Chair of Strategic Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Our aim is to develop and transfer knowledge about how firms can successfully stimulate innovative and entrepreneurial activities.

Research Teaching

Team

Professor Priscilla Kraft

Professor Priscilla Kraft

Chairholder

priscilla.kraft(at)whu.edu

+49 (0)261 6509 245

Lara Hitgen

Lara Hitgen

Doctoral Student

Lara.Hitgen(at)whu.edu

Research

My research focuses on the influence of strategic leadership (i.e., CEOs, entrepreneurs, corporate boards) and how this affects innovation and entrepreneurial risk-taking behaviors. In addition, I am interested in the crucial role of female leaders for firm innovation and sustainable innovation. My research studies are published in leading academic journals in the area of innovation and entrepreneurship, such as Strategic Management Journal, Journal of Management, Journal of Business Venturing, Journal of Product Innovation Management, and Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice.

Teaching

In increasingly turbulent environments, established firms face risks from disruptive innovations, (new) competitors, and shifting customer needs. In my teaching, I offer courses that aim at providing students with advanced academic insights on how firms can stimulate innovative and entrepreneurial activities:

Bachelor of Science

Entrepreneurial Transformation in Corporations (every spring and fall term)
NEW: Sustainable Innovation and Entrepreneurship (every spring and fall term)

Master of Science

Corporate Entrepreneurship (Master in Entrepreneurship)

Online MBA

Corporate Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Recent publications

Entrepreneurship and Innovation Group

When are overconfident CEOs beneficial for technological breakthrough innovation?

Kraft, P., Dickler, T., Withers, M. (accepted pre-print), When do firms benefit from overconfident CEOs? The role of board expertise and power for technological breakthrough innovation, Strategic Management Journal.

Entrepreneurship and Innovation Group

Family firms, M&A strategies, and M&A performance

Palm, M., Kraft, P., Kammerlander, N. (2024), Family firms, M&A strategies, and M&A performance: a meta-analysis, Journal of Management, Vol. 50 (7), pp. 2818-2849.

Economics Group

Overconfidence and entrepreneurship

Kraft, P., Günther, C., Kammerlander, N., Lampe, J. (2022), Overconfidence and entrepreneurship: a meta-analysis of different types of overconfidence in the entrepreneurial process, Journal of Business Venturing, Vol. 37 (4), 106207.

Entrepreneurship and Innovation Group

The double-edged sword of CEO narcissism

Kraft, P. (2022), The double-edged sword of CEO narcissism: a meta-analysis of innovation and firm performance implications, Journal of Product Innovation Management, Vol. 39 (6), pp. 749-772.

Entrepreneurship and Innovation Group

When the former CEO stays on board

Querbach, S., Bird, M., Kraft, P., Kammerlander, N. (2020), When the former CEO stays on board: the role of the predecessor’s board retention for product innovation in family firms, Journal of Product Innovation Management, Vol. 37 (2), pp. 184-207.

Entrepreneurship and Innovation Group

Mapping the field of research on entrepreneurial organizations (1937–2016)

Lampe, J., Kraft, P., Bausch, A. (2020), Mapping the field of research on entrepreneurial organizations (1937–2016): a bibliometric analysis and research agenda, Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, Vol. 44 (4), pp. 784-816.

Entrepreneurship and Innovation Group

CEOs’ temporal focus, firm strategic change, and performance

Back, P., Rosing, K., Dickler, T., Kraft, P., Bausch, A. (2020), CEOs’ temporal focus, firm strategic change, and performance: insights from a paradox perspective, European Management Journal, Vol. 38 (6), pp. 884-899.

Entrepreneurship and Innovation Group

When are overconfident CEOs beneficial for technological breakthrough innovation?

Kraft, P., Dickler, T., Withers, M. (accepted pre-print), When do firms benefit from overconfident CEOs? The role of board expertise and power for technological breakthrough innovation, Strategic Management Journal.

Entrepreneurship and Innovation Group

Family firms, M&A strategies, and M&A performance

Palm, M., Kraft, P., Kammerlander, N. (2024), Family firms, M&A strategies, and M&A performance: a meta-analysis, Journal of Management, Vol. 50 (7), pp. 2818-2849.

Economics Group

Overconfidence and entrepreneurship

Kraft, P., Günther, C., Kammerlander, N., Lampe, J. (2022), Overconfidence and entrepreneurship: a meta-analysis of different types of overconfidence in the entrepreneurial process, Journal of Business Venturing, Vol. 37 (4), 106207.

Entrepreneurship and Innovation Group

The double-edged sword of CEO narcissism

Kraft, P. (2022), The double-edged sword of CEO narcissism: a meta-analysis of innovation and firm performance implications, Journal of Product Innovation Management, Vol. 39 (6), pp. 749-772.

Entrepreneurship and Innovation Group

When the former CEO stays on board

Querbach, S., Bird, M., Kraft, P., Kammerlander, N. (2020), When the former CEO stays on board: the role of the predecessor’s board retention for product innovation in family firms, Journal of Product Innovation Management, Vol. 37 (2), pp. 184-207.

Entrepreneurship and Innovation Group

Mapping the field of research on entrepreneurial organizations (1937–2016)

Lampe, J., Kraft, P., Bausch, A. (2020), Mapping the field of research on entrepreneurial organizations (1937–2016): a bibliometric analysis and research agenda, Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, Vol. 44 (4), pp. 784-816.

Entrepreneurship and Innovation Group

CEOs’ temporal focus, firm strategic change, and performance

Back, P., Rosing, K., Dickler, T., Kraft, P., Bausch, A. (2020), CEOs’ temporal focus, firm strategic change, and performance: insights from a paradox perspective, European Management Journal, Vol. 38 (6), pp. 884-899.

Quicklinks

Entrepreneurship and Innovation Group Faculty & Research About WHU

Entrepreneurship and Innovation Group Faculty & Research About WHU