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Laurel Ofstein

she/her/hers
Faculty Director, Burgess Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Department: Management
Office:
North Business Building
632 Bogue St Rm N441
East Lansing, MI 48824
Phone: (517) 353-6435
Faculty Director, Burgess Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Department: Burgess Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Areas of Expertise
  • Biography
    Laurel Ofstein is Faculty Director of the Burgess Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and Associate Professor-Fixed Term in the Department of Management. Prior to coming to Michigan State University, Dr. Ofstein was Associate Professor of Management at Western Michigan University, Director of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, and Operations Director of the student business accelerator. Her research examines creativity, innovation and strategy within ecosystems, specifically entrepreneurial teams, organizations, and incubators. Most recently, her research focuses on social entrepreneurship, both within an incubator setting, as well as within the community through cross-sector social partnerships. She recently concluded an academic sabbatical during which she researched community-based incubators focused on poverty alleviation and economic development and the financial and social challenges associated with these efforts. 

    Dr. Ofstein recently co-authored a white paper on growth strategies of successful women entrepreneurs in partnership with Babson College and Bank of America. Her research has been published in several academic journals, including the International Small Business Journal, the Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, and the International Journal of Management Education

    Dr. Ofstein has taught courses at both the graduate and undergraduate levels on entrepreneurship, family business, and strategy at Western Michigan University, the University of Illinois at Chicago, and DePaul University. She has presented her research locally, nationally and internationally at academic and practitioner-focused conferences.

    Before entering academia, Dr. Ofstein was a consultant in the financial services industry at Accenture, helping several Fortune 500 companies to streamline their financial processes and operations. She was also a Consulting Manager for a risk management company. Following her MBA degree at DePaul University, Dr. Ofstein served as the Assistant Director to the university’s Center for Creativity and Innovation and taught as adjunct faculty before pursuing her Ph.D. at the University of Illinois at Chicago.   
     

    Dr. Ofstein is a reviewer for several peer-reviewed entrepreneurship journals and has conducted editorial reviews of academic textbooks.  She has not only published in academic journals, but also co-authored the book, Women in Business: The Changing Face of Leadership, as well as a related book chapter in the book, Gender, Race and Ethnicity in the Workplace.
  • Education
    Ph.D. Business Administration, Focus: Entrepreneurship 2013, University of Illinois at Chicago
    M.B.A. with Distinction, Concentrations: Entrepreneurship, Marketing 2005, DePaul Unversity
    B.A. Economics 1998, Kalamazoo College
  • Publications
    Article
    Intindola, M. & Ofstein, L. F. (2021) Change Through Chaos: Using Bricolage in Cross-Sector Social Partnerships. New England Journal of Entrepreneurship, 24(2), 122-136.
    Article
    Shrivastava, U., Ofstein, L., Golhar, D. (2021) Direct and Indirect Effects of ICT Infrastructure, Skills, and Use on Entrepreneurship: A Cross-Country Empirical Investigation. Journal of Global Information Management, 29(6), 1-25.
    Article
    Morgan, T., Anokhin, S., Ofstein, L. F., Friske, W. (2020) SME Response to Major Exogeneous Shocks: The Bright and Dark Sides of Business Model Pivoting. International Small Business Journal, 38(5), 369-379.
    Article
    Flanagan, D., Lepisto, D. & Ofstein, L. F. (2018) Coopetition Among Nascent Craft Breweries: A Value Chain Analysis. Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, 25(1), 2-16.
    Article
    Bacq, S., Ofstein, L. F., Kickul, J. R. & Gundry, L. K. (2017) Perceived Entrepreneurial Munificence and Entrepreneurial Intentions: A Social Cognitive Perspective. International Small Business Journal. 35(5), 639-659.
    Article
    Gundry, L. K., Ofstein, L. F. & Monllor, J. (2016) Entrepreneurial Team Creativity: Driving Innovation From Ideation to Implementation. Journal of Enterprising Culture. 24(1), 55-75.
    Article
    Gundry, L. K., Muñoz-Fernandez, A., Ofstein, L. F. & Ortega Egea, M. T. (2016) Innovating in Organizations: A Model of Climate Components Facilitating the Creation of New Value. Creativity and Innovation Management. 25(2), 223-238.
    Article
    Bacq, S., Ofstein, L. F., Kickul, J. R. & Gundry, L. K. (2015) Bricolage in Social Entrepreneurship: How Creative Resource Mobilization Fosters Greater Social Impact. The International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation. 16(4), 283-289.
    Article
    Gundry, L. K., Ofstein, L. F. & Kickul, J. R. (2014). Seeing Around Corners: How Creativity Skills in Entrepreneurship Education Influence Innovation in Business. International Journal of Management Education. 12(3), 529-538.
    Book
    Werhane, P., Posig, M., Gundry, L., Ofstein, L. & Powell, E. (2006). Women Leaders in Corporate America: A Study of Leadership Values and Methods in Karsten, M. (ed). Gender, Race, and Ethnicity in the Workplace [3 volumes]. New York: Greenwood-Praeger.
  • Media Mentions

Related News:

This year marks the fifth anniversary of the Minskoff Pavilion, the home for business education at the MSU Broad College
Bob Burgess in the Minskoff Pavilion
Business leader, philanthropist and Michigan State University alumnus Bob Burgess passed away Tuesday, April 2, 2024.
Three female students wearing matching entrepreneurship minor t-shirts with their backs to the camera outside on MSU's campus in summer.
The Princeton Review announcement marks the sixth consecutive year of distinguished recognition.
Student winners and finalists at the 2023 Burgess New Venture Challenge holding oversize checks at The Graduate hotel in East Lansing.
Two Broad Spartan teams earned second place and a social impact award for their innovative business pitches.
MSU mascot, Sparty, fist-bumping with someone at the 2022 Burgess New Venture Challenge
Meet the 2023 student entrepreneurs who have been selected as semifinalists, competing for $50,000 in total cash prizes.
Audio
Broad Matters podcast hosted by the MSU Broad College of Business, available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts
Research from Laurel Ofstein is bringing excellence to the entrepreneurial mindset at Michigan State University.
Three female students wearing matching entrepreneurship minor t-shirts with their backs to the camera outside on MSU's campus in summer.
The Princeton Review announcement marks a fifth consecutive year of distinguished recognition.
Minskoff Pavilion grand staircase
This year, we recognize and celebrate faculty who take on leadership roles in existing and newly created positions.
The Edward J. Minskoff Pavilion on the MSU campus in summer
Join us in welcoming Beth Hammond and Laurel Ofstein, who will strengthen two of the college’s strategic themes.