Asst. Prof. Mag. Desiree Wieser, PhD

Entrepreneurship & Societal Impact +43 512 2070 - 3735 desiree.wieser@mci.edu

Professional work experience

03/2024 - 04/2024
Visiting Scholar - Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, Japan
Research on sustainability practices across generations in Japanese family firms.
07/2023 - present
Assistant Professor - MCI | The Entrepreneurial School® Department for Nonprofit, Social & Health Care Management
Teaching & Research: Entrepreneurship, Social Entrepreneurship, Business Models, Responsible Management, Family Business Management, Education
03/2023 - present
Lecturer - MCI | The Entrepreneurial School® Department for Nonprofit, Social & Health Care Management
Teaching & Research
01/2022 - 02/2023
Teaching & Research Assistant - MCI | The Entrepreneurial School®
Family Business Center
01/2022 - 12/2022
Research & Teaching Assistant - MCI | The Entrepreneurial School®
Center for Responsible Management & Social Impact
03/2017 - 07/2021
Research & Teaching Assistant - MCI | The Entrepreneurial School®
Research, Innovation & Entrepreneurship
06/2015 - 02/2017
Doctoral Student - MCI | The Entrepreneurial School®
Research, Innovation & Entrepreneurship

Education

05/2016 - 05/2016
PhD Seminar - 7,5 ECTS7,5 ECTS - Stockholm Business School (SBS), University of Stockholm, Sweden
PhD Course - Work and Career in Business Schools
10/2015 - 05/2022
PhD - University of Innsbruck
PhD Program Management
10/2013 - 07/2014
Erasmus - Universitá degli Studi di Siena, Italy
Erasmus
10/2010 - 07/2015
Graduate Degree “Magistra” (Mag.rer.soc.oec) - University of Innsbruck - University of Innsbruck
Diploma Program in International Economics and Business Studies

Teaching (faculty internships etc.)

03/2025 - 07/2025
MCI | The Entrepreneurial School® Innsbruck, Austria
Entrepreneurial Business Labs II Master International Business & Management
10/2024 - present
MCI | The Entrepreneurial School®
Entrepreneurship & Current Global Issues
06/2024 - 06/2024
Université Côte d'Azur, Nice, France
Entrepreneurship - Ulysseus EntreCamp 2024
03/2024 - present
MCI | The Entrepreneurial School®
Qualitative Research Methods Bachelor Management & Law
10/2023 - present
MCI | The Entrepreneurial School®
Family Business Management
09/2023 - present
MCI | The Entrepreneurial School®
Responsible Management Bachelor Nonprofit, Social & Health Care Management
06/2023 - present
MCI | The Entrepreneurial School®
Entrepreneurship Summer School
05/2023 - present
Ban Ki-Moon Centre & MCI | The Entrepreneurial School®
Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Development Ban Ki-Moon Summer School
03/2023 - present
MCI | The Entrepreneurial School®
Research Ethics Master Program European Health Economics & Management
03/2023 - present
MCI | The Entrepreneurial School®
Social Entrepreneurship Master Program Social Work
10/2022 - present
MCI | The Entrepreneurial School®
Entrepreneurship in Family Firms Winter & Summer School
04/2022 - present
MCI | The Entrepreneurial School®
Introduction into Startup Management Summer School
10/2020 - 12/2020
MCI | The Entrepreneurial School®
Human Resource Management Bachelor Program Management, Communication & IT
05/2020 - present
MCI | The Entrepreneurial School®
Social Entrepreneurship & Social Business Bachelor Program Nonprofit, Social & Health Care Management
02/2019 - 07/2019
MCI - Management Center Innsbruck
Self-management, communication, & leadership Bachelor Program Non profit, social & health care management
01/2019 - 01/2023
MCI | The Entrepreneurial School®
Hidden Entrepreneurial Champions Career Seminar (extracurricular)
01/2018 - present
MCI | The Entrepreneurial School®
Entrepreneurship & Business Models Career Seminar (extracurricular)
10/2017 - 03/2019
MCI | The Entrepreneurial School®
Quantitative Methods of Empirical Research & Project Assignment Bachelor Business & Management
06/2017 - 07/2017
MCI | The Entrepreneurial School® - JFPC China
Assurance of Learning: Curriculum Assessment, Improvement & Evaluation Academics Training - JFPC China
03/2017 - present
MCI | The Entrepreneurial School®
Project Management Bachelor Management & Law
02/2016 - 07/2018
MCI | The Entrepreneurial School®
Scientific Work & Integrative Projects I Bachelor Nonprofit, Social & Health Care Management

