prof. dr. G. (Gjalt) de Jong

Professor Gjalt de Jong is Professor of Sustainable Entrepreneurship in a Circular Economy (University of Groningen, Faculty Campus Frysl â n). Professor de Jong builds on more than 25 years of experience in academia, business and management. He holds a Master of Science in Economics and a PhD in Business Administration from the University of Groningen. He is the chair and head of the department Sustainable Entrepreneurship in a Circular Economy, founder-former director of the Master of Science program Sustainable Entrepreneurship, founder-director of the Centre for Sustainable Entrepreneurship, and chair of the board of the Faculty’s research institute. He currently serves as the special advisor for nature inclusive farming to the President of the University of Groningen and the University of the North. Prior to his current position he served as associate professor at the University of Groningen (Faculty of Economics and Business) and as senior management consultant for KPMG and PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Professor de Jong supervises a team of 15 senior staff members and PhD students in the Sustainable Entrepreneurship in a Circular Economy department. He successfully completed 11 PhD projects to date. He obtained €1.6M for research and consortia grants, €1.6M Faculty PhD grants, €215 research and consultancy grants and €1.9M University Board grants. His most recent grant of €850k is for the transition towards regenerative farming and new business models. Together with his colleagues, he received 5 prices and awards and 130+ publications. Professor de Jong delivered 100+ guest lectures and 175+ news events. He supervised 100+ master thesis students projects in sustainable entrepreneurship and 75+ master thesis master projects in business and economics.

Professor de Jong’s career divides into two periods. From 2015 onwards, professor de Jong and his chair group focus on sustainable entrepreneurship and the circular economy (www.rug.nl/cf/cse) including the transition towards nature inclusive farming (Nature Inclusive Farming). An interview about his career is available here: Career Professor Gjalt de Jong. Between 1991 and 2015, professor de Jong focused on economic growth and strategy.

Sustainable entrepreneurship in a circular economy (from 2015 onwards)

In 2015, professor de Jong identified a need for and an opportunity to innovate academic research and education inspired by the planet-saving and welfare-enhancing opportunities of sustainable entrepreneurship in a circular economy. Professor de Jong redefined professor Maddison’s original question shifting the focus from economic to circular growth and from for-profit strategy to sustainable entrepreneurship. Professor de Jong aims to offer social impact and to understand why some countries/regions are (so) circular and others not and how sustainable entrepreneurship can foster the transition from a linear to a circular economy.

In 2015, this new focus of professor de Jong resulted in the establishment of the University’s Centre for Sustainable Entrepreneurship and of the new department. Together with his team, professor de Jong develops radically new transdisciplinary, interdisciplinary and multi-method research/teaching/valorization lines of activities that foster the success of sustainable entrepreneurship and the transition towards a circular economy (www.rug.nl/cf/cse).

Mission, vision and strategy

Professor de Jong’s societal impact mission/vision/strategy aligns with the observation that the impact of global challenges requires a redesign of production systems and societies towards inclusive circular economies. In a circular economy, the intertwined relationships between economic, ecological, and social virtues are balanced and preserved. Sustainable entrepreneurs are key in the transition towards a circular economy because they generate new products, new services and new business models that contribute to solving the grand societal and transition challenges.

The department fosters the design/implementation/management of successful sustainable entrepreneurship and the transition towards a circular economy because (i) it educates a new generation of leadership in the MSc program Sustainable Entrepreneurship, (ii) it generates fundamental and applied academic knowledge by means of transdisciplinary/interdisciplinary/multi-method research and sustainability/circular economy living labs and conferences, and (iii) it inspires and supports existing/new sustainable firms and circular citizenship by means of masterclasses, policy instruments/regional monitors and public debates.

The department is organized along professor de Jong’s general framework of sustainable entrepreneurship in a circular economy encompassing the design (leadership and strategy), implementation (organization, alliances, context and policy), and management (multiple value performance) of sustainable enterprises and their impact on the transition towards a circular economy and social welfare. Professor de Jong and his department regularly serve as reviewers for journals and academic seminars in this new academic field.

