Karin Sanders | Strategic HR Management | Best Researcher Award

Prof. Karin Sanders | Strategic HR Management | Best Researcher Award

Deputy Dean at UNSW Business School | Australia

Prof. Karin Sanders is a distinguished scholar in Human Resource Management and Organisational Psychology, currently serving as Senior Deputy Dean Research & Enterprise and Interim Director of the UNSW Business Insights Institute at UNSW Sydney. With an international career spanning multiple continents, she has held professorships in the Netherlands at leading universities including Groningen, Utrecht, Tilburg, and Twente, as well as visiting appointments in China, the United Kingdom, Finland, and Jordan. Her academic influence is reflected in her extensive publication record, comprising 156 documents with 5,137 citations by 4,330 documents and an h-index of 40, underscoring her global impact on the field. Prof. Sanders’s research addresses the dynamics of HRM systems and HR process theory, focusing on how perceptions of HR practices influence employee behavior, commitment, innovation, and resilience. She is equally recognized for her contributions to workplace diversity, employee well-being, leadership effectiveness, and the challenges and opportunities presented by hybrid work arrangements. Her work often adopts advanced multilevel modeling and cross-cultural comparative approaches, enabling her to generate insights that resonate across diverse organizational and national contexts. She has secured substantial competitive funding from agencies in Australia, the Netherlands, and Canada to support her pioneering research. In addition to her scholarship, Prof. Sanders has demonstrated exceptional leadership through mentoring numerous doctoral and postdoctoral researchers, managing interdisciplinary projects, and contributing actively to editorial boards of leading HR journals. She plays a vital role in shaping the international HRM research community through her service to the Academy of Management and her organization of global conferences. Her achievements have been recognized through awards for her publications, peer review excellence, and research leadership. Prof. Sanders’s career reflects a combination of rigorous scholarship, institutional leadership, and a strong commitment to inclusive and impactful HRM research, marking her as a leading figure in the field worldwide.

Profile: Scopus | ORCID

Featured Publications

Women’s authorship in international human resource management research: Implications for responsible management education and emerging scholars. (2025). Human Resource Management Review. 1 citation

The role of paradoxical leader behavior in shaping the relationship between employees’ individualistic orientation and proactive behavior. (2025). Applied Psychology.

Entrepreneurial pathways to sustainability: A theoretical paper on green human resource management, green supply chain management, and entrepreneurial orientation. (2025). Review – Open Access. 8 citations

A cross-lagged study investigating the relationship between burnout and subjective career success from a lifespan developmental perspective. (2024). Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology. 4 citations

Kick me while I’m down: Modeling employee differences of the impact of workplace incivility on employees’ health and wellbeing. (2024). Human Resource Management Review. 10 citations

Ahsan Nawaz | Employee Engagement | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Ahsan Nawaz | Employee Engagement | Best Researcher Award

Nanjing University of Science and Technology |  China 

Author Profiles

Scopus

Orcid

Early Academic Pursuits

Dr. Ahsan Nawaz embarked on his academic journey with foundational studies in science at the secondary education level, followed by pre-engineering specialization. He then progressed to higher education in commerce, focusing on management and accounting disciplines. His undergraduate and master's dissertations concentrated on management and project management topics, reflecting an early interest in leadership and teamwork within project environments. These formative academic experiences laid a robust foundation for his future specialization in project management and business anthropology.

Professional Endeavors

Dr. Nawaz has accumulated diverse professional experience across academia, research, and industry. He has served as a visiting professor at multiple universities, delivering courses related to project management, research methodology, strategic management, and organizational behavior. His roles also include editorial responsibilities for an international series, research assistance in China, and managerial experience in the private sector. This blend of practical management and scholarly work demonstrates his multifaceted engagement with both theoretical and applied aspects of management sciences.

Contribution and Research Focus 

His research primarily revolves around project management, leadership styles, organizational learning, and innovation. Dr. Nawaz’s doctoral work critically examined authentic leadership and its impact on the success of large-scale projects, specifically within the context of major infrastructural initiatives. He has contributed peer-reviewed papers on topics such as ethnic food consumption and business anthropology, as well as ongoing research exploring the effects of various leadership styles on nonprofit organizations and project outcomes. His scholarship demonstrates a keen interest in how leadership and learning mediate organizational and project success.

