Azucena Grady-Moreno

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

ABOUT AZUCENA GRADY-MORENO

I am a fifth-year doctoral candidate (ABD) in the Business Management department specializing in Entrepreneurship and Strategy, at Texas Tech University - Rawls College of Business.My research examines how businesses—from entrepreneurial ventures to multinational corporations—navigate the tradeoffs between financial and social/environmental value creation in pursuit of sustainable competitive advantage. It sits at the intersection of strategic management, entrepreneurship, international business, and innovation, with a central focus on business sustainability.I focus particularly on mission-driven firms, social enterprises, and organizations implementing corporate sustainability initiatives. Methodologically, I conduct empirical research using quantitative techniques (e.g, panel regression analysis, event studies) and qualitative methods (e.g, grounded theory, case studies).Teaching Interests: Strategic Management, International Business, Social EntrepreneurshipI have presented my research at leading academic conferences, including the Academy of Management (AOM) Annual Meeting, the Strategic Management Society (SMS) Conference, Eastern Academy of Management (EAM) Conference, and Southern Management Association (SMA) Conference.Before entering academia, I acquired extensive experience managing diverse engineering projects, programs, and multidisciplinary teams in fast-paced environments. This unique perspective not only enhances my effectiveness as a researcher but also enables me to incorporate real-world experiences into the classroom, to bridge the gap between theoretical frameworks and their practical applications within the business domain.I have a background in civil engineering, engineering management and project management. In addition, I have a masters degree in Business and Engineering Management (MBS) from Rutgers University (New Brunswick, NJ), and a Certificate in Project Management from Rutgers University (Camden, NJ). I am also a Project Management Professional (PMP®) certified by the the Project Management Institute (PMI) which is the global authority in project management.Some of the projects I managed included: construction, design, renovation, and demolition projects; including higher education facilities, clean energy, recycling and industrial facilities, HVAC, residential/housing buildings, and historic buildings, among others.