Dr Anna-Katharina Lenz

Dr Lenz is Lecturer in Entrepreneurship at RMIT. Her research interest lies in the area of entrepreneurship, poverty and inequality. She is particularly interested how it is possible to facilitate entrepreneurship at the Base-of-the-Pyramid and what we can learn from the intersection of behaviour theory and institutional theory to promote sustainable growth and entrepreneurial development.

In the context of resource-constrained environments, she is looking at a range of theories and mechanisms that determine entrepreneurial action, such as the role of social embeddedness and social obligations, violence, cognitive availability, social identity, and technological adversity. Methodological she works with rigorous research designs and has implemented a series of field experiments (randomized controlled trials) in South America. Most of her papers have a mixed-method approach.

Dr Lenz has spent a decade in South America, mainly Brazil, where she worked as a consultant for private, governmental and non-for-profit organisations. She is an affiliated researcher with prestigious research institutes in Brazil, such as Fundação Getulio Vargas and PUC-Rio. She also works with a large number of industry partners to provide evidence-based policies for entrepreneurs in resource-constrained contexts. Dr Lenz works effectively in international and inter-disciplinary research teams.

More details about her work can be found on her personal research webpage: annakatharinalenz.com

• PhD (completion 2017, FGV-EBAPE, Brazil, AACSB accredited)
• Post-Doc (completion 2019, FGV-EBAPE, Brazil, AACSB accredited)