Portrait of Dr Susan Hill

Dr Susan Hill

Senior Lecturer in Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Bayes Business School , Faculty of Management

Contact

About

Overview

Dr. Susan Hill joined Bayes Business School (formerly Cass) in September 2013. She was previously employed at the London School of Economics (from 2007 to 2013). She received her PhD in Strategic and International Management from London Business School. Her prior degrees, an MBA and BA (Hons) in Industrial and Organisational Psychology, both Cum Laude, were attained from the University of Cape Town (South Africa).

Susan's research focuses on (a) innovation and entrepreneurship, especially in large, established firms, and (b) environmental sustainability and business-nature interfaces. In respect of innovation and entrepreneurship, her research concentrates on entrepreneurial ideas (opportunities), corporate venturing and organisational ambidexterity. In respect of research topics relating to the natural environment, she is currently conducting research into imagery and emotion in responsible investment decision-making, business owners' responses to ecosystem changes (interdisciplinary research with marine scientists), and companies' biodiversity strategies.

Susan has received numerous prestigious awards, including the Heizer Award for Outstanding Research in the Field of New Enterprise Development for her doctoral research, alongside numerous "outstanding reviewer" awards. Her research has been published in leading academic journals such as the Journal of Management, Journal of Business Venturing, Long Range Planning, Organizational Research Methods, and the Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal. In addition, she was listed amongst the 2015 Global 100 Top Entrepreneurship Professors (nominated by tech entrepreneurs and awarded by Hot Topics) and is on the editorial review board for the Journal of Business Venturing.

Prior to entering academia, Susan worked for a number of years in human resources management and corporate venturing (in a renewable energy unit) in South Africa. She has also conducted executive education for London Business School, working with clients including BT, EDS and IBM.

She is particularly interested in supervising PhD students who share her interests in organisations and the natural environment; cognition and emotion in entrepreneurship/innovation; and the intersection of these topics.

Qualifications

  • PhD, London Business School, United Kingdom, 2008
  • MBA, University of Cape Town, South Africa, 1997 - 1998
  • BA (Hons) (Industrial and Organisational Psychology), University of Cape Town, South Africa, 1992

Awards

  • Strategic Management Society (2017). Outstanding Reviewer Award, Knowledge and Innovation Management Interest Group
  • Hot Topics (2015). Global 100 Leading Professors in the Field of Entrepreneurship
  • Academy of Management, Business Policy & Strategy Division (2013). Oustanding Reviewer Award
  • Academy of Management, Entrepreneurship Division (2010). IDEA Research Promise Award
  • Academy of Management, Business Policy & Strategy Division (2010). Outstanding Reviewer Award
  • Academy of Management, Entrepreneurship Division (2009). Heizer Award for Outstanding Research in New Enterprise Development
  • Academy of Management, Business Policy & Strategy Division (2007). Outstanding Reviewer Award
  • Academy of Management, Business Policy & Strategy Division (2006). Outstanding Reviewer Award
  • Academy of Management, Entrepreneurship Division (2006). Best High Potential/Fast Growth Paper Award
  • Academy of Management, Business Policy & Strategy Division (2005). Outstanding Reviewer Award

Expertise

Primary topics

  • Innovation & Creativity
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Environmental Business
  • Venture Capital

Geographic Areas

  • Africa - Southern
  • Europe - Western
  • Africa
  • Europe

Publications

Chapters (2)

  1. Hill, S.A. and Georgoulas, S. (2016). Internal corporate venturing: A review of (almost) five decades of literature. In Zahra, S.A., Hayton, J. and Neubaum, D.O. (Eds.), Handbook of Corporate Entrepreneurship (pp. 13-63). Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar. ISBN 9781785368721.
  2. Hill, S. and Birkinshaw, J. (2012). Idea sets: Conceptualizing and measuring a new unit of analysis in entrepreneurship research. In Shepherd, D.A. and Grégoire, D.A. (Eds.), Entrepreneurial Opportunities (pp. 805-833). Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar. ISBN 9781781000465.

