Yuksel Ayden

Dr Yuksel Ayden is a Lecturer in the School of Management at RMIT University, with a PhD in Strategic Management from Deakin University. He has over a decade of academic experience in research, teaching, and leadership across Australia, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific, and actively contributes to international collaborations and academic service.

His research sits at the intersection of strategy and decision making, with a particular focus on innovation, technology, and international business. His work has been published in leading peer-reviewed journals and academic volumes, including the Journal of International Management and a research monograph with Palgrave Macmillan. He regularly presents at major international conferences such as the Strategic Management Society (SMS) and the Academy of International Business (AIB). In recognition of his scholarly contributions, his work was shortlisted for the Best Paper Award at the SMS Annual Conference in 2022.

Dr Ayden is currently involved in research supervision across several innovation-related themes. He co-supervises Higher Degree by Research (HDR) candidates exploring topics such as the use of AI in sports management and the scaling of regenerative ventures, the latter as part of a large-scale EU-funded research initiative. His research has also been supported by competitive grants focused on technological innovation in Australian firms and the strategic behaviours of senior executives.

At RMIT, Dr Ayden teaches Innovation Management and Entrepreneurial & Innovation Ecosystems at the undergraduate level across campuses in Melbourne, Singapore, China, and Vietnam. Previously, he taught Strategic Management and Research Methods in the MBA program at the University of Adelaide, and delivered postgraduate courses in Global Strategy and Digital Transformation at Deakin University. His teaching approach is research-led and practice-informed.

Dr Ayden serves on the Editorial Review Board of the Journal of Business Research and is an active member of the Academy of Management (AOM) and the Strategic Management Society (SMS). Within RMIT, he has contributed to governance through his role as the School of Management representative on the College of Business and Law (CoBL) Research Committee.

In addition to his academic work, Dr Ayden has provided consulting and advisory services to early-stage firms and corporate leaders on issues such as internationalization, brand management, organizational design, and workforce diversity. His work connects academic insight with real-world strategic challenges, supporting innovation-led growth and international competitiveness.

Dr Ayden was awarded the Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarship for his doctoral studies. His academic career is also supported by prestigious fellowships, including a research fellowship from TÜBİTAK – The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye.