About
Dr Augustine Awuah Peprah is an Associate Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at the University of Southampton Business School, where he also serves as Head of Research and Knowledge Exchange and Enterprise (KEE) in the Department of Strategy, Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
His research lies at the intersection of strategic management, entrepreneurship and international business, with particular interests in institutional voids, business model innovation, nonmarket strategy and entrepreneurial ecosystems. His work examines how firms and entrepreneurs navigate institutional constraints, develop innovative strategies and pursue opportunities in challenging business environments, particularly in emerging economies.
Augustine has extensive international experience in research, teaching and academic leadership. He is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA), and his commitment to teaching excellence was recognised through the University of Southampton Vice-Chancellor's Teaching Award (2025).
Research
Research interests
- Business model innovation and strategic adaptationNonmarket strategy and organisational legitimacyInstitutional voids and institutional environmentsEntrepreneurship and entrepreneurial ecosystemsGender and women's entrepreneurshipMigrant entrepreneurshipEntrepreneurship in emerging markets
Current research
Augustine's research lies at the intersection of strategic management, entrepreneurship and international business. His work examines how firms and entrepreneurs develop strategies, mobilise resources and pursue opportunities in environments characterised by institutional constraints, uncertainty and limited market-supporting institutions.
A central theme of his research concerns institutional voids and their implications for business model innovation, nonmarket strategies, organisational legitimacy and entrepreneurial development. Drawing particularly on emerging-market contexts, his research seeks to explain how entrepreneurs and organisations respond to institutional challenges and develop capabilities that enable them to survive, adapt and grow.
His current research also explores gender and entrepreneurship, particularly how institutional and sociocultural conditions influence women's entrepreneurial experiences, skills development and business activities. Related interests include migrant entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial ecosystems and entrepreneurship under conditions of adversity and uncertainty.
Through these research streams, Augustine seeks to advance theoretical understanding of strategy and entrepreneurship while generating insights relevant to businesses, policymakers and entrepreneurial support organisations.
In his role as Head of Research and Knowledge Exchange and Enterprise, he also contributes to strengthening the department's research culture, fostering academic collaboration and supporting research and knowledge exchange activities.
Publications
Teaching
Augustine has extensive experience teaching undergraduate and postgraduate students in strategic management, entrepreneurship and related business disciplines. His teaching areas include:
- Entrepreneurial Management
- Enterprise, Entrepreneurship and New Business Venturing
- Strategic Management
- International Entrepreneurship
His teaching philosophy emphasises experiential, student-centred and research-informed learning. He seeks to connect management and entrepreneurship theories with real-world business challenges through case studies, collaborative projects, entrepreneurial pitches and engagement with business practitioners.
He is particularly interested in developing students' critical thinking, entrepreneurial mindset, problem-solving abilities and capacity to make informed strategic decisions.
His commitment to teaching excellence was recognised through the University of Southampton Vice-Chancellor's Teaching Award (2025), where he was the overall winner in the Teaching category.
Augustine is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) and has experience in curriculum development, academic advising, assessment and undergraduate and postgraduate research supervision.
Biography
Augustine joined the University of Southampton Business School in August 2022 as a Lecturer in Strategy, Innovation and Entrepreneurship and was promoted to Associate Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship in August 2026.
He obtained his PhD in Management from Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Italy. He also holds postgraduate qualifications in management and education, an MBA in Logistics and Supply Chain Management, and a bachelor's degree from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana.
Before joining Southampton, Augustine held academic positions at the Vienna University of Economics and Business, Austria, and the University of Professional Studies, Accra, Ghana. His international academic experience spans research, teaching and academic engagement across different institutional and national contexts.
At Southampton, Augustine has undertaken significant academic leadership responsibilities, including serving as Programme Leader for both BSc Business Management and BSc Business Entrepreneurship. He currently also serves as Head of Research and Knowledge Exchange and Enterprise in the Department of Strategy, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, supporting departmental research activities, academic collaboration and knowledge exchange.
His research has been published in internationally recognised journals, including Organization Science, International Business Review, International Small Business Journal, Journal of International Management and Business Strategy and the Environment. He has also presented his research at international conferences, including the annual meetings of the Academy of Management and Academy of International Business.
Prizes
- Institutional Voids and Business Model Innovation in Africa: The Role of Nonmarket Market Strategy (2022)