Eric Zhao

Eric’s research has a central theme around the notion of ‘strategic paradoxes’, studying organizations that

Areas of Expertise

Strategy and Organization Theory, Institutional Theory, Social Entrepreneurship, International Entrepreneurship, Emerging Markets

Academic Degrees

• PhD. Strategy and Organization Theory, University of Alberta, 2010-2014
• MA. Sociology, University of Toronto
• MS. Management, London School of Economics

Awards, Honors & Certificates

• Inaugural OMT Research Committee Service Award, Academy of Management, 2018
• IACMR Best Conference Macro Paper Award, 2018
• Inaugural IACMR Presidential Award for Responsible Research in Management, 2017 – for 2016 AMJ “Not All Inequality Is Equal”
• ONE-NBS Research Impact on Practice Award, Academy of Management, 2017--for 2016 AMJ “Funding Financial Inclusion”
• D''Amore-McKim Best Paper Award, 13th Annual Social Entrepreneurship Conference, 2016
• OMT Best Entrepreneurship Paper Award (Runner Up), Academy of Management, 2016
• SAMS/JMS Grigor McClelland Doctoral Dissertation Award (final 3 out of 132 apps), 2015
• Best Student Paper on Social Innovation, European Group for Organizational Studies, 2013
• Best Student Paper Award (Finalist), European Group for Organizational Studies, 2013
• Glueck Best Paper Award (Finalist), Academy of Management, BPS, 2012
• Distinguished Paper Award, Academy of Management, BPS, 2012
• Best Student Paper Award (Finalist), Academy of Management, SIM, 2012
• Temple/AIB Best Paper Award (Finalist), Academy of International Business, 2012
• Best Paper Award, Academy of International Business, 2012-best paper in the "Institutions, Governance, and CSR" Track
• ABCD Award for Best Reviewer, Academy of Management, OMT, 2012
• Carolyn Dexter Award, Academy of Management, 2011
• OMT Best International Paper, Academy of Management, OMT, 2011
• Emerging Scholar Award (Runner Up), Academy of International Business, 2011--for scholarly contribution to women''s entrepreneurship
• WAIB/SSE Best Paper Award (Runner Up), Academy of International Business, 2011--for increased gender awareness in international business research
• Robert J. Litschert Award (Finalist), Academy of Management, BPS, 2009
• Distinguished Student Paper Award, Academy of Management, BPS, 2009

Selected Publications

• Zhao, Eric Yanfei, Masakazu Ishihara, P. Devereaux Jennings and Michael Lounsbury (2018), “Optimal distinctiveness in the console video game industry: An exemplar-based model of proto-category evolution.” Organization Science, 29(4): 588-611.
• Wry, Tyler, and Eric Yanfei Zhao (2018), “Taking tradeoffs seriously: Examining the contextually contingent relationship between social outreach intensity and financial sustainability in global microfinance.” Organization Science, 29(3): 507-528.
• Grimes, Matthew, Trent Williams, and Eric Yanfei Zhao (2018), “Anchors aweigh: The sources, variety, and challenges of mission drift.” Academy of Management Review, forthcoming.
• Zhao, Eric Yanfei, Greg Fisher, Michael Lounsbury and Danny Miller (2017), "Optimal distinctiveness: Broadening the interface between institutional theory and strategic management," Strategic Management Journal, 38(1): 93-113.
• Williams, T.A., Gruber, D.A., Sutcliffe, K.M., Shepherd, D.A., Zhao, E.Y. (2017), "Organizational response to adversity: Fusing crisis management and resilience research streams," Academy of Management Annals, 11(2): 733-769.
• Zhao, Eric Yanfei, and Tyler Wry (2016), "Not all inequality is equal: Decomposing the societal logic of patriarchy to understand microfinance lending to women," Academy of Management Journal, 59(6): 1994-2020.
• Zhao, Eric Yanfei, and Michael Lounsbury (2016), "An institutional logics approach to social entrepreneurship: Market logic, religious diversity, and resource acquisition by microfinance organizations," Journal of Business Venturing, 31(6): 643-662.
• Cobb, Adam, Tyler Wry and Eric Yanfei Zhao (2016), "Funding financial inclusion: Institutional logics and the contextual contingency of funding for microfinance organizations," Academy of Management Journal, 59(6): 2103-2131.
• Zhao, Eric Yanfei, Masakazu Ishihara and Michael Lounsbury (2013) “Overcoming the illegitimacy discount: Cultural entrepreneurship in the U.S. feature film industry,” Organization Studies, 34(12): 1747-1776.