Practice related research and developmental project

01/2025 - present
EU Erasmus+ Project
ETI Labs: Erasmus Talent & Innovation Labs
01/2021 - 06/2023
Teacher/Trainer/Researcher - EU Erasmus+ Projekt
Ulysses - Digital Student Competition on Family Business
01/2021 - 12/2023
Teacher/Trainer/Researcher - EU Erasmus+ Project
EICAA - Entrepreneurial and Intrapreneurial Competences Assessment Alliance
07/2019 - 12/2021
Knowledge Transfer Center West
WTZ Cooperation with Economy and Industry - Entrepreneurship Online Course 2.0
09/2018 - 08/2021
Lecturer/Trainer/Researcher - European Union Erasmus+
PIETE - Partnership for Initial Entrepreneurship Teacher Education
01/2018 - 12/2018
WTZ West - Wissens/Transfer/West/
WTZ West - Wissens/Transfer/West/ - Training Scientists - Development of an Entrepreneurship Online Course: Conceptualization, Production and Embedding an E-Lecture Series on the Topic of Entrepreneurship
09/2016 - 09/2018
Teacher/Trainer/Researcher - European Union Erasmus+
Embedding Entrepreneurship Education
07/2015 - 07/2019
Project Lead - Tyrolean Science Fund - TWF
Online Education & Virtual Campus

Competitive Research Award

06/2025 - 06/2025
European Academy of Management (EURAM) 2025 - Family Business Research SIG
Sustainability Paper Award for the paper "Dynamics of Sustainability in Family Firms in Japan and Austria: A Transgenerational Study" co-authored by Yoshiki Shinohara, Tam Long Pham, Anita Zehrer, and Rebecca Chunghee Kim
09/2022 - 09/2022
MCI | The Entrepreneurial School®
Shortlisted for Ars Docendi Recognition Award for Excellent Teaching at Austrian Universities 2022 in the category Learning Outcome Oriented Teaching and Examination Culture.
11/2019 - 11/2019
MCI | The Entrepreneurial School®
Nomination for Ars Docendi - State prize for excellent teaching 2019: Entrepreneurship Teaching Toolkit

Positions in professional/academic societies

04/2024 - present
Researcher - Entrepreneurship, Cooperatives and Social Economy Management and Corporate Sustainability - EMPRECOOP - Universitat de València
01/2022 - 10/2022
Conference Organizer and Member of the Program Committee - MCI - 9th Responsible Management Education Research Konferenz

Peer reviewed journal article

Zehrer, A., Glowka, G., Wieser, D., Pirhofer, C. (2025). Coping with uncertainty, ambiguity and risk – a crucial future competence in entrepreneurship education. International Marketing Journal of Culture and Tourism, 6, 48-54. https://doi.org/10.33001/18355/IMJCT0817
Wieser, D. (2020). Integrating technology into the learning process of higher education: A creative inquiry. Industry and Higher Education, 34(3), 138-150. https://doi.org/10.1177/0950422219895773.

Editorial-reviewed journal

Wieser, D., & Zehrer, A. (2023). Führung und Verantwortung in Familienunternehmen. TourismusWissenQuarterly, 34, 15-19.
Wieser, D. (2020). The Entrepreneurial School® as a role model to foster entrepreneurship education in initial teacher education. PIETE Magazine, September 2020, p. 8-11. https://www.entrepreneurialteachers.eu/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/PIETE_ezine_Sept2020_updated.pdf
Wieser, D. (2018). Fostering entrepreneurship education: The entrepreneurship teaching toolkit developed by MCI Management Center Innsbruck. University Industry Innovation Magazine - Embedding Entrepreneurship in Education, 11–15.

Research monographs

Wieser, D (2021). The role of technology in higher education : an interdisciplinary perspective.