Research and Valorization

Together with his department, professor de Jong develops the relatively new and establishing field of sustainable entrepreneurship and the circular economy guided by transdisciplinary/interdisciplinary/multi-method research paradigms. The research of his current core team includes degrowth entrepreneurship (dr. Tom Long), social entrepreneurship (dr. Emma Folmer), circular entrepreneurship (dr. Niels Faber), sustainable entrepreneurship (dr. Berfu Ünal), and sustainable leadership (dr. Josephine Geiger).

Together with his team and his colleagues, professor de Jong supervises various PhD research projects for which he serves as first promotor including (i) social entrepreneurship (Valerija Woudstra joint with dr. Emma Folmer), (ii) transformational leadership and green employee behavior (Can Saral joint with dr. Berfu Unal), (iii) evolutions of sustainable entrepreneurship ecosystems (Jens Kaus joint with dr. Niels Faber), (iv) dynamic capabilities and entrepreneurship in the construction industry (Eric Fath-Kolmes joint with dr. Tom Long), (v) sustainability and hospitality (Geesje Duursma joint with dr. Erwin Loosekoot), (vi) new business models in agriculture (Stefano Bertorini joint with dr. Niels Faber), (vii) regional food communities (Rymvide Muzeceviuzi joint with dr. Marlieke Wilders) and (viii) the governance of social enterprises (Alex Bonnema joint with dr. Erwin Loosekoot). Professor de Jong collaborates in the Wageningen University & Research NWO Can-Do-It consortium and serves as a promotor for a Phd project concerning business models in circular agriculture (Annemarieke de Bruin joint with professor de Imkje Boer and dr. Niels Faber).

Professor de Jong supervised as promotor the successful completion of the PhD research of (i) “Sustainable entrepreneurship in the tourism industry” (Femke Vrenegoor, to be defended 2023, joint with professor Elena Cavagnaro), (ii) “Sustainable entrepreneurship in the protected nature areas” (Hellen Dawo to be defended 2023, joint with dr. Tom Long), (iii) dr. Manon Eikelenboom “Achieving sustainability together. Stakeholder collaboration for corporate sustainability and the circular economy” (3 February 2022, first promotor, joint with dr. Tom Long), (iv) dr. Hendrik Thelken “Thinking apart and together. The role of cognition in managing multiple goals in sustainable enterprises” (26 August 2021, first promotor, joint with dr. Berfu Unal), (v) dr. Margo Enthoven “Unpacking opportunity recognition for sustainable entrepreneurship” (18 March 2021, first promotor, joint with dr. Berfu Unal and dr. Emma Folmer), (vi) dr. Angela Greco “Changing for good: Transforming existing businesses in sustainable enterprises” (16 September 2020, first promotor, joint with dr. Tom Long), and (vii) dr. Monique de Ritter “Mission-driven entrepreneurs for ecosystems in sustainable systems change” (29 August 2019, first promotor, joint with professor Annemieke Roobeek).

Together with his team – and in line with the development stage of the new and establishing field of research –, professor de Jong developed more than 130 publications (conference papers/working papers/journal articles/book chapters). His team efforts resulted in a best paper award at the 2019 International New Business Models conference (Eikelenboom/Long/de Jong), a best paper award at the 2019 High Tech Small Firms Conference (Enthoven/de Jong/Unal), and a best paper nomination in the 2018 Academy of Management conference (Eikelenboom/de Jong). Professor de Jong also contributed to the best paper runner up award in the 2018 Strategic Management Society conference (Balogh/Faems/Estrada Vaqeuro/de Jong).

Professor de Jong is the principal investigator recipient of (i) the University of the North research grant for nature inclusive farming transitions (€300k), (ii) the LNV research grant for new business models in nature inclusive farming (€550k, joint with dr. Jerry van Dijk Utrecht University), (iii) the PhD Prowad Link research grant for sustainable entrepreneurship (€238K, joint with Hellen Dawo and dr. Tom Long), (iv) the PhD business research grant for social housing associations and the circular economy (€210K, joint with Manon Eikelenboom and dr. Tom Long), and (v) the PhD business research grant for social housing associations and sustainable entrepreneurship (€210K, joint with Angela Greco and dr. Tom Long). He received eight full-time and three part-time Faculty PhD grants/scholarships to date (accounting for €1.1M).

