Dr Demola Obembe

Job: Head of School (Leadership, Management & Marketing)

Faculty: Business and Law

School/department: Leicester Castle Business School

Research group(s): Centre for Enterprise and Innovation

Address: The Gateway, De Montfort University, Leicester, UK, LE1 9BH

T: +44 (0)116 250 7916

E: dobembe@dmu.ac.uk

W: https://www.dmu.ac.uk/bal

 

Personal profile

Demola Obembe is Associate Professor of Strategic Management and Head of School for Leadership, Management and Marketing. He joined the Business School in 2011. Before this, he held academic teaching and research appointments at; University of Roehampton, Queen Mary University of London, Warwick Business School and University of Leicester. He has previously undertaken research in banking, construction, biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, exploring a range of issues such as mergers and acquisitions, knowledge sharing, innovation network development and general organisation studies.  Prior to entering academia, he worked in the Nigerian Banking Industry with Citibank and also had a stint teaching at secondary school level.

Research group affiliations

 Centre for Enterprise and Innovation

Publications and outputs

  • Prospect theory and bank credit risk decision-making behaviour: a systematic literature review and future research agenda
    Prospect theory and bank credit risk decision-making behaviour: a systematic literature review and future research agenda Ogunmokun, Olapeju Comfort; Mafimisebi, Oluwasoye; Obembe, Demola Prior research, which has extensively documented bank credit risk behaviours, focused largely on credit risk decision-making under rationality. Nonetheless, credit risk decision-making often occurs under conditions of risk and uncertainty. In this article, drawing on prospect theory, our purpose is to examine bank credit risk decision-making behaviour under conditions of risk and uncertainty. In doing so, we employed a systematic literature review to synthesize the literatures at the intersection of prospect theory and risk behaviours over a three-decade period. Our research contributes to existing studies in management and risk behaviours by uncovering salient factors, loss aversion and risk perception, which mediate bank credit risk decision-making behaviour under conditions of risk and uncertainty. We discussed the theoretical model of prospect theory and main challenges in applying it when attempting to provide a greater understanding of bank credit risk behaviours. The paper documents the application of prospect theory within and outside of the banking industry and finds that bank risk perception and reference point shape credit risk decision making behaviours. In conclusion, we uncover several promising avenues for future research and draw attention of researchers to prospect theory application within bank credit risk behaviour domain. The file attached to this record is the author's final peer reviewed version. The Publisher's final version can be found by following the DOI link. Ogunmokun, O.C., Mafimisebi, O.P. and Obembe, D. (2023) Prospect theory and bank credit risk decision-making behaviour: a systematic literature review and future research agenda. SN Business & Economics, 3 (4), 90
  • Higher Education Student Motivations for Extracurricular Activities: Evidence from UK Universities
    Higher Education Student Motivations for Extracurricular Activities: Evidence from UK Universities Chapman, Gary; Emambocus, Washad; Obembe, Demola Higher education students are required to demonstrate value beyond their curricula achievements to secure jobs in increasingly competitive labour markets. Focusing on extracurricular activities as one-way students can do so, this paper uses a motivation perspective to examine what drives students to engage in extracurricular activities, and how student motivation varies between early and late-stage students. We conducted 46 in-depth interviews with students in a post-92 widening-participation university and found that four motivations – extrinsic, intrinsic, social, and pro-social – explained extracurricular participation. The motivations varied across types of extracurricular activities; extrinsic motivation was prominent for employment, academic, society and volunteering extracurriculars; intrinsic and social motivations were vital for sports and societies; and pro-social motivation for academic, volunteering, and society extracurriculars. Moreover, we found important differences between the motivations of early-year and final-year students, suggesting that motivations vary across the university journey. Our paper contributes to the literature on extracurricular activities within higher education by providing new evidence on the motivations that propel students to engage in (different) activities in the current marketized higher education environment and by identifying the level of study as an important boundary condition shaping motivations for extracurricular participation. The file attached to this record is the author's final peer reviewed version. The Publisher's final version can be found by following the DOI link Chapman, G., Emambocus, W. and Obembe, D. (2023) Higher Education Student Motivations for Extracurricular Activities: Evidence from UK Universities. Journal of Education and Work,
  • Natural resources, sustainable entrepreneurship, and poverty reduction in resource-rich African countries - The missing link
