Rebecca Piekkari

Rebecca Piekkari is a Professor of International Business at Aalto University School of Business, Department of Management Studies. She is globally recognized for her research on multinational corporations (MNCs), qualitative research methods, and the role of language in international business. Her work bridges organizational theory, cross-cultural management, and strategic internationalization processes.

Her research expertise includes international human resource management, multilingual workplaces, and the evolution of MNCs. She has pioneered language-sensitive approaches in international business research, emphasizing the role of translation, communication, and cultural dynamics in global operations.

Piekkari has published extensively in top journals such as Academy of Management Review, Journal of International Business Studies, and Journal of Management Studies. She co-authored influential books like Handbook of Qualitative Research Methods for International Business (2004) and Language in International Business (2014). Her work on the Helsinki Internationalization Process Model offers a novel framework for analyzing firm globalization.

She has received prestigious awards including EIBA Fellow (2012), AIB Fellow (2018), and multiple Best Paper Awards. She serves on editorial boards of leading journals and holds roles such as Vice President of Programs at the Academy of International Business. Her research advocates for methodological pluralism, emphasizing rigorous yet context-sensitive qualitative inquiry.

Piekkari’s current work explores multilingual MNCs, the impact of language on career mobility, and the interplay between politics and corporate strategy. She actively promotes interdisciplinary collaboration in international business scholarship.