PhD Defense | Performance of entrepreneurial teams

Dr. Emma Rui Lu’s research focuses on factors affecting performance of entrepreneurial teams, specifically looking at companies in real time and how predictive factors vary as early-stage companies’ development matures.

The title of her, now accepted, PhD thesis is “Team Devotion in Entrepreneurship: Identity Fusion as a Behavioral Motivator Within New Venture Teams.” It is a collection of three papers wherein Emma draws on entrepreneurial identity to explore motivations of entrepreneurial behavior. It adds to our understanding of entrepreneurial identity by incorporating the concept of identity fusion to explore team devotion inside startup teams.

Emma's research explores team relationships (such as identity, commitment, and conflict resolution) of entrepreneurial teams and their effects on team performance. The work is done together with top entrepreneurial scholars at SSE and other leading universities in Europe and followed companies over the course of several years across numerous incubators in the Nordics and CEE.

“I’m truly grateful for all the support and advice I got along the way. This success was very much a group effort. Thank you to everyone who helped make this possible.”

— Dr. Emma Rui Lu