Most of us who teach in MBA or eMBA programs have encountered them: students who excel analytically, gravitate toward theory, and are interested in why entrepreneurial patterns recur, why most ventures fail or exit, why context shapes success so unevenly, and why standard playbooks break down under innovation and institutional complexity.
I'm recruiting doctoral students for the 2026 cycle in the Entrepreneurship Ph.D. program at Louisiana State University's E. J. Ourso College of Business. The program is theory-driven and especially well suited for students-often MBAs and eMBAs-who are beginning to shift from participating in entrepreneurship or strategy to systematically explaining entrepreneurial and strategic phenomena.
I'm particularly hoping to reach faculty who mentor MBA or eMBA students who:
• stand out in strategy or innovation courses
• enjoy theory and analytical logic
• ask questions that move beyond execution toward explanation
If one or two students come to mind, I would be grateful if you would make an introduction or invite them to contact me.
Our research sits at the intersection of entrepreneurship, strategy, innovation, ecosystems, platforms, and institutional environments, with openness to conceptual, qualitative, and quantitative approaches.
Doctoral students receive close faculty mentorship, full funding, and early opportunities for coauthorship, with preparation for publication in leading journals (AMR, AMJ, JBV, SMJ, SEJ, JOM).
Priority deadline: February 15, 2026
Program details and application portal: https://www.lsu.edu/business/sdeis/phd.php
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Gideon Markman
Full Professor
Colorado State University
Fort Collins CO
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