Two powerhouse researchers from the Faculty of Business and Social Sciences appointed as DIAS Chairs

Mette Præst Knudsen

Mette Præst Knudsen, Professor and Head of the Research Unit at SDU’s Department of Business and Management, is renowned for her extensive contributions to innovation management. As the co-founder and current Research Director of the Center for Integrative Innovation Management, she has been instrumental in advancing cross-disciplinary research to enhance the innovative capabilities of companies and organisations.
In addition to her role at SDU, Professor Knudsen holds part-time positions at the Chair Technology for Change and the Management Research Lab at the Ecole Polytechnique in France. Her international engagement is further reflected in her membership on the Board of DRUID, an international hub for premier research on innovation, and her role as co-organiser of the DRUID Academy for young scholars. She also serves as an Area Editor for the journal Technovation and as a Senior Advisor to the journal Creativity and Innovation Management.

Professor Knudsen’s research examines the nature and determinants of emerging technologies, which are crucial for addressing significant societal challenges such as sustainability, productivity, and growth. She investigates the factors that drive firms to invest in these technologies despite the uncertainties and risks associated with their commercialisation. Her work spans various cutting-edge fields, including drones for commercial use, autonomous vehicles, additive manufacturing, and artificial intelligence. 

Another key aspect of Knudsen’s research is the research integrity, focusing on the prevalence, nature, and impact of research misconduct. Her dedication to understanding and improving research practices underscores her commitment to advancing the field of innovation management.

Kim Klyver

Kim Klyver is a professor at SDU’s Department of Business and Sustainability and a prominent figure in the field of entrepreneurship. With over two decades of academic experience, he has held positions at prestigious institutions worldwide, including the University of Adelaide, Stockholm School of Economics, Swinburne University of Technology, and Stanford University. Professor Klyver is an experienced project and research manager, boasting an impressive catalogue of published articles and books, and has received multiple international awards for his work.
In addition to his academic roles, Professor Klyver has served as an advisor and speaker for the European Commission and the Chinese government. He is a regular expert commentator in the media on topics related to entrepreneurship and small businesses, frequently contributing op-eds and providing insights to the public.

A driver behind Klyver’s scholarship is a fascination with how entrepreneurs and small business owners interact with and are influenced by their social environments. His research explores how these interactions help them discover opportunities, secure resources, and gain legitimacy, ultimately impacting their success. He is particularly interested in understanding why some individuals start, develop, and grow businesses while others do not, how entrepreneurs navigate these processes, and what factors explain their success.

Curiosity and commitment 

Both Mette Præst Knudsen and Kim Klyver are experienced in interdisciplinary research and brings with them a wealth of expertise and fresh perspectives to DIAS’s’ intellectual landscape. At DIAS, we warmly welcome both to our community!

In her new affiliation with DIAS, Mette Præst Knudsen is both eager to learn and committed to contributing:

I have been following DIAS from the beginning and I am very excited to now engage more directly with the DIAS community. The researchers are outstanding, and I am looking forward to bringing my own discipline into the interdisciplinary discussions. I look very much forward to engaging with the wicked problems and the excellent fellows to advance my own research.

Kim Klyver is equally enthusiastic about his new role at DIAS and the new doors it might open, stating: 

I am very pleased with the appointment as DIAS Chair and look forward to being inspired by the openness, curiosity, and excellence that characterise DIAS. As an entrepreneurship scholar, I am used to working across disciplines, and I am confident that the appointment can further enhance the quality, originality, and societal impact of my own research, but also strengthen the entrepreneurship research at the University of Southern Denmark as a world-class spearhead.