Alexander McKelvie

Interim Dean, Professor of Entrepreneurship
Alexander
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  • Phone 315-443-7252
  • Department Entrepreneurship and Emerging Enterprises, Online Programs, Whitman Dean's Office
  • Office 415C
Alex McKelvie is Interim Dean at the Whitman School of Management. Prior to that appointment, he was Associate Dean for Undergraduate and Master’s Education for four years. In that role, he led Whitman's efforts to create new partnerships with other schools across the Syracuse University campus, offer innovative and impactful learning experiences for students, diversify the student body and grow new programs. These efforts led to record high rankings for Whitman’s undergraduate and MBA programs, among other positive outcomes.
Prior to his role as associate dean, he was the Chair of the Department of Entrepreneurship & Emerging Enterprises (EEE). During his term as Chair, the EEE program experienced a period of growth and innovation. The program received national and international recognition for excellence in research and educational programming as well.

Since his arrival at Syracuse in 2007, McKelvie has taught a broad array of courses dealing with different aspects of entrepreneurship, including strategic planning, growth, new venture development, family business, and corporate entrepreneurship. He has also taken a leading role in developing and teaching world-class programs, including designing new courses and training programs for Syracuse University’s Institute for Veteran and Military Families.

McKelvie has received teaching awards from Syracuse University, the Whitman School of Management, the EEE department, and his former university in Sweden. In 2020, he was named a Justin Longenecker Fellow from USASBE, the highest honor they provide for contributions to support SMEs. He has worked with many entrepreneurial startups across the US, Sweden, and other places around the world.

His research deals with questions regarding two main areas: how and why do firms grow and how do entrepreneurs make decisions with an emphasis on factors such as opportunities, dealing with uncertainty, effectuation, failure, and addiction. McKelvie’s research has received a number of major international awards, including the best doctoral dissertation in entrepreneurship from the National Federation of Independent Businesses and multiple awards at leading entrepreneurship conferences. McKelvie has published his work in the most influential entrepreneurship journals and he is on the editorial review boards of multiple journals such as Journal of Business Venturing, Journal of Management, Journal of Management Studies, Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal, and Family Business Review. His work has also been profiled in the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Bloomberg Businessweek, and Inc. Magazine, among other outlets. He is a Fortune Insider and on the CNBC Disruptor Advisory Council.
McKelvie's research deals with questions regarding two main areas: how and why do firms grow and how do entrepreneurs make decisions with an emphasis on factors such as opportunities, dealing with uncertainty, effectuation, failure, and addiction. McKelvie’s research has received a number of major international awards, including best doctoral dissertation in entrepreneurship from the National Federation of Independent Businesses and multiple awards at leading entrepreneurship conferences. McKelvie has published his work in the most influential entrepreneurship journals and he is on the editorial review boards of multiple journals such as Journal of Business Venturing, Journal of Management, Journal of Management Studies, Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal and Family Business Review. His work has also been profiled in the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Bloomberg Businessweek and Inc. Magazine, among other outlets.

Publications

  • Health resourcefulness behaviors: Implications of work-health resource trade-offs for the self-employed

    2023 Journal of Business Venturing Insights,20,e00432, Michaelis, T., Carr, J., Spivack, A., Lerman, M.

  • Entrepreneurial mindset in corporate entrepreneurship: Forms, impediments and actions for research

    2023 Journal of Small Business Management,61,1,132-154, Kuratko, D., Hornsby, J.

  • Entrepreneurship as an auspicious context for mental health research

    2022 Journal of Business Venturing Insights,18,e00349, Gish, J., Lerner, D., Wiklund, J., van Witteloostuijn, A., Wolfe, M.

  • What do they think and feel about growth? Examining small business managers’ attitudes towards growth in the United States

    2021 Journal of Business Venturing Insights,15, Brattström, A., Dennis Jr, W.

  • Measuring addiction to entrepreneurship

    2021 Journal of Business Venturing Insights,15,June, Spivack

  • Enablers of exit through trade sale: The case of early-stage research based spin-offs

    2021 Small Business Economics, Mathiesen, M., Shankar, R., Widding, O., Rasmussen, E.

  • Social support and its effects on self-efficacy among entrepreneurs with disabilities

    2021 Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Tihic, M., Hadzic, M.

