Info
Assistant Professor of Management
R. Isil Yavuz
R. Işıl Yavuz is an Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship at 91È«ÄÜ´óÉñ University. She teaches entrepreneurship, international business, and international entrepreneurship at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.
Dr. Yavuz’s research examines how cognition and context interact to shape the early internationalization, innovation, and performance of high-technology new ventures. Her work has been published in leading academic journals, including the Journal of Business Venturing, Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, Small Business Economics, and the Journal of Small Business Management. She is also the author of Outsider Entrepreneurs.
Dr. Yavuz earned her Ph.D. in Strategic Management and Entrepreneurship from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota. Her doctoral research received both the Kauffman Dissertation Fellowship and the Kauffman Firm Survey Best Dissertation Award. She also holds a master’s degree in Social Psychology from Middle East Technical University (METU), where her thesis received the Graduate School of Social Sciences’ Best M.S. Thesis of the Year Award. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from METU, graduating as valedictorian.
Dr. Yavuz’s research examines how cognition and context interact to shape the early internationalization, innovation, and performance of high-technology new ventures. Her work has been published in leading academic journals, including the Journal of Business Venturing, Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, Small Business Economics, and the Journal of Small Business Management. She is also the author of Outsider Entrepreneurs.
Dr. Yavuz earned her Ph.D. in Strategic Management and Entrepreneurship from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota. Her doctoral research received both the Kauffman Dissertation Fellowship and the Kauffman Firm Survey Best Dissertation Award. She also holds a master’s degree in Social Psychology from Middle East Technical University (METU), where her thesis received the Graduate School of Social Sciences’ Best M.S. Thesis of the Year Award. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from METU, graduating as valedictorian.
Degrees Awarded
Ph D, University of Minnesota
MS, Middle East Technical University
BS, Middle East Technical University
Ph D, University of Minnesota
MS, Middle East Technical University
BS, Middle East Technical University
Selected Publications
Yavuz, R., Ergene, E., Salmani, Y., Roberto, M., Visich, J., Generative Artificial Intelligence in Business Education: A Systematic Review with Implications for International Business Pedagogy, Journal of Comparative International Management.
Yavuz, R., Kumar, S., Zbib, L., Nigro, P., Founder Gender and Firm Exit Routes: The Mediating Roles of Firm Size and VC Financing, Small Business Economics, 2025.
Chadwick, H., Yavuz, R., Jiang, C., Rustambekov, E., The Impact of Supervisor Gender on Employee Creativity and the Mediating Role of Interaction Frequency, Journal of Comparative International Management, 2024.
Yavuz, R., Dutta, D., , ., Soytas, M., Extending Behavioral Theory of the Firm to New Ventures: Dispositional Optimism as a Moderating Influence on New Product Introductions in High-tech Ventures, Journal of Business Venturing Insights, 2024.
Yavuz, R., Iacoviello, A., The effect of founder CEOs’ technical and business education on the amount of entrepreneurial financing in the global fintech industry, METU Studies in Development, 2023.
Yavuz, R., A Theoretical Model on the Role of Aspirations in the Internationalization of Born Global Companies, Academy of International Business, 2022.
Yavuz, R., Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies: Barriers to Entrepreneurship in the Muslim World, International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 2022.
Yavuz, R., A Theoretical Model on the Role of Aspirations in the Internationalization of Born Global Companies, Hacettepe University Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences, 2022.
Yavuz, R., Bahadir, B., "Remittances, Ethnic Diversity, and Entrepreneurship in Developing Countries, Small Business Economics, 2022.
Yavuz, R., Founders’ Education, Social Capital, and Their Interplay in the Intensity of New Venture Internationalization, Journal of Small Business Management, 2021.
Yavuz, R., Dutta, D., Soytas, M., Optimistic Entrepreneurs and New Product Introductions in High-tech New Ventures: An Examination Based on the Behavioral Theory of the Firm, Best Paper Proceedings of the Seventy-eighth Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management, 2018.
Dutta, D., Yavuz, R., Survived but Cannot Prosper! Examining the Impact of Gender Inequality on Success of Women-owned Entrepreneurial Ventures through a Liberal Feminist Lens, Edward Elgar Publishing, 2017.
Yavuz, R., Sapienza, H., Resource Mobility, Early Internationalization and Performance, Edward Elgar Publishing, 2016.
Yavuz, R., The Outsider Entrepreneurs, LFB Scholarly Publishing, 2013.
De Clercq, D., Sapienza, H., Yavuz, R., Zhou, L., Learning and Knowledge in Early Internationalization Research: Past Accomplishments and Future Directions, Journal of Business Venturing, 2012.
Yavuz, R., Sapienza, H., Zaheer, S., Founders’ Immigrant Status, Early Internationalization and Performance in High Technology Industries , Frontiers of Entrepreneurship Research, 2012.
Zahra, S., Yavuz, R., Competing at the Intersection: Entrepreneurialism, Agility and Organizational Resilience, Sage Publication, 2008.
Zahra, S., Yavuz, R., Ucbasaran, D., How Much Do You Trust Me? The Dark Side of Relational Trust in New Business Creation in Established Companies, Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 2006.
Yavuz, R., Ergene, E., Salmani, Y., Roberto, M., Visich, J., Generative Artificial Intelligence in Business Education: A Systematic Review with Implications for International Business Pedagogy, Journal of Comparative International Management.
