Meet the Team: Burcu Kör

Background and Expertise

Burcu has an impressive background in Business Administration and Management Information Systems, with a Ph.D. in Business Management and Organization and a master's degree in Management Information Systems. She currently works as a senior researcher at the Hogeschool van Amsterdam and as an Associate Professor at the Hogeschool Utrecht, where she is involved in both the Financial-Economic Innovation Research Group and the Data-Driven Business Master Program. Her expertise includes innovation, entrepreneurship, data analytics and the integration of theory into practice, with a focus on developing sustainable business environments and digital transformation.

Inspiration for entrepreneurship research

Her interest in entrepreneurship research was sparked by her experiences in both academia and industry. Her work as a manager and educational technologist, combined with her e-learning entrepreneurship journey, provided her with insights into entrepreneurship and innovation. These experiences, along with her academic background, stimulated her interest in in-depth research on digitization, entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystems, with a focus on small and medium-sized enterprises.

Current Projects

Burcu is currently working on the Erasmus+ project “Responsible Dynamic Digital Change Agents for F&B SMEs,” which promotes digital transformation in the food and beverage sector. This project is exciting because it focuses not only on digital innovation capabilities, but also on developing a dynamic skill set for future employees, enabling a sustainable future for the F&B sector.

Interesting Trends in Entrepreneurship

Burcu sees some interesting trends in entrepreneurship, including the growing emphasis on sustainability and the integration of digital technologies. She also sees the increasing importance of AI, data analytics and data-driven decision-making in business strategies as crucial for innovation and competitiveness in today's market.

Reseach challenges

One of the biggest challenges in her research is obtaining reliable and consistent data from various sources. To address this, she works closely with industry partners and uses advanced data analysis methods to ensure data quality and usability. It is also important to keep abreast of the latest developments and trends in both technology and the market.

Key Findings

The results of her recent research show that employees at companies with high digital maturity are more likely to exhibit innovative behavior when the company supports entrepreneurial strategies and fosters an innovative climate. Moreover, the propensity to innovate increases when employees adopt self-leadership skills. Based on these results, she encourages Colleges and Universities to integrate digital tools into their challenge-based learning approach, which helps integrate essential skills into innovation and entrepreneurship education.

Desired Impact

With her research, Burcu hopes to contribute to the promotion of sustainable and innovative business environments, especially in the F&B sector. She aims to equip entrepreneurs and future employees with the necessary skills and knowledge to successfully navigate an increasingly digital and data-driven world.

Favorite Aspect of Work

Her favorite aspect of her work in the entrepreneurship professorship is the opportunity to integrate theory and practice, which has a direct impact on business and society. She also enjoys sharing and integrating research findings into teaching, helping to develop the skills of future professionals.

Being open to collaboration

To aspiring entrepreneurship researchers, she would advise them to focus on both theoretical knowledge and practical skills. It is important to adopt an interdisciplinary perspective and always be open to collaboration with industrial partners and other researchers. It is also crucial to keep abreast of the latest trends and technologies in the field.

Argentine Tango

Outside of her research work, Burcu enjoys traveling and exploring new cultures. She is also a visiting researcher at Thapar University in India, where the integration with different cultures greatly inspires her. In addition, she has an interest in dance, especially Argentine Tango.