Dr Fariba Darabi BA, MSc, DBA
Senior Lecturer in International Business
Summary
I am a Senior Lecturer and PhD Post-Graduate Research Tutor in Sheffield Business School, being responsible for the PhD programme. I also deliver research training for PhD and DBA postgraduate researchers.
My teaching focus is Research Methods and Global Supply Chain Management across UG and PG programmes. On the MSc International Business Management course, which is EPAS accredited. I am an experienced UG and PG programmes leader. Prior to my academic career, I undertook senior management roles for a range of international organisations. I worked in international trade with SMEs, family businesses and semi-public-private organisations overseas.
I am a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a UK Council for Graduate Education Recognised Research Supervisor. In 2022, I was awarded a Visiting Professorship by the University of Toulouse Capitole 1.
My research interests and publications are in the field of SMEs, Engaged Scholarship, Entrepreneurship and resilience in small firms, Trust in inter-organisational relationships, Entrepreneurship Education, Sustainability in Family Businesses, Global Sourcing/Global Supply Chain Management, and methodological approaches to research.
I actively engage with a number of learned societies. I am a Council Member of the British Academy of Management (BAM) and Conference Track Chair for Research Methodology Special Interest Group (SIG), former Secretary of Entrepreneurship SIG, and member of International Business and Methodology SIGs.
I am a steering committee member of European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD) Doctoral Programme Conference, Board member of Northern Advanced Research Training Initiative (NARTI) identifying PGRs and ECRs developmental needs and designing relevant training, and a member of the European Academy of Management (EURAM) Entrepreneurship SIG.
I have generated income in excess of £200,000 predominantly through knowledge exchange partnership as well as pedagogic development. My most recent KTP is with Lightmaine Ltd. in conjunction with the University’s Lab4Living. One of my Entrepreneurship Education funded projects was with Business School’s Global Education partner Botswana Accountancy College.
About
I am a Senior Lecturer and PhD Post-Graduate Research Tutor in Sheffield Business School, being responsible for the PhD programme. I also deliver research training for PhD and DBA postgraduate researchers.
My teaching focus is Research Methods and Global Supply Chain Management across UG and PG programmes. On the MSc International Business Management course, which is EPAS accredited, I lead the ‘Research Methods in International Business’ module with an innovative approach which has significantly improved the students’ attainment. I supervise MSc student dissertations and International Consultancy live projects, which involves industry engagement. I am also an experienced UG and PG programmes leader. I have been nominated for ‘Inspirational Teaching Award’ in the Business School.
I hold a Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA), my thesis exploring the role of trust in developing Business School – SME collaborations. I also hold an MSc in International Marketing. Prior to my academic career, I undertook senior management roles for a range of international organisations. I worked in international trade with SMEs, family businesses, and semi-public-private organisations overseas.
I am a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a UK Council for Graduate Education Recognised Research Supervisor. In 2022, I was awarded a Visiting Professorship by the University of Toulouse Capitole 1.
My research interests and publications are in the field of SMEs, Engaged Scholarship, Entrepreneurship and resilience in small firms, Trust in inter-organisational relationships, Entrepreneurship Education, Sustainability in Family Businesses, Global Sourcing/Global Supply Chain Management, and methodological approaches to research.
I have published in well regarded journals including International Journal of Entrepreneurial Research Behaviour, European Journal of Training and Development, and have also published several book chapters. I collaborate with colleagues both in the UK and overseas including from University of Waikato in New Zealand, and Birmingham Business School. I have established, led and advanced the theme of SMEs, Entrepreneurship and Innovation within International Business and Business Economics Research Group in Sheffield Business School, where I organised research-based events joint with BAM Entrepreneurship SIG.
I am currently supervising five PhD researchers and have supervised four doctoral students to successful completion and have also examined doctoral theses. I have been nominated for ‘Inspirational Research Supervisor Award’ in the Business School.
I actively engage with a number of learned societies. I am a Council Member of the British Academy of Management (BAM) and Conference Track Chair for Research Methodology Special Interest Group (SIG), former Secretary of Entrepreneurship SIG, and member of International Business and Methodology SIGs. I have been an invited presenter at the BAM’s annual doctoral symposium, for several years.
I am a steering committee member of European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD) Doctoral Programme Conference, Board member of Northern Advanced Research Training Initiative (NARTI) identifying PGRs and ECRs developmental needs and designing relevant training, and a member of the European Academy of Management (EURAM) Entrepreneurship SIG.
