Researcher

Dr Siran Zhan

Fields of Research (FoR)

Strategy, management and organisational behaviour, Entrepreneurship

Biography

Dr. Siran Zhan is a senior lecturer (assistant professor) in the School of Management and Governance at UNSW Business School. Siran co-leads (with Salih Ozdemir) the strategy, innovation, and entrepreneurship research cluster.

Siran applies a psychological lens to investigate complex issues concerning innovation and entrepreneurship. For example, she has conducted a series of studies that shed light on the social (e.g., culture) and individual...view more

Dr. Siran Zhan is a senior lecturer (assistant professor) in the School of Management and Governance at UNSW Business School. Siran co-leads (with Salih Ozdemir) the strategy, innovation, and entrepreneurship research cluster.

Siran applies a psychological lens to investigate complex issues concerning innovation and entrepreneurship. For example, she has conducted a series of studies that shed light on the social (e.g., culture) and individual (e.g., identity, cognition, and emotions) determinants of creative and entrepreneurial performance. In Siran's more recent research program, she examines the consequences of entrepreneurship: career implications of entrepreneurial experimentation for individual entrepreneurs and talent management implications for organizations that hire former entrepreneurs.

In addition, Siran coaches aspiring entrepreneurs in UNSW's undergraduate and post-graduate programs. She co-designed (with Melodie Cartel) a 10-week incubator-style startup course and has led a team of tutors to deliver it multiple times a year. Students learn and practice critical skills of the lean startup methodology: design thinking, problem identification, ideation, prototyping, hypothesis testing and validation, business modelling, and pitching for investment. Since 2018, Siran has trained over 1000 students to develop, test, and pitch over 200 startup ideas. Some students went on to participate and win in startup competitions and successfully launch their businesses. More students went on to apply the lean startup skills gained in the course to initiate or improve innovative projects at work and in their communities. 

Siran is open to collaborating with researchers and industry and government partners to deliver research-based insights and solutions to their challenges in promoting innovation and entrepreneurship and managing innovative and entrepreneurial talents through consulting, training, and speaking.


My Grants

Siran has been involved in procuring approximately AUD$400,000 research grant funding. 


My Awards



 

Best Overall Paper, Australian Centre for Entrepreneurship Research

UNSW Postgraduate Council Research Supervisor Award (Honorable Mention)

Best Quantitative Paper Award, Australian Centre for Entrepreneurship Research

Entrepreneurship and Motivation and Decision Making Best Paper Award, Australian Centre for Entrepreneurship Research


 

                       2023          

                       2022          

                   2020     

              2020


Student Travel Award, Society for Personality and Social Psychology Annual Meeting


             2015


Nanyang Technological University Research Scholarship


 2012 – 2016


Valedictorian Award in Social Sciences, Singapore Management University (SMU)


             2010


SMU Scholarship


                                    2006 – 2010


My Research Activities

Psychlogy of Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurial Career, Managing Entrepreneurial Talents, Culture, Diversity and Inclusion. 


My Research Supervision


Areas of supervision

Psychlogy of Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurial Career, Managing Entrepreneurial Talents, Culture, Diversity and Inclusion. 


Currently supervising

2 Ph.D. Candidates


My Engagement

Editorial Board Membership:

Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice (FT50 & ABDC A*): Feb 2021 –

Management and Organization Review (ABDC A): 2018 –


My Teaching

Current: 

MGMT2010: Innovation and Entrepreneurship 

MGMT5611: Entrepreneurship and New Venture Management

 

Past: 

MGMT3003: Global Entrepreneurship

Judgment and Decision Making (MBA)

Organizational Behavior

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