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April M. Franco

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April M. Franco

April M. Franco

Professor of Economic Analysis and Policy; Chair, Department of Management, University of Toronto Scarborough

Degrees:

PhD in Economics, 2000, University of Rochester
MA in Economics, 1995, University of Rochester
BA in Philosophy and Economics, 1992, University of California, Los Angeles

Email:

Send an email to April M. Franco

Phone:

416-946-3133

Bio

April Franco is a Professor of Economic Analysis and Policy in the Department of Management at the University of Toronto-Scarborough, with a cross appointment to the Business Economics area at Rotman.  In 2020 she became the Chair of the Department of Management at the University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC). Her research focuses on the transfer, creation and use of knowledge within organizations; her work on spin-outs is considered ground-breaking. She has received several awards, including the Rector’s Award for the most innovative paper from Aalborg University in 2011 and Roger Martin and Nancy Lang Award for Excellence in Research in 2010. April teaches undergraduate courses in Organizational Strategy, Economics of Management, Industrial Organization and MBA courses in Strategy.

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Academic Positions

  • 2011-Present

    Associate Professor, Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto and Department of Management, University of Toronto at Scarborough

  • 2020-2026

    Chair, Department of Management at the University of Toronto Scarborough, University of Toronto

  • 2014-2015

    Visiting Associate Professor, Stern School of Business/New York University

  • 2014

    Visiting Associate Professorq, Bocconi

  • 2008-2011

    Assistant Professor, Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto and Department of Management, University of Toronto at Scarborough

  • 2007-2008

    Visiting Assistant Professor, Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto

  • 1999-2007

    Assistant Professor, Tippie College of Business, University of Iowa

  • 1999-2002

    Adjunct Consultant, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis

Selected Publications - Papers

Research and Teaching Interests

April teaches the undergraduate courses in Organizational Strategy, Management Economics, Industrial Organization and MBA courses in Strategy. Her research is focused on the development of knowledge within an organization, as well as the flow of knowledge across organizations.

Honors and Awards

  • 2015

    Citations of Excellence Award, Emerald Publishing Group

  • 2011

    Rector’s Award for the most innovative paper, Aalborg University

  • 2011

    Second Place, Dingman Entrepreneurship Best Paper Award Competition, University of Maryland

  • 2010

    Roger Martin and Nancy Lang Award for Excellence in Research , Rotman School of Management

  • 2009

    Honorable Mention, Strategic Management Society Best Conference Paper Prize, Strategic Management Society

  • 2006

    Dean’s Teaching Award, Tippie College of Business

  • 2005

    Best Paper Award, Academy of Management Journal

  • 2005-2008

    Research Grant for Entrepreneurship and Technological Change, Kaufmann Foundation

  • 2001-2002

    Award for Beginning Academics, National Science Foundation

  • 2000

    Old Gold Fellowship, University of Iowa

Academic / Professional Service

  • 2014-present

    Member of the Editorial Board, Strategy Science

  • 2012-2016

    Associate Editor, Management Science