Management Department
Donna Marie DeCarolis is the founding Dean of the Charles D. Close School of Entrepreneurship at Drexel University. The Close School is one of a very small number of freestanding schools of entrepreneurship in the United States and the only one in the Philadelphia region.
Prior to her role as founding Dean, Donna held the position of Associate Vice Provost for Entrepreneurship Education at Drexel University. In this role, she oversaw the development and coordination of all academic entrepreneurial offerings and student activities at Drexel; served as the spokesperson for Drexel University entrepreneurial education initiatives and oversaw the Baiada Institute for Entrepreneurship. She also served as the Associate Dean for Graduate Programs at the LeBow College of Business at Drexel University, and was responsible for the administration and strategic direction of all graduate and corporate degree programs.
In her former position as Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives at the LeBow College of Business, she was the key individual responsible for the implementation of the LeBow Strategic Plan, and also had strategic responsibility for the business school’s four Centers of Excellence. In addition, she coordinated the development of synergistic programs and initiatives among the business school, other colleges at Drexel and with the business community at large.
Her recent accomplishments in entrepreneurship education at the University have significantly contributed to advancing Drexel University’s ranking as a top entrepreneurship university by Princeton Review for the past several years. Donna also serves in an advisory capacity to several regional new ventures.
Donna is a weekly commentator on KYW Newsradio in Philadelphia providing a business commentary on trends in entrepreneurship and leadership. In addition, her opinions and commentaries have appeared in the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Philadelphia Business Journal and Business Week On-Line.
Donna designs and delivers seminars on innovation, strategic thinking, corporate entrepreneurship and technology commercialization for companies and organizations.
Donna is an active member of the Alliance for Women Entrepreneurs, the Academy of Management and the Strategic Management Society. She serves on the on the advisory board of several start-up companies and is a member of the Union League of Philadelphia
As an educator, Donna has researched, written and lectured extensively on various aspects of entrepreneurship, technology management and technology commercialization. She is certified in Emotional Intelligence coaching and integrates her expertise in this area into her technology leadership curriculum.
She is the recipient of the prestigious Lindback Foundation Award for Distinguished Teaching (2003) and the Distinguished Teaching Excellence Award from Executive MBA’s.
Her research has appeared in journals such as the Strategic Management Journal, The Journal of Management, Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice.
Prior to coming to Drexel, she was a strategy consultant and lobbyist. She earned her doctoral degree in strategic management from Temple University, and holds an MBA from Villanova University.
She is the mother of two wonderful sons, one amazing daughter, and Louie, the sweetest Scottish Terrier.
Education
BA History - Cabrini College, Radnor, PA 1979
MBA Management - Villanova University 1988
Ph.D. Strategic Management - Temple University 1995
Selected Works
Articles
DeCarolis, Donna , Yang, Yi , Deeds, David and Nelling, Edward . “Weathering The Storm: The Benefit of Resources to High-Technology Ventures Navigating Adverse Events” Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal 3.2 (Jun 2009):147-160
DeCarolis, Donna and Deeds, D. . “Weathering the Storm: The Benefit of Resources to High Technology Ventures Navigating Adverse Events” Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal 3.2 (Jun 2009):147-160
DeCarolis, Donna , Litzky, Barrie and Eddleston, Kimberly . “Why Networks Enhance the Progress of New Venture Creation: The Influence of Social Capital and Cognition” ENTREPRENEURSHIP THEORY AND PRACTICE . (Mar 2009):527-545
DeCarolis, Donna and Saparito, Patrick . “Social capital, cognition and entrepreneurial opportunities: A theoretical framework” ENTREPRENEURSHIP THEORY AND PRACTICE . (Jan 2006):41-56
Linnehan, Frank and DeCarolis, Donna . “Understanding employer participation in school-to-work programs” STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT JOURNAL 26. (Jan 2005):523-539
DeCarolis, Donna . “Competencies and Imitability in the Pharmaceutical Industry: An analysis of their relationship with firm performance” JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT 29.1 (Sep 2003):27-50
Coombs, J. , DeCarolis, Donna and Deeds, D. . “Dynamic Capabilities and new product development in high technology ventures” JOURNAL OF BUSINESS VENTURING 15.3 (Sep 2000):211-229
DeCarolis, Donna and Deeds, D. . “The Impact of stocks and flows of Organizational Knowledge on Firm Performance: An Empirical Evaluation of the Biotechnology Industry” STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT JOURNAL 20. (Sep 1999):953-968
Deeds, D. , Coombs, J. and DeCarolis, Donna . “Firm Specific Resources and Wealth Creation in High Technology Ventures: Evidence from Newly Public Biotechnology Firms Resources and wealth creation in high technology ventures: Evidence from newly public biotechnology firms” ENTREPRENEURSHIP THEORY AND PRACTICE 22.3 (Sep 1997)
Deeds, D. , Coombs, J. and DeCarolis, Donna . “The Impact of Firm Specific Capabilities on the Amount of Capital Raised in an Initial public offering” JOURNAL OF BUSINESS VENTURING 12.1 (Sep 1997):31-46
DeCarolis, Donna , Hamilton, D and Vasudevan, R . “Creation, Adoption and Diffusion of innovations within Multinational Enterprises: The impact of strategy, subsidiary role and control systems” INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MANAGEMENT JOURNAL 8.3 (Sep 1997)
Chaganti, R. , DeCarolis, Donna and Deeds, D. . “Predictors of Capital Structure in Small Ventures” ENTREPRENEURSHIP THEORY AND PRACTICE 20.7 (Sep 1995):7-18
DeCarolis, Donna and Hopkins, H D. “The Martin Guitar Company” CASE RESEARCH JOURNAL Spring. (Sep 1992):19-39
Cases
DeCarolis, Donna . “The Martin Guitar Company” Strategic Management: Text and Cases Ed. G. Dess and D. Miller. New York:McGraw-Hill, Jan 1996.
