Research Interests
Entrepreneurship Management, resources and leadership Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social, emotional, cultural and spiritual wellbeing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander commerce Small Business Management Not-for-profit business and management Corporate social responsibility Economic Development and GrowthDr Binyam Alemayehu
Lecturer
School of Management
College of Business and Law
Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD (as Co-Supervisor) - email supervisor to discuss availability.
I am a Lecturer in Entrepreneurship at Adelaide University, where I combine over a decade of academic and research experience with a genuine passion for advancing entrepreneurship education. My research centres on high-growth entrepreneurship, opportunity evaluation, and the often-overlooked role of spirituality and religion in entrepreneurial action - a distinctive lens that bridges rigorous theory with real-world relevance.I hold a PhD in Entrepreneurship from the University of Adelaide and an MPhil in the same field from the University of Pretoria. My published research spans entrepreneurial growth expectations, religious social capital in business, and the structural barriers facing youth entrepreneurs across Africa. Beyond contributing to scholarly debate, my works are designed to inform practical strategy for business leaders and evidence-based policy for governments and institutions.Teaching and mentorship sit at the core of my academic identity. I have guided undergraduate and postgraduate students through research projects, supervised emerging scholars, and delivered numerous training workshops - helping equip the next generation of entrepreneurs, innovators, and business leaders with both the analytical tools and the confidence to succeed.I remain driven by a commitment to academic excellence, intellectual curiosity, and meaningful service — and I actively seek opportunities to extend this impact through research collaboration, teaching innovation, and engagement with the broader entrepreneurial ecosystem.
My research interest cuts across entrepreneurship, leadership, and spirituality areas. I am particularly keen on studying the role of affective and behavioural factors in how individuals evaluate potential entrepreneurial opportunities and the influence of spiritual and religious values on entrepreneurial action and entrepreneurial resilience. I am also interested in AI in entrepreneurship, women entrepreneurship, migrant entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship in Africa.
| Date | Position | Institution name |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 - ongoing | Lecturer | University of Adelaide |
| 2021 - 2023 | Post Doctoral Researcher | University of Adelaide, Adelaide |
| 2015 - 2017 | Management Trainer | African Based Consultants For Development |
| 2015 - 2016 | Business Development Adviser | Entrepreneurship Development Institute - Ethiopia |
| 2012 - 2016 | Lecturer | Arba Minch University |
| Language | Competency |
|---|---|
| Amharic | Can read, write, speak, understand spoken and peer review |
| English | Can read, write, speak, understand spoken and peer review |
| Date | Institution name | Country | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 - 2021 | University of Adelaide | Australia | PhD in Entrepreneurship |
| 2016 - 2017 | University of Pretoria, Pretoria | South Africa | Master of Philosophy in Entrepreneurship |
| 2010 - 2012 | Mekelle University, Mek’elē | Ethiopia | Master of Business Administration in International Business |
| 2007 - 2009 | Arba Minch University, Ārba Minch’ | Ethiopia | Bachelor of Arts in Management |
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2023 | Alemayehu, B. Z., Steffens, P., & Gordon, S. R. (2023). The formation and role of religious social capital in driving entrepreneurial action. Journal of Business Venturing Insights, 20, e00426-1-e00426-7. Scopus22 |
| 2020 | Alemayehu, B. Z., & Woldemariam, G. K. (2020). Academic staff flight from Ethiopian public universities: Causes and possible solutions. Higher Education Quarterly, 74(4), 497-515. Scopus7 WoS6 |
| 2018 | Van Vuuren, J., & Alemayehu, B. Z. (2018). The role of entrepreneurship in transforming efficiency economies into innovation-based economies. Southern African Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management, 10(1), a140-12. |
| 2017 | Alemayehu, B. Z., & Van Vuuren, J. (2017). Munificence contingent small business growth model (special emphasis to African SMEs’ context). Journal of Small Business and Entrepreneurship, 29(4), 251-269. Scopus10 |
| 2017 | Kassa, K., Chernet, M., Kelemework, G., Alemayehu, B. Z., & Woldemedhin, A. (2017). Customer satisfaction survey: the case of urban water supply services in Southern Ethiopia. Water Practice and Technology, 12(4), 1009-1017. WoS11 |
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2023 | Alemayehu, B., Steffens, P., & Gordon, S. (2023). EXTENDING OPPORTUNITY EVALUATION BEYOND COGNITION: SCALE DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION. In Academy of Management Annual Meeting Proceedings Vol. 2023. Academy of Management. DOI Scopus1 |
| 2020 | Alemayehu, B., Steffens, P., & Gordon, S. (2020). Opportunity attitude: Advancing the conceptualisation entrepreneur’s perceptions of opportunity beyond cognition. In ACERE. Adelaide. |
| 2020 | Alemayehu, B. (2020). High-Impact Entrepreneurship: An Enabler For A Stronger Intra-Africa Trade. In Tana Papers 2020. Bahir Dar. |
| 2019 | Alemayehu, B., Steffens, P., & Gordon, S. (2019). First-person opportunity confidence model.. In ACERE. |
| 2017 | Alemayehu, B. Z., Van Vuuren, J., & Groenewald, D. (2017). Factors contributing to growth expectations of African entrepreneurs. In Proceedings of 11th the International Business Conference Proceedings (2017 IBC) Vol. 11 (pp. 1350-1366). Potchefstroom, South Africa: North-West University. |
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2023 | Alemayehu, B., Steffens, P., Gordon, S., & Santos, E. (2023). SA Innovation District (SAID) Survey 2022 Report. |
Entrepreneurial Foundations and Mindset, Course Coordinator and Lecturer
Also taught:
Entrepreneurial Concepts and Mindset
Entrepreneurial Leadership
Corporate Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship Research Project
Organisational Behaviour
Introduction to Management
Marketing Management
International Marketing
| Date | Role | Research Topic | Program | Degree Type | Student Load | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Co-Supervisor | Maintaining Motivation: The Role of a Grit and Serendipity in the Context of Nascent Entrepreneurship | Master of Philosophy | Master | Full Time | Ms Thi Be Vy Thi Be Nguyen |
| 2025 | Co-Supervisor | Maintaining Motivation: The Role of a Grit and Serendipity in the Context of Nascent Entrepreneurshi | Master of Philosophy | Master | Full Time | Ms Thi Be Vy Thi Be Nguyen |
| 2025 | Co-Supervisor | Entrepreneurs' Emotion Shifts, Emotion Labor and Outcomes | Doctor of Philosophy | Doctorate | Full Time | Ms Yudi Hou |
| 2025 | Co-Supervisor | Understanding hype patterns in entrepreneurship, its composition and its impact on investors' decisions in evaluating young ventures | Doctor of Philosophy | Doctorate | Full Time | Miss Annika Wesbuer |
| 2025 | Co-Supervisor | Social entrepreneurial mindset in the Australian care sector: evaluating the impact of entrepreneurial action in for-purpose social enterprises | Doctor of Philosophy | Doctorate | Part Time | Ms Leanne Kaye Raven |