Clarkson Professor Awarded International Recognition for Work on Small Family Firms

March 20, 2023

Clarkson University Reh Chair in Entrepreneurial Leadership Christian Felzensztein was recently awarded an international recognition by the Rector of the University of Monterrey and the Center for Family Business in Mexico for his research and impact on Small Family Firms in Latin America.

Christian Felzensztein
Christian Felzensztein

Specifically, the award was given to his work titled "The emergence of family entrepreneurship in the transition economy of Cuba" published in the International Journal of Emerging Economies and co-authored by Eli Gimmon from Haifa, Israel.

The purpose of the study was to better understand the emergence of micro and small-scale family entrepreneurial firms in new transition economies. The work was done by a pioneer ethnographic study with small-scale entrepreneurs at three different points in time over several years.

“Families can overcome institutional constraints by helping the entrepreneur deal with market and social obstacles despite the absence of a supportive entrepreneurial ecosystem in certain emerging markets,” Felzensztein explained. “Our new model of family support for entrepreneurship in transition economies extends the theory and practice of family entrepreneurship in transition and emerging economies."

Felzensztein holds the Reh Chair in Entrepreneurial Leadership at Clarkson. His work is highly cited by his practical impact on small firms and entrepreneurship policies in Latin America. Currently he is working on new impactful research on how entrepreneurship can be a vehicle for poverty reduction in Latin America and other emerging economies, which is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals for ending poverty and improving people's life.

As a private, national research university, Clarkson is a leader in technological education and sustainable economic development through teaching, scholarship, research and innovation. We ignite personal connections across academic fields and industries to create the entrepreneurial mindset, knowledge and intellectual curiosity needed to innovate world-relevant solutions and cultivate the leaders of tomorrow. With its main campus located in Potsdam, N.Y., and additional graduate program and research facilities in the New York Capital Region, Beacon, N.Y., and New York City, Clarkson educates 4,000+ students across 95 rigorous programs of study in engineering, business, the arts, education, sciences and health professions. Our alumni earn salaries that are among the top 2% in the nation and realize accelerated career growth. One in five already leads as a CEO, senior executive or owner of a company. To learn more about Clarkson University, go to 6e.p-best.net.
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