Title:
What can we learn from maritime innovation? Rethinking sustainability and education in business schools
Roberto Rivas Hermann’s lecture explores how innovation and sustainability intersect within organizations and education. Using an interdisciplinary perspective, he draws on empirical cases from the maritime industry and higher education (spanning Latin America, Europe, and the Arctic) to show how institutions respond to complexity and societal change. His research builds on three pillars:
- Sustainable supply chain management
- Sustainable innovation management
- Management education
The lecture reflects on conceptual contributions to eco-innovation, circular economy, and management education. As noted by the expert committee (p. 9), his work demonstrates strong collaboration, active research engagement, and a convincing publication record in high-level journals. The inaugural lecture also discusses how complex thinking, including inspiration from Edgar Morin, informs efforts to rethink the role of business schools in sustainability
Short Academic Bio:
Roberto Rivas Hermann is Professor in Innovation and Sustainable Organization at Nord University Business School. He holds a PhD in Planning and Development from Aalborg University, Denmark, and joined Nord University as a postdoctoral researcher in 2016. His research focuses on sustainable supply chain management, innovation management, and management education. He has led and contributed to interdisciplinary projects on maritime logistics, circular economy, and responsible business education. His work draws on complexity thinking and has been published in international journals. Rivas Hermann has experience from academic and collaborative initiatives across Latin America, Europe, and the Arctic.