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Dr Nadeera Ranabahu

Contact

Department: Management, Marketing and Entrepreneurship

Email: nadeera.ranabahu@canterbury.ac.nz

Direct Dial: +64 3 3690246

Office: Meremere 342

Language: English

About
Research / Creative works
Networks
Projects
Methods & Equipment

Fields of Research

  • Unconventional entrepreneurs
  • Social entrepreneurship & innovation
  • Microfinance and sustainability

Researcher Summary

My main research focus is on unconventional entrepreneurs and their business start-up and development. The unconventional entrepreneur groups are also known as “underdog entrepreneurs”, “missing entrepreneurs” or “non-traditional entrepreneurs”. Such groups include refugees, immigrants, low-income people, women and other marginalized groups and I study their economic activity. In addition, I study social/sustainable entrepreneurship and social innovations in communities and how these contribute to reducing inequalities. I also study the intersection between microfinance and sustainability. All these research work is focused on achieving the impact goal of reducing inequalities and promoting social and economic inclusion.

Subject Area: Disciplines

  • Management, Human Resources, Industrial Relations, International Business and Other Business: Business Development; Entrepreneurship; Small Business Management

Prizes and Awards

Displaying all items.
  • ANZAM Award for Best Doctoral Dissertation ( 2018 )
  • UC Business School Outstanding Teaching Practice Award ( 2021 )
  • ICSB Best Paper Award: Social Enterprise Track ( 2023 )