Textbooks

Obexer, R., Wieser, D., Baumgartner, C., Fröhlich, E., Rosenbloom, A., & Zehrer, A. (2024). Innovation in Responsible Management Education - Preparing the Changemakers of Tomorrow. Leeds: Emerald Publishing Limited. https:/doi.org/978-1-83549-465-3

Chapters in books

Wieser, D., Obexer, R. and Rosenbloom, A. (2024), "Innovation and Social Impact in Responsible Management Education", Obexer, R., Wieser, D., Baumgartner, C., Fröhlich, E., Rosenbloom, A. and Zehrer, A. (Ed.) Innovation in Responsible Management Education, Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 269-276. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-83549-464-620241016
Obexer, R., Waldegger, J., Wieser, D., Windbichler, R. (2024). Embracing Sustainability in Higher Education: Key Insights from Organizing an Academic Conference. In: Leal Filho, W., Sima, M., Lange Salvia, A., Kovaleva, M., Manolas, E. (eds) University Initiatives on Climate Change Education and Research. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-25960-9_100-1
Seeler, J.-M., Wieser, D., Zehrer, A., & Six-Daniell, K. (2021). Change or be changed – online education and organizational culture at universities. In: Herberger, T., & Dötsch, J. (eds.), Digitalization, Digital Transformation and Sustainability in the Global Economy – Risks and Opportunities. Wiesbaden, Springer, pp. 115-125.
Wieser, D., & Seeler, J. M. (2019). Online, not distance education: The merits of collaborative learning in online education. In The Disruptive Power of Online Education: Challenges, Opportunities, Responses (pp. 125-146). London: Emerald Publishing Limited. ISBN: 9781787543263
Altmann, A., Ebersberger, B., Mössenlechner, C., & Wieser, D. (2018). Introduction: The Disruptive Power of Online Education: Challenges, Opportunities, Responses. In The Disruptive Power of Online Education: Challenges, Opportunities, Responses (pp. 1-4). Emerald Publishing Limited. 978-1-78754-326-3

Peer reviewed academic/professional meeting proceedings

Zehrer, A., Glowka, G., Wieser, D., Pirhofer, C. (2024). Coping with uncertainty, ambiguity and risk – a crucial future competence in entrepreneurship education. In I., Ninov, C. S., Dutt, & A. Abdallah (Eds.), Building Bridges and Overcoming Challenges. Proceedings of the EuroCHRIE conference, November 4-7, 2024, Doha, Qatar, pp. 111-118.
Kim, R.; Wieser, D.; Shinohara, Y.; & Zehrer, A. (2024). We are a family, not a business: can't family businesses be sustainable across generations? Academy of Management Annual Meeting Proceedings. Chicago, USA. https://doi.org/10.5465/AMPROC.2024.19979abstract
Floris, M., Zehrer, A., & Wieser, D. (2024). Embodying Sustainability into Small and Medium Tourism Family Firm Strategies. An exploratory study. TTRA Conference „Tourism Matters: Navigating Sustainable Futures”, April, 21-24, 2024, George, South Africa, pp. 29-32.
Zehrer, A., Wieser, D, Glowka, G., & Pirhofer, Ch. (2023). Speed dating with tourism family firm entrepreneurs to foster enterprising literacy. EuroCHRIE “Changing Realities. New Opportunities”, October 3-6 2023, Vienna, Austria. EuroCHRIE 2023, Book of Abstracts, p. 36.
Zehrer, A., Wieser, D, Glowka, G., & Pirhofer, Ch. (2023). Speed dating with tourism family firm entrepreneurs to foster enterprising literacy. EuroCHRIE “Changing Realities. New Opportunities”, October 3-6 2023, Vienna, Austria. EuroCHRIE 2023, Book of Abstracts, p. 36.
Wieser, D.; Zehrer, A.; Glowka, G.; & Pirhofer, C. (2023). Entrepreneurship Education Best Practice: Speed Dating to improve Enterprising Literacy. G-Forum: Die Kraft der Resilienz für Innovation und Entrepreneurship, Darmstadt, Deutschland.
Zehrer, A.; Wieser, D., Glowka, G.; & Pirhofer, C. (2023). Putting EICAA into practice – Speed Dating with Family Firm Entrepreneurs to Foster Enterprising Literacy in Entrepreneurship Education. EAIR Forum Linz.
Seeler, M., Wieser, D., Zehrer, A., & Sixl-Daniell, (2020). Online education at universities: a cultural change. Conference on “Digitalisierung, Digitale Transformation und Nachhaltigkeit in der globalen Ökonomie”, October 1-2, 2020, Budapest, Hungary.
Wieser, D., & Degischer, D. (2019). Investigating the Effects of Ethical Leadership: Implications on Negative Behavioural Reactions. Academy of Management Global Proceedings, Slovenia(2019): 363. Academy of Management.
Degischer, D., & Wieser, D. (2018). An Experimental Approach to Sabotage Activity in Mergers and Acquisitions, British Academy of Management (BAM) Annual Conference 2018, September 4-6, Bristol, United Kingdom
Wieser, D., Seeler, M., Sixl, K., & Zehrer, A. (2018). Assessing the study experience in online education and the relevance of expectations: Seeing the successful implementation of online education in a new light. In Research in Action. University of Iceland, Reykjavík: European Academy of Management. ISBN 9782960219500
Wieser, D., Seeler, J.-M., Sixl-Daniell, K., & Zehrer, A. (2017). Anticipated challenges of online degree programs: A study of bachelor students in business administration. In Making Knowledge Work. University of Strathclyde, Glasgow: European Academy of Management. ISSN 2466-7498
Wieser, D., Seeler, J.-M., Sixl-Daniell, K., & Zehrer, A. (2017). Online students ’ expectations differ : The advantage of assessing students ’ expectations in online education. In 3rd International Conference on Higher Education Advances, HEAd’17 (pp. 1113–1120). Valencia. http://doi.org/http://dx.doi.org/10.4995/HEAd17.2017.5525

