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BA (University of Toronto); BEd (University of Toronto); MBA (Schulich School of Business, York University); PhD (Schulich School of Business, York University).
Sofy Carayannopoulos is an associate professor at the Lazaridis School of Business & Economics. She has designed the required foundational first year business course, BU111, a foundational PhD management course and the case competition training course. She currently focuses on teaching BU111 and case competition training both inside and outside of the competition training course.
Carayannopoulos’ research has been presented at numerous conferences, including the Academy of Management and the Strategic Management Conference. In addition, her research has been published in Research Policy, Entrepreneurship Theory & Practice among other journals. Her award-winning cases have been published and distributed by Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice and The Case Research Journal.
Most recently she has focused on developing the Lazaridis case competition activities. She has researched case analysis and presentation best practices and has developed a rigorous case competition training program. The program has resulted in many Lazaridis podium finishes nationally and internationally while competing against some of the best schools in the world. Working with a team of students, she was also central in establishing the Lazaridis International Case Conference which annually hosts 16 highly reputed universities from around the world.
Carayannopoulos’ research interests are understanding the source and features of organizational knowledge qualities and how competitively valuable external knowledge can be acquired through acquisitions and/or alliances. She also explores the advantages of small organizations and when these advantages might allow them to overtake larger firms. She has also engaged in research on organizational reputations as an asset and is currently working on applying organizational theories to expand understanding of government contracting decisions as well as exploring foundational strategic theories and increasing understanding of when they are likely to be invalid.
Her largest ongoing projects are developing and executing a case training program.
- Best reviewer - Case Research Journal - 2022
- Faculty Advisor of the Year /Best Faculty Advisor – Belgrade International Case Competition (2019), JDCC (2019), John Molson Undergraduate Case Competition (2021)
- Best Paper Award, Case Division, Administrative Sciences Association of Canada, 2019
- Award of Service Excellence and Community Engagement, Wilfrid Laurier University, 2018
- Teaching Innovation Award, Wilfrid Laurier University, 2015
- Teaching Award recipient, Ontario Undergraduate Students’ Association, 2014.
- Best Case Reviewer Award – Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice Journal, 2010.
- Curtis E. Tate Jr. Award for best case published in previous year in the Case Research Journal, 2008.
- Nominated for Leadership in Faculty Teaching Award (provincial competition of instructors at universities or colleges), 2007.
- Dissertation nominated for York University Best Dissertation Award, 2005.
- Administrative Sciences Association of Canada Conference - Laurier Institute Best Case Award, 2004.
- Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Doctoral Fellowship, 2003.
I have supervised students engaging in independent studies on factors affecting the innovative capabilities of organizations, as well real options reasoning in strategy. I am currently on the dissertation committee of a PhD student whose dissertation explores marketing capabilities and their effects on firm performance.
I am willing to supervise undergraduate students wishing to engage in independent studies on technology strategy, organizational knowledge, disruptive innovations and entrepreneurship.
- Ross, M., Carayannopoulos, S., Donovan, M. “TD – Preparing for the Future of Banking.” Case Research Journal (2021)
- Carayannopoulos, S. “Using Chatbots to Aid Transition.” International Journal of Information and Learning Technology (2018).
- Dhalla, R., Carayannopoulos, S. “Reputational discounting: Factors reducing the influence of organizational reputation.” Corporate Reputation Review (2013).
- Carayannopoulos, S., Auster, E. “External knowledge sourcing in biotechnology through acquisition versus alliance: A KBV approach.” Research Policy (2010).
- Carayannopoulos, S. “How technology-based new firms leverage newness and smallness to commercialize disruptive technologies.” Entrepreneurship Theory & Practice (2009).
- Carayannopoulos, S. “Research In Motion – Entering a new era.” Case Research Journal (2007).
- Carayannopoulos, S. “Research In Motion – A small firm commercializing a new technology.” Entrepreneurship Theory & Practice (2005).