the characteristics of founders and owner-managers influence strategic decision-making in entrepreneurship. With a strong foundation in the fields of purpose, responsibility, new ventures, owner-managed firms, and strategic entrepreneurship, she explores the intersections of legitimacy, social evaluation, and environmental challenges, particularly in the context of disruptive change and innovation. Prior to her current role, Richards held positions as an Associate Professor at the University of Bath and as an Assistant Professor at the University of Bristol. She also served as a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of St. Gallen, where she earned her PhD in Management. During her doctoral studies, she spent a year as a Visiting Scholar at Bayes Business School in London. Her contributions to the field have been recognized through numerous awards, including the Excellent Reviewer Award from Family Business Review and the IFERA Paper Award. Richards has published extensively, contributing to journals such as the Journal of Management Studies and the Journal of Business Ethics, elucidating key issues in family firms and their impact on stakeholders.

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Awards