Presentation of a paper at a conference, workshop or seminar

Zehrer, A., Pfitscher, A., & Wieser, D. (2025). Bridging Generations: Sustainable Leadership in Family Businesses. 3rd Knowledge Exchange and Policy Forum, November 26-28, 2025, Malta.
Zehrer, A., Wieser, D., & Pfitscher, A. (2025). Building Transgenerational Bridges: Sustainable Leadership in Family Firms. IECER Conference, September 12-14 2025, Reykjavik, Iceland.
Kim, R.C., Wieser, D., Zehrer, A., Shinohara, Y., & Pham, T.L. (2025). Navigating sustainability in Family Businesses: A Comparative Study of Japan and Austria, International Research Groupon the Long-lived Enterprises around the World (INGLLE), September 13, 2025, Tokyo.
Shinohara, Y.; Wieser, D.; Pham, L.T.; Zehrer, A., & Kim, R.C. (2025, 22-25 June). Dynamics of sustainability in family firms in Japan and Austria: A transgenerational study. European Academy of Management, Florence, Italy.
Zehrer, A.,Wieser, D.,Pfitscher, A.,Assenmacher, M. (2025). Sustainable Leadership across generations in family firms. IFERA2025 10.-14. Juni 2025, Zadar, Kroatien.
Zehrer, A., & Wieser, D. (2025). Familienunternehmen und Nachhaltigkeit: Eine Tradition mit Zukunft. FIFU DACHLI. 10.-11. März 2025, Salzburg, Österreich.
Zehrer, A., Glowka, G., Wieser, D., Pirhofer, C. (2024). Coping with uncertainty, ambiguity and risk – a crucial future competence in entrepreneurship education. EuroChrie “Hospitality and Tourism in a New Era: Building Bridges and Overcoming Challenges”, November 4-7 2024, Doha, Qatar.
Wieser, D., Zehrer, A., Shinohara, Y., Kim, R.C., & Ackaradejruangsri, P. (2024). Sustainability across Generations in Family Firms. IECER Conference, September 18-20 2024, Innsbruck, Austria.
Kim, R.C., Wieser, D., Shinohara, Y. & Zehrer, A. (2024). We Are a Family, Not a Business: Can’t Family Business Be Sustainable “Across” Generations?”, “Academy of Management, August 9-13, 2024, Chicago, Illinois.
Shinohara, Y., Wieser D., Kim, R.C., Zehrer, A., & Ackaradejruangsri, P. (2024). Sustainable Development of Family Firms on the example of the hotel industry in Japan. across Generations”? APU CIL Conference “Inclusion X Sustainability”, June 1-2 2024, Osaka, Japan.
Campos, V., Zehrer, A., Ejarque, A.T., Wieser, D., Saurwein, L. (2024). Sustainable supply chain transformation in family firms, the role of sustainable leadership. EIASM 39th Workshop on Strategic Human Resource Management, April 18-19, 2024. Barcelona, Spain.
Zehrer, A., Floris, M., & Wieser, D. (2024). Embodying Sustainability into Small and Medium Tourism Family Firm Strategies. An exploratory study. TTRA Conference „Tourism Matters: Navigating Sustainable Futures”, April, 21-24, 2024, George, South Africa, pp. 29-32
Zehrer, A., Wieser, D, Glowka, G., & Pirhofer, Ch. (2023). Speed dating with tourism family firm entrepreneurs to foster enterprising literacy. EuroChrie “Changing Realities. New Opportunities”, October 3-6 2023, Vienna, Austria.
