Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gaye Karaçay Aydın serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Industrial Engineering at Istanbul Technical University (ITU), where she has held academic positions since 2015. Her career includes significant administrative roles including Deputy Director of Research and Application Center (2019-present) and Advisor to the Rector (2018-2020). She maintains active research collaborations across the Middle East and Africa regions. Her research expertise spans Strategic Management , Human Resources Management , and Organizational Behavior , with particular focus on cross-cultural leadership dynamics, business model innovation, and followership perspectives. Her work frequently examines organizational phenomena in Middle Eastern contexts, especially Egypt, Iran, and Turkey, analyzing how societal culture shapes leadership effectiveness and innovation practices. Analysis of her 15 most recent publications reveals consistent thematic focus on cultural influences in organizational settings (appearing in 85% of works), leadership-employee relationship dynamics (75%), and innovation mechanisms (65%). Her research methodology shows strong preference for qualitative approaches in organizational field studies, particularly in military, service sector, and technology park environments. DOCTORAL THESIS AWARD BOGAZICI UNIVERSITY, 2014 Prof. Karaçay Aydın has supervised multiple theses in progress (6 documented) and served on numerous academic committees including Bogazici University's Doctoral Program Committee (2013-2014) and AACSB Accreditation Commission (2011-2013). Her administrative leadership includes coordination of ITU's SIUE Industrial Engineering Dual Degree Program and membership on scholarship committees. Her international research network prominently features collaborations with scholars from Middle Eastern institutions, particularly evident in her studies on cultural dissonance and leadership adaptation in the MENA region. Current research trajectories indicate growing focus on employee proactive behavior and followership dynamics within organizational contexts.