Internet publication

Journal articles (12)

  1. Zimmermann, A., Hill, S.A., Birkinshaw, J. and Jaeckel, M. (2020). Complements or substitutes? A microfoundations perspective on the interplay between drivers of ambidexterity in SMEs. Long Range Planning, 53(6), pp. 101927-101927. doi:10.1016/j.lrp.2019.101927

    [publisher’s website]

  2. Hill, S.A. and Birkinshaw, J. (2014). Ambidexterity and Survival in Corporate Venture Units. Journal of Management, 40(7), pp. 1899-1931. doi:10.1177/0149206312445925

    [publisher’s website]

  3. Hill, S.A. (2014). Combining versus transforming knowledge? A comparison of the volume and novelty of new ideas. Academy of Management Best Paper Proceedings, 2014(Supp 13733), pp. 924-929. doi:10.5465/AMBPP.2014.184

    [publisher’s website]

  4. Hill, S.A. and Birkinshaw, J.M. (2010). Idea sets: Conceptualizing and measuring a new unit of analysis in entrepreneurship research. Organizational Research Methods, 13(1), pp. 85-113. doi:10.1177/1094428109337542

    [publisher’s website]

  5. Hill, S.A., Maula, M.V.J., Birkinshaw, J.M. and Murray, G.C. (2009). Transferability of the venture capital model to the corporate context: Implications for the performance of corporate venture units. Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal, 3(1), pp. 3-27. doi:10.1002/sej.54

    [publisher’s website]

  6. Hill, S.A., Maula, M.V.J., Birkinshaw, J.M. and Murray, G.C. (2008). Transferability of the venture capital model to the corporate venture unit context. Academy of Management Best Paper Proceedings, 2008(1), pp. 1-6. doi:10.5465/AMBPP.2008.33720704

    [publisher’s website]

  7. Hill, S.A. and Birkinshaw, J. (2008). Strategy–organization configurations in corporate venture units: Impact on performance and survival. Journal of Business Venturing, 23(4), pp. 423-444. doi:10.1016/j.jbusvent.2007.04.001

    [publisher’s website]

  8. Hill, S.A. and Birkinshaw, J. (2006). Ambidexterity in corporate venturing: Simultaneously using existing and building new capabilities. Academy of Management Best Paper Proceedings, 2006(1), pp. C1-C6. doi:10.5465/AMBPP.2006.22898139

    [publisher’s website]

  9. BIRKINSHAW, J. and HILL, S.A. (2005). Corporate Venturing Units:. Organizational Dynamics, 34(3), pp. 247-257. doi:10.1016/j.orgdyn.2005.06.009

    [publisher’s website]

  10. Hill, S. (2004). Opportunity Perception in Corporate Contexts. Frontiers of Entrepreneurship Research Best Paper Proceedings
  11. Hill, S., Birkinhaw, J. and Murray, G. (2004). Corporate Entrepreneurship: Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained? Frontiers of Entrepreneurship Research Best Paper Proceedings
  12. Birkinshaw, J. and Hill, S.A. (2003). CORPORATE VENTURING PERFORMANCE: AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE APPLICABILITY OF VENTURE CAPITAL MODELS. Academy of Management Proceedings, 2003(1), pp. B1-B6. doi:10.5465/ambpp.2003.13793258

    [publisher’s website]

Media

  1. Goodall, A. and Hill, S.(2019). Business as usual won’t help business schools solve the climate crisis.

Report

  1. Birkinshaw, J., Hill, S.A. and Murray, G.C. (2004). Corporate Entrepreneurship: Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained? Elsevier BV.

Professional activities

Editorial activity

  1. Journal of Business Venturing, Editorial Review Board Member, 2017 - present.

Other (11)

  1. Peer (Researcher Accreditation) Reviewer , National Research Foundation (NRF), South Africa ( 2023).
  2. Heizer Award Judge , Academy of Management, Entrepreneurship Division ( 2022).
  3. Peer (Researcher Accreditation) Reviewer , National Research Foundation (NRF), South Africa ( 2022).
  4. Peer (Researcher Accreditation) Reviewer , National Research Foundation (NRF), South Africa ( 2021).
  5. Heizer Award Judge , Academy of Management, Entrepreneurship Division ( 2019).
  6. Heizer Award Judge , Academy of Management, Entrepreneurship Division ( 2018).
  7. Smarter Future Award Judge , Shell LiveWire (awarded to “young entrepreneurs creating innovative business solutions that meet the energy and resource needs of a growing population”) ( 2018).
  8. Smarter Future Award Judge , Shell LiveWire (awarded to “young entrepreneurs creating innovative business solutions that meet the energy and resource needs of a growing population”) ( 2017).
  9. Invited Track Chair, Innovation Strategy and Industry Analysis , Academy of Management, Strategic Management Division ( 2017).
  10. Research Committee Member , Academy of Management, Entrepreneurship Division ( 2015 - 2017).
  11. NFIB Dissertation Award Judge , Academy of Management, Entrepreneurship Division ( 2014).