Matt Murphy

Expertise

• Cross-sector collaboration
• Stakeholder relationships
• Business and human rights
• Social & Community-based entrepreneurship

Matthew Murphy, associate professor of sustainability and strategy, joined the Gustavson team at UVic in 2012 and teaches and carries out research in the areas of sustainability and social entrepreneurship.

His primary research focus is on stakeholder relationships related to both conflict and collaboration, and community-based sustainable development efforts in the context of First Nations. Through this research, Matt hopes to improve the human rights performance of business as well as to support Indigenous communities’ efforts to protect their rights and fulfill their own visions of sustainable development.

Recent and ongoing research projects include, among others: developing processes and tools. in collaboration with First Nations to evaluate and monitor the socio-cultural fit and impact of economic development projects; creating a documentary film about the efforts of four communities on four different continents that are working towards food sovereignty; analyzing the various pathways to and degrees of conflict and violence in relationships between extractive industry firms and local communities; studying opportunities and challenges for increasing the impact of fair trade efforts through processes of value addition.

His work has been published in Organization Studies, Journal of Business Ethics, Journal of Business Research, Journal of Management Development, as well as in several practitioner-oriented journals and books.

Matt is also a co-founder of the social enterprise Proudly Made in Africa and, prior to entering academia, worked for 12 years in the financial services industry in roles related to international market development, strategic alliances, and project management. He teaches both graduate and undergraduate students and speaks Spanish and English.