Research/Scholarly/Creative Works

Journal Articles
  • Ranabahu N., de Vries H. and Basharati Z. (2023) Refugee-owned small businesses: A typology for blended value creation. International Migration 61(4) 2: 37-56. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/imig.13072.
  • Almeida S., Ranabahu N. and Verma R. (2022) Reducing inequality through institutional action: towards a process framework for student transition and support. Higher Education, Skills and Work-based Learning 12(6): 1138-1153. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/HESWBL-07-2021-0148.
  • Ranabahu N. (2022) Financial technology to address the liability of poorness? A typology of FinTech organisations. European Journal of Innovation Management http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/EJIM-07-2022-0359.
  • Ranabahu N. and Wickramasinghe A. (2022) Sustainable Leadership in Microfinance: A Pathway for Sustainable Initiatives in Micro and Small Businesses? Sustainability 14(9) 5167 http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su14095167.
  • Bi Q., Collins J. and Ranabahu N. (2021) Entrepreneurial Dispositions, Time Horizons, and Context: Subtleties That Shape Entrepreneurial Intentions. Small Enterprise Research http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13215906.2021.1929433.
  • Ranabahu N. and Tanima FA. (2021) Empowering Vulnerable Microfinance Women Through Entrepreneurship: Opportunities, Challenges and the Way forward. International Journal of Gender and Entrepreneurship http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/IJGE-01-2021-0020.
  • Ranabahu N. (2020) ‘Wicked’ solutions for ‘wicked’ problems: Responsible innovations in social enterprises for sustainable development. Journal of Management and Organization http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/jmo.2020.20.
  • Ranabahu N., Almeida S. and Kyriazis E. (2020) University-led internships for innovative thinking: a theoretical framework. Education and Training 62(3): 235-254. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/ET-02-2019-0031.
  • Ranabahu N. and Almeida S. (2019) Creating Learning Communities through Flipped Classes: A Challenge, an Answer, or an Opportunity for Teaching Strategic Human Resource Management? International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning 13(3) http://dx.doi.org/10.20429/ijsotl.2019.130303.
  • Ranabahu N. and Barrett M. (2019) Does practice make micro-entrepreneurs perfect? An investigation of expertise acquisition using effectuation and causation. Small Business Economics http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11187-019-00157-6.
  • Ranabahu N. and Moerman L. (2018) Caught Between Two Worlds: Clusters, microfinance officers and accountability mechanisms in a Sri Lankan MFI. Third Sector Review 24(2): 1-34.
  • Ranabahu N. (2017) “Rapid” but not “raid”: A reflection on the use of rapid ethnography in entrepreneurship research. Qualitative Research Journal 17(4): 254-264. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/QRJ-12-2015-0098.
Chapters
  • Ranabahu N. (2023) A Preliminary Comparison of Two Ecosystems: Fintech Opportunities and Challenges for Financial Inclusion. In Walker T; Nikbakht E; Kooli M (Ed.), The Fintech Disruption.Palgrave Studies in Financial Services Technology. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-23069-1_10.
  • Fozia M. and Ranabahu N. (2022) A disadvantage to an advantage? Immigrant entrepreneurs’ use of effectuation in business start-up and development in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In Dana L-P; Khachlouf N; Maâlaoui A; Ratten V (Ed.), Disadvantaged Minorities in Business (1 ed.): 153-176.Springer International Publishing.
  • Ranabahu N. and Barrett M. (2022) Creating blended value: Sri Lankan women micro-entrepreneurs and their ventures. In Yousafzai S; Henry C; Boddington M; Sheikh S (Ed.), Research Handbook of Women's Entrepreneurship and Value CreationEdward Elgar Publishing. http://dx.doi.org/10.4337/9781789901375.00016.
  • Ranabahu N. and Tanima FA. (2022) Disabled Women Entrepreneurs and Microfinance: A Road Less Travelled (For a Reason)? In Yousafzai S; Ng W; Sheikh S; Coogan T (Ed.), Research Handbook on Disability and EntrepreneurshipEdward Elgar Publishing.
  • de Vries H., Ranabahu N. and Basharati Z. (2021) From Taking Flight to Putting Down Roots: A Narrative Perspective of the Entrepreneurial Journey of a Refugee. In Cooney T (Ed.), Palgrave Handbook on Minority Entrepreneurship: 365-389. England: Palgrave. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-66603-3_17.
  • Ranabahu N., de Vries HP. and Basharati Z. (2021) The Economic Integration of Women Refugee Entrepreneurs in New Zealand. In McAdam M; Cunningham JA (Ed.), Women and Global Entrepreneurship: Contextualising Everyday Experiences New York: Routledge.
  • Ranabahu N. and Barrett M. (2018) Effectuation thinking and the manifestation of socio-cultural complexities in Sri Lankan female entrepreneurs' business decisions. In Yousafzai S; Lindgreen A; Saeed S; Henry C; Fayolle A (Ed.), Contextual Embeddedness of Women's Entrepreneurship: Going Beyond a Gender Neutral Approach: 139-153. Abingdon: Routledge. http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9781315574042-10.
Theses / Dissertations
  • Ranabahu N. (2017) Entrepreneurial decision-making and expertise acquisition: A study among Sri Lankan microfinance borrowers. PhD Thesis, Wollongong, Australia. University of Wollongong.
Reports
  • de Vries H., Rajapakshe S., Ranabahu N., Samujh H. and Wellalage NH. (2023) "We want to contribute": Former refugee's perspectives and aspirations on economic integration.Refugee Orientation Trust. 2-26.
  • OECD. (2021) Sri Lanka: Policy Brief. In Entrepreneurship Policies through a Gender Lens, OECD Studies on SMEs and Entrepreneurship, OECD Publishing. http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/20780990.
Conference Contributions - Other