Chapters
DeCarolis, Donna . “Business-University Alliances and Innovation in New and Adolescent Technology Ventures” New Frontiers in Entrepreneurship: Recognizing, Seizing and Executing Opportunities Ed. . New York:Springer, .
DeCarolis, Donna . “Technology Characteristics of Industries” Encyclopedia of Technology and Innovation Managment Ed. V.K. Narayanan and Gina Colarelli O’Connor. United Kingdom:Wiley-Blackwell, Feb 2010.
DeCarolis, Donna and Litzky, B. . “Entrepreneurship as a Career” Encylopedia of Career Development Ed. Jeffrey Greenhaus and Gerard Callanan. New York:Sage Publications, Inc, May 2006.
DeCarolis, Donna . “The Role of Social Capital and Organizational Knowledge in Enhancing Entrepreneurial Opportunities” The Strategic Management of Intellectual Capital and Organizational Knowledge Ed. Chun Wei Choo and Nick Bontis. New York:Oxford University Press, Jan 2002.
Coombs, J. , DeCarolis, Donna and Deeds, D. . “The Best in Securities Offerings: The Full Text of Insightful Articles to Help you raise capital successfully” The impact of firm specific capabilities on the amount of capital raised in initial public offering Ed. . New York, New York:Bowne & Co, Sep 1998.
Presentations
DeCarolis, Donna . A Model of Entrepreneurial Competitive Moves: The Influence of Industry Context and Individual Factors. Strategic Management Soceity : Washington, D.C.,
DeCarolis, Donna . Corporte Venture Capital: Does Diversification Influence Growth Value? Strategic Management Society : Rome, Italy, Sep 2010
DeCarolis, Donna . Business Angels, Venture Capital and the Development of Entrepreneurship Private Equity and Entrepreneurship: Mobilizing Capital and fostering firm growth in Italy’s Southern Regions : Taormina, Italy, Jul 2008
DeCarolis, Donna , Zane, LJ and DiRenzo, Marco . What Does Opportunity Value Mean to the Entrepreneur and How Does it Influence Opportunity Pursuit Babson Entrepreneurship Research Conference : Chapel Hill, NC Jun 2008
Zane, Lee , DeCarolis, Donna and DiRenzo, Marco . An Empirical Examination of the Role of Opportunity Cost and Opportunity Value in New Venture Creation Babson College Entrepreneurship Research Conference : Madrid, Spain, Jun 2007
Napshin, S and DeCarolis, Donna . The Role of firm and managerial characteristics in reducing the severity of adverse events in young firms Banson College Entrepreneurship Research Conference : Madrid, Spain, Jun 2007
Litzky, B. , Godshall, V and DeCarolis, Donna . Social Etrepreneurship International Assoiation of Business and Ethics : Florence, Italy, May 2007
Yang, Yi , Narayanan, V.K. and DeCarolis, Donna . The Growth Value from Corporate Venture Capital (CVC) Portfolio Configuration Strategic Management Society Conference on Entrepreneurship : Catania, Sicily (Italy), May 2007
Colwell, Ken and DeCarolis, Donna . University Alliances and New Product Development In New and Adolescent Technology Firms Strategic Management Society Conference on Entreprenuership : Catania, Sicily (Italy), May 2007
Zane, Lee , DeCarolis, Donna and DiRenzo, Marco . An Examination of the Role of Opportunity Cost and Opportunity Value in New Venture Creation Eastern Academy of Management : New Brunswick, NJ May 2007
DiRenzo, Marco , DeCarolis, Donna and Zane, Lee . Entrepreneur Personality, Leadership Style, and New Venture Culture: A Model for New Venture Survival Eastern Academy of Management : New Brunswick, NJ May 2007
DeCarolis, Donna , Litzky, B. and Eddleston, K . Why Networks Enhance New Venture Creation: A Theoretical and Empirical Model of Social Capital, Overconfidence and Risk Perception United State Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship : Orlando, FL Jan 2007
