prof. dr. G. (Gjalt) de Jong

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).