  • Cooray, NS., De Silva, S., Ranabahu N. and Fernando KDUD. (2023) Does institutional quality alone enhance migration integration outcomes in the absence of human development and social capital? International University of Japan, Japan: SLAcJ 7th International Conference: Environment, Society and Governance Initiatives, 2023, 18 Jun 2023.
  • Ranabahu N. and Fozia M. (2023) Migrant entrepreneurs in the Middle East: A dynamic learning perspective [nominated for best paper]. Gwangju, South Korea: International Small Business Council (ICSB) World Congress, 11 Jul 2023.
  • Ranabahu N. and Morrish S. (2023) Towards a Social Enterprise Wellbeing Framework [Best paper award: social enterprise track]. Gwangju South Korea: International Council of Small Business (ICSB) World Conference, 11-14 Jul 2023.
  • Ahmed H., Ranabahu N. and de Vries H. (2022) Is there enough food for all of us? Examining entrepreneurial activity within food security. Gold Coast, Australia: Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management, 5-7 Dec 2022.
  • Ranabahu N., de Vries HP. and Basharati Z. (2022) Supporting to fit in! Entrepreneurial eco-system perspective on self-employment support for refugees in host countries. York, UK: Institute of Small Business and Entrepreneurship Conference, 27-28 Oct 2022.
  • Ranabahu N., de Vries HP. and Basharati Z. (2022) What it is to be a former refugee and a women entrepreneur? Understanding social and economic integration through use of intersectionality. York, UK: Institute of Small Business and Entrepreneurship Conference., 27-28 Oct 2022.
  • Ranabahu N. and Collins J. (2020) Business Turnaround: What Can Failing Enterprises Learn From Business-Education TV Programs? Adelaide, Australia: Australian Centre for Entrepreneurship Research Exchange, 4 Feb 2020.
  • Bi Q., Ranabahu N. and Collins J. (2019) Entrepreneurial Dispositions, Time Horizons, and Context: Subtleties That Shape Entrepreneurial Intentions. Cairns, Australia: Australian & New Zealand Academy of Management (ANZAM) Conference, 3-6 Dec 2019.
  • Bi Q., Ranabahu N. and Collins JD. (2019) Entrepreneurial intention in general and in near future: the influence of perceived environmental factors and personal factors. Australian Centre for Entrepreneurship Research Exchange, 6-8 Feb 2019.
  • Collins J., Ranabahu N. and Bi Q. (2019) Emerging market SME investment in innovation: Personal characteristics and contextual factors shape resource commitments. Lisbon, Portugal: European Academy of Management, 25-28 Jun 2019.
  • Ranabahu N. and Collins J. (2019) Reality TV and entrepreneurial landscape: A systematic literature review. Cairns,Australia: Australia and New Zealand Academy of Management, 3-6 Dec 2019.
  • Ranabahu N. and Collins JD. (2019) Intersubjective venturing: A pathway to new venture start-up and development? Sydney: Australian Centre for Entrepreneurship Research Exchange, 6-8 Feb 2019.
  • Ranabahu N., Almeida S. and Kyriazis E. (2019) Teaching business undergraduates to be innovative: Can university internship programs help? Auckland: Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia (HERDSA), 1-2 Jul 2019.
  • Ranabahu N., Barrett M. and Moerman L. (2019) When it’s about more than money: Extending the concept of affordable loss. Berlin, Germany: 7th Effectuation conference, 24-26 Nov 2019.
  • Herath S., Ranabahu N. and Harvie C. (2018) Capturing the diversity of manufacturing MSMEs for equitable regional development: The significance of an inclusive sample. Peradeniya, Sri Lanka: International Economics Research Symposium, 8-9 Nov 2018.
  • Ranabahu N. and Barrett M. (2018) The journey from novice to expert: How microfinance-funded entrepreneurs gain business expertise. Auckland, New Zealand: Australia and New Zealand Academy of Management, 4-7 Dec 2018.
  • Ranabahu N. (2017) Deliberate practice and entrepreneurial decision-making among micro-entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka. Melbourne, Australia: Australian Centre for Entrepreneurship Research Exchange (ACERE), 2-5 Feb 2017.
  • Ranabahu N. and Barrett M. (2016) Does acknowledgement of family involvement affect effectuation/causation thinking? Evidence from Sri Lankan micro-entrepreneurs. Naples and Capri, Italy: 2nd international Family Business Forum, 15-16 Sep 2016.
  • Ranabahu N. and Barrett M. (2016) Expertise and entrepreneurial decision-making in business start-up: Evidence from Sri Lankan micro-entrepreneurs. Brisbane, Australia: 30th ANZAM Conference, Australia and New Zealand Academy of Management, 6-9 Dec 2016.
  • Ranabahu N., Barrett M. and Moerman L. (2016) Microfinance & effectuation/causation thinking: Evidence from Sri Lankan micro-entrepreneurs. Melbourne, Australia: 29th Annual SEAANZ Conference, Small Enterprise Association of Australia and New Zealand (SEAANZ), 10-12 Aug 2016.
Other
  • Ranabahu N., de Vries H. and Basharati Z. (2022) Refugees who set up businesses enrich NZ financially, culturally and socially – they deserve more support. [Conversation NZ].
  • Ranabahu N. and Barrett M. (2019) The Rewards and Risks of Rapid Ethnography: Researching How Microfinance Entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka Make Business Decisions (SAGE Research Methods Cases). http://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781526478832.
  • Ranabahu N. (2018) Entrepreneurial decision-making and expertise acquisition: a study among Sri Lankan microfinance borrowers (Thesis Abstract). Journal proceedings of Royal Society of NSW 151: 109-110.

Affiliations

  • Australia New Zealand Academy of Management (ANZAM) (Professional Organisation): Member

Future Research

  • Refugees and economic integration through employment and self-employment
  • Microfinance/green microfinance and sustainability
  • Use of innovation among/for minority groups
  • Social/sustainable entrepreneurship and social innovation

Key Methodologies

  • Qualitative methods
  • Mixed methods
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