    Natural resources, sustainable entrepreneurship, and poverty reduction in resource-rich African countries - The missing link Olagboye, Deji Osigbodi; Mafimisebi, Oluwasoye P.; Obembe, Demola; Woldesenbet Beta, Kassa Poverty reduction remains a burning issue globally and within the entrepreneurship discourse. This chapter reviewed the salient role sustainable entrepreneurship (SE) plays in the effort towards poverty reduction and the negative effects of underdeveloped institutions in resource-rich developing countries (RRDCs). Whilst there is extensive research about SE and the antecedents of poverty, there is a dearth of research exploring the impact resource curse hypothesis and aspects of entrepreneurial ecosystem (EE) on SE and poverty reduction, particularly in RRDCs, and the implications for socio-economic development. We found that the ease of doing business and the quality of institutions and political structure, are the two essential determinants of SE and poverty reduction in RRDCs. We develop agenda for policy and identify scope for future research. Olagboye, D.O., Oluwasoye P. Mafimisebi, P. O., Obembe, D. and Woldesenbet Beta, K. (2023) Natural resources, sustainable entrepreneurship, and poverty reduction in resource-rich African countries - The missing link. In: (Eds), Adomako, S., Danso, A., and Boateng, A. Corporate Sustainability in Africa: Responsible Leadership, Opportunities, and Challenges, Palgrave MacMillan
  • Cognition and gender diversity in top management teams: what do we know and where do we go?
    Cognition and gender diversity in top management teams: what do we know and where do we go? Mueller-Horn, Fabian; Fournier, Sebastian; Arndt, Felix; Obembe, Demola This paper reviews research on cognition and gender diversity in top management teams (TMTs) with a focus on identifying linkages among those two constructs. We suggest that while TMTs in general have attracted extensive research attention, the linkages between TMT cognition and gender diversity offer a largely neglected vantage point for understanding TMT decision-making, and feature opportunities for theoretical and methodological progress. This review of studies published in FT-50 journals from 1990 to 2022 is focused on how team gender diversity affects team cognition – building on the notion that teams are more than the aggregation of their elements. By developing a stage-based research agenda, we derive intriguing research questions that help exploring the cognition–diversity link in teams at different stages of the decision-making process. The file attached to this record is the author's final peer reviewed version. The Publisher's final version can be found by following the DOI link. Mueller-Horn, F., Fournier, S., Arndt, F. and Obembe, D. (2022) Cognition and Gender Diversity in Top Management Teams: What do we know and where do we go? Management Review Quarterly,
  • Bank Lending Behaviour and Small Enterprise Debt Financing
    Bank Lending Behaviour and Small Enterprise Debt Financing Ogunmokun, Olapeju Comfort; Mafimisebi, Oluwasoye; Obembe, Demola Our reason for concern is the rapid decline in loans to small enterprises which is critical to their performance, compared to large businesses following the periods of banking reformations in Nigeria. Thus, the primary purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of risk perception on bank lending behaviour to small enterprises. It also investigates the impact of government intervention, consolidation, and recapitalization on the relationship between risk perception and bank lending behaviour to small enterprise. This study empirically analysed (ordinary least square) secondary data obtained from the Central Bank of Nigeria Statistical Bulletins, Annual Statement of Accounts covering the period 1992-2020. The results show that the absence of government interventions and the presence of banking reformations have statistically negative significant effect on bank lending to small enterprises. Our findings challenge the argument that generally assumes risk aversion of banks towards small enterprise lending because of small enterprise’s inability to prove their credit worthiness and consequently constraining access to finance to the sector. Instead, the results and analysis from this study found theoretical support for the variation of bank behaviour in lending to small enterprises depending on the status of wealth of the financial system. A key lesson from this study for government concerned about promoting performance of the small enterprise sector is that regulating and enforcing lending requirements on access to debt financing of the sector is necessary if constraints in access debt finance is to be eliminated. Second, while strategies such as bank consolidation, recapitalization etc. may help strengthen and make financially robust the banking system; it places the banks in a gain position where losses looms to them than gain. The file attached to this record is the author's final peer reviewed version. The Publisher's final version can be found by following the DOI link. Ogunmokun, O.C., Mafimisebi, O. and Obembe, D. (2022) Bank Lending Behaviour and Small Enterprise Debt Financing. Journal of Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies,
  • Microfinance and Entrepreneurship: The Enabling Role of Social Capital among Female Entrepreneurs
