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Chair of Strategic Innovation and Entrepreneurship

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

Team

Professor Priscilla Kraft
Professor Priscilla Kraft
Chairholder
priscilla.kraft(at)whu.edu
+49 (0)261 6509 245
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Dörthe Barlach
Dörthe Barlach
Personal Assistant
Doerthe.Barlach(at)whu.edu
+49 (0)261 6509 456
Christina Jerusalem
Christina Jerusalem
External Doctoral Student
christina.jerusalem(at)whu.edu
Elena Schleupen
Elena Schleupen
External Doctoral Student
elena.schleupen(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. Since 2015, I am Associate Editor of the Journal of Product Innovation Management. Since June 2015, I am also serving on the Editorial Review Board of the Journal of Management.

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)

  • Innovating for a Sustainable Future


Online MBA
  • Corporate Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Recent publications

Strategic Management Journal

When are overconfident CEOs beneficial for technological breakthrough innovation?

Kraft, P., Dickler, T., Withers, M. (2025), When do firms benefit from overconfident CEOs? The role of board expertise and power for technological breakthrough innovation, Strategic Management Journal, Vol. 46 (2), pp. 381-410.

Journal of Management

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.

Journal of Product Innovation Management

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.

Journal of Product Innovation Management

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 Theory and Practice

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.

European Management Journal

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.

Journal of Product Innovation Management

Managerial social networks and innovation

Kraft, P., Bausch, A. (2018), Managerial social networks and innovation: a meta‐analysis of bonding and bridging effects across institutional environments, Journal of Product Innovation Management, Vol. 35 (6), pp. 865-889.

Journal of Product Innovation Management

How do transformational leaders promote exploratory and exploitative innovation?

Kraft, P., Bausch, A. (2016), How do transformational leaders promote exploratory and exploitative innovation? examining the black box through MASEM, Journal of Product Innovation Management, Vol. 33 (6), pp. 687-707.

Journal of Product Innovation Management

How do transformational leaders promote exploratory and exploitative innovation?

Kraft, P., Bausch, A. (2016), How do transformational leaders promote exploratory and exploitative innovation? Examining the black-box through MASEM, Journal of Product Innovation Management, Vol. 33 (6), pp. 687-707.

Strategic Management Journal

When are overconfident CEOs beneficial for technological breakthrough innovation?

Kraft, P., Dickler, T., Withers, M. (2025), When do firms benefit from overconfident CEOs? The role of board expertise and power for technological breakthrough innovation, Strategic Management Journal, Vol. 46 (2), pp. 381-410.

Journal of Management

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.

Journal of Product Innovation Management

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.

Journal of Product Innovation Management

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 Theory and Practice

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.

European Management Journal

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.

Journal of Product Innovation Management

Managerial social networks and innovation

Kraft, P., Bausch, A. (2018), Managerial social networks and innovation: a meta‐analysis of bonding and bridging effects across institutional environments, Journal of Product Innovation Management, Vol. 35 (6), pp. 865-889.

Journal of Product Innovation Management

How do transformational leaders promote exploratory and exploitative innovation?

Kraft, P., Bausch, A. (2016), How do transformational leaders promote exploratory and exploitative innovation? examining the black box through MASEM, Journal of Product Innovation Management, Vol. 33 (6), pp. 687-707.

Journal of Product Innovation Management

How do transformational leaders promote exploratory and exploitative innovation?

Kraft, P., Bausch, A. (2016), How do transformational leaders promote exploratory and exploitative innovation? Examining the black-box through MASEM, Journal of Product Innovation Management, Vol. 33 (6), pp. 687-707.

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