Yavuz, R., Kumar, S., Zbib, L., Nigro, P., Founder Gender and Firm Exit Routes: The Mediating Roles of Firm Size and VC Financing, Small Business Economics, 2025.
Chadwick, H., Yavuz, R., Jiang, C., Rustambekov, E., The Impact of Supervisor Gender on Employee Creativity and the Mediating Role of Interaction Frequency, Journal of Comparative International Management, 2024.
Yavuz, R., Dutta, D., , ., Soytas, M., Extending Behavioral Theory of the Firm to New Ventures: Dispositional Optimism as a Moderating Influence on New Product Introductions in High-tech Ventures, Journal of Business Venturing Insights, 2024.
Yavuz, R., Iacoviello, A., The effect of founder CEOs’ technical and business education on the amount of entrepreneurial financing in the global fintech industry, METU Studies in Development, 2023.
Yavuz, R., A Theoretical Model on the Role of Aspirations in the Internationalization of Born Global Companies, Academy of International Business, 2022.
Yavuz, R., Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies: Barriers to Entrepreneurship in the Muslim World, International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 2022.
Yavuz, R., A Theoretical Model on the Role of Aspirations in the Internationalization of Born Global Companies, Hacettepe University Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences, 2022.
Yavuz, R., Bahadir, B., "Remittances, Ethnic Diversity, and Entrepreneurship in Developing Countries, Small Business Economics, 2022.
Yavuz, R., Founders’ Education, Social Capital, and Their Interplay in the Intensity of New Venture Internationalization, Journal of Small Business Management, 2021.
Yavuz, R., Dutta, D., Soytas, M., Optimistic Entrepreneurs and New Product Introductions in High-tech New Ventures: An Examination Based on the Behavioral Theory of the Firm, Best Paper Proceedings of the Seventy-eighth Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management, 2018.
Dutta, D., Yavuz, R., Survived but Cannot Prosper! Examining the Impact of Gender Inequality on Success of Women-owned Entrepreneurial Ventures through a Liberal Feminist Lens, Edward Elgar Publishing, 2017.
Yavuz, R., Sapienza, H., Resource Mobility, Early Internationalization and Performance, Edward Elgar Publishing, 2016.
Yavuz, R., The Outsider Entrepreneurs, LFB Scholarly Publishing, 2013.
De Clercq, D., Sapienza, H., Yavuz, R., Zhou, L., Learning and Knowledge in Early Internationalization Research: Past Accomplishments and Future Directions, Journal of Business Venturing, 2012.
Yavuz, R., Sapienza, H., Zaheer, S., Founders’ Immigrant Status, Early Internationalization and Performance in High Technology Industries , Frontiers of Entrepreneurship Research, 2012.
Zahra, S., Yavuz, R., Competing at the Intersection: Entrepreneurialism, Agility and Organizational Resilience, Sage Publication, 2008.
Zahra, S., Yavuz, R., Ucbasaran, D., How Much Do You Trust Me? The Dark Side of Relational Trust in New Business Creation in Established Companies, Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 2006.
Awards and Honors
Faculty Merit Award, 2025
Faculty Parity Award, 2024
Faculty Merit Award, 2022
College of Business Outstanding Service Award, 2022
Best Paper Prize Nominee, Strategic Management Society (SMS) Conference, 2020
Best Paper Proceedings, Academy of Management (AOM) Conference , 2018
Best Paper Proceedings, Babson Entrepreneurship Research (BERC) Conference , 2012
Kauffman Firm Survey (KFS) Best Dissertation Award , USA , 2012
Doris McNamara's Women Dissertation Fellowship Award, U of Minnesota, USA , 2010
Kauffman Foundation Dissertation Fellowship Award, USA , 2010
M.S., Best Master Thesis of the Year Award in Social Sciences, METU, Turkey, 2005
B.S., Valedictorian with the CGPA of 4.0/4.0, METU, Turkey, 2002
Faculty Merit Award, 2025
Faculty Parity Award, 2024
Faculty Merit Award, 2022
College of Business Outstanding Service Award, 2022
Best Paper Prize Nominee, Strategic Management Society (SMS) Conference, 2020
Best Paper Proceedings, Academy of Management (AOM) Conference , 2018
Best Paper Proceedings, Babson Entrepreneurship Research (BERC) Conference , 2012
Kauffman Firm Survey (KFS) Best Dissertation Award , USA , 2012
Doris McNamara's Women Dissertation Fellowship Award, U of Minnesota, USA , 2010
Kauffman Foundation Dissertation Fellowship Award, USA , 2010
M.S., Best Master Thesis of the Year Award in Social Sciences, METU, Turkey, 2005
B.S., Valedictorian with the CGPA of 4.0/4.0, METU, Turkey, 2002
Teaching Interests
Entrepreneurship, International Business
Entrepreneurship, International Business
Research Interests
International entrepreneurship, high-tech immigrant entrepreneurship, woman entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial financing, entrepreneurship in developing countries, new venture innovation and performance
International entrepreneurship, high-tech immigrant entrepreneurship, woman entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial financing, entrepreneurship in developing countries, new venture innovation and performance
Professional Memberships
Strategic Management Society
Academy of International Business
Academy of Management
Strategic Management Society
Academy of International Business
Academy of Management