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Margarita Cruz

Dr Margarita Cruz

Dr Margarita Cruz

Associate Professor

Expertise

  • Entrepreneurship
  • Organizational theory
  • Role of authenticity on entrepreneurial outcomes
  • Strategy
  • Developing Entrepreneurial Projects
  • Corporate Strategy

Biography

Margarita Cruz holds a PhD in Economics and is an Associate Professor of Strategic Management and Entrepreneurship at EHL. Her research explores the intersection of organizational theory and entrepreneurship, with a particular focus on how social evaluations influence entrepreneurial outcomes, such as founding new ventures and launching new products.

Her work has been published in top-tier journals, including Organization Studies, the European Journal of Innovation Management, the International Journal of Hospitality Management, and Tourism Review, among others.

During her tenure at EHL, Margarita has secured over 600,000 Swiss francs in funding from the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF) and the University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Western Switzerland (HES-SO) for research projects examining entrepreneurial outcomes in breweries, restaurants, and hotels worldwide.

In the classroom, Margarita incorporates the latest trends and best practices in entrepreneurship and strategy, with a strong focus on the hospitality and F&B industries. Before transitioning to academia, she worked as a business engineer in the banking and chemical sectors.

Awards

Best Paper Award (with applications in the social sciences) : Barry Richmond Award. International Conference of the System Dynamics Society, Boston (2007)

Rising Star Teaching Award

Education

PhD in Economics, Università della Svizzera italiana

Courses Taught

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN INTERNATIONAL HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT
• Corporate Strategy
• Developing Entrepreneurial Projects
Trends, Innovations, and New Business Models at the MBA

Teaching Location

EHL Campus Lausanne

Journal publications

Cruz, M. and Bivona, E. (2025). Unlocking potential: collaborative approaches to crisis management and business model innovation for SMEs. European Journal of Innovation Management, 28(9), 4562–4584. https://doi.org/10.1108/EJIM-02-2024-0171

Cruz, M., Hodari, D., & Raub, S. (2024). The impact of management structure on guest satisfaction in chain-affiliated hotels and the moderating influence of chain scale. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 117, 103651. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2023.103651

Raub, S., Cruz, M., Gorka, J., Hodari, D., & Saul, L. (2024). The cruise industry workforce crunch – generational changes in work values of job seekers. Tourism Review, 79(1), 38-53. https://doi.org/10.1108/TR-11-2022-0585

Cruz, M., & Beck, N. (2022). All we want is authentic beer: the role of geographic communities and authenticity on breweries’ reactions to competition. British Food Journal, 124(12), 4496-4515. https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-06-2021-0700

Bivona, E., & Cruz, M. (2021). Can business model innovation help SMEs in the food and beverage industry to respond to crises? Findings from a Swiss brewery during COVID-19. British food journal, 123(11), 3638-3660. https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-07-2020-0643

Cruz, M., Beck, N., & Wezel, F.C. (2018). Grown Local: Community Attachment and Market Entries in the Franconian Beer Industry. Organization Studies, 39(1), 47-72. https://doi.org/10.1177/0170840617695357