I am regularly invited as a guest speaker by other Universities nationally and internationally.
I have generated income in excess of £200,000 predominantly through knowledge exchange partnership as well as pedagogic development. My most recent KTP is with Lightmaine Ltd. in conjunction with the University’s Lab4Living. One of my Entrepreneurship Education funded projects was with Business School’s Global Education partner Botswana Accountancy College.
Senior Lecturer in International Business
Teaching
College of Business, Technology and Engineering
International Business
Research
Broadly my research interest lies in Entrepreneurship and SMEs, and International Business. some examples of my research projects are: Inter-organisational Relationships, Engaged Scholarship, SMEs-University relationship and the role of Trust, Enterprise Education, Global sourcing
Principal investigator of 'Developing a sustainable Enterprise Education in Botswana', internally funded collaborative project with the Business School education Partner BAC.
'- Visiting Professor at University of Capitole 1, France
- Steering committee member of European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD) Doctoral
Programme Conference,
- External Examiner for International Business course at University of Glasgow, UK
- British Academy of Management (BAM), Council Member, UK
- Board member of Northern Advanced Research Training Initiative (NARTI), UK
- Conference Track Chair for Research Methodology Special Interest Group (SIG), BAM, UK
Publications
Key Publications
Darabi, F., Saunders, M.N.K., & Clark, M. (2020). Trust initiation and development in SME-University Collaborations: implications for enabling engaged scholarship. European Journal of Training and Development. http://doi.org/10.1108/EJTD-04-2020-0068
Kesseba, K. (2018). Factors Influencing Performance Management of Non-Equity Joint Ventures in theOil Sector. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Darabi, F. http://doi.org/10.7190/shu-thesis-00178
Duffy, M. (2018). Influencers and consequences of Organisational Commitment within Sheffield City Region’s mid-sized businesses. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Darabi, F. http://doi.org/10.7190/shu-thesis-00135
Weligodapola, M., & Darabi, F. (2018). Developing general analytical inductive qualitative research strategy to explore small enterprise growth in turbulent economies. PROCEEDINGS OF THE 17TH EUROPEAN CONFERENCE ON RESEARCH METHODOLOGY FOR BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT STUDIES (ECRM 2018), 482-490. https://www.academic-bookshop.com/ourshop/prod_6457339-ECRM-2018-PDF-Proceedings-of-the-17th-European-Conference-on-Research-Methodology-for-Business-and-Management-Studies.html
Pham, S.H., Darabi, F., & Wilmot, N. (2016). International Supply Chain Case Study. In Christiansen, B. (Ed.) Handbook of Research on Global Supply Chain Management. (pp. 205-226). Hershey PA. USA: IGI Global: http://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-4666-9639-6.ch012
Darabi, F. (2016). Investigating a University Business School and Industry Collaboration: A General Analytical Inductive Qualitative Research Case. In Sage's Research Methods Series, Cases in Methodology. New York: Sage Publications, London
Darabi, F., & Clark, M. (2012). Developing business school/SMEs collaboration: the role of trust. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour and Research, 18 (4), 477-493. http://doi.org/10.1108/13552551211239500
Journal articles
Weligodapola, M., Darabi, F., Scott, J., & Herbane, B. (n.d.). On the Microdynamics of Organizational Resilience in a Post-Conflict Setting. Entrepreneurship and Regional Development.
Weligodapola, M., Darabi, F., Scott, J., & Herbane, B. (n.d.). On the Microdynamics of Organizational Resilience in a Post-Conflict Setting. Entrepreneurship and Regional Development.
Darabi, F., & Foster, S. (n.d.). Mental Health and Wellbeing of PGRs and Supervisory Staff. EFMD Global Focus Special Supplement on Facilitating Healthy Business School Doctorate Ecosystems.
Darabi, F., & Mutoko, W. (n.d.). Developing a Sustainable Entrepreneurship Education among Youth in Botswana. Southern African Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management.
Conference papers
Ahsan, R., Darabi, F., Johnson, S., & Holland, C. (2022). Challenges in collecting documentary evidence: an exploration of Academic Entrepreneurship in Bangladesh. In BAM 2022 Conference, Manchester, 2022 - 2 September 2022. https://www.bam.ac.uk/events-landing/conference.html
Weligodapola, M., & Darabi, F. (2018). Developing General Analytical Inductive Qualitative Research Strategy to Explore Small Enterprise Growth in Turbulent Economies. In Demartini, P., & Marchiori, M. (Eds.) European Conference on Research Methodology for Business and Management Studies, Rome, Italy, 12 July 2018 - 13 July 2018. Acip
Darabi, F. (2015). Developing collaboration between SMEs/Business School: Opportunities and Challenges. Botswana Tertiary Education Fair and Conference.
