Faculty Global Research

Speaking more than 30 different languages, over 40% of Sawyer Business School faculty bring international backgrounds and experiences to their research and the Business School.

A stock photo taken looking up and many world flags with a bright sun streaming down. The research endeavors our faculty undertake in the global arena hold significant relevance to pressing agenda issues, encompassing challenges in sustainable development, innovations within the global financial and currency markets, and the capabilities of the global healthcare system in effectively responding to regional or global health crises.

Fulbright Scholars

The Sawyer Business School has a distinguished reputation for academic excellence and international engagement, exemplified by its impressive record of producing multiple recent Fulbright Scholars.

Portrait of Kim Wang. "Cyprus has been a divided island since 1974, but what unites Greek and Turkish Cypriots is their pursuit of innovation and entrepreneurship. My work in technology management took me to the island of Aphrodite in the spring of 2024 to contribute to the development of local innovation ecosystems. The triple helix model is put into vigorous practice here, and this opportunity allows me to serve as a bridge between Boston and Cyprus. Stories about the Boston tech scene are shared in Cyprus, as Cypriot entrepreneurs find their way to Boston. My engagements with the Cypriot ecosystem eventually led me to advise policymakers and businesses. Thanks to the Fulbright program, my time here not only enables my research to produce real impact but also promotes US-Cyprus exchanges to strengthen two countries' relationship."

 

Kim Wang, PhD
Associate Professor, Strategy and International Business
Key Success Factors to Small Country Innovation Cluster in Cyprus (2024)

Headshot of Mujde Yuksel“My Fulbright Scholar experience in Finland has been a remarkable journey, one that has profoundly enriched me both personally and professionally. Immersing myself in the unique Finnish culture and engaging with both Finnish researchers and research participants has contributed to my project on consumer accountability in transformative practices in a meaningful way. This opportunity has not only broadened my perspective on consumer wellbeing but has also allowed me to contribute to the scholarly discourse on sustainable consumption. I will always remember my Fulbright Finland journey fondly for both developing a new, relevant research stream and expanding my personal and professional social circles.”

 

Mujde Yuksel, PhD
Associate Professor, Marketing
Consumer-to-Consumer Accountability in Practices in Finland (2023)

Faculty Headshot image“Suffolk University and the Sawyer Business School have been strongly supportive of the opportunity afforded by my Fulbright Award. When COVID-19 struck, and the Fulbright Awards were postponed for a year, I was able to postpone my sabbatical so as not to lose the Award. My award-funded travel to Central Asia allowed me to conduct research about a part of the world that is new to me and relatively little known, and to forge relationships with scholars and universities in this part of the world.”

 

Carlos Rufin, PhD
Professor of Strategy and International Business, Affiliated Professor of Public Service, Chair of Public Service and Healthcare Administration, Director of International Engagement
Building New Connections between the Kyrgyz Republic and the World in Kyrgyzstan (2021)

Faculty Headshot image“The Fulbright Scholar grant I received for the republic of Georgia provided me with a great opportunity to conduct research and establish international connections. My relationship with local colleagues actually began several years prior to the grant when our Healthcare Administration department hosted physician-executives from post-Soviet states on a State Department-sponsored tour. During my sabbatical in Tbilisi, I reciprocated the visit and gained valuable insight into the Georgian health system, which has since contributed to my research in global health management.”

 

Peter Martelli, PhD
Associate Professor, Healthcare Administration; Director, Master of Healthcare Administration Program
Advancing High Reliability in Georgian Healthcare through Action Research in Georgia (2021)

International Research

Accounting

Born in Chile and raised in Israel, Associate Professor Ariel Markelevich has a global perspective on accounting, with a primary focus on standardized financial reporting. His research centers around the global use of extensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL) and international financial reporting standards (IFRS).

As a member of the Institute of Management Accountants XBRL Advisory Committee, he actively contributes to promoting better access and consumption of financial accounting data for students. In April, 2023, Markelevich will present in a webinar hosted by Israel Securities Authority, highlighting the benefits of iXBRL data.

International Business

Assistant Professor Maria Lapeira’s research interests encompass various aspects of business, particularly family businesses, emerging market multinationals, and the internationalization of Latin American firms. Her focus extends to examining the role of women within multinationals and their impact on firm performance and strategy. With a background in teaching international business and general management courses at Florida International University, she aims to facilitate connections between Latin American businesses and the academic community in the United States, fostering collaborations on consulting projects with Suffolk students. Her noteworthy achievements include receiving the Best Reviewer Award from the International Management Division at the Academy of Management Annual Meeting in 2021 and serving as a Session Chair on Institutions and Culture in International Management at the Academy of Management in the same year.

Entrepreneurship

Associate Professor Nesij Huvaj research interests span the areas of innovation, corporate entrepreneurship, and entrepreneur-investor relations, with a focus on how investors, entrepreneurs, and managers make important strategic and financial decisions. His research has appeared in peer-reviewed academic journals such as Entrepreneurship: Theory and Practice, Journal of Business Research, Venture Capital, and Journal of Entrepreneurship. During his sabbatical leave in spring 2023, Dr. Huvaj visited the Department of Economics and Statistics at University of Salerno in Italy to conduct a joint research project that examines several aspects of technology ventures, including the institutional support structures, the impact of digital transformation, and the effect of adoption of flexible working practices.

Marketing

Professor Cristian Chelariu collaborated with researchers at the Bucharest University of Economic Studies in Romania, resulting in a recent publication on sustainable development goals in European Union countries in the journal Amfiteatru Economic.

Additionally, he worked with Sawyer Business School’s Visiting Research Professor Valerie Mock to establish research exchange with the Technology University of Moldova (TUM). In August 2023, TUM delegates visited Suffolk University and participated in the Academy of Management Conference in Boston.