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Research Area
Short Biography
Heike M. Grimm holds the Aletta Haniel Professorship for Public Policy and Entrepreneurship at the University of Erfurt and served as the university’s Vice President for International Affairs from 2014 to 2020. Currently, she is the Vice Director of the Willy Brandt School of Public Policy, having previously served as its Director from 2006 to 2008 and again from 2015 to 2019. Before joining the University of Erfurt, she was a Professor of Policy Analysis and Public Management at the Faculty of Economics, Management, and Accountancy at the University of Malta. From 2002 to 2008, she held a Research Lectureship in Public Policy, funded by the Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft.
Professor Grimm is the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Entrepreneurship and Public Policy, Co-opted Member of the Kollegrat of the Max Weber Centre for Advanced Cultural and Social Studies (Max-Weber-Kolleg) at the University of Erfurt, an Advisory Board Member of the Institute for Development Strategies at Indiana University, and a College Member of the International Public Policy Association.
She was a Research Fellow at the Max Planck Institute of Economics in Jena, where she worked with the Entrepreneurship, Growth, and Public Policy Group led by Professor David B. Audretsch, from 2004 to 2008. Additionally, she has held visiting appointments at prestigious institutions, including the Johns Hopkins University, the Higher School of Economics in Moscow, and the School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University in Bloomington.
Her diverse research projects, funded by organizations such as the European Science Foundation, the European Commission, the German Federal Ministries of Economics and Research, and the Haniel Foundation, focus on the role of entrepreneurship, start-ups, and small business promotion for sustainable development. Beyond academia, Professor Grimm has worked as a consultant and policy analyst for local and national governments, international organizations, and private entities, including the OECD, the Friedrich Ebert Foundation in Washington, D.C., Europe Unlimited SA in Brussels, and the European Union of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises.
She studied politics, economics, economic history, and Arabic at Ludwig Maximilians University in Munich and the School of Oriental and African Studies in London. Professor Grimm holds a Doctorate from the University of Munich and completed her Habilitation at the University of Erfurt.
Research
- Social and international start-up campus University of Erfurt (EXIST) more information
- Public Policy Research in the Global South
- The Diversity of Entrepreneurship: Policy Entrepreneurship, Social Entrepreneurship Education, Public Health Entrepreneurship
- Member International Association of Public Policy (IPPA), College Member more information
- COMParative Methods for the Advancement of Systematic Cross-case Analysis and Small-n Studies (COMPASSS) more information
- European Consortium for Political Research (ecpr), Council Member more information
- Deutscher Hochschulverband (DHV) more information
- Förderkreis Gründungs-Forschung e.V. (FGF) more information
- International Council of Small Business (ICSB) more information
Publications (Selection)
Grimm, H.M., Jimenez, J.C., Ceesay, L.O. & Wondirad.M (2023) Lessons Not (Yet) Learned: What African Countries Could Teach the Global North about One Health during the Pandemics. In Journal of Comparative Policy Analysis: Research and Practice.
Grimm, H. M. & Bock, C. (2022). Entrepreneurship in Public Administration and Public Policy Programs in Germany and the United States. Teaching Public Administration. https://doi.org/10.1177/01447394211021636
Aly, M., Audretsch, D. B., & Grimm, H. M. (2021). Emotional skills for entrepreneurial success: The promise of entrepreneurship education and policy. The Journal of Technology Transfer, 46(5), 1611–1629.
Grimm, H. M., & Jimenez, J. C. (2021). Handbook of Research Methods and Applications in Comparative Policy Analysis. Review. Journal of Comparative Policy Analysis: Research and Practice, 1–2.
Grimm, H. M., & Jaenicke, J. (2012). What drives patenting and commercialization activity at East German universities? The role of new public policy, institutional environment and individual prior knowledge. Journal of Technology Transfer, 37 (4), 454-477.
Grimm, H.M. (2011). The Lisbon Agenda and Entrepreneurship Policy: Governance Implications from a German Perspective. Public Administration, 89(4), 1526-1545.
Grimm, H. M. (2010). Entrepreneur – Social Entrepreneur – Policy Entrepreneur. Typologische Merkmale und Perspektiven. Zeitschrift für Politikberatung, 3 (3-4), 441-456.
Grimm, H. M. (2010). The Diffusion of Bayh-Dole to Germany: Did new public policy facilitate university patenting and commercialisation? International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 12(4), 459-478.
Audretsch, D. B., Grimm, H. M. (2009). Local Strategies within a European Policy Framework. European Planning Studies, 17(3), 463-486.
Grimm, H. M. (2006). Do Public Information and Subsidies Contribute to the Entrepreneurial Environment? An Exploratory Transatlantic Study with Local-Global Perspectives. International Journal of Public Administration, 39(13), 1167-1193.
Grimm, H. M. (2019). Public and Policy Entrepreneurship Research: A Synthesis of the Literature and Future Perspectives. In D. B. Audretsch, E. Lehmann und Al Link (Eds.), A Research Agenda for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (91-106). Edward Elgar Publishing.
Grimm, H. M. (2019). Entrepreneurship in Public Policy Education: The Willy Brandt School as a Case. In E. Lehmann, & M. Keilbach (Eds.), From Industrial Organization to Entrepreneurship. A Tribute to David B. Audretsch (369-384). Springer.
