Elena B. Spasova

Elena B. Spasova is the Dean of Henley Business School and Professor of International Business at the University of Reading. She joined Henley in 2009, bringing over a decade of corporate strategy consulting experience from PricewaterhouseCoopers in Canada, where she worked with organizations across Europe and North America. In her leadership roles, she has spearheaded major change management, education innovation, and the development of executive and work-based programs internationally.

Research Interests: Elena's research centers on strategic challenges faced by firms in international markets, particularly SMEs and multinational enterprises. Her work explores the drivers of international competitiveness and performance, with a focus on exports, dynamic capabilities, governance in cross-border operations, and the impact of economic disintegration such as Brexit. She applies frameworks like the Resource-Based View (RBV) to understand firm-specific advantages in global contexts.

Publication Trends: Her recent publications span top-tier journals in international business and management, consistently focusing on export performance, firm capabilities, and strategic internationalization. The research combines empirical analysis with theoretical development, often using UK and California-based data, and increasingly addresses institutional and regional influences on MNE behavior.

• Scientific Awards: Not specified in the provided text.

Advising and Grants: While no formal list of students or grants is provided, her extensive publication record with co-authors and leadership in research-focused programs suggest active mentorship and likely grant involvement. She has led major educational innovation projects and institutional growth initiatives, indicating substantial leadership in academic development and team-based research.

Labs and Teams: Although specific lab affiliations are not mentioned, as Dean and Professor, she leads and collaborates with research groups within Henley Business School focused on international business, strategy, and performance. Her work is embedded in a collaborative academic environment involving faculty across international business, management, and global strategy disciplines.