CURRICULUM VITAE: BORIS URBAN
Boris is a Professor at the Graduate School of Business Administration, Wits
Business School (WBS), Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management,
University of Witwatersrand. He has more than 25 years academic and
professional experience in business, where he has practiced, taught and
researched strategy, organisational behaviour and entrepreneurship. Boris was
the first appointed Chair in Entrepreneurship (Lamberti) at WBS and is a NRF
rated researcher.
Based on more than 70 peer reviewed publications in scholarly journals,
including high-impact ISI and FT Top ranked journals, his work is increasingly
cited in the field. Boris is the editor and co-author of the book series ‘Perspectives in Entrepreneurship: a
Research Companion’ by Springer, and has also co-authored ‘Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice’ (3rd ed.)
by Oxford University Press. Both the series and book are prescribed at several universities. Boris has presented
several papers at local and international conferences, such as the Academy of Management and International
Council of Small Business (ICSB), and won best paper awards. He serves on the editorial boards of: Journal of
Social Entrepreneurship (Oxford), Journal of Social Business (UK) and on local journals (e.g. SAJEMS).
His academic studies are centred in commerce, management and entrepreneurship where Boris holds a Higher
Diploma in Management, a Master’s Technology in Business Administration, and a Doctorate in Philosophy
(University of Pretoria). Prof Urban has been awarded many honours including the Juta prize for top student, the
Sasol prize for best PhD student, MANEX top researcher award, and the Research and Knowledge Exchange
(RAKE) award from the UK based Institute of Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
As Programme Director at WBS, Boris introduced the niche academic degree programme: Master of
Management in the field of Entrepreneurship (Ranked in Top 100 Best Masters.com). He has conceptualised
and lectured various modules for the MBA, MM, PDM and Executive Education programmes. Boris has
supervised numerous PhD and Masters (60) students and leads the entrepreneurship research agenda at the
WBS. His research theme guides the Centre for Entrepreneurship (Cfe), serves as a platform for research
fellows and PhD students, and provides him with access to international networks. His academic citizenship
credentials have been earned in various capacities such as: member of the Economics, Management,
Administration and Accounting, NRF Specialist Committee (2014-2018), Acting WBS Director (2009),
Research Director (2013), Ethics representative (2008), and Wits Senate since member 2010.
Boris has undertaken several collaborative projects focusing on entrepreneurial capacity development with the
Cfe, Wits Enterprise, and with Entrepreneurship clinics in emerging economies. Currently his research
collaborations include the International Entrepreneurship Multi-Cultural Study in BRICS and the International
Panel Study on Entrepreneurship Education with leading BRIC, UK and USA universities. As subject expert he
has contributed to several initiatives such as the E & Y G20 Entrepreneurship Monitor, GEM reports and on
panels such as the MIT Global Start-up and the ICSB. He also sits on advisory boards such as Start-Up Nations
(Kaufmann), and has had the opportunity to present his research findings to the Office of the SA Presidency and
at colloquiums held at various international institutions including Oxford University.
Apart from his academic background, Boris has extensive business experience in Africa and Central Eastern
Europe. He first gained entrepreneurial experience by working part-time in his father’s business from the age of
14. Boris has created new ventures, operated both as a franchisor and franchisee, and also worked for MNCs in
the pharmaceutical and retail industries, with broad exposure to strategic and general management functions.
Through training and consulting he has delivered interventions to local and international clients in the private,
NGO and public sectors (e.g. Accenture, Vodacom, Namibian Tourism, Media24, City of Jhb).
Prof Urban’s research is interdisciplinary and juxtaposes business and social issues from an entrepreneurship
capital agency perspective. His primary research agenda is to integrate the personal and social foci of causation
within a unified explanatory structure to understand entrepreneurial behaviour at the individual, organisational
and societal levels. His published works reflect a deepening understanding of the multifaceted nature of
entrepreneurial behaviour. Boris continues to conduct independent, rigorous and relevant research with an
international orientation allowing him to enhance scholarship in this field.