    Microfinance and Entrepreneurship: The Enabling Role of Social Capital among Female Entrepreneurs Babajide, Abiola; Obembe, Demola; Solomon, Helen; Woldesenbet, K. This paper examines mechanisms through which social capital strengthens microfinance impact on fostering female entrepreneurial success. Specifically, the study focuses on how and to what extent resources embedded in social networks determine microfinance impact on entrepreneurial success. Survey data were collected from 276 female micro- institutions entrepreneurs using multi-stage stratified random sampling across 80 micro-finance institutions in three South-Western Nigerian states. Hypotheses were tested using ordinal regression analysis. The study found that relational and network social capital had a positive and significant influence on female entrepreneurial success. Specifically, intra-group trust and productive network ties among female entrepreneurs in poor communities predicated the positive impact of microfinance on entrepreneurial success. Also, resources embedded in networks are more positively correlated to education level and marital status. Furthermore, microfinance could have a more positive impact for borrowers with sustainable relationships with loan officers who organise microfinance provisions and understand the entrepreneurs' context. The research provides empirical evidence for the relationship dynamics between female entrepreneurs and microfinance institutions by emphasising the importance of deploying different forms of social capital in sustaining microfinance impact on female entrepreneurial success. The file attached to this record is the author's final peer reviewed version. The Publisher's final version can be found by following the DOI link. Babajide, A., Obembe, D., Solomon, H. and Woldesenbet, K. (2022) Microfinance and Entrepreneurship: The Enabling Role of Social Capital among Female Entrepreneurs. International Journal of Social Economics.
  • Picking up the pieces: social capital, psycho-social support and livelihood recovery of displaced populations in Northeast Nigeria
    Picking up the pieces: social capital, psycho-social support and livelihood recovery of displaced populations in Northeast Nigeria Kolade, Oluwaseun; Smith, Robert; Obembe, Demola; Taiwo, Abigail; Eyong, Joseph; James, Saliba; Kibreab, James The file attached to this record is the author's final peer reviewed version. The Publisher's final version can be found by following the DOI link. Kolade, O., Smith, R., Obembe, D., Taiwo, A., Eyong, J., James, S., and Kibreab, G. (2022) Picking up the pieces: social capital, psycho-social support and livelihood recovery of displaced populations in Northeast Nigeria. Journal of Development Studies,
  • The Palgrave Handbook of African Entrepreneurship
    The Palgrave Handbook of African Entrepreneurship Kolade, Oluwaseun; Rae, David; Obembe, Demola; Woldesenbet, K. This comprehensive handbook offers a state-of-the-art guide to new frontiers of African entrepreneurship. Written from a Pan-African perspective by a cast of international authors, the book addresses the rapid modernisation and evolution of African entrepreneurship and business practices. It maps new developments in entrepreneurial ecosystems, technology and digital entrepreneurship, entrepreneurship in conflict zones, and gender and diversity issues. It proposes new models for entrepreneurial financing and explores the contrast between entrepreneurship in high-technology urban centres with peripheral rural districts and conflict zones. Bringing together empirical insights and case studies from countries across Africa, the Handbook illuminates regional and contextual differences and shares theoretical and practical insights which inform policy and practice. It is an ideal guide for researchers and students working on international business, entrepreneurship and emerging economies. It will also inform policymakers in developing context-informed entrepreneurial policies and initiatives in Africa. Kolade, O., Rae, D., Obembe, D., Woldesenbet Beta, K. (Eds.) (2022) The Palgrave Handbook of African Entrepreneurship. Cham: Springer International Publishing.
  • Introduction to Palgrave Handbook of African Entrepreneurship
    Introduction to Palgrave Handbook of African Entrepreneurship Kolade, Oluwaseun; Rae, David; Obembe, Demola; Woldesenbet, K. Kolade, O., Rae, D., Obembe, D., Woldesenbet Beta, K. (2022) Introduction to Palgrave Handbook of African Entrepreneurship. In: Kolade, O., Rae, D., Obembe, D., Woldesenbet Beta, K. (Eds.) The Palgrave Handbook of Africa Entrepreneurship, Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp.1-15.
  • Agricultural value chain in a turbulent environment
    Agricultural value chain in a turbulent environment Adeyeye, Adebowale; Kolade, Oluwaseun; Obembe, Demola; Ogunsade, Adekunle The development of agricultural value chains is typically associated with strong institutions, supporting infrastructures and stable political and policy environment. In developing countries characterized by environmental turbulence, smallholder farmers in particular, grapple with a wide range of obstacles and challenges that hinder them from full participation and optimisation of agricultural value chain by smallholder farmers. These factors include regulatory, market, competitive, weather, economic and political turbulence factors. This paper reviews the extant literature on agricultural value chain in the context of a turbulent environment. Drawing insights from the empirical context of Nigeria, where agricultural and other economic activities have been severely disrupted by terrorist violence, political instability and derelict infrastructure, we propose a conceptual framework that maps the impact of environmental turbulence on agricultural production, and discusses the technological and strategic options for smallholders to overcome these challenges in order to benefit optimally from agricultural value chain Adeyeye, A., Kolade, O., Obembe, D., Ogunsade, A. (2021) Agricultural value chain in a turbulent environment. Paper presented at Institute for Small Business and Entrepreneurship Annual Conference 2021, Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom, 28-29 October.

