Mehmet Demirbag

Professor Mehmet Demirbag serves as Deputy Dean of Essex Business School and Professor of International Business at the University of Essex. Previously, he held significant leadership roles including Vice Dean (Internationalisation) and Head of Department of Strategy and Organisation at Strathclyde Business School, and Chair in International Business at the University of Sheffield Management School. His extensive academic career spans over a decade in UK higher education institutions with specialized expertise in international business strategy.

Dr. Demirbag completed his Master's degree in Business Analysis at the University of Leicester and earned his PhD at the University of Bradford Management School. His educational background established the foundation for his research focus on international business phenomena, particularly regarding emerging economies and multinational enterprises.

His research interests center around internationalisation of R&D activities, offshore R&D, FDI location choice, product and regional diversification strategies of MNEs, multinationals from emerging countries, international mergers and acquisitions, and reverse knowledge transfer by emerging country MNEs. These interconnected research streams examine how firms navigate global markets, particularly focusing on the strategic behavior of emerging market multinationals and their interactions with developed economies.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals consistent thematic patterns across international business, strategic management, and human resource management domains. His work demonstrates particular emphasis on emerging market multinationals, cross-border knowledge transfer mechanisms, international strategic decision-making in uncertain environments, and the institutional contexts shaping multinational enterprise behavior. The interdisciplinary nature of his research bridges theoretical frameworks from international business, strategic management, and organizational studies.

Professor Demirbag maintains active editorial roles as consulting editor of the Journal of International Management and advisory editor of Eurasian Business Review. He has co-guest edited special issues for numerous prestigious journals including British Journal of Management, Human Resource Management, Journal of World Business, and International Business Review, among others. His editorial contributions span research areas related to emerging market MNEs, MNEs in emerging markets, transitional periphery contexts, and human resource management in uncertain environments.

As an educator, Professor Demirbag teaches International Business and International Strategic Management at undergraduate, postgraduate, and executive levels. His supervision portfolio includes doctoral candidates such as Selman Alisan Gemuhluoglu and previously guided Koushik Das Sarma to completion of their PhD in Business Administration. His research has received funding from various sources including the European Commission, and his work on FDI and SMEs has contributed to REF impact cases at both the University of Bradford and the University of Sheffield.