معرفی
Mirela Xheneti is Professor of Entrepreneurship and Small Business (Strategy and Marketing) at the University of Sussex Business School, where she has been a faculty member since 2011. She previously served as Senior Lecturer and Lecturer and has held external examiner roles at Exeter, Royal Holloway, and Goldsmiths. She is also President Elect of the European Council for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (ECSB), reflecting her leadership in the field.
Her educational background includes a PhD in Social Sciences from the University of Bristol, an MBA with Distinction from Staffordshire University, and a Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education from the University of Sussex.
Mirela's research centers on entrepreneurship in institutional transition contexts, with key interests in female entrepreneurship, informal economy dynamics, enterprise policy, and the circular economy. She explores how institutional frameworks shape entrepreneurial behavior, particularly in developing and patriarchal societies such as Nepal. Her work bridges qualitative and quantitative methodologies and emphasizes policy relevance and societal impact.
Her recent publications reveal a strong focus on heterogeneity in entrepreneurship, the socio-spatial dimensions of informal entrepreneurship, and the role of institutions in enabling or constraining entrepreneurial activity. She frequently publishes in high-impact journals such as Entrepreneurship: Theory and Practice, Small Business Economics, and Journal of Business Ethics, often collaborating with international scholars.
- British Academy (2009, 2021)
- European Commission (2010)
- Research and Knowledge Exchange Fund (ISBE) (2010)
- Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR) and DFID (2014, 2015)
- ESRC (2020–2024)
Mirela has supervised numerous research projects and PhD students, and her grants often support interdisciplinary collaborations. She has led initiatives on circular economy transitions and women’s economic empowerment in developing contexts. She has also contributed to teaching innovation, developing modules such as Enterprise in the Circular Economy and New Venture Creation.
She is actively involved in research dissemination and impact, including engagement activities with organizations like The Launchpad Collective to support refugee entrepreneurship through skills building.
