Nina Gorovaia-Zenios is an accomplished academic and researcher with extensive experience in strategic management, franchising, corporate social responsibility (CSR), and knowledge management. With over two decades of teaching and research, she has established herself as a respected scholar with a global perspective. She currently serves as a tenured Associate Professor of Business Administration at Frederick University in Cyprus, where she coordinates the Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration program and actively contributes to curriculum design, particularly in distance learning. Nina’s research contributions are widely recognized, with publications in prestigious Scopus Q1 journals and collaborations with international scholars. She has been involved in several high-profile, European-funded research projects focusing on green practices, franchising networks, and crowdsourcing language learning platforms. In addition to her academic roles, she has been a visiting professor at the University of Vienna and Helsinki Business School, enhancing her global teaching footprint. Nina is actively engaged in professional organizations such as the International Society of Franchising, where she also serves on the board. Her professional journey highlights a commitment to delivering impactful research, promoting sustainability, and advancing teaching excellence in international business and strategy.
Professional Profile
Education
Nina Gorovaia-Zenios holds a PhD in Social and Economic Sciences from the University of Economics and Business Administration in Vienna, Austria, where she graduated with honors in 2002. Her doctoral research explored institutional influences on inter-organizational networks in Russia. Prior to that, she earned a Master’s degree in Economics and Area Studies from Moscow State University, where her thesis focused on foreign direct investment in South Africa. Her undergraduate studies, also at Moscow State University, combined economics and regional development with Afro-Asian studies, and she achieved high honors throughout her academic training. Nina’s education is further enriched by a sabbatical year at the Wharton Business School, University of Pennsylvania, where she completed five advanced PhD-level courses in research methods, econometrics, and computational linguistics, which significantly strengthened her methodological expertise. She also has extensive training in languages, including English, Swahili, and Portuguese. Her educational journey has been distinguished by international exposure, cross-cultural competencies, and an interdisciplinary approach that continues to shape her research and teaching philosophy. These academic achievements have positioned her as a versatile and globally engaged researcher in the fields of business administration and strategy.
Professional Experience
Nina Gorovaia-Zenios has built an impressive professional career in academia, with substantial teaching, research, and administrative experience. Since 2008, she has been affiliated with Frederick University, Cyprus, where she currently holds the position of Tenured Associate Professor of Business Administration. She has played a critical role as the coordinator of the Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration program since 2019 and has been instrumental in the design and accreditation of both conventional and distance-learning programs. In addition, she has served as Deputy Head of the Business Administration Department for several terms. Nina has also held visiting professorships at the University of Vienna, where she has taught graduate seminars annually since 2009, and at Helsinki Business School, where she taught undergraduate strategic management. Her earlier academic positions include Assistant Professor at European University Cyprus. Nina’s professional portfolio extends beyond academia; she managed her own translation business in Vienna, Austria, and worked as an export manager in an Austrian firm. Her global teaching engagements, involvement in European research projects, and contributions to curriculum innovation reflect a dynamic and influential academic career that has made a lasting impact on both students and the international research community.
Research Interest
Nina Gorovaia-Zenios’s research interests lie at the intersection of strategic management, franchising, corporate social responsibility (CSR), greenwashing detection, international business, and knowledge management. Her work often examines how inter-organizational networks, such as franchise systems, operate across global markets, and she is particularly interested in how contractual governance, decentralization, and knowledge transfer mechanisms influence organizational performance. Recently, her research has expanded to include the application of natural language processing (NLP) techniques to detect greenwashing in corporate reports, demonstrating her commitment to integrating technology into social and management research. Nina is also engaged in exploring the intersection of CSR and brand competitiveness within franchise networks and has published impactful studies on the performance of knowledge transfer mechanisms in franchising. Her participation in European-funded projects reflects her growing interest in the development of sustainable tourism, digital transformation in education, and crowdsourcing techniques for language learning. Additionally, her research on family businesses and international market entry strategies illustrates a broad academic focus on how organizations navigate cross-cultural and cross-border challenges. Nina’s interdisciplinary approach allows her to connect theory with practical solutions, and her work contributes meaningfully to advancing both academic knowledge and managerial practices.
