PhD Defence Brian Chung
In his dissertation, Valorizing Innovation Through Imaginativeness in Business Venturing, Brian Chung developed a deeper understanding of innovation. From individual innovation in a start-up to impactful market innovation. He also explored the psychology and imaginativeness behind innovation and the effectiveness of this when exploring market opportunities. His research uncovered the psychological and motivational attributes that mould an entrepreneur can affect their ability to innovate and spot opportunities for development and marked market expansion.
Brian successfully defended his dissertation on Wednesday, 21 December 2022. His promotors were Prof. dr. Philip Hans Franses (ESE) and Prof. dr. Enrico Pennings (ESE). The members of his doctoral committee were Dr. Martin Carree (Maastricht University), Dr. Jolanda Hessels (ESE), and Prof. dr. Justin Jansen (RSM).
About Brian Chung
Brian Chung was born on January 31, 1989 in The Hague, The Netherlands. He graduated from Gymnasium Haganum and went on to study Econometrics and Operations Research at Erasmus University in Rotterdam. During his bachelor, Brian worked as a junior consultant at Veneficus, a data analytics company, to apply his theoretical knowledge to practical challenges. As he worked as a data analyst and programmer, he also wanted to know more about the story behind the numbers.
Hence, next to his Master of Science in Econometrics and Management Science, Brian decided to pursue two other Master’s degrees in one year: Behavioural Economics and Economics and Business: Marketing. He graduated Cum Laude for both. Erasmus University Rotterdam awarded him the Professor H.W. Lambers Prize Medal for his outstanding achievements.
During his PhD, Brian further developed his research interest in various fields of discipline, such as psychology and sociology. He also further developed his social, emotional, and leadership skills in his roles as the president of the Erasmus Research Institute of Management (ERIM) PhD council and the president of the Erasmus PhD Association Rotterdam (EPAR). In the same period, he also discovered his passion for teaching and sharing his curiosity and ideas with others. Specifically, he enjoys spending time discussing complex challenges with students and takes pride in seeing his Master thesis students deliver great works of research. He believes that empathy, patience, and gentle guidance are key to being a great supervisor. With this mentality, he supervised the student who won the Best Marketing Thesis Award and the Dutch Marketing Thesis Award.
Thesis Abstract
This dissertation features three empirical studies on entrepreneurship and innovation. These studies combine knowledge from different fields of discipline, such as Econometrics, Management, and Psychology. In this research, I examine the entrepreneurial process that goes from individual innovator to making an impact in the market through innovation. The first study assesses the role of psychosocial development in business venturing. The second study examines the effect of imaginativeness on opportunity evaluation. The third study measures the impact of entrepreneurial motives on innovation in the market, with a focus on formal and informal institutional conditions. The findings show that personal accountability predicts entrepreneurial self-efficacy, which subsequently leads to a stronger entrepreneurial performance. Imaginativeness is a strong predictor of entrepreneurial orientation and opportunity evaluation. Opportunity-driven entrepreneurs are more likely to engage in radical innovation, new product introductions, and profound market expansion.
View photos of Brian's PhD Defence
Photos: Chris Gorzeman / Capital Images
