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Dr. Mehrzad Saeedikiya is a researcher, educator, and reviewer specialising in digital transformation, innovation, and digital and sustainable entrepreneurship at QUT Centre for Future Enterprise (CFE). He works at the intersection of digital transformation, organisational capabilities, and sustainable business performance, with experience spanning academia and industry engagement.
Education
BSc – Persian Gulf University, MSc in HR Management and Labour Studies – The University of Milan, Italy
PhD in Innovation & Technology Management– Queensland University of Technology, Australia
Research
Mehrzad’s research focuses on the intersection of digital transformation, innovation, and sustainability. He investigates how emerging digital technologies enhance entrepreneurial capabilities and support sustainable business performance, with a particular focus on how dynamic capabilities emerge, interact with other organisational strengths, and drive innovation outcomes. His doctoral thesis, The Role of Digital Transformation in Innovation-based Competitive Strategy and Firm Performance, examined how digital transformation shapes innovation-based competitive strategies and firm performance.
Teaching Experience
Mehrzad has over seven years of teaching experience in multiple countries and business schools, including The University of Queensland, Queensland University of Technology, and Australian Catholic University. His teaching spans entrepreneurship, innovation, and management, with a strong emphasis on experiential learning and cross-cultural engagement. Recognised with the 2025 FLB Executive Dean Teaching & Learning Innovation Grant from Australian Catholic University, he is also a Certified Business Educator, underscoring his commitment to professional growth in pedagogy.
Awards and Honours
- Emerald Literati Award for Outstanding Reviews (2024)– Journal of Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies
- Best Reviewer Award – Academy of Management 2025 Annual Conference, Copenhagen, Denmark
- 2025 FLB Executive Dean Teaching & Learning Innovation Grant – Australian Catholic University
- 2024 Gold Award and the Member of the Green Champion Team, Green Impact Program, Queensland University of Technology.
Academic Service
Mehrzad has made significant contributions to academic citizenship through peer review for over 20 scholarly journals, serving on editorial boards, and holding leadership roles in professional networks. He serves as the Community Manager for the Academy of Management’s Entrepreneurship Division (voluntary), the Australasian Consortium for Entrepreneurship Research Excellence, and the External Enablement of Entrepreneurship Community (Voluntary). He was on the organising team for the ACERE 2024 conference. For ACERE 2025, he contributed to its organisation under the Australasian Consortium for Entrepreneurship Research Excellence.