
Professor Ute Stephan
Professor of Entrepreneurship
Research interests
- Strategy, International Management and Entrepreneurship
Biography
Ute Stephan is Professor of Entrepreneurship at King’s Business School, King’s College London, a Fellow of the International Association of Applied Psychology (IAAP) and a 21st Century Entrepreneurship Fellow. She serves as Associate Editor at the Journal of Management and at Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice. From 2015-2019 she was Editor-in-Chief of Applied Psychology: An International Review and from 2019-2022 Consulting Editor at the Journal of International Business Studies.
As an expert on the Psychology of Entrepreneurship, Ute explores how individuals and societies can thrive through entrepreneurship. Ute’s research builds evidence on how contexts (culture and institutions) shape entrepreneurship and well-being, and how entrepreneurship, in turn, can help to build more inclusive societies.
Ute’s research explores (1) entrepreneurial well-being, stress and mental health, (2) culture and institutions, and (3) (3) social entrepreneurship. She publishes in leading journals such as the Journal of Management, Journal of International Business Studies (JIBS), Journal of Business Venturing (JBV), Entrepreneurship Theory & Practice (ETP), Management Science, Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal, Academy of Management Perspectives. Ute serves on the editorial boards of the Academy of Management Journal, Academy of Management Review, JBV and ETP.
Her research has won multiple international awards, attracted over £3 million in funding from the European Commission, the UK Government, UK research councils, charities and German government institutions; and has been featured in the media including the Financial Times, The Guardian, Wall Street Journal, Forbes, WIRED, BBC, AlJazeera, Bloomberg and others.
Ute led projects commissioned by UK Government Departments on social entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial aspirations. She currently leads a 30 country study on Entrepreneurship & Covid-19, she is also a lead investigator of the 10-country SEFORIS project which stands for Social Enterprises as a Force for Inclusive and Innovative Societies, and its predecessor the SELUSI project. She is an elected board member of the GLOBE project (Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness project) and of the International Association of Applied Psychology (IAAP). Ute chairs the IAAP publication committee.
Research

Strategy, International Management & Entrepreneurship
The Department of Strategy, International Management and Entrepreneurship has a very strong research reputation in developing theory, methods, and knowledge to advance our understanding of business, innovation, and entrepreneurial activity in an international institutional context.

Positive Entrepreneurship
The project explores how entrepreneurs and their families can flourish, thrive and be happy in the face of stressful entrepreneurial work.
Project status: Completed

Supporting Entrepreneurship during the Covid-19 Pandemic: A Global Study of Entrepreneurs' Resilience and Well-being
The Covid-19 pandemic threatens small businesses’ survival and entrepreneurs’ mental well-being. This project investigates their resilience strategies.
Project status: Ongoing
News
Leader of the Labour Party and Shadow Chancellor visit King's to meet women entrepreneurs
Professor Ute Stephan shared her findings on the resilience of women entrepreneurs during COVID
Will joining the Great Resignation to found your own business bring happiness?
The latest research suggests that it might, but entrepreneurship brings distinct stresses

Leader of the Labour Party and Shadow Chancellor hears from female entrepreneurs
Ahead of International Women’s Day 2022, Leader of the Labour Party, Sir Keir Starmer MP and Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves MP yesterday...

Toll of pandemic on entrepreneurs' mental health revealed in new report
A global study by King’s Business School into the impact of the pandemic on entrepreneurs’ businesses and mental well-being has found that stress worsened...

16.6 Million UK jobs at risk if entrepreneurs and SMEs cannot sustain their businesses
Researchers from King’s Business School warn in a new report that many of the UK’s 5.86 million small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are in a precarious...

Professor Ute Stephan contributes to Cherie Blair Foundation for Women global programme for women entrepreneurs
Scheme will help women entrepreneurs in low to middle income countries negotiate the impact of COVID-19

Navigating the stresses of being an entrepreneur
A practical guide based on the latest research

Events

The Innovator's Guide to MedTech Entrepreneurship
Join us on campus to find out more about our MedTech Innovation and Entrepreneurship MSc
Please note: this event has passed.

