Development of PhD Students and Early-Career Researchers
I have long been systematically engaged in the development of PhD candidates and early-career researchers in the fields of economics and management. My work focuses on building a strong foundation in rigorous research, developing effective publication strategies, and ensuring strict adherence to the principles of academic integrity. I support the development of research competencies, critical thinking skills, and active engagement in international academic collaboration, with the aim of preparing independent, confident, and internationally competitive scholars.
Evidence-Based Leadership Development and Executive Coaching
Alongside my academic work, I am engaged in developing leaders and managers through evidence-based leadership development and executive coaching. I integrate scientific knowledge from management and organizational behavior with practical experience in organizational leadership. My focus is on fostering strategic thinking, ethical leadership, and data-driven decision-making, with an emphasis on long-term team performance. I also support managers who choose to pursue academic or research-oriented careers by helping them adapt managerial competencies to the specific requirements of academic and research work.
I completed my higher education at the Faculty of Management, Comenius University in Bratislava, earning a Master’s degree in 2003 and a PhD in Management in 2006. I obtained the academic title of Associate Professor in Management in 2009 and was appointed Full Professor in the same field at the Faculty of Management and Business in Prešov in 2024.
I am currently active in the academic environment as a Senior Researcher at the European Centre for Business Research at Pan-European University in Prague, and simultaneously at Alexander Dubček University of Trenčín, Faculty of Social and Economic Relations, where I serve as Vice-Dean for Science, Research, and International Relations and hold the position of Professor.
Since January 2025, I have also been working as a Visiting Associate Professor within the DHET–NRF SARChI in Entrepreneurship Education programme at the Department of Business Management, College of Business and Economics, Johannesburg, South Africa, further extending my academic and research activities to a strong global dimension.
Previously, I worked at the College of Economics and Management of Public Administration in Bratislava, where I held several academic and managerial positions at the department, faculty, and institutional leadership levels.
My academic career also includes international exchange and visiting appointments, primarily within the Erasmus+ programme, focused on the development of teaching and research collaboration. In 2025, I completed a visiting stay at the Faculty of Economics of the National University of Uzbekistan in Uzbekistan; in 2024, at the School of Management and Economics, University of Turin, Italy. In 2016, I held academic appointments at the Chernivtsi Trade and Economics Institute of Kyiv National University of Trade and Economics in Ukraine and at Lapland University of Applied Sciences in Rovaniemi, Finland. Earlier international experience includes a 2010 visiting stay at ISCAL – Instituto Superior de Contabilidade e Administração de Lisboa, Portugal.
In my teaching, I focus on courses in human resource management, organizational behavior, and research methods. In addition to direct teaching, I am actively involved in the implementation, development, and systematic quality assurance of study programmes in accordance with national and international accreditation standards. Since 2022, I have served as the person responsible for the implementation, development, and quality assurance of the study programme Human Resources and Personnel Management at the second and third levels of study at Alexander Dubček University of Trenčín (Faculty of Social and Economic Relations), while also acting as a co-responsible person for quality assurance of this programme at the first level of study. Since 2021, I have served as Chair of the Study Programme Board for Human Resources and Personnel Management at the second- and third-level study programmes within the same faculty. In parallel, since 2025, I have served as Chair of the Board for Habilitation and Inauguration Procedures in the field of Economics and Management.
In the area of basic research, I am actively engaged in the education and development of the next generation of researchers. I supervise PhD candidates in the field of economics and management at several universities in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, specifically at Tomas Bata University in Zlín (Faculty of Management and Economics), Pan-European University in Prague, Alexander Dubček University of Trenčín (Faculty of Social and Economic Relations), Comenius University in Bratislava (Faculty of Management), and the University of Prešov in Prešov (Faculty of Management and Business). To date, I have supervised or am currently supervising 14 PhD candidates, of whom 9 have successfully defended their dissertations and earned the PhD degree.
In addition to my supervisory activities, I regularly participate in the work of disciplinary committees, doctoral dissertation defense committees, and habilitation and inauguration committees at domestic and international universities.
As a principal investigator, I currently lead a project focused on the application of circular economy principles in the development of circular business models across both manufacturing and non-manufacturing sectors in Slovakia (APVV, total funding EUR 199,480). I have also served as principal investigator of a project examining the eco-innovation potential of small and medium-sized enterprises in the context of sustainable development (VEGA, total funding EUR 34,500).
As a co-investigator, I have participated, among others, in projects focused on the development of multidimensional models for assessing corporate readiness for artificial intelligence and the adoption of AI technologies (APVV), the quantification of socioeconomic indicators in the areas of health and social policy for marginalized communities, research on the determinants of human capital and economic growth in the digital economy, and the analysis of the multiplier effects of human capital quality on the economic performance and competitiveness of the Slovak Republic (APVV).
In addition to basic research, I have further developed my research experience in applied and contract research. I have served as a project investigator on projects supported by the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic (SIGMA DC3 programme) and on projects implemented within the Operational Programme Technologies and Applications for Competitiveness. I have also contributed to projects funded through the Slovak Operational Programme Slovakia (ERDF / CF / JTF / ESF+) as well as projects supported by the Cultural and Educational Grant Agency (KEGA).
Furthermore, I have been actively involved in international research cooperation, particularly through projects supported by the Interreg programmes, the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+), the European Social Fund (ESF), and the International Visegrad Fund (V4).
I am the author and co-author of dozens of scientific and professional publications that reflect the outcomes of my research. A significant portion of my publications is indexed in the Web of Science and Scopus databases and published in internationally recognized peer-reviewed journals.
An up-to-date overview of my publication record is available through the following identifiers: Web of Science ResearcherID: E-1043-2013, Scopus ID: 57195902658, ORCID: 0000-0002-5748-5702, and Google Scholar.
In addition to my publication activities, I am actively involved in peer-review and editorial work for both national and international scientific journals. I serve on the editorial boards of the Journal of Innovation & Knowledge, the Journal of Tourism and Services, and Marketing and Management of Innovations, and I regularly review manuscripts for a number of leading international academic journals.
In addition to my teaching and research activities, I have extensive managerial experience in the academic environment. I have long been involved in the strategic management of universities and faculties, shaping their research policies, developing human resources, and strengthening international cooperation. I have held several senior academic leadership positions at both the faculty and university levels, with a focus on developing research activities, ensuring quality assurance in education, and effectively managing academic processes.
Since 2025, I have been a member of the Council for Social Sciences of the Slovak Research and Development Agency (APVV), where I contribute to the evaluation of research projects and to shaping national research policy in the field of social sciences. I also serve on the scientific councils of several higher education institutions, specifically Pan-European University, the Czech Republic, Alexander Dubček University of Trenčín, the Faculty of Social and Economic Relations of Alexander Dubček University of Trenčín, and the Faculty of Management and Business of the University of Prešov in Prešov.
In addition to my roles on scientific councils, I am also involved in the work of governing and advisory bodies that contribute to the strategic development of educational and research institutions..