Donald Ropes

Donald Ropes is a Professor at Inholland University of Applied Sciences, actively engaged in the Sustainable Business Innovations research group under the School of Business, Finance & Law. He also serves as an acting professor for Logistics & Complexity. His work emphasizes practice-oriented research to support organizations in transitioning to circular economy models through collaborative innovation.

• PhD in Organizational Communication (University of Amsterdam, 2010)
• MA in Literary Studies (Leiden University)
• Second-degree teacher training (EFA)
• BA in International Relations (Florida State University)

Ropes focuses on stakeholder collaboration in sustainability-oriented innovation, leveraging design-driven research in Living Labs with triple/quadruple helix partnerships. His research spans organizational learning, communities of practice, leadership, and open innovation, with applications in logistics, agricultural ecosystems, and digital transformation.

His recent publications highlight advancements in collaborative decision-making at Dutch airports (2024), business trends impacting organizational structures (2022), and methodological frameworks for Learning Communities in logistics and horticulture (2021-2020). Earlier works address intergenerational learning strategies (2010-2014) and community-based knowledge management (2005-2007).

Ropes facilitates transdisciplinary projects with industry partners, government agencies, and educational institutions to develop practical solutions for circular business models. He also contributes to teacher professionalization programs and quadruple helix innovation ecosystems.