Dr 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.
DOI 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.
DOI 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.
DOI
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.
DOI 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.
DOI 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

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