  • Metacognition and entrepreneurial action: The mediating role of a strategic mindset on promoting effort and innovative behavior in frugal entrepreneurs

    2021 Journal of Business Venturing Insights,16, Michaelis, T., Pollack, J., Hu, X., Carr, J.

  • Path dependence in new ventures’ capital structures

    2021 Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice,45,2, Söderblom, A., Samuelsson, M.

  • A dynamic model of entrepreneurial opportunity: Integrating Kirzner’s and Mises’s approaches to entrepreneurial action

    2020 Quarterly Journal of Austrian Economics,23,3-4,499-541, Wiklund, J., McMullen, J., Palubinskas, A.

  • The measurement of effectuation: Highlighting research tensions and opportunities for the future

    2020 Small Business Economics,54,689-720, Chandler, G., DeTienne, D., Johansson, A.

  • Orchestrating boundaries: The effect of R&D boundary permeability on new venture growth

    2019 Journal of Business Venturing,34,1,63-79, Nason, R., Wiklund, J., Hitt, M., Yu, W.

  • Signaling for more money: The roles of founders’ human capital and investor prominence in resource acquisition across different stages of firm development

    2018 Journal of Business Venturing,33,4,438-454, Ko, E.

  • Entrepreneurship addiction: Shedding light on the manifestation of the 'dark side' in work behavior patterns

    2018 Academy of Management Perspectives ,32,3,358-378, Spivack, A.

  • Externally acquired or internally generated? Knowledge development and perceived environmental dynamism in new venture innovation

    2018 Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice,42,1,24-46, Wiklund, J., Brattstrom, A.

  • Financial literacy, role models and micro-enterprise performance in the informal economy

    2017 International Small Business Journal,35,7,855-875, Engstrom, P.

  • The strategic management of high-growth firms: A review and theoretical conceptualization

    2017 Long Range Planning,50,4,431-456, Demir, R., Wennberg, K.

  • Blame you, blame me: Understanding attribution differences and impact in family and non-family firms

    2017 Family Business Review,30,3,284-308, Jayamohan, P., Moss, T.

  • Young firm growth: Reconciling growth orientation and innovative activities

    2017 Small Business Economics,49,2,273-293, Brattstrom, A., Wennberg, K.

  • Is this the end? Investigating firm and individual level outcomes post-failure

    2017 Journal of Business Venturing Insights,8,138-143, Jenkins, A.

  • Centralization and delegation practices in family versus non-family SMEs: A Rasch analysis

    2016 Small Business Economics,47,3,755-769, Martin, W., Lumpkin, G.

  • What is entrepreneurial failure? Implications for future research

    2016 International Small Business Journal,34,2,176-188, Jenkins, A.

  • Variable risk preferences in new venture growth and survival

    2016 Journal of Business Venturing,31,4,408-427, Wennberg, K., Delmar, F.

  • The role of organizational size in the heterogeneous nature of corporate entrepreneurship

    2015 Small Business Economics,45,279-304, Nason, R., Lumpkin, G.

  • What about new entry? Examining the theorized role of new entry in entrepreneurial orientation research.

    2015 International Small Business Journal,33,4,351-373, Wiklund, J., Wales, W.

  • Habitual entrepreneurs: Possible cases of entrepreneurship addiction?

    2015 Journal of Business Venturing,29,651-667, Spivack, A., Haynie, M.

  • Opportunity evaluation as future-focused cognition: Identifying conceptual themes and empirical trend

    2015 International Journal of Management Reviews,17,2,256-277, Wood, M.

  • Making sense of entrepreneurial exit strategies: A typology and test

    2015 Journal of Business Venturing,30,2,255-272, DeTienne, D., Chandler, G.

  • Making it personal: Opportunity individuation and the shaping of opportunity beliefs

    2014 Journal of Business Venturing,29,252-272, Wood, M., Haynie, J.

  • Untangling the relationships among growth, profitability and survival in new firms

    2013 Technovation,33,8-9,276-291, Delmar, F., Wennberg, K.

  • Political institutional structure influences on innovative activity

    2013 Journal of Business Research,66,12,2574-2580, Broberg, J., Short, J., Ketchen, D., Wan, W.

  • What Matters, Matters Differently: A Con joint Analysis of the Decision Policies of Angel Investors and Venture Capitalists

    2013 Venture Capital, Haynie, M., Hsu, D., Simmons, S.

  • Is Strategy Different for Very Small and New Firms?

