Innovation and strategy
Our dynamic range of research themes is at the forefront of today’s global challenges and opportunities.
Exploring the frontiers of innovation and strategy
At the Disciplinary Area of Innovation and Strategy, we are pioneering the future of business and technology with a dynamic range of research themes that is at the forefront of today’s global challenges and opportunities. Our work spans five critical areas:
- Digital Transformation
We delve into how emerging technologies reshape firms’ innovation processes and capabilities, the rise of digital platforms, and the complex interactions between technology and organisational structures. Our investigations also cover the transformation of emerging economies through digital technologies, and innovative approaches to address challenges such as digital inclusion and technology entrepreneurship.
- Sustainable and Responsible Innovation
Our research emphasises circular economy models and sustainable entrepreneurship, focusing on ideation and serendipity in solving sustainability challenges. We address unintended consequences of sustainability practices, explore AI’s role in fostering sustainable innovations, and theorise future sustainable pathways, ensuring that our efforts lead to responsible and equitable outcomes.
- Strategies for Resilience in Business and Society
We analyse why certain firms withstand crises better than others and identify key sources of resilience. Our studies extend to corporate responsibilities in food security, strategies to manage climate risks, and the recovery processes from significant disruptions.
- Ecosystem Strategies
Our work in ecosystem strategies includes designing and shaping markets and ecosystems in a digitally interconnected world. We explore how innovation emerges through collaboration across different sectors and the strategic use of distributed knowledge and open innovation practices.
- Scholarship in Teaching Innovation
We are committed to transforming education through innovative teaching methodologies that enhance learning outcomes. By integrating emerging technologies into curricula and fostering reflective engagement, we aim to equip students with the skills to thrive in complex learning environments.
Join us as we navigate the complexities of modern business and strategy, creating impactful knowledge and fostering sustainable futures in an ever-evolving world.
Research highlights
XR Tumour Evolution Project: Charlotta Windahl’s current research takes place in close collaboration with Uwe Rieger and Yinan Liu at the arc/sec Lab at the University of Auckland. The XR Tumour Evolution project is one of the projects where she is involved in the ongoing exploration of how (digital) technologies put markets in motion and vice versa, how marketisation processes shape technologies.
Watch a video that describes the XR Tumour Evolution Model
Read article on "Blending space and time to talk about cancer in extended reality"
Vulnerability to climate change: Jeremy Galbreath, Grigorij Ljubownikow, and Dan Tisch’s current research centres around how countries deal with climate change. For instance, in a recent study, they investigated how agricultural industries influence countries’ vulnerability to climate change and the role governance and innovation factors play in this relationship. Analysing data from 125 countries (1997–2018), they find that countries more reliant on agriculture are also more vulnerable to climate change. However, higher education spending and foreign direct investment mitigate this effect, while gender-diverse parliaments and research and development spending unexpectedly amplify it. This study highlights the complex role of national policies and investments in shaping the environmental impact of agriculture. The study informs global strategies for climate resilience and food security.
Research centres with links to innovation and strategy
Researchers in innovation and strategy
Dana Cumin
Jeremy Galbreath
Contact details
For more information, please contact:
Associate Professor Julia Fehrer
Disciplinary Area Lead, Innovation and Strategy
Email: j.fehrer@auckland.ac.nz
Head of Department, Management and International Business
Email: k.husted@auckland.ac.nz