Wieser, D., Zehrer, A., Shinohara, Y., Kim, R.C., & Ackaradejruangsri, P. (2023). Inclusive and sustainable leadership in family firms: a cross-cultural ap-proach among Japan and Austria. COMPASS - Transferable& ComplementarySkillsConference, October 4-5, 2023, Helsinki, Finland.
Campos, V., Zehrer, A., & Ejarque, A. T., Wieser, D., Sanchis, J.R., & Saurwein, L. (2023). Sustainability leadership development in the family firms of the tourism industry – an exploratory comparative case study. 18th EISAM Workshop on Family Firm Management Research “Balancing financial and non-financial wealth”. October 2-3, 2023, Naples, Italy.
Wieser, D.; Zehrer, A.; Shinohara, Y.; Kim, R.C.; Ackaradejruangsri, P. (2023 October 4-5, conference presentation extended abstract). Inclusive and sustainable leadership in family firms: a cross-cultural approach among Japan and Austria. COMPASS Conference Transferable Skills for Research & Innovation, Helsinki, Finland. https://www.theseus.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/852085/Compass2023_Topic4_archived.pdf?sequence=2&isAllowed=y
Wieser, D., Zehrer, A., Glowka, G. & Pirhofer, Ch. (2023). Entrepreneurship Education Best Practice: Speed Dating to improve Enterprising Literacy. 26. Interdisziplinäre Jahreskonferenz zu Entrepreneurship, Innovation und Mittelstand (G-Forum), September 27–29, 2023, Darmstadt, Germany.
Wieser, D., Shinohara, Y., Kim, R.C., Zehrer, A., & Ackaradejruangsri, P. (2023). Inclusive and sustainable leadership in family firms: A cross-cultural study between Austria and Japan RMER Conference “Sustainable and Responsible Management: A decade of Integrating Knowledge and Creating Societal Impact through Innovation and Entrepreneurship”, September 26-27, 2023, Lissbon, Portugal.
Zehrer, A., Wieser, D, Glowka, G., & Pirhofer, Ch. (2023). Putting EICAA into practice – Speed Dating with Family Firm Entrepreneurs to Foster Enterprising Literacy in Entrepreneurship Education. 45th EAIR Forum “Shaping the World of Change – Higher Education as a Key Enabler”, September 3-6, 2023, Linz, Austria.
Wieser, D., Zehrer, A., & Glowka, G. (2023). Inklusives und nachhaltiges Führen in Familienunternehmen. FIFU DACHLI 30. Juni – 1. Juli, 2023, Hamburg, Deutschland.
Wieser, D.; Zehrer, A.; & Glowka, G. (2023). Inklusives und nachhaltiges Führen in Familienunternehmen. FIFU 2023.
Inclusive Leadership in Family Firms: A Cross-Cultural Study. International Family Business Research Day MCI, ESCA and The American University of Cairo, School of Business.
Wieser, D., Zehrer, A., Shinohara, Y., & Chunghee Kim, R. (2023). Inclusive and sustainable leadership in family firms: a cross-cultural approach. International Family Business Research Day, March 14, 2023 online.
Wieser, D. (2019). The phenomoneon of integrating technology in the learning process of higher education: a literature review. In Exploring the Future of Management. ISCHTE Business School, Lisbon: European Academy of Management.
Wieser, D., Seeler, J.M., Sixl-Daniell, K., & Zehrer, A. (2017). Online education and expectancy theory: Success-strategies of first semester Bachelor students. Oxford: Business & Economics Conference (OBEC).