    2011 Journal of Small Business Strategy,21,2,1-26, Nason, R., Lumpkin, G., Gras, D.

  • Causation and effectuation processes: A validation study

    2011 Journal of Business Venturing,26,3,375-390, Chandler, G., DeTienne, D., Mumford, T.

  • Unpacking the uncertainty construct: Implications for entrepreneurial action

    2011 Journal of Business Venturing,26,3,273-292, Haynie, M., Gustavsson, V.

  • The organizational pervasiveness of entrepreneurial orientation

    2011 Entrepreneurship: Theory and Practice,35,5,895-923, Wales, W., Monsen, E.

  • Advancing Firm Growth Research: A Focus on Growth Mode Instead of GrowthRate

    2010 Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice,34,2,261-288, Wiklund, J.

  • Firm and industry effects on firm performance: A generalization and extension for new ventures

    2009 Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal,3,1,47-65, Short, J., Ketchen, Jr., D., Chandler, G.

  • From resource base to dynamic capabilities: An investigation of new firms

    2009 British Journal of Management,20,SUPP. 1,S63-S80, Davidsson, P.

  • Asset specificity and behavioral uncertainty as moderators of the sales growth - Employment growth relationship in emerging ventures

    2009 Journal of Business Venturing,24,4,373-387, Chandler, G., Davidsson, P.

  • The growth and development of new and young media firms

    2008 Journal of Media Business Studies ,5,1,1-8, Picard, R.

  • The influence of managerial attributions on corporate entrepreneurship

    Jayamohan, P., Moss, T., Hyman, M.

  • Customer Engagement Patterns and New Venture Outcomes

    Small Business Economics, Chandler, G., McLeod, M., Broberg, C., DeTienne, D.

  • Entrepreneurial responsibility: A conceptual framework to understand ethical dualism throughout the entrepreneurial process

    Entrepreneurship Theory & Practice, Hägg, G., Kurczewska, A., Haataja, V.

  • Entrepreneurship education and its role in transitional entrepreneurship as veterans transition from military to civilian life

    Entrepreneurship Education and Pedagogy, Tihic, M., Pritchard, A., Maury, R.

  • Apr 01, 2022

    Received - George R. Burman Award for Entrepreneurial Leadership

    Department of Entrepreneurship & Emerging Enterprises
  • Jan 01, 2022

    Received - CNBC Disruptor Advisory Council (2016-current)

    CNBC
  • Jan 01, 2020

    Received - Justin G. Longenecker Fellow

    USASBE
  • Jan 01, 2020

    Received - Top reviewer award

    Journal of Small Business Management
  • Jan 01, 2016

    Received - Fortune Insider

    Fortune Magazine
  • Jan 01, 2016

    Nominated - Finalist - Meredith Teaching Award (university-wide)

    Syracuse University
  • Jan 01, 2014

    Received - Certificate of Reviewing Excellence

    Journal of Business Venturing
  • Jan 01, 2014

    Received - Whitman Faculty Research Award

    Whitman
  • Jan 01, 2012

    Received - Kauffman Professor of Entrepreneurship & Innovation

  • Jan 01, 2012

    Received - Winner of the Stevens Institute/Wesley J. Howe best paper award in Corporate Entrepreneurship

    Babson College Entrepreneurship Research Conference
  • Jan 01, 2012

    Received - Excellent Reviewer Award

    Family Business Review
  • Jan 01, 2012

    Received - 2011-2012 Laura J. and L. Douglas Meredith Teaching Recognition Award

    Syracuse University
  • Jan 01, 2011

    Received - Named Outstanding Entrepreneurship Educator

    Whitman School of Management, Syracuse University
  • Jan 01, 2011

    Received - Top Reviewer Award

    Journal of Business Venturing
  • Jan 01, 2011

    Nominated - Finalist for the Teaching Innovation Award at Whitman School of Management

