Since 2019 Andrew Isaak is assistant professor of Entrepreneurship at the faculty of business and economics at Düsseldorf University. Andrew studied economics at Bucknell University in Pennsylvania and completed the full time MBA program in International Business at Pace University's Lubin School of Business in New York. He is a Research Fellow at the Chair for SME Research and Entrepreneurship at the University of Mannheim where he completed his PhD from 2014-2018. He has received the 2018 Best Reviewer Award from the Academy of Management (ENT division) and has been nominated for the Best Paper Award of the RENT Entrepreneurship conference. In August, 2018, he joined the SolBridge International School of Business in South Korea as an Assistant Professor. Previously, he coordinated the behavioral economics lab at the University of Heidelberg's Alfred Weber Institute and founded the crowdfunding startup Tommoko UG. In 2016 he spent four months on a scholarship as visiting researcher at the University of California at Berkeley. In 2017 he became a future research scholar at Plymouth University (UK), focusing on social and transnational entrepreneurship. As part of a scientific evaluation and advisory group for the Schöpflin Foundation, he conducted surveys of NGOs and qualitative interviews with participating refugee and migrant entrepreneurs as part of the team “New Self-Employment” of Dr. René Leicht. In this research stream, he is particularly interested in the role of high-skilled migration in fostering entrepreneurship and innovation.
He also acts as a volunteer juror for the startsocial competition (www.startsocial.de) and as a mentor for Startup Weekend Rhein-Neckar (www.startup-weekend-rhein-neckar.de) and Straßbourg.
His research interests include
- crowdfunding
- migrant entrepreneurship
- behavioral economics
- entrepreneurial ecosystems
- sharing economy
In his leasure time Andrew enjoys traveling and the occasional tennis match.
Professional and Academic Development
Since 2019 Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship at the Faculty of Business and Economics Duesselforf
University
Since 2018 Assistant Professor of Management – Solbridge International School of Business (South Korea)
Since 2018 Research Fellow, University of Mannheim – Chair for SME Research and Entrepreneurship
2016-2018 Research Associate, University of Mannheim - Chair for SME Research and Entrepreneurship
2016 Visiting Scholar, University of California at Berkeley - Transportation Sustainability Research Center
2013-2016 External Phd Student, Unviversity of Mannheim - Chair for SME Research and Entrepreneurship
2012-2016 Research Associate, University of Mannheim - Dean's Office
Since 2011 Founder and CEO, Tommoko UG - Crowdfunding for Science
2009-2011 Research Associate, University of Heidelberg - Chair for Behavioral and Experimental Economics
2009-2010 Research Assistant, University of Mannheim - Chair for SME Research and Entrepreneurship
2008-2009 Trainee, Accenture (London and Frankfurt) - Technology Consulting (for Lufthansa and Ministry of Finance)
2004-2006 Research Assistant, Pace University New York, Center for International Business
2002-2003 Teaching Assistant, Bucknell University, Department of Economics
Awards
Best Reviewer Award, 2018 Academy of Management Conference (ENT Division)
Travel Grant, Julius-Paul-Stiegler Foundation (750€)
Best Reviewer Award (2018), Junior Management Science: Technology & Entrepreneurship Track (500€ Prize)
EU Erasmus Teaching Stipend (at Plymouth University, UK)
Travel Scholarship (funded by DAAD & BMBF)
Travel Stipend of the German-French Doctoral Association “CIERA”
Best Paper Nomination, RENT (Research in Entrepreneurship and Small Business) XXV Conference
National Semifinals, Startup Simulation “Exist Primecup”
Awarded University of Heidelberg Research Grant to conduct Experiment (3000€)
Federal Assistance Award, US Embassy Berlin for volunteer services in “Meet US Program”
Ad-Hoc Reviewer
Since 2017 Junior Management Science (JMS – Journal for the best management theses in Germany)
Since 2016 International Journal of Emerging Markets (Emerald)
Since 2010 Academy of Management Conference, divisions: ENT, TIM, OCIS (~ 50 papers reviewed so far)
Since 2016 European Academy of Management Conference (divisions: entrepreneurship and family business)
2010 Austrian Journal of Marketing: Special Issue on Neuromarketing
Publications
Leicht, R.; Berwing, S.; Isaak, A. (forthcoming). How Precarious is Migrant Self-Employment in Germany? An Analysis of National Microcensus Data. Book chapter in Eds. Wieteke, C. & Schippers, J. Self-Employment as Precarious Work: A European Perspective. Edward Elgar: Cheltenham, UK.