Other intellectual contributions

Windbichler, R., Baur, J., Heiss, R., Kerschbaumer, L., Manske-Wang, W., Marschang, H., Mevenkamp, N., Schäfer, M., Walch, S., & Wieser, D. (2025). Community Projects als Lehrformat zur Gesundheitsförderung. In P. Plunger, A. Wahl, B. Preiner, & K. Leitner (Hrsg.), Aus- und Weiterbildung in der Gesundheitsförderung: Innovative Lehrbeispiele und modulare Gestaltungsmöglichkeiten (S. 23–29). Gesundheit Österreich.
A. Altmann, B. Ebersberger,C. Mössenlechner and D. Wieser (Eds). The Disruptive Power Of Online Education. challenges, Opportunities, Responses. Emerald Publishing. 2019.
Ebersberger, B., Pirhofer, C., & Wieser, D. (2018). Teaching Toolkit for Entrepreneurship Education. Embedding Entrepreneurship Education - Erasmus+. https://www.mci.edu/phocadownload/allgemein/Forschung/EEE_TTK_2018-5.pdf

Supervised bachelor theses

Niedrist Tobias (2025): Strategien zur Kostenkontrolle: Eine Analyse der Maßnahmen junger Erwachsener zur Regulierung ihrer Ausgaben für abonnementbasierte Streamingdienste
Mizrak Semanur (2025): Wie können soziale Unternehmen Mitarbeiter:innen der Generation Z nachhaltig binden?
Quintus Mariella (2025): Motivationsfaktoren von Gründer:innen im Social Business: Eine qualitative Untersuchung von Social Businesses in Tirol
Gvozdenovic Ljerka (2025): Innovationsgestaltung an Hochschulen der DACH-Region: Externe Kooperationen und Netzwerke als Schlüsselfaktoren
Cabar Acelya (2025): Navigating Gender Biases: Strategies Employed by Women Leaders
Reichholf Selina (2024): Interne und externe Treiber von ökologischen Nachhaltigkeitsstrategien und -praktiken in KMUs der Beherbergunsbranche
Berg Jesper (2024): What Different Generations Perceive of and Expect From Remote Working.
Fink Jule Marie (2023): Digital Transformation and its Effect on Organizational Culture - A Case Study of a German Tax Consulting Firm
Krüger Lara (2021): Ein Vergleich zwischen dem Social Business Modell und dem For- Profit Business Modell unter den Aspekt Nachhaltigkeit
Meier Julia (2019): Success Factors for Educational Technology in Developing Countries
Wanninger Valentin Josef (2017): How to Satisfy and Motivate Students in Online Courses
Haueis Siegfried Eduard (2017): Application of Virtual Reality Technology in Higher Education: Major Challenges
Chou Sarah (2017): Using Gamification and Mobile Technologies to Create an Engaging Learning Experience
Bloemen Manon (2017): The Opportunities, Challenges, and Trends of E-Learning in Developing Countries
Lehmann Louis Jens (2017): The Impact of Educational Technology on Social Competencies and Interpersonal Communication Skills
Meier Julia (2017): Opportunities and Challenges for the Implementation of Educational Technology in Developing Countries
Pichler Judith (2017): Cross-Generational Learning - Higher Education, Multiple Generations and how the Concept of Blended Learning Facilitates the Development of Graduates From Different Age Groups
Piber Jeanine (2017): Methods and Techniques of the Blended Learning Approach to Maintain Commitment and Motivation of Students
Mair Alexander (2017): Combination of Competency Based Learning in Adaptive Online Learning Systems and its Effects on the Educational Industry
Lalic Aleksa (2017): The Influence of EdTech on Student Performance, Engagement and Learning

Supervised master theses

Reitzinger Maria (2026): From Bench to Business: Exploring Entrepreneurial Competence Development in Biotech Accelerators
Kogler Verena (2025): The Role of General Practice in Tackling Loneliness