Impact and Influence

Through his teaching and editorial contributions, Dr. Nawaz has influenced both academic and practitioner communities. His involvement in scholarly journals as a reviewer highlights his role in maintaining research quality and advancing knowledge in business anthropology and management sciences. Additionally, his guidance in student-led projects and collaboration with industry partners on product innovation and marketing strategies underscores his commitment to bridging academic theory with real-world business challenges.

Academic Cites

Dr. Nawaz’s publications have appeared in international conference proceedings and journals, with topics spanning artificial intelligence applications, networking, and business anthropology. His ongoing peer-reviewed work under consideration in notable academic journals reflects continuous engagement with contemporary issues in leadership, nonprofit performance, and project management. His academic contributions have been recognized with scholarship grants for advanced research positions, emphasizing the scholarly value of his work.

Legacy and Future Contributions

Dr. Nawaz’s academic trajectory and professional activities establish a legacy of integrating leadership theories with practical project management solutions. His postdoctoral research and active participation in academic and social organizations suggest an ongoing commitment to advancing management sciences. Going forward, his focus on innovative leadership models and organizational learning is poised to contribute further to both the academic literature and management practice, especially in contexts involving large-scale projects and nonprofit organizations.

Conclusion

Dr. Ahsan Nawaz’s academic and professional journey exemplifies a strong commitment to the advancement of management sciences, particularly in project management and leadership. Beginning with a solid foundation in commerce and management, he has developed a rich portfolio of teaching, research, and practical engagements that bridge theory and application. His contributions in leadership studies, organizational learning, and innovation have had a meaningful impact on academic communities and industry alike. Through continued research, teaching, and social involvement, Dr. Nawaz is poised to influence future scholarship and practice, leaving a lasting legacy in the fields of project management and organizational development.

Notable Publications

Exploring the Role of Servant Leadership, Teamwork, and Organizational Learning in the Success of Construction Projects: A Focus on Project Nature as a Moderator

Authors: Nawaz, A., Wenqi, J., Akhtar, S.
Journal: ASCE’s Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
Year: 2025 (Accepted)

Organizational Learning in Projects: An Innovational Approach

Authors: Nawaz, A., Zhong, N., Ahsan, A., Tian, R. G.
Journal: Journal of Posthumanism, Volume 5, No. 1, pp. 1–12
Year: 2025

Entrepreneurial Leadership and Organizational Performance: Employee Creativity and Behavior

Authors: Nawaz, A., Wenqi, J., Akhtar, S.
Journal: Management Decision, Vol. 63 No. 7, pp. 2486-2510
Year: 2025

Leadership on Performance vs. Mediating Effect on Job Satisfaction: Evidence from Higher Educational Institutions in Pakistan

Authors: Nawaz, A., Ahsan, A., Haiwei, D., Guang, R. T.
Journal: Journal of Education Theory and Practice, Vol. 24 No. 3
Year: 2024

Authentic Leadership and Organizational Learning

Authors: Nawaz, A., Guang, R. T.
Publisher: Excel Book Publisher, Chicago, IL
Year: 2023

The World Needs to Better Understand China

Authors: Nawaz, A., Chaudhry, N. I.
Journal: Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, Vol. 9 No. 12
Year: 2023

The Impact of Authentic Leadership on Project Success: The Mediating Effect of Organizational Learning and Innovation

Authors: Nawaz, A., Tian, R.
Journal: International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, Vol. 15 No. 6
Year: 2022

Total Phenolic Content and Antioxidant Potential of Local Varieties of Hemp in Pakistan

Authors: Husnain Nawaz, Ahsan Nawaz, Ayesha Ahsan
Journal: Journal of Plant Biochemistry & Physiology, Vol. 9 No. 9
Year: 2021

A Handbook of Can China Rule the New World?

Authors: Ahsan Nawaz, Ayesha Ahsan, Ma Jianfu
Journal: Journal of Business and Social Science Review, Vol. 1 No. 12
Year: 2020

Cross-Cultural Difference and Management, With a Focus on China and Pakistan

Authors: Nawaz, Ahsan, Akhtar Umar, Akhtar Zahid, Ayesha Guang, Tian
Journal: Pacific Business Review International, Vol. 12 No. 7
Year: 2020

Challenges and Opportunities for China in the New World

Authors: Guang Tian, Tian Kathy, Nawaz Ahsan*
Journal: Pacific Business Review International, Vol. 13 No. 4
Year: 2020