Isaak, A.; Liu, Y. (2016): Effectuation Spectra in Chinese High-tech Entrepreneurship: Domain-specitic Logic Orientations and Cross-Border M&A. Book chapter in Eds. Tarba, S & Weber, Y. Emerald edited volume on M&A on Technology, Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Competitive Strategy. Emerald Publishing Group: Bingley, UK, 51-88.
Isaak, R.; Zybura, J.; Isaak, A. (2016): Replicating Silicon Valley: Talent & Techno-management in a Culture of Serendipity. Book chapter in Ed. Liu, Y. Entrepreneur and Talent Management from a Global Perspective. Edward Elgar: Cheltenham, UK.
Isaak, A. (2015). Failing to Scale and Scaling to Fail: How Social Entrepreneurs Exploit- Impure Non-profits in Order to Attain Economies of Scale. Proceedings of the First International Workshop on the Sharing Economy. Utrecht University: Holland.
Isaak, A. (2014). Bitcoin Börse leitet neue Transparenzmaßnahmen ein. Published online on Sept. 4th,.2014, Tecchannel (PC Welt Verlag).
Erlen, B.; Isaak, A. (2014): Business Ratios. Wiley: Weinheim, Germany & New York, USA.
Bachenheimer, B.; Isaak, R.; Isaak, A. (2014): Reaching for Scalable Entrepreneurship: Implications for Growth & Job Creation, in Entrepreneurship: Theory, Role of Economic Development and Practices. Nova Science Publishers: Hauppauge, USA.
Isaak, A. (2010). What’s in Store for Firefox 4. Published online on Dec.18th, 2010. Techeye (Ed. Mike Magee of The Register).
Isaak, A. & Zybreg, C. (2008). Exclusive Look at Microsoft Internet Explorer 8 RC1. Published online on Dec. 12th, 2008. TGDaily.
Isaak, A. (2005): An Analysis of Competition in the US Flat Glass Industry. Proceedings of the Research Symposium in Management at Dalhousie University, Canada.
Conference Participation and Invited Talks
Academy of Management Specialized Conference (2018, accepted), Tel Aviv, Israel. Chair of Symposium on Crowdfunding Research.
GSOM Emerging Markets Conference (2018, accepted), St. Petersburg, Russia
European Academy of Management (2018), Rejkyavik, Iceland.
Academy of Management (2017), Atlanta. Chair of Paper Session on ‘Crowdfunding Resources’ for Entrepreneurship division; invited to Paper Development Workshop on Crowdfunding of OCIS divison; volunteer for TIM division
ACCER (Cross-Cultural Experiments in the Sociel Sciences, Economics and Management) Workshop (2017), Duisburg.
MDE (Migration and Diaspora Entrepreneurship) Conference (2017), Bremen.
Consciousness and Intention in Economics (2016), Kyoto, Japan.
First International Workshop on the Sharing Economiy (2015), Utrecht, Holland.
Invited to Workshop on Ambiguity and Decision-Making in Organizations with James G. March (2012), Stanford, CA.
China Goes Global Conference (2011), Cambridge, MA.
RENT (Research in Entrepreneurship and Small Business) XXV (2011), Bodo, Norway.
First Heidelberg Summer School on Neuroeconomics (2011), Heidelberg.
ESA (Economics Science Association) Conference (2011), Chicago, IL.
