BIOGRAPHY
Ishara is a passionate creative thinker, dedicated to collaborative program development, research, teaching, and knowledge-sharing on entrepreneurship and the advancement of individuals engaged in innovative pursuits for positive social impact.
Ishara is currently an Assistant Professor in the College of Business & Economics. She has been tasked with building the Emirates Center for Entrepreneurship Research, a hub for conducting and disseminating world-class applied and theoretical research related to entrepreneurship in the GCC region. She teaches entrepreneurship courses such as the Fundamentals of Innovation & Entrepreneurship (GEIE 222) and Managing Entrepreneurial Ventures (ENTR 415).
Ishara holds a doctorate from the Graduate School of Business (triple-accredited, no. 1 in Africa) at the University of Cape Town (Top 200 in THE and QS Rankings) in South Africa. Her research focused on the lived experiences of township-based entrepreneurs and the intersection of multiple forms of adversity on founder identity construction and entrepreneurial motivation. Previously, she led the research division of Injini EdTech Accelerator in Cape Town, focusing on the impact of education technology entrepreneurship across the African continent.
EDUCATION
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Doctorate Degree, Doctor of Philisophy, Business Administration, University of Cape Town, 2023
RESEARCH AREAS
- Entrepreneurship
- Women's entrepreneurship
- Social entrepreneurship
- Entrepreneurial networks
- Entrepreneurial motivation
- Founder identity
RECENT PUBLICATIONS
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(2024). "It's always darkest before dawn: The role of pre-venture adversity on founder identity construction in township entrepreneurs". Co-Authors:
. Academy of Management. 1.
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(2007). "Meaning in life and meaning of work: Relationships with organizational citizenship behavior, commitment and job satisfaction.". Co-Authors: Anton F. Schlechter. Management Dynamics. 16 3. 17
