Melanie Richards

Professor Melanie Richards holds a professorship in Family Businesses, their Culture and Owners at the TUM School of Management, Technical University of Munich. Her research examines how founders' and owner-managers' values shape strategic decisions in entrepreneurial contexts.

Her research interests span Entrepreneurship & Strategy, Legitimacy and Social Evaluation, and Ecological/Social Challenges in family firms. Key themes include purpose-driven entrepreneurship, disruptive innovation responses, and non-financial goal impacts on stakeholders. Her work bridges theoretical frameworks in organizational identity, succession dynamics, and sustainability certification.

Notable publications reveal consistent focus on family firm governance and innovation adaptation. Early work (2017-2018) established foundations in moral legitimacy and disruptive innovation responses, while recent research (2023) advances stakeholder ethics in family businesses.

Scientific recognition includes:

• Family Business Review Excellent Reviewer Award (2022, 2023)
• IFERA Best Paper Award (2021)
• Family Business Review Best Article Honorable Mention (2020)
• German-speaking Family Business Research Centers Best Paper Award (2014)

Professor Richards mentors emerging scholars in family business research with emphasis on ethical leadership and strategic innovation. Her academic trajectory demonstrates sustained contributions to understanding owner-manager dynamics in evolving business landscapes.