Dr. Saskia de Klerk (SFHEA) is the Discipline Lead for the Marketing, International Business, and Tourism disciplines. She teaches entrepreneurship, managing across cultures, international business, and innovation at USC at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. She believes in reflection, empowerment, and creating authentic learning environments.
She also holds an adjunct position as Associate Professor at North-West University, South Africa, and as an Adjunct Senior Lecturer at the University of New South Wales (Canberra). She is serving as a topic editor and reviewer of several internationally reputed journals. She is a Board member of Management Decision. She has successfully supervised 14 Ph.D. students from across the globe.
Her research interests include mapping, developing, and advancing entrepreneurial and networking skills, and regional entrepreneurial ecosystems. She is interested in supporting the development of an entrepreneurial mindset and articulating pathways to transition into entrepreneurship and sustainable practices in regional ecosystems through circular economy, and bricolage strategies.
Previous research projects include:
- Exploring the use of Australian edible seaweed ingredients in food and beverage product development through a placed-based lens. In collaboration with the UniSC Seaweed Research Group. Funded by FAN.
- International collaboration with TREES (Tourism Research in Economics, Environs, and Society) at North-West University in South Africa; the IORA (Indian Ocean Rim Association) and locally with the ACPIR (Australian Centre for Pacific Island Research). These projects focus on Sustainable practices, blue economy, circular economy, waste management, regional development, innovation, and the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
- Profiling and development of local food and agribusiness. Funded by the Sunshine Coast Council and supported by FAN (Food and Agribusiness Network).
- Mapping the role and performance of accelerators in the Australian startup ecosystem. Multi-university project with UTS, UNSW, and Charles Sturt University. Funded by the Australian Government, Department of Industry, Innovation and Science (DIIS).
- Regional entrepreneurial ecosystem mapping in Australia (USC, UTS, University of Adelaide and CSU), focusing on innovation, sustainable practices, and bricolage strategies.
- Benchmarking and mapping regional innovation on the Sunshine Coast with the Sunshine Coast Regional Innovation Project Team (SCRIPT,) focusing on growing regional entrepreneurial ecosystems.
- Women in Business leadership development projects, with the Real Rural Women Leadership project (Care Balonne industry partnered and Regional Development funded) and Women entrepreneurship networking research, funded by the National Research Fund (SA) and Women in Finance organisation.
- Investigating the entrepreneurial ecosystem of creatives with the Street Theatre (ACT) and the Fringe and Community theatres on the Sunshine Coast (QLD).
- Providing a better understanding of senior entrepreneurial activity and motivations with La Trobe university and UTAS.
- Investigating the uptake and utilisation of seaweed as an ingredient in product innovations by Food and beverage manufacturers on the Sunshine Coast with the UniSC Seaweed Research Group.
- Exploring the development of a SWOT toolkit to manage biomass and waste through the circular economy and entrepreneurial strategies with the Forestry Research Institute at UniSC.
- Understanding the Entrepreneurial journey of military veterans transitioning into self-employment. This project included colleagues at UNSW(Canberra).
- Investigating the critical skills that need to be developed for Immigrant entrepreneurship in ACT and NSW. We focused on the development of skills in innovation, business planning, and stakeholder management. In collaboration with Lighthouse Innovations.
Saskia is currently holds the roles of Generation Innovation Mentor 2019-2023 and Study Sunshine Coast Telstra Mayor Innovation Program Mentor 2022.
More research and information can be accessed at:
Awards
- Senior Fellow of the HEA. Awarded in 2021
- Awarded an Honorary position as Adjunct Senior Lecturer, University of New South Wales (Canberra). 2021- currently
- Awarded an Honorary position as Associate Professor and Research Fellow, North West University. 2012 – currently
- Certificate for outstanding service as journal paper reviewer. Conferred in 2019 by Kudos.
- Best paper in 2017 Award at USC in the category Arts, Business, Humanities and Law. Awarded on the 22nd of November 2018 at the Research Celebration Awards.
Professional memberships
- AOM
- SAIMS
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Board member: Management Decision
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Special Topic Editor: Sustainability
Certifications
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Accidental Counsellor certified from 2018 – 2020. Awarded by Lifeline Australia.
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FULT 2015 Foundations of Learning and Teaching Certificate, UNSW, Australia.
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QSR International NVIVO, Certificate, Further Analysis in NVivo, Australia Oct 2012.
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Fundamentals of Statistics. Certificate awarded by the Australian Consortium for Social and Political Research. ACSPRI Winter Program 4-8 July 2011, University of Queensland, St. Lucia.
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Polnet certificate. Ninth Summer School on the Analysis of Political and Managerial Networks, Tilburg University, Aug-Sep 2009.