Grimm, H. M. (2019). Introduction. The Added Value of Public Policy Research in the Global South. In Grimm, H. M. (Ed.), Public Policy Research in the Global South. A Cross-Country Perspective (1-13). Springer Nature.
Grimm, H. M. (2018). Qualifikationen, Ausbildung und Professional Schools in der Politikberatung. In S. Falk, M. Glaab, A. Römmele, M. Thunert, & H. Schober (Eds.), Handbuch Politikberatung. Springer.
Grimm, H. M. (2014). Entrepreneurship und Wissenschaftsmanagement an staatlichen Hochschulen. In H. Pechlaner, B. C. Doepfer und S. Märk (Eds.), Wertschöpfungskompetenz und Unternehmertum. Rahmenbedingungen für Entrepreneurship und Innovation in Regionen (165-196). Springer Gabler.
Grimm, H. M. (2010). Country Profile Germany. In Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD): Entrepreneurship, SMEs and Innovation. OECD´s Studies on Innovation and Entrepreneurship (66-67). OECD.
Grimm, H. M. (2009). Fostering Entrepreneurship in East Germany: Multi-Level Governance in a Transitional Economy. In Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD): Perspectives on Strengthening Entrepreneurship in East Germany: Lessons from Local Approaches (29-54). OECD.
Grimm, H. M. (2009). Creating an Entrepreneurial Economy: The Role of Public Policy. In Z. Acs, D. B. Audretsch, & R. Strom (Eds.), Entrepreneurship, Growth, and Public Policy (299-318). Cambridge University Press.
Grimm, H. M. (2016). Country level assessment of inclusive policies and programmes: GERMANY. Local Economic and Employment Development (LEED) Programme of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Grimm, H. M. (2013). Policy briefs on evaluating inclusive entrepreneurship policies, financing business start-ups and entrepreneurship by people with disabilities. Nutek (Sweden), Junge Leute machen sich selbständig (Deutschland), WomEqual (Finland), RABE (Austria), submitted to the Local Economic and Employment Development (LEED) Programme of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Grimm, H. M. (2012). Skills Development and its Relevance to FDI-SME Linkages for East Kazakhstan. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. 35 pages.
Grimm, H. M. (2007). Assessing the Policy Environment of Places: The Free State of Thuringia in a Transitional Context. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Local Development (CFE), Local Economic and Employment Development Programme (LEED), Trento Centre for Local Development. 15 pages.
Grimm, H. M., & Audretsch, D. B. (2005). The ENABLE Program in the European Entrepreneurship Policy Context. Report on Behalf of the State Development Corporation of Thueringen (LEG). 25 pages.
Courses taught
- Project Group: Transformative Leadership
- Social Entrepreneurship
- Management and Leadership
- Research Colloquium
- Social Entrepreneurship
- Public Administration and Finance
- Social Entrepreneurship
- Project Group: Incentivize Social Entrepreneurship
- Project Group: The Global Anti-Corruption Campaign
- Business Plan Writing, Value Assessment and Start-up Coaching
- Management and Leadership
- Research Colloquium
- Public Administration and Finance
- Social Entrepreneurship
- Project Group: Policy Briefing for the 2022 G7 Summit in Germany
- Advanced Research & Writing
- Management and Leadership
- Research Colloquium
- Political Advocacy and Leadership
- Public Health and Policymaking
- Social Entrepreneurship
- Project Group: The Ball 2022-23 - Football and Climate Change
- Research Colloquium
- Research Colloquium
- Project Group: Mission and Visions of the Brandt Reports from Today´s Perspective: Organization of a Panel for the ecpr Conference in Wroclaw
- Social Entrepreneurship
- Independent Study Unit
- Research Colloquium
- Comparative Public Policy
- Social Entrepreneurship
- Project Group: Professionalizing the Commitment Award Project: Evaluation, Case Writing and New Tools for Marketing
- Non-Profit Management
- Research Colloquium
- Political Advocacy and Leadership
- Project Group: The 'Social Impact Navigator' - a Useful and Free-of-Charge Tool which Needs to Reach the International NPO Community
- Research Colloquium I
- Comparative Public Policy
- Political Advocacy and Leadership
- Social Entrepreneurship
- Existenzgründung - Unschlagbar praxisnah
- Haniel Spring School - Public Administration: Russia in Comparative Perspectives
- Research Colloquium III
- Comparative Public Policy
- Public Administration - Russia in Comparative Perspectives
- Summer School - Afghanistan after 2014: From Resolute Support to Sustainable Development
- Project Group: Conceptualizing a Business Plan for a Fair Trade Shop or Selling Point
- Project Group: The Emergence of Public Policy in Cross-Country Perspectives - A Publication Project
- Haniel Spring School - Border Policies from the Soviet Union to the EU: Russia and the Baltic States
- Non-Profit Management
- Social Entrepreneurship
- Research Colloquium III
- Self-Study Unit
- Comparative Public Policy
- Project Group: The Emergence of Public Policy in Cross-Country Perspectives - A Publication Project
- Comparative Public Policy
- Mapping EU Institutions against the National Integrity Systems Assessment approach
- Mentorierungstreffen
- 2-Willy Brandt School: Research Colloquium I
- NGO Management and Social Entrepreneurship
- Comparative Public Policy
- Political Advocacy and Leadership
- Haniel Fall School: Contemporary Governance in Russia and the European Union
- PG-04: Aid Delivery Methods. Assessment and Policy Recommendations