  • Jan 01, 2010

    Received - Winner of Guttag Junior Faculty Award

    Whitman School of Management
  • Jan 01, 2009

    Received - Winner of Research Promise Award

    Entrepreneurship Division of the Academy of Management IDEA Awards Program
  • Jan 01, 2008

    Received - Best doctoral dissertation award winner

    National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB)
  • Jan 01, 2008

    Received - Winner of Research Promise Award

    Entrepreneurship Division of the Academy of Management IDEA Awards Program
  • Jan 01, 2006

    Received - Outstanding Review (top 40)

    Entrepreneurship Division of Academy of Management
  • Jan 01, 2003

    Received - Pedagogical Prize

    Jönköping International Business School

  • SU Whitman School’s Alexander McKelvie on leadership: ‘Just be nice to people’

    September 01, 2023 Syracuse.com

  • What's great about entrepreneurship is you get to determine your own success

    September 01, 2023 Syracuse Post-Standard

  • Entrepreneurs Famously Work Hard. For Many, Dangerously So.

    May 08, 2023 Wall Street Journal

  • SUNY Upstate, Syracuse partner to launch joint medical degree/MBA program

    May 01, 2022 Fortune

  • Some of the best entrepreneurs started later in life

    January 01, 2022 International Finance Magazine

  • New college degrees give Liberal Arts students more business courses

    September 01, 2021 Wall Street Journal

  • SU launches first online JD/MBA degree in the nation

    January 26, 2020 Daily Orange

  • How we chose the 2019 CNBC Disruptor 50 innovators

    May 15, 2019 CNBC

  • 2019's Best Large Cities to Start a Business

    May 08, 2019 WalletHub.com

  • How did the Kardashians make their millions?

    April 05, 2019 BBC

  • How an MBA Can Pay Off for Entrepreneurs

    March 20, 2019 U.S. News & World Report

  • Alexander McKelvie discussed the philanthropic efforts of the world's richest people

    March 06, 2019 CGTN

  • How to Choose an MBA for Nonprofit Management

    February 21, 2019 U.S. News & World Report

  • How to Highlight Military Jobs in MBA Applications

    November 08, 2018 U.S. News & World Report

  • How Entrepreneurship Addiction Can Possibly Go Wrong

    December 11, 2017 Inc42.com

  • Syracuse Athletics-Lyft partnership, set to unveil Friday, ‘fruit for both parties’

    August 31, 2017 Daily Orange

  • What Uber’s arrival to central New York could mean for local taxi companies

    June 09, 2017 The Daily Orange

  • Are you a workaholic

    February 01, 2017 Thrive Global (Huffington Post)

  • Here’s where most entrepreneurs go wrong with money

    August 01, 2016 Fortune

  • Find the right college to be an entrepreneur

    January 01, 2016 US News

  • Are entrepreneurs addicted to startups?

    December 01, 2014 Small Business Opportunities

  • Is entrepreneurship addictive?

    November 01, 2014 Forbes

  • Feel addicted to being an entrepreneur? Researchers say it’s real

    November 01, 2014 Business News Daily

  • The science is in: Entrepreneurship is addictive!

    November 01, 2014 MLM Business Opportunities Blog

  • Research Examines Whether It's Possible to Be Addicted to Entrepreneurship

    November 01, 2014 Newswise

  • Can you really be addicted to starting companies?

    November 01, 2014 Bloomberg Business Week

  • Can you be addicted to starting companies?

    November 01, 2014 Business Week

  • Is it possible to be addicted to entrepreneurship?

    November 01, 2014 Science Daily

  • January 01, 2013 USA Today

  • Insight

    August 01, 2012 WCNY show

  • June 01, 2011 Syracuse Post-Standard

  • Family focus attracts job-seekers startups can compete for top talent with "feel-good" work atmosphere

    June 01, 2011 Syracuse Post-Standard

  • February 01, 2011 Oswego County Today

  • February 01, 2009 Syracuse Post-Standard

  • February 01, 2009 Syracuse Post-Standard

  • January 01, 2009 Syracuse Post-Standard

  • September 01, 2007 Entré (national Entrepreneurship magazine)

  • March 01, 2007 Jönköpings-Posten (local Swedish newspaper)