About

My research lies at the intersection of strategy, business and society. In particular, I specialise in the development of environmental capabilities in various organisational settings through stakeholder engagement and stakeholder management. This multidisciplinary research informs organisational practices as well as policymaking in the area of environmental sustainability. My research has been published in the Business Strategy and Environment, International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Business Ethics: European Reviews, Local Economy and The British Academy Journal.

Other research interests include the development of sustainable business models that target multiple value creation and balance high performance with care for the natural environment. As an active researcher in this field, I work with a number of funding and public authorities towards strengthening the business and environmental performance of the regional SMEs. I work with businesses on consultancy projects in the areas of development, evaluation and implementation of green growth strategy and biodiversity net gain (BNG). 

Research interests

Live research projects include:

• Derbyshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) development 
• British Academy funded project (Project code: SRG23\231185) titled 'Multi-stakeholder collaboration for Net Zero'
• Business4Nature project funded by Derbyshire Wildlife Trust

Recent publications

Baranova, P. (2025) "Understanding the customer journey through the prism of service design methodology", Book Chapter in  Alison Lawson and Charles Hancock (Eds) Doing Marketing Research: Alternative Methods for Market Sensing, Routledge, London, 2025.

Baranova, P. and Dupernex, S. (2025) "Research Ethics: becoming an ethical researcher", Book Chapter in  Alison Lawson and Charles Hancock (Eds) Doing Marketing Research: Alternative Methods for Market Sensing, Routledge, London, 2025.

Baranova, P. and Lynch N. (2025) "Building capacity for Net Zero Transition through a place-based approach to business support eco-system". Economica Industriale (Forthcoming)

Baranova, P., Waheed, H., Paterson, F. (2025). "Towards Green Growth Capability Development: A Knowledge-Based Perspective". Business Strategy and the Environment

Baranova, P. (2024) "Multi-stakeholder networks as learning settings towards pro-environmental entrepreneurship: learning through the diversity and policy-practice interface". International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation 

Baranova, P. (2024) "Supporting Green Business Growth: Towards a Transformative Approach", Andersen, T.J. (Ed.) Sustainable and Resilient Global Practices: Advances in Responsiveness and Adaptation (Emerald Studies in Global Strategic Responsiveness), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 81-98. 

Baranova P. (2024) Green Growth in the East Midlands. Report University of Derby and East Midlands Chamber. Green Growth Trends in the East Midlands 2024 Report : University of Derby Repository

Baranova, P., Mustafa., G. and Paterson, F. (2024) Green Entrepreneurs Fund Programme Evaluation Report. University of Derby Green Entrepreneurs Fund Programme Evaluation Report : University of Derby Repository 

Gallotta, B., Baranova., Paterson., F. (2024) "Pro-environmental enterprise support: Developing a framework to unlock the potential of SMEs in sustainability transitions", Local Economy, 38(6), 582-605. 

Paterson, F., Baranova, P., Gallotta, B. (2024) "Towards a conceptual framework of enterprise support for pro-environmental small and medium-sized enterprises: A contextualised review of diverse knowledge domains". Local Economy 37(3), 142-168  

Baranova, P. (2023) "Place-based business support towards net zero: enabling through the place-policy-practice nexus", The Journal of the British Academy. Issue: Societal and Governance Factors on the Road to Net Zero, 11(4): 57-95  

Baranova, P. (2023) "Multi-stakeholder networks as learning setting for pro-environmental entrepreneurship: dynamic learning through the diversity and policy-practice interface", International Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Baranova, P. (2023) "Supporting green business growth: Towards a transformative approach" in Sustainable and Resilient Global Practices: Advances in responsiveness and adaptation, Emerald Studies in Global Strategic Responsiveness, Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 81-98 

Baranova, P., Horry, R. & Booth, C.A. (2023) "To infinity and beyond the environmental impact minimisation paradigm". In: Gorse, C., Scott, L., Booth, C.A. & Dastbaz, M. (Editors) Sustainable, Ecological, Engineering, Design for Society, Springer Nature, Switzerland

Baranova, P. (2022) "Environmental capability development in a multi-stakeholder network setting: dynamic learning through multi-stakeholder interactions", Business Strategy and the Environment 

Paterson, F., Baranova, P., Gallotta, B. (2022) "Towards a conceptual framework of enterprise support for pro-environmental small and medium-sized enterprises: A contextualised review of diverse knowledge domains". Local Economy 