Professor de Jong initiated and received various grants and in-kind support for research valorization activities including (i) the Circular 11-city Tour Friesland (€55K), (ii) the Monitor Circular Economy Friesland (in-kind subsidy from Province Friesland), and (iii) the Monitor Sustainable Entrepreneurship Northern Netherlands (in-kind subsidy Campus Frysl â n). Professor de Jong joined as co-applicant in the successful NWO Can-Do-It grant (joint with professor de Boer/Wageningen University & Research).

Education and Valorization

Professor de Jong is founder and director of the NVAO accredited MSc program Sustainable Entrepreneurship for which he successfully supervised the macro efficiency test and the accreditation process. The MSc program aligns offers students the opportunity to develop academic/leadership/entrepreneurship skills together with learning how to successfully design/implement/manage sustainable enterprises. Together with his team and colleagues, professor de Jong is responsible for management and organization of the program including the education and exam committees, the recruitment and selection of students, the marketing and communication of the program, the quality control cycle, teaching staff quality and the performance of the students. Professor de Jong actively engages in academic and public debates offering more than 125 guest lectures and 180 network/news events.

Professor de Jong initiated and chairs the program’s Council of Commitment and the program’s Circular Minds Conference. All participating students of the first edition successfully completed the A+ evaluated master program (including the successful completion of final projects with sustainable entrepreneurs/organizations). The second edition of the master program serves a double amount of students (with 60 percent international and 40 percent Dutch students). The students highlight the program’s sustainability/entrepreneurship focus and the small-group and transdisciplinary teaching methods/context.

Professor de Jong and his chair group introduced four new educational programs/activities aimed to foster the success of sustainable entrepreneurship and the transition towards a circular economy. Together with his team he introduced (i) the Circular 11-city Tour Friesland; a two-year quarterly event where practitioners/academics offer state-of-the-art insights concerning sustainable entrepreneurship and the circular economy, (ii) the Sustainable Startup Academy; a joint venture between the chair group and Innovatiepact Friesland (Sterk Fries Ondernemerschap) where students together with practitioners/academics design their sustainable enterprises, (iii) the science lectures series Sustainable Entrepreneurship; a yearly program that offer regional entrepreneurs/policy-makers state-of-the-art insights of the field, and (iv) the preparation course Sustainable Entrepreneurship; a once-a-year program that offers students of applied sciences an opportunity to join the MSc program at the University of Groningen.

Board/Management and Valorization

Professor de Jong is among the first academic scholars that joined and initiated the university’s newest Faculty Campus Frysl â n. Professor de Jong is member of the extended board of Faculty Campus Frysl â n with a focus on regional networks and the Faculty’s sustainable strategy, organizational structure and HRM policy. He is the director of the Centre for Sustainable Entrepreneurship (and serves as the editor for the CSE monographs/PhD theses, working papers and student products), former-director of the Faculty’s MSc Sustainable Entrepreneurship program and a board member of the Faculty’s research institute. He regularly chairs and serves Faculty recruitment and selection committees for master/PhD students and for academic/support staff.

Professor de Jong is the director of the Faculty’s Circular Minds conference, the Circular 11-city Tour, the science lecture series in Sustainable Entrepreneurship, the Frisian monitor circular economy and various PhD spring/summer schools/masterclasses. Professor de Jong is a founding partner and member of the network Vereniging Circulair Friesland, advisory board member of Fries Sociaal Planburo and a member of the Stichting Innovatiepact Friesland. Professor de Jong chaired and served NVAO accreditation committees.

