Academic Leadership

Professor Paolo Aversa uniquely combines academic excellence with industry leadership.

Paolo’s research focuses on innovation and the evolution of industries and ecosystems. His investigations concentrate on technology-intensive settings to explore radical solutions, digital transformation and business models. He is globally considered
the leading academic expert in the motorsport and Formula 1 industry. Through the years he emerged as one of the leading scholars in the use of sport data to advance management theories.

His work is published in leading academic journals such as the Academy of Management Journal, Organization Science, Academy of Management Annals, Journal of Management, Research Policy, Journal of Management Studies, and practice-oriented outlets such as Harvard Business Review and MIT Sloan Management Review.

Paolo serves as an Associate Editor at the Journal of Management Studies, on the editorial review board at Organization Science and Academy of Management Discoveries, for which he also served as guest editor. Within the Academy of Management he is the Director of Communications and an appointed officer of the Strategic Management (STR) Division and Elected Representative at Large of the Technology and Innovation Management Division. He is a Senior Fellow of Higher Education.

His research was funded by various public and private institutions including EPSRC and the European Commission (Marie-Curie Actions) and received several awards and accolades internationally for his research and teaching

  • "With passion and charisma to spare, Aversa often uses unexpected scenarios to make learning unforgettable. Many times, he ties his lessons to Formula 1 racing, whose data sets, examples, and even guest speakers offer unforgettable lessons in teamwork, culture, and innovation."

    Poets & Quants
    “Best 40 Under 40 Professor”

  • “Honestly when I first came into this class I had no idea what it was about or if even was interested but from the first lecture. Paolo made me fall in love with this module. I look forward to the lectures every week not just for the materials he gives but he also provides life advice and lessons without you knowing. I love it! Thank you Paolo. It all comes back the professor!”

    Anonymous Student

  • "Honestly, I LOVED the module leader. He is a true leader and very inspiring. He set the tone right from the first lecture which honestly motivated me throughout the entire module. This module was the only module throughout my two past years where I was motivated to read all the core readings and participate because of the leader. Loved it throughout the lectures were very inspiring as it gave me insights into the real world, and not only theoretical stuff."

    Anonynous Student

Main Research Awards

Finalist, “That’s Interesting! Award
EGOS Colloquium 2023

For the paper: The Social Attribution of Innovation:Uncovering the Heads Behind the Guillotine

Coauthored with Howard, A., Makarova, M.

2011 Best Doctoral Paper Award EURAM Annual Conference

For the Paper: Framing the strategic peripheries. The evolution of suppliers

Winner, 2022 Best Paper Award for “Rigor in Research”
Strategic Management Society Annual Conference

Awarded by the Competitive Strategy Interest Group

For the paper: Riders on the Storm: Individual Risk-taking and Organizational Resource Disadvantages

Coauthored with Sharma, S., Moliterno, T.

2014 ‘Runner-up’ Marie-Curie Communicating Science Prize

Awarded by the European Commission to the 10 EU-funded research projects with the highest impact on the media.

Winner, 2015 EBS-SIIE Best-Paper-Award “Innovation Management” 2015

For the paper: Driving performance via exploration in changing environments. Evidence from Formula One racing. Organization Science, 26(4): 1079-1100.

Coauthored with Marino, A., Mesquita, L., Anand, J.

Finalist, 2021 OMT Best Paper Award
Academy of Management Annual Conference

Awarded by the Organization and Management Theory Division (OMT)

For the paper: The Grand Tour: The role of catalyzing places for industry emergence. Academy of Management Journal, 65 (6): 2058-2091.

Coauthored with Bianchi, E., Gaio, L., Nucciarelli, A.

Selected Publications

Aversa, P., Moliterno, T. P., Rockmann, K. W., Bothner, M., Sharapov, D., & Eckardt, R. 2025. Exploring new playing fields: Sports settings and management theorizing. Academy of Management Discoveries. In Press.

Agarwal, R., Moeen, M., Guerra, M., Aversa, P. 2025. Creating New Industries: The Generative Role of Heterogeneous Actors. Academy of Management Annals. In Press.

allila, P. Frankort, T.W.H., Aversa, P., 2024. Revving Up or Backing Down? Cross-Level Effects of Firm-Level Tournaments on Employees’ Competitive Actions., Academy of Management Journal. 67(5): 1331–1358.

Fonti, F., Ross, J. M., & Aversa, P. 2023. Using sports data to advance management research: A review and a guide for future studies. Journal of Management, 49(1): 325-362.

Aversa, P., Bianchi, E., Gaio, L., Nucciarelli, A. 2022. The Grand Tour: The role of catalyzing places for industry emergence. Academy of Management Journal. 65 (6): 2058-2091.

Aversa, P., Furnari, S., Jenkins M. 2022. The primordial soup: Exploring the emotional micro-foundations of cluster genesis. Organization Science, 33(4) 1340-1371.

Aversa, P., Huyghe, A., Bonadio, G. 2021. First impressions stick: Market entry strategies and category priming in the digital domain. Journal of Management Studies. 58(7): 1721-1760.

Aversa, P., Guillotin, O. 2018. Firm technological responses to regulatory changes: A Longitudinal Study in the Le Mans Prototype Racing, Research Policy. 47(9): 1655-1673.

Aversa, P., Haefliger, S., Reza, D. 2017. Building a winning a business model portfolio. MIT Sloan Management Review. 58(4): 49-54.

Aversa, P., Berinato, S. 2017. Sometimes, less innovation is better. Harvard Business Review. May-June 95(3): 38-39.

Marino, A., Aversa, P., Mesquita, L., Anand, J. 2015. Driving performance via exploration in changing environments. Evidence from Formula One racing. Organization Science. 26(4): 1079-1100.

Aversa P, Furnari S, Haefliger S. 2015. Business model configurations and performance: A qualitative comparative analysis in Formula One racing, 2005–2013. Industrial and Corporate Change. 24(3): 655-676