Potential research projects for HDR and honours students
- Regional development
- Entrepreneurial ecosystems
- Circular and sustainable practices
- Networking and bricolage
- Career transitioning
- Culture
Research grants
- Developing a web-based tool to merge SWOT analysis results from international … case studies. AFORA/USC International Energy Agency Grant Australian/Canadian/European consortium funding. IEA Task 43
- AFORA/USC. Dr M-Reza Ghaffariyan, Prof. Mark Brown, Dr Mauricio Acuna, Dr Michael Berry, Dr Saskia de Klerk, Dr Martin Strandgard, Mr Rick Mitchell, Dr Sanjeev Srivastava 2020-2021 Awarded $42,607 SDG10,12,15. Q1 publication
- Adopting a gender-inclusive participatory approach to reducing horticultural loss in the Pacific ACIAR- International Development Research Centre – Canada (IDRC) co-funded. Cat 1. (ACIAR CS/2020/91) Prof Steven Underhill, Dr. Seeiseei Molimau-Samasoni, Soane Patolo, A/Prof Nichole Georgeou, Dr Saskia de Klerk, Dr Salesh Kumar 2022-2024 (extended to 2025) Awarded $926,827 SDG1,2,3,5,10,12,13, 17. In-progress
- Profiling Food & Agribusiness on Sunshine Coast 2020/2021. Sunshine Coast Council. Prof. Meredith Lawley, Dr Saskia de Klerk, Pascal Ledermann 2021. Awarded $10,000 SDG12,13
- The Ecosystem that Supports Military Veteran Entrepreneurs. UniSC Research Potential grant. Dr Saskia de Klerk, Prof. Karen Becker, Assoc/Prof M.J. Scheepers, Dr Matthew McCormack. 2020-2022. Awarded $8,000. SDG10. Presented at UNSW, ADFA, and online forums.
- The dynamics of regional innovation. Sunshine Coast Regional Innovation Program. Dr Saskia De Klerk; APrf Margarietha Scheepers; Dr Peter Jenner; Dr Lisa Daniel; Dr Erica Mealy 2018 Awarded $84,630 SDG9,11. Report
- The Role and Performance of Accelerators in the Australian Startup Ecosystem’ Australian Government, Department of Industry, Innovation & Science, Contract, Funder ACCEL01 Dr Martin Bliemel, Prof Ricardo Flores, Dr Saskia de Klerk, Prof Morgan Miles, Bernard Costas and Peter Monteiro. 2014-2016. Awarded $100,000. Influenced policy:
- Immigrant entrepreneurship in ACT & NSW Critical Research Grant (CRG) – UNSW School of Business Dr Saskia de Klerk, Dr Nelia Hyndman-Rizk 2014 Awarded $8814 SDG1,10. ACT /NSW critical skills development –
- Art & entrepreneurship UNSW internal funding Dr Saskia de Klerk, Sue Hodge, Caroline Stacey (The Street Theatre). 2014. Awarded $5000 + $5000 in-kind (theatre) SDG10,11
- Critical capabilities for stakeholder innovation, social capital, and relationship management Rector’s start-up grants (RSG) UNSW Dr Saskia de Klerk. 2012-2013 Awarded $10,000 Informed working partnerships between UNSW, UC and ANU with the Canberra Innovation Network
- Women in Business and Women Entrepreneurs. South African Government National Research Fund and Women in Finance Dr Saskia de Klerk, Hester Delport and Marlene Bogaards (PhD students). 2009-2010. Awarded R9651.30 (=$1000) and R25 000 (= $2500). SDG1,5,10. Survey of (n=600) on business networking institutions and their services
- Cultural festivals and entrepreneurial activity in regional areas. North-West University Dr Saskia de Klerk 2009-2012 Awarded $2000 SDG10,16
- Women's leadership and entrepreneurship. South African Government - National Research Foundation of South Africa (Thuthuka: Researchers in Training; TRiT) Dr Saskia de Klerk. 2008-2009 Awarded R75,000 = $7,500 SDG5,10.
- Networking and Women’s Career Development. South African Government. National Research Foundation of South Africa (TriT). Dr Saskia de Klerk, Yolinda Nel and Willem Niesing (M. Com Research students) 2007-2008 Awarded R120,000 = $12,000 + funding for scholarships SDG5,10
- Network practices amongst Gauteng businesses South African Government - National Research Foundation of South Africa (TriT) Dr Saskia de Klerk. Research assistant and Honours student 2006-2007 Awarded R100,000 = $10,000 Report: TTK2006040600003
- Networking, trust, & social capital development for managers & entrepreneurs. South African Government - National Research Foundation of South Africa (TriT) Dr Saskia de Klerk. Awarded R10,000 = $1000 Report: TTK2005071900010 Casey, S., Crimmins, G., de Klerk, S., Hands, K. & Ewart, J. (2022). Real Rural Women’s Leadership. Podcast series: Reshaping notions of leadership: Rural Women’s stories of leadership, community development, and ‘survival’. On iTunes + Spotify.
Research areas
- Networking
- Entrepreneurial ecosystems
- Innovation
- Women entrepreneurs
- Sustainable practices
- Regional development
Saskia has supervised PhD students from Australia, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Bhutan, China, Bougainville, Iran, Pakistan, South Africa, Austria, Germany and Salzburg.
- Digital nomadism on social capital development in South East Asia
- Moderating effects of gender-roles attitudes on leadership: comparison of Austria and Sweden in the medical device industry
- Factors for evaluating and managing the agility of empowered organisational units on the middle management level
- Corporate Entrepreneurship in High-Tech Firms: The Effect of Inter-Organisational Knowledge Acquisition on Innovation Performance
- The cultural and behavioural antecedents of Sino-foreign joint-venture airline divestments
- The influence of socioemotional wealth on organisational learning in family firms
- Developing a youth entrepreneur's strategy for tourism development in Zimbabwe
- Exploring the career progression of women entrepreneurs
Teaching areas
- Venture Growth and Innovation
- Entrepreneurship
- Managing Across Cultures
- International Business
- Innovation
- Women in Business
Dr Saskia de Klerk's specialist areas of knowledge include entrepreneurship and business management, innovation, networking and social capital.