Darabi, F. (2014). Teaching Research Design: Positioning Neo-empiricist inductive management research. European Conference on Research Methodology, 0.
Darabi, F., & Clark, M. (2013). Developing a General Analytical Inductive Qualitative Research Strategy to Investigate Business School - Industry Collaboration. PROCEEDINGS OF THE 12TH EUROPEAN CONFERENCE ON RESEARCH METHODOLOGY FOR BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT STUDIES, 108-117.
Scott, J., Darabi, F., & Saunders, M.N.K. (2022). In Pursuit of Relevance: Engaged Scholarship in Entrepreneurship and Small Business Research. In Institute of Small Business and Entrepreneurship (ISBE), York, 27 October 2022 - 28 October 2022.
Scott, J., Darabi, F., & Saunders, M.N.K. (2022). In Pursuit of Relevance: Engaged Scholarship in Entrepreneurship and Small Business Research. In Institute of Small Business and Entrepreneurship (ISBE), York, 27 October 2022 - 28 October 2022.
Book chapters
Darabi, F., & Saunders, M.N.K. (2024). Mixed and Multiple Methods. In Parker, J., Donelley, N., Ressia, S., & Gavin, M. (Eds.) Field Guide to Researching Employee Relations. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar
Darabi, F., & Scott, J. (2023). Case 5, internationalising engaged scholarship: business performance and community development. In Saunders, M.N.K., Lewis, P., & Thornhill, A. (Eds.) Research Methods for Business Students. Ninth edition. (pp. 229-231). Pearson: https://www.pearson.com/en-gb/subject-catalog/p/research-methods-for-business-students/P200000010080/9781292402727
Theses / Dissertations
Weligodapola, M. (2023). Resilience and Growth of Small Enterprises in Post-Conflict Economy. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Darabi, F., Rajapakshe, W., Mcauley, J., Doole, I., & Suraweera, T. http://doi.org/10.7190/shu-thesis-00504
Media
Darabi, F. (2023). Making Sense of Mixed Methods Research. [Online Video]. SAGE Research Methods Business and Management Video Collection
Presentations
Scott, J., Darabi, F., & Saunders, M.N.K. (2022). In pursuit of relevance in times of turbulence: Engaged Scholarship in small business research. Presented at: Australian Centre for Entrepreneurship Exchange, Melbourne
Darabi, F., & Mutoko, F. (2017). Developing a Sustainable Entrepreneurship Education among Youth in Botswana. Presented at: Human Resource Development Council Conference, Gaborone, Botswana
Darabi, F. (2015). Developing collaboration between SMEs/Business School: Opportunities and Challenges.
Darabi, F. (2015). A General Analytic Inductive Approach and the Use of Technology in Analysing Qualitative Data Research: SMEs and Large Organisations Relationships.
Darabi, F. (2014). Trust Initiative in collaboration through B2B relationship management.
Darabi, F. (2012). Developing Collaborative Relationships between SMEs and Business School: A need to Build Trust.
Darabi, F. (2012). Teaching Research Method Workshop.
Darabi, F. (2012). Trust Building in Inter-Organisational Relationships: The Role of Networking, Integrity and Managing the Expectations.
Darabi, F. (2011). Collaboration between Business Schools and SMEs: The Role of Trust.
Darabi, F. (2011). Developing SMEs/Business School Collaboration and The Role of Trust; An Analytical Approach.
Darabi, F. (2011). The primacy of Trust in Inter-Organisational Collaboration.
Darabi, F. (2011). Developing Business School/SME Collaboration.
Clark, M., & Darabi, F. (2010). Customer Relationship Management & the Role of Trust: Business Development & Collaboration between universities and SMEs.
Clark, M., & Darabi, F. (2010). Developing Business School/SMEs Collaboration: The Role of Trust.
Darabi, F. (2010). Trust in Inter-Organisational Collaboration: University and Industry, Analytic Induction Approach, Poster presented.
Other activities
- Paper reviewer for International Small Business Journal, International Journal of Entrepreneurial Research Behaviour
- NARTI Board Member
- BAM Committee and SIG member
- EURAM SIG member
- Committee member of European Conference of Research Methodology