Research Skills
Nina Gorovaia-Zenios possesses a comprehensive suite of research skills that bridge qualitative and quantitative methodologies. She is highly proficient in research design, data collection, and advanced statistical analysis, supported by her rigorous training in econometrics and predictive analytics at Wharton Business School. Her expertise includes knowledge of structural equation modeling, regression analysis, and network theory applications. Nina has effectively applied these skills in empirical studies involving franchising networks, CSR strategies, and international business contexts. She is also adept in using natural language processing (NLP) to detect greenwashing, a cutting-edge skill that demonstrates her ability to integrate technology into management research. Her strong project management capabilities are evident from her leadership in coordinating large-scale, European-funded research initiatives. Additionally, she has significant experience in cross-country data collection, analysis of contract structures, and the development of case studies and teaching materials. Nina’s extensive experience as a reviewer for leading journals has honed her ability to critically evaluate research, ensuring methodological rigor and theoretical contribution. Her ability to supervise doctoral students and contribute to interdisciplinary research collaborations further highlights her versatile research competencies that are aligned with global academic standards.
Awards and Honors
Throughout her distinguished career, Nina Gorovaia-Zenios has received multiple awards and honors that reflect her scholarly excellence and contributions to both research and teaching. In 2022, she won the Best Student Paper Award from the International Society of Franchising, recognizing her impactful research in the field. That same year, she was honored with the Best Teaching Case Study Award by YUM! Brands, underscoring her ability to translate academic research into practical, real-world applications for students. Her earlier accolades include the Best Paper Reviewer Award from the International Society of Franchising in 2017, which attests to her critical role in maintaining high research standards in the academic community. Additionally, she received a prize for the best dissertation at the University of Vienna’s international workshop and was awarded the second prize for her research on Russia’s financial market at Moscow State University. Nina’s contributions have also been supported by several prestigious European research grants, including Erasmus+, COST Actions, and Ernst Mach post-doctoral scholarships. These recognitions reflect not only the academic quality of her work but also her active engagement in promoting innovative research and impactful teaching in international business and franchising.
Conclusion
Nina Gorovaia-Zenios stands out as a globally recognized academic whose research, teaching, and leadership have made substantial contributions to the field of business administration. Her comprehensive educational background, rich professional experience, and an impressive array of international research projects position her as a leader in her domain. Her ability to bridge theory and practice, particularly in franchising, CSR, and greenwashing detection, adds significant value to both the academic and professional communities. Nina’s work has consistently demonstrated originality, methodological rigor, and societal relevance. Her active involvement in academic governance, program coordination, PhD supervision, and international collaborations exemplifies her dedication to academic excellence and institutional development. She has also shown a keen ability to adapt to emerging research areas, including the application of natural language processing and crowdsourcing techniques. With numerous high-impact publications, participation in prestigious conferences, and recognition through several international awards, Nina Gorovaia-Zenios is a deserving candidate for the Best Researcher Award. Her career reflects a perfect blend of scholarly impact, teaching innovation, and community contribution, which collectively underline her suitability for continued recognition and academic leadership.
Publications Top Notes
1. The Use of Knowledge Transfer Mechanisms in Franchising
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Authors: N. Gorovaia, J. Windsperger
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Journal: Knowledge and Process Management 17 (1), 12-21
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Year: 2010
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Citations: 91
2. Determinants of Knowledge Transfer Strategy in Franchising: Integrating Knowledge-Based and Relational Governance Perspectives
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Authors: N. Gorovaia, J. Windsperger
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Journal: The Service Industries Journal 33 (12), 1117-1134
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Year: 2013
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Citations: 77
3. Knowledge Attributes and the Choice of Knowledge Transfer Mechanism in Networks: The Case of Franchising
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Authors: J. Windsperger, N. Gorovaia
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Journal: Journal of Management & Governance 15, 617-640
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Year: 2011
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Citations: 71
4. Real Options, Intangible Resources and Performance of Franchise Networks
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Authors: N. Gorovaia, J. Windsperger
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Journal: Managerial and Decision Economics 34 (3-5), 183-194
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Year: 2013
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Citations: 61
5. The Choice of Contract Duration in Franchising Networks: A Transaction Cost and Resource-Based View
6. The Knowledge Transfer Strategy of Franchising Firms: Evidence from the Austrian Franchise Sector
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Authors: J. Windsperger, N. Gorovaia
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Source: Strategy and Governance of Networks: Cooperatives, Franchising, and …
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Year: 2008
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Citations: 24
7. Identifying Greenwashing in Corporate-Social Responsibility Reports Using Natural-Language Processing
8. Performance of Franchising Networks: Conceptual Framework
9. Determinants, Transactional Alignment, and Performance Outcomes of Franchise Contract Length
10. Performance of Knowledge Transfer Mechanisms: The Case of Franchising Networks
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Authors: N. Gorovaia, M. Pajić, J. Windsperger
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Journal: Industrial Marketing Management 115, 539-549
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Year: 2023
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Citations: 16