Esther Salvi is research assistant as well as PhD candidate. She has been working at the Chair for Corporate Sustainability since January 2019, where she conducts teaching and research activities. She is involved in PRME (Principles for Responsible Management Education, a United Nations initiative: https://www.unprme.org) as PRME sustainability assistant. She is also Doctoral Research Coordinator at the TUM SEED Center. In this role, she coordinates TUM SEED Doctoral Students and organizes monthly SEED Research Meetings. She is also responsible for the co-development of a joint SEED Research Agenda and SEED Research Network.

She holds a Master’s degree in Food Technology and Science from the University of Milano, where she graduated with distinction in 2018. In her research and teaching, she focuses on sustainable entrepreneurship in developing countries, with a major focus on Sub-Saharan Africa. She aims at understanding the role of informal micro-enterprises, which is linked to development of specific policies for the enhancement of micro-enterprises formalization and growth. Beside this, she focuses also on the role of family and close network for informal entrepreneurs in rural villages, which provide them access to credit, knowledge and empowerment.

1994:
Born in Luino, Lake Maggiore, Italy
2013-2016: University of Turin
Undergraduate Studies in Food Technology
Graduated Summa Cum Laude
2016-2018: University of Milan
Graduate Studies in Food Science and Technology
Graduated Summa Cum Laude
2018: Technical University of Munich
Master´s Thesis on Environmental and Nutritional Sustainability
2019- Present: Technical University of Munich
Ph.D. student and research assistant
Main Focus: Sustainable Entrepreneurship in Developing Countries (Africa)
Teaching: Sustainable Entrepreneurship – Theoretical Foundation; Sustainable Entrepreneurship – Theoretical Foundation; TUM SoM International Summer School on Sustainable Entrepreneurship

January 2022 - present:

Research Coordinator, Technical University of Munich
TUM SEED Center 
www.seed.tum.de

2019 - present: Research Assistant, Technical University of Munich
Chair of Corporate Sustainability
Topic : Informal Entrepreneurship
2019 - 2021
Program Manager , Technical University of Munich
“International Summer School: Sustainable Entrepreneurship – Theory and Practice” 
2018 - 2019: Research Assistant, Technical University of Munich
Chair of Marketing and Consumer Research
Topic : Consumer Behavior in a Complex Food Market Environment
2013 - 2018: Wine Advisor & Digital Consultant
Centrovini Enoteca, Lake Maggiore, Italy
August 2015 - September 2015:
Food Quality Consultant & Production Supervisor
Curricular Internship at GERLA 1927 S.p.a., Torino, Italy

Salvi, E., Belz, F.-M., & Bacq, S. 2022. Informal Entrepreneurship: An Integrative Review and Future Research Agenda. Entrepreneurship Theory & Practice. https://doi.org/10.1177/10422587221115365

Salvi, E., & Gimenez-Jimenez, D. 2022. The Role of Collectivism and Gender Equality in Informal Entrepreneurship. Academy of Management Proceedings 2022.

Salvi & Belz. 2020. Semi-Formal Firms in Sub-Saharan Africa: Towards a More Nuanced Understanding of (In)Formality. 2020 BCERC Online Conference. 

Salvi & Belz, 2021. The Role of Meso-Level Institutions on Informal Enterprises in Sub-Saharan Africa. Frontiers of Entrepreneurship Research BCERC Proceedings.

Moellmann & Salvi, 2021. Unterwegs in Mali. TUMcampus Ausgabe 1/2021. Spezial zum Thema Nachhaltigkeit, p. 70-73.

Salvi & Belz, 2021. Informal Entrepreneurship: An Integrative Literature Review. AOM Annual Meeting Proceedings.

April 2018:
“Erasmus +” Grant
Provided by the European Commission
March 2019:
“TUM Without Borders” Grant
Provided by TUM International Center

Areas of interest

Sustainable Entrepreneurship in Developing Countries

Formalization of Micro-Enterprises

Informal & Semi-Formal Micro-Enterprises

Informal Associations in Rural Areas