Stefano Cirella

Dr. Stefano Cirella is a Reader in Organisation Studies and Human Resource Management at the Essex Business School, University of Essex. His research focuses on collective creativity, leadership, organizational learning, and collaborative innovation. Prior to joining Essex, he held positions at Politecnico di Milano, Chalmers University of Technology, and California Polytechnic State University. He holds an MSc and PhD from the Polytechnic University of Milan.

His teaching includes courses such as Change, Creativity and Innovation and Innovation and Change Management in Health and Social Care. Dr. Cirella has supervised numerous PhD students, including current advisee Mohammed Ali S Alwabisi and former student Emmanuel Yoemi Owoade (awarded 2024).

His research interests span creativity management, organizational transformation, and collaborative practices in innovation. A recent grant (2023) explores collective creativity in contexts of job insecurity. Key publications include studies on HRM practices in M&A contexts, university-industry collaboration frameworks, and leadership in organizational change.

Dr. Cirella is a co-author of Organizational Change Management: Inclusion, Collaboration and Digital Change in Practice (2024) and Collaborative Management Research (2014). His work bridges theory and practice, emphasizing actionable insights for organizational development and innovation ecosystems.