Margarita Cruz , PhD
Qualification(s)
Function
Teaching Location(s)
EHL Campus (Singapore)
Courses taught
• Corporate Strategy
• Developing Entrepreneurial Projects
Trends, Innovations, and New Business Models at the MBA
Area(s) of Expertise
Organizational theory
Role of authenticity on entrepreneurial outcomes
Strategy
Developing Entrepreneurial Projects
Corporate Strategy
Short Bio
Margarita Cruz holds a PhD in Economics and is an Associate Professor of Strategic Management and Entrepreneurship at EHL. Her research explores the intersection of organizational theory and entrepreneurship, with a particular focus on how social evaluations influence entrepreneurial outcomes, such as founding new ventures and launching new products.
Her work has been published in top-tier journals, including Organization Studies, the European Journal of Innovation Management, the International Journal of Hospitality Management, and Tourism Review, among others.
During her tenure at EHL, Margarita has secured over 600,000 Swiss francs in funding from the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF) and the University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Western Switzerland (HES-SO) for research projects examining entrepreneurial outcomes in breweries, restaurants, and hotels worldwide.
In the classroom, Margarita incorporates the latest trends and best practices in entrepreneurship and strategy, with a strong focus on the hospitality and F&B industries. Before transitioning to academia, she worked as a business engineer in the banking and chemical sectors.
Publications in Peer-Reviewed Journals
Cruz, M. and Bivona, E. (Forthcoming). Unlocking potential: collaborative approaches to crisis management and business model innovation for SMEs. European Journal of Innovation Management.
Cruz, M., Hodari, D., & Raub, S. (2024). The impact of management structure on guest satisfaction in chain-affiliated hotels and the moderating influence of chain scale. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 117, 103651.
Raub, S., Cruz, M., Gorka, J., Hodari, D., & Saul, L. (2024). The cruise industry workforce crunch – generational changes in work values of job seekers. Tourism Review, 79(1), 38-53.
Cruz, M., & Beck, N. (2022). All we want is authentic beer: the role of geographic communities and authenticity on breweries’ reactions to competition. British Food Journal, 124(12), 4496-4515.
Bivona, E., & Cruz, M. (2021). Can business model innovation help SMEs in the food and beverage industry to respond to crises? Findings from a Swiss brewery during COVID-19. British food journal, 123(11), 3638-3660.
Cruz, M., Beck, N., & Wezel, F.C. (2018). Grown Local: Community Attachment and Market Entries in the Franconian Beer Industry. Organization Studies, 39(1), 47-72.
Funded Research Projects
Awards
Best Paper Award (with applications in the social sciences) : Barry Richmond Award. International Conference of the System Dynamics Society, Boston (2007)
Rising Star Teaching Award