Napshin, S and DeCarolis, Donna . Reducing the impact of an adverse event in young firms Southern Management Association : Clearwater, FL Oct 2006
Hackett, Sean M. and DeCarolis, Donna . Why don’t more “Born Globals” exist? A Model for Reducing the Uncertainity of Internationalization for New Ventures San Francisco-Silicon Valley Global Entrepreneurship Research Conference : San Francisco, CA Mar 2006
DeCarolis, Donna . Red Oak Software - a case study United States Association of Small Business and Entrepreneurship (USASBE) Annual Conference : Tuscon, AZ Jan 2006
DeCarolis, Donna , Yang, Yi , Deeds, D. and Nelling, Edward . Weathering the Storm: Preparing New Ventures for an Adverse Event United States Association of Small Business and Entrepreneurship (USASBE) Annual Conference : Tuscon, AZ Jan 2006
DeCarolis, Donna and Colwell, Ken . The Business School as an Engine of Economic Development Creating Pennsylvania’s Future : Penn State University, College Park, PA Dec 2005
Colwell, Ken and DeCarolis, Donna . Strategic Posture and University Alliance in Technology Intensive Industries Strategic Management Society - Annual Conference : Puerto Rico, Nov 2004
Proceedings
DeCarolis, Donna , Deeds, D. and Nelling, Edward . Managing Adversity in high technology new ventures: The Impact of clinical terminations in the biotech industry Frontiers of Entrepreneurship Research Sep 2003 :Sep 2003
DeCarolis, Donna and Richards, Mallika . R&D Activity in biotech joint ventures Academy of International Business :Sep 2002
DeCarolis, Donna and Deeds, D. . The Impact of alternative collaborative arrangements on shareholder value creation in entrepreneurial biotechnology companies Entrepreneurship Research Conference Babson College :Sep 2000
Conferences
Strategic Management Society, Panelist Oct 10, 2009 - Oct 13, 2009
Academy of Management, Discussant Aug 03, 2012 - Aug 08, 2012
Academy of Management, Organizer Aug 03, 2012 - Aug 08, 2012
American Chemical Society, Speaker Aug 14, 2012 - Aug 16, 2012
Alliance of Women Entrepreneurs Annual Conference, Speaker Sep 28, 2010 - Sep 28, 2010
Strategic Management Society, Panelist Sep 10, 2010 - Sep 14, 2010
Global Creative Economy Convergence Summit, Panelist Oct 05, 2009 - Oct 06, 2009
Academy of Management Conference, Panelist Aug 10, 2008 - Aug 14, 2008
Babson Entrepreneurship Research Conference, Panelist Jun 08, 2008 - Jun 12, 2008
Strategic Management Society Conference on Entrepreneurship, Chair May 23, 2007 - May 25, 2007
Eastern Academy of Management, Organizer May 16, 2007 - May 19, 2007
Eastern Academy of Management 2007, Chair May 16, 2007 - May 19, 2007
Professional Experience
Academic-LeBow College of Business, Drexel University Associate Professor Philadelphia PA Jan 2002 -
Academic-LeBow College of Business, Drexel University Department Head - Management Department Philadelphia PA Jan 2004 -
Academic-Baiada Center for Entrepreneurship in Technology, Drexel University Academic Director Philadelphia PA Jan 2004 -
Awards
2005-2006 Distinguished Teaching Award (LeBow College of Business)
2003 Lindback Distinguished Teaching Award (Drexel University)
2003 Center of Teaching Excellence- Distinguished Fellow (LeBow College of Business)
2000 Best Selling NACRA Case Award (North American Case Research Association)
1998 Best Article Award ( Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice)
1996 Best Empirical Paper Entrepreneurship Division (Academy of Management)
Grants
EXCITE: Expressive and Creative Interactive Technologies (NSF) $5,000,000 Jan 2012
Areas of Expertise
- New Venture Performance and Survival
- Social Capital
- Technology Commercialization
- Technology Entrepreneurship