With over twenty-five years as a senior executive working in multinational companies across the world, Mariano has an extensive background in a variety of industries including Consulting, Financial Services, Healthcare and Retail. In 2016, he was given the opportunity to follow a life dream and transition to Academia. It is in his current position with Western Carolina University (WCU) where Mariano is able to pay it forward and share his business experiences with the students who are venturing into the world from which he came.<br><br>Holding a Master’s Degree in Industrial Engineering and a dual Master of Business Administration (MBA) / Master of Business Informatics (MBI) Degree, Mariano completed his PhD in Strategic Management while working for MetLife in New York City. During his academic career, he has received two teaching awards, including the “Professor of Excellence Award – Undergraduate” and the “Graduate Faculty Teaching Award”. Mariano is currently the Director of Graduate Programs for WCU’s College of Business.
Mariano is qualified to teach Management courses at undergraduate and graduate levels. During his time at WCU, he has taught Introduction to Management, Strategic Management (undergraduate senior capstone course), and Integrative Strategic Management (MBA capstone course). Other teaching interests include Organizational Behavior, Human Resource Management, Operations Management and Management Consulting.
Mariano’s main research interests are interpretive methods, strategizing activities / practices, strategy implementation, management consulting, organizational development and change management and management education. His research is published, among others, in the Academy of Management Learning & Education, Journal of Business Strategy, Journal of Small Business Strategy, and Recherches en Sciences de Gestion. Mariano is an active member of the academic community. His research has been presented at various international conferences, including the British Academy of Management, the Strategic Management Society, the Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management, the ISEOR – Academy of Management ODC, and the Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management.