The Innovator's Guide to MedTech Entrepreneurship - Online
Join us online to find out more about our MedTech Innovation and Entrepreneurship MSc
Please note: this event has passed.

How to use ESG to build your business
Join SME leaders, industry speakers and King’s leading academics to share the latest developments in ESG.
Please note: this event has passed.

Entrepreneurs and Covid-19: How to Deal with Stress, Stay Resilient and Re-Gain Control
This webinar offers insights for entrepreneurs from those who are in the process of starting their business to owners and managers of established businesses.
Please note: this event has passed.
Features
How entrepreneurial skills can equip young people facing the bleak prospect of unemployment
Government interventions to improve the employability of young people could be more effective by considering how to develop entrepreneurial competencies

Spotlight
Spotlight on COVID: Challenges and opportunities for women entrepreneurs
Ute Stephan, Professor of Entrepreneurship at King's Business School, discusses the challenges and opportunities for women entrepreneurs during the pandemic...

Research

Strategy, International Management & Entrepreneurship
The Department of Strategy, International Management and Entrepreneurship has a very strong research reputation in developing theory, methods, and knowledge to advance our understanding of business, innovation, and entrepreneurial activity in an international institutional context.

Positive Entrepreneurship
The project explores how entrepreneurs and their families can flourish, thrive and be happy in the face of stressful entrepreneurial work.
Project status: Completed

Supporting Entrepreneurship during the Covid-19 Pandemic: A Global Study of Entrepreneurs' Resilience and Well-being
The Covid-19 pandemic threatens small businesses’ survival and entrepreneurs’ mental well-being. This project investigates their resilience strategies.
Project status: Ongoing
News
Leader of the Labour Party and Shadow Chancellor visit King's to meet women entrepreneurs
Professor Ute Stephan shared her findings on the resilience of women entrepreneurs during COVID
Will joining the Great Resignation to found your own business bring happiness?
The latest research suggests that it might, but entrepreneurship brings distinct stresses

Leader of the Labour Party and Shadow Chancellor hears from female entrepreneurs
Ahead of International Women’s Day 2022, Leader of the Labour Party, Sir Keir Starmer MP and Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves MP yesterday...

Toll of pandemic on entrepreneurs' mental health revealed in new report
A global study by King’s Business School into the impact of the pandemic on entrepreneurs’ businesses and mental well-being has found that stress worsened...

16.6 Million UK jobs at risk if entrepreneurs and SMEs cannot sustain their businesses
Researchers from King’s Business School warn in a new report that many of the UK’s 5.86 million small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are in a precarious...

Professor Ute Stephan contributes to Cherie Blair Foundation for Women global programme for women entrepreneurs
Scheme will help women entrepreneurs in low to middle income countries negotiate the impact of COVID-19

Navigating the stresses of being an entrepreneur
A practical guide based on the latest research

Events

The Innovator's Guide to MedTech Entrepreneurship
Join us on campus to find out more about our MedTech Innovation and Entrepreneurship MSc
Please note: this event has passed.

The Innovator's Guide to MedTech Entrepreneurship - Online
Join us online to find out more about our MedTech Innovation and Entrepreneurship MSc
Please note: this event has passed.

How to use ESG to build your business
Join SME leaders, industry speakers and King’s leading academics to share the latest developments in ESG.
Please note: this event has passed.

Entrepreneurs and Covid-19: How to Deal with Stress, Stay Resilient and Re-Gain Control
This webinar offers insights for entrepreneurs from those who are in the process of starting their business to owners and managers of established businesses.
Please note: this event has passed.
Features
How entrepreneurial skills can equip young people facing the bleak prospect of unemployment
Government interventions to improve the employability of young people could be more effective by considering how to develop entrepreneurial competencies

Spotlight
Spotlight on COVID: Challenges and opportunities for women entrepreneurs
Ute Stephan, Professor of Entrepreneurship at King's Business School, discusses the challenges and opportunities for women entrepreneurs during the pandemic...
