Sharon Alvarez

Sharon Alvarez is a Professor at the University of Pittsburgh's Katz Graduate School of Business, holding the Thomas W. Olofson Chair in Entrepreneurial Studies. She is an academic leader in entrepreneurship and strategic management, with a focus on the agency of entrepreneurs in creating opportunities under Knightian uncertainty.

• PhD in Business Administration (Entrepreneurship and Strategic Management), University of Colorado
• MBA in International Management, University of Denver
• BSBA, University of Colorado

Her research redefines opportunity theory by emphasizing endogenous creation through managerial choice, challenging the bounded rationality paradigm in management. Key themes include the philosophical foundations of entrepreneurship, strategic alliances, and organizational behavior under uncertainty.

Her publications span top journals such as Academy of Management Review, Strategic Management Journal, and Journal of Business Venturing, with notable awards including the Academy of Management Review Best Paper (2024) and Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal Best Paper (2019). Recent articles focus on opportunity typology, institutional co-creation, and the interaction of managerial and technological capabilities.

• 2024: Academy of Management Review Best Article Award
• 2019: Academy of Management Foundational Paper Award
• 2014: Strategic Management Society Best Paper Award
• 2010: Journal of Management Best Paper Award

Alvarez has received significant grants, including Kauffman Society seed grants and Max Planck Scholarships. She served as Associate Editor for the Academy of Management Review and Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal, and was elected to the Academy of Management Board of Governors in 2020, later serving as its President in 2023.

Her affiliations include the International Business Academic Area and the Organizations and Entrepreneurship Center at Katz. Her work has been cited over 1,500 times, with her 2007 paper on entrepreneurial rents being among the most cited in Journal of Management.