The Open University

Professional biography

I am associated with The Open University since October 2012; first as a PhD student (2012-2017) and after that as a Central Academic.

Professional memberships:

Fellow Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
Institute for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (ISBE), Member
British Academy of Management (BAM), Member
Sustainable Development Research Network (SDRN), Member
Member of Zero Emissions Enterprise (ZEE) Network, UK
Member of the Case Centre, UK

Research interests

My research interests broadly relate to entrepreneurship, sustainability, and enterprise education. I am also interested in enterprise development, enterprise policy, innovation, dynamic capabilities of firms, SMEs and entrepreneurial universities. Moreover, I like to engage with socio-economic and political issues. My current research looks into the processes that underpin the development of sustainability-oriented capabilities in SMEs, while also examining the environmental drivers and barriers in these firms. This research particularly investigates the role of intermediaries that act as proto-institutional sponsors/actors having the aim to institutionalise and advance environmental practices in SMEs of developing countries like Pakistan. The other research stream examines the entrepreneurial character of universities in emerging economies such as Pakistan and Kenya.

Teaching interests

I have multiple teaching interests ranging from entrepreneurship and enterprise policy to innovation, sustainability, business studies, business research methods, business ethics, microeconomics, and macroeconomics. I am Module Production Team Chair for B209 Exploring Innovation and Entrepreneurship (replacement of B205 module). I have led on the update of Block 5 of B100 An Introduction to Business and Management. I am also acting as Innovation and Enterprise pathway qualification lead finding and promoting innovative ways to advance entrepreneurship and enterprise teaching.

Publications

Journal articles

How and with whom do educators learn in an online professional development microcredential (2023-07-14)
Rienties, Bart; Calò, Francesca; Corcoran, Suz; Chandler, Kathy; FitzGerald, Elizabeth; Haslam, Daniel; Harris, Claire A.; Perryman, Leigh-Anne; Sargent, Julia; Suttle, Martin and Wahga, Aqueel
Social Sciences and Humanities Open, 8, Article 100626(1)

Transforming small and medium-sized enterprises to address the climate emergency: The case for values-based engagement (2022-09)
Hampton, Sam; Blundel, Richard; Wahga, Aqueel; Fawcett, Tina and Shaw, Christopher
Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 29(5) (pp. 1424-1439)

Understanding the Drivers of Sustainable Entrepreneurial Practices in Pakistan’s Leather Industry: A Multi-Level Approach (2017-04-11)
Wahga, Aqueel; Blundel, Richard and Schaefer, Anja
International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour & Research, 24(2) (pp. 382-407)

Book chapters

Sustainable Entrepreneurship: Sustainability and the Circular Economy (2024-03)
Hill, Inge; Scott, Jonathan M. and Wahga, Aqueel
In: Deakins, David and Scott, Jonathan M. eds. Entrepreneurship: A Contemporary & Global Approach (Second Edition)
ISBN : 9781529621879 | Publisher : SAGE publications Ltd

Human Capital and Environmental Engagement of SMEs in Pakistan: A Comparative Analysis of the Leather Industry (2018-01)
Wahga, Aqueel; Blundel, Richard and Schaefer, Anja
In: Spence, Laura J.; Frynas, Jedrzej G.; Muthuri, Judy and Navare, Jyoti eds. Research Handbook on Small Business Social Responsibility: Global Perspectives. Edward Elgar Research Handbooks (pp. 401-412)
ISBN : 978-1-78471-181-8 | Publisher : Edward Elgar | Published : Cheltenham

[Case Study] Reducing the negative environmental impact of SMEs in Pakistan’s leather and tanning industry (2017-10-25)
Smith, Anne M. and Wahga, Aqueel Imtiaz
In: Hastings, Gerard and Domegan, Christine eds. Social Marketing: Rebels with a Cause (3rd ed) (pp. 468-477)
ISBN : 9781138123823 | Publisher : Routledge | Published : Abingdon

Conference items

Proto-Institutions, Sustainability and SMEs: A Systematic Literature Review (2020)
Aslam, Raees; Blundel, Richard and Wahga, Aqueel
In : The 42nd Annual Conference of the Institute of Small Business and Entrepreneurship (14-15 Nov 2019, New Castle)

Policy framework to overcome barriers to environmental improvement in Pakistan’s leatherworking SMEs (2019)
Wahga, Aqueel Imtiaz; Blundel, Richard and Schaefer, Anja
In : The British Academy of Management (BAM) 2019 Conference Proceedings (3-5 Sep 2019, Aston University, Birmingham United Kingdom)

Human Capital and Environmental Engagement of SMEs in Pakistan: A Comparative Analysis of the Leather Industry (2015)
Wahga, Aqueel; Blundel, Richard and Schaefer, Anja
In : ISBE Annual Conference 2015 (11 to 12 Nov, Glasgow)

Thesis

Understanding the Microfoundations of Environmental Improvement in SMEs: A Comparative Analysis of Pakistan’s Leather Industry (2017-08-24)
Wahga, Aqueel
PhD thesis The Open University

Motivational and Enabling Factors of Environmental Engagement in the SMEs of Developing Economies: Perceptions From the Leather Industry in Pakistan (2014-01-28)
Wahga, Aqueel Imtiaz
mres thesis The Open University

Other

University-led ecosystems for sustained innovation and entrepreneurship development in Kenya (2022-10-03)
Ngoasong, Michael / Z; Ozor, Nicholas; Gateru, Robert; Wahga, Aqueel; Kourti, Isidora and Muhatiah, Wentland
African Technology Policy Studies Network (ATPS)

Fan Industry of Pakistan: Growth Dynamics of Small, Medium and Large Enterprises (2010-01-28)
Wahga, Aqueel Imtiaz; Rahim, Eric; Aftab, Khalid; Ahson, Uzair and Aslam, Raees
Allied Press Pvt. Limited, 26 Shahrah-e-Quaid-e-Azam, Lahore, Pakistan, Pakistan.