Baranova, P., Paterson, F., Gallotta, B. (2020) "Configuration of enterprise support towards the clean growth challenge: a place-based perspective", Local Economy, 35(4):363-383

Cowling, M., Nadim, S., Foster, C., Baranova, P. (2020) "Can local finance add value to local small business? Evidence from a UK local loan and grant fund". International Review of Entrepreneurship, 18(1):133-151

Paterson, F.,  Baranova, P., Gallotta B. (2020) Pro-environmental business and clean growth trends for the East Midlands 2020, Sustainable Business and Clean Growth Research Group, University of Derby, May 2020

Membership of professional bodies

• Chartered Manager with the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) UK since 2014
• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (HEA) since 2013

Professional interests

• Co-SIG Chair for the Sustainable and Responsible Business Special Interest Group (SIG) at the British Academy of Management
• Reviewer for two ABS 2* journals: Business Ethics: a European Review (Wiley, impact factor 3.029) and Higher Education (Springer, impact factor 1.937).
• Member of the British Academy of Management (2006 to present) and Strategic Management Society (SMS)

Qualifications

• 2017 - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Nottingham University Business School, University of Nottingham, UK
• 2010 - Master of Business Administration (MBA), The Open University, UK
• 2004 - PGCE, University of Derby, UK
• 1999 - BA (Hons) English as Foreign Language, Donetsk State University, Ukraine
• 1997 - BA (Hons) Economics and Management (distinction), Donetsk National University of Economics and Trade, Ukraine

Recent conferences

Baranova, P., and He Q. (2025) "Multi-stakeholder collaborations for Net Zero: an exploration of collaborative intensity dynamics and dynamism", British Academy of Management Annual Conference 2025, Kent, 1^st – 5^th of September 2025.

He, Q. and Baranova P. (2025) "Engaging with Net Zero through Multi-stakeholder Collaborations in Firms’ Ecosystems: Evidence from the UK", EUROMA, June 2025.

Meadows, M., Baranova, P., Robins J. (2025) "Digital Technology for Decarbonisation: Sectoral and Location Significance for the Net Zero Transition", British Academy of Management Annual Conference 2025, Kent,1^st – 5^th of September 2025.

Baranova, P., Meadows, M., and Robins J. (2024) "Balancing the double-edged sword of digital for sustainability: The potential and pitfalls of the net zero transition", British Academy of Management Annual Conference 2024, Nottingham, 2^nd – 6^th of September 2024.

Baranova, P. (2023) "Supporting Green Business Growth: towards a transformative approach", European Academy of Management (EURAM) Annual Conference, Dublin, Ireland, 14-16th of June 2023

Baranova, P., Horry, R., Booth, C. (2022) "The Wonderful Wizard of Decarbonisation: Lived-Experiences on the Green Brick Road", International SEEDs Conference, Leeds Becket University, 31 August - 2 Sept 2022 (Forthcoming)

Baranova, P. and Stewart, H. (2021) "Securing green gains through enterprise support: supporting post-Covid business recovery", British Academy of Management Annual Conference 2021 - in the Cloud, 31^st of August – 3^rd of Sept 2021

Baranova, P., Horry, R., Booth, C. (2021) "To Infinity and Beyond the Environmental Impact Minimisation Paradigm", International SEEDs Conference, Leeds Becket University, 1-3 of Sept 2021

Stewart, H. and Baranova, P. (2020) "Proactive Sustainable Management Practices in SMEs: Towards a Practical Wisdom Conception" Conference Paper, British Academy of Management Annual Conference 2020 - in the Cloud, 2-4 of Sept 2020.

Experience in industry

Having worked in consultancy and logistics before my academic career, I emphasise strong links between academic research and practice. Working for a high-profile international consultancy company, I have contributed to a number of national and multinational consultancy projects concerned with the development of MISs and business ventures for coal mines. My expertise lies in the development of strategic management competencies and strategic thinking skills in various organisational contexts. I work with companies on a number of consultancy projects around the development, evaluation and implementation of environmental strategies.

Teaching responsibilities

I lead the following modules:

• 7RY518 Negotiated Module (Level 7)
• 8RY501 Practitioner Project (DBA) (Level 8)

I supervise doctoral-level research projects towards PhD and DBA degrees.