Economic growth and strategy (1991-2015)

Professor de Jong started his career in 1991 when he joined the team of professor Angus Maddison. Professor Maddison aimed to understand why some countries are (so) rich and other countries are (so) poor. In line with professor Maddison’s work, professor de Jong studied the role of labor productivity in manufacturing (Ecuador/Canada/United States) and, later on, the role of innovation in services (joint with professor Bart van Ark). After his military services as lieutenant in 1994 he continued his career as a PhD researcher at the University of Groningen and analyzed the causal structure of long-term buyer-supplier relations in the US, Japanese and European automobile industries (joint with professor Bart Nooteboom). Following a post-doc position on service innovation in 1998 (joint with professor Bart van Ark), professor de Jong joined KPMG and PricewaterhouseCoopers in 1999. He returned to the University of Groningen at the end of 2002. Between 2003 and 2015 professor de Jong developed his interdisciplinary/multi-method strategy research following the premise that strategic decisions of firms are fundamental for the economic growth of nation states.

In line with this focus, professor de Jong systematically developed a range of innovative strategy research lines with subsequently (a combination of) the individual, the organization, strategic alliances, the institutional context, public policy and firm performance as the unit of analysis (which offered the foundations for his current chair and his general framework of sustainable entrepreneurship in a circular economy). His research included (i) personality traits and individual choice behavior (joint with professor Arjen van Witteloostuijn), (ii) subsidiary decision-making autonomy/innovation in multinational enterprises (joint with dr. Vo van Dut, dr. Björn Jindra and professor Sjoerd Beugelsdijk), (iii) managerial attention in international small and medium-sized enterprises (joint with dr. Jiasi Fan and professor Hans van Ees), (iv) the strategy, structure and performance of democratic organizations (joint with professor Arjen van Witteloostuijn and professor Margreet F. Boersma), (v) bribery, firm performance and entrepreneurship in transition economies (joint with dr. Tu Phan and professor Hans van Ees), (vi) the role of new partner selection, trust, contracts and third parties in the management of (high-tech) alliances, joint ventures and (automotive) buyer-supplier relationships (joint with professor Bart Nooteboom, professor Margreet F. Boersma and dr. Rosalinde Klein Woolthuis), (vii) the ecology/evolution of national law, ministers and cabinets (joint with professor Arjen van Witteloostuijn), (viii) red tape and firm performance (joint with professor Arjen van Witteloostuijn), (ix) the meta-environment and firm performance (joint with dr. Vo van Dut) and (x) cultural diversity, internationalization and firm performance (joint with Jerry van Houten). His collaboration in the PhD research of dr. Nora Balogh-Kunst concerning wind farm joint ventures (joint with professor Dries Faems and dr. Isabelle Estrada Vaquero) complement these research lines. Together with his colleagues, he supervised the successful completion of the PhD research of dr. Tu Phan (on bribery and entrepreneurship, 2012; first co-promotor; Ubbo Emmius grant), dr. Vo van Dut (on subsidiary decision-making autonomy, 2014; first co-promotor; Ubbo Emmius grant), dr. Jiasi Fan (on managerial attention, 2017; first co-promotor; CFC grant), and dr. Nora Balogh-Kunst (on wind farm joint ventures, 2019; promotor; regular FEB PhD).

During this period, professor de Jong designed and supervised A/A+ evaluated graduate courses in international business, management and research methods. He coordinated and supervised large numbers of A/A+ evaluated bachelor and master thesis projects in international business, economics and management. He chaired and served various administrative boards and organizational development units, introduced various educational innovations (including the Spring Schools of Strategy and the inter-faculty/interdisciplinary collaboration for bio-based entrepreneurship), actively engaged in public debates (offering more than 100 guest lectures and news events) and regularly offered consultancy services for regional policy-making institutes/firms/organizations. With his colleagues he developed more than 60 journal articles, book chapters, monographs, and conference/working papers. During this period, professor de Jong and his colleagues received various grants for research (€215K joint with professor Arjen van Witteloostuijn and professor Bart van Ark) and a grant for university education innovation (€1.6M joint with professor van Ark). He was a research fellow at the research institute SOM (University of Groningen) and a visiting researcher at University of Antwerp, Case Western Reserve University and Copenhagen Business School. He served as a reviewer for various journals in the field and as a guest editor for a special issue on bribery and corruption.