Elena Branciforte

Elena Branciforte is an Associate Professor in the Department of Management at Baruch College's Zicklin School of Business, specializing in corporate strategy with expertise in divestitures, resource reconfiguration, and emerging market strategy. Her research bridges theoretical frameworks with practical applications in environmental sustainability and pharmaceutical industry dynamics.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Business Administration (Strategy) from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business
• M.S. in Management (Finance specialization) from Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
• Business Engineer and BBA in Business Administration and Economics from Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile

Research Focus: Professor Branciforte investigates how firms strategically use divestitures to drive environmental performance improvements and resource reallocation, with particular emphasis on knowledge growth in pharmaceutical contexts. Her work extends to institutional voids in emerging markets, examining business incubators as strategic intermediaries that enable entrepreneurship despite underdeveloped market infrastructures. Recent studies increasingly integrate sustainability metrics with traditional corporate strategy frameworks.

Publication Trends: Analysis of her 2021-2025 publications reveals a pronounced shift toward environmental strategy intersections, where divestitures are positioned as tools for strategic renewal and sustainability compliance. Concurrently, she maintains theoretical contributions through critical reviews of foundational strategy literature, particularly Eisenhardt's work on dynamic capabilities. Her pharmaceutical industry research demonstrates consistent methodological rigor through longitudinal analyses of knowledge reconfiguration.

Scientific Recognition:

• BPS Outstanding Reviewer Award (Academy of Management, 2017)
• Zicklin Teaching Excellence Award (2017)
• Two consecutive PSC-CUNY Research Awards (Cycles 46-47, 2015-2016)
• Chilean Presidential Scholarship for Graduate Studies (2007)
• Multiple undergraduate academic excellence awards from Universidad del Desarrollo

Mentorship and Funding: Professor Branciforte actively mentors doctoral students including Katerina Gonzalez and Brittany Mercado through dissertation committees. She has secured significant research funding through three PSC-CUNY grants totaling over $10,000, with projects examining acquisition-divestiture interplay (2019-2022) and corporate strategy's role in product search (2015-2016). Her service includes committee roles for PhD program coordination and curriculum development.

Professional Engagement: As an active Strategic Management Society member and Editorial Review Board member for Strategic Management Journal, she contributes to field advancement through manuscript reviews and conference organization. Her service extends to organizing international workshops and representing the Knowledge & Innovation Interest Group within the Strategic Management Society.