Click here to see a full listing of Demola Obembe's publications and outputs.

Research interests/expertise

  • Knowledge and Innovation Management Strategies
  • Strategy Processes and Practice
  • Entrepreneurship and SMEs
  • Change Management
  • Social Capital
  • Organisational Networks

Areas of teaching

  • Strategy and Business Management
  • Entrepreneurship 

Qualifications

PhD in Management (University of Leicester)

MBA (University of Leicester)

PGD Financial Management (University of Ibadan-CSU)

BSc (Hons) Biochemistry (University of Ibadan)

PGC Learning & Teaching in HE (University of Roehampton)

Courses taught

Undergraduate: (Historical) Strategic Management, Contemporary Business Issues, Perspectives on Creative Leadership

Postgraduate: (Historical) International Strategic Management, Markets and Resources, Business Creation and Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Innovation,

Membership of professional associations and societies

Fellow, Chartered Management Institute, UK –  (membership since 2007)

Senior Fellow, Higher Education Academy, UK – (membership since 2009)

Fellow, Institute of Strategic Management, Nigeria

Conference attendance

Adeyeye, A., Kolade, O., Obembe, D., and Ogunsade, A. (2021) ‘Agricultural value chain in a turbulent environment’, Institute for Small Business and Entrepreneurship Conference, Cardiff, 28-29 October.

Obembe, F. and Obembe, D. (2021) ‘The Impact of Digital Transformation on Knowledge Management During Covid-19’, European Conference on Knowledge Management, University of Coventry, 2-3 September.

Obembe, F. and Obembe, D. (2020) ‘Deep Learning and Tacit Knowledge Transfer: An Exploratory Study’, European Conference on Knowledge Management, University of Coventry, 3-4 December.

Almansour, J. and Obembe, D. (2020) ‘The Future of Strategy Implementation Research in the Strategy Context: A Call for a Divergent Shift in Strategizing’, British Academy of Management Conference, Conference in the Cloud, 2-4      September.

Al Mansour, J. and Obembe, D. (2019) ‘The Influence of Power Distance on Top and Middle Managers’ Strategy Communication: An Insight from Kuwaiti Context’, British Academy of Management Conference, Aston University, 3-5 September. Contribution Type: Full paper; Attendance Funding: De Montfort University

Mumbi, H. and Obembe, D. (2016) ‘Shared Leadership in Voluntary Organisations: An Exploratory Survey using Internal Stakeholder Perspective’, British Academy of Management Conference, Newcastle University, 6-8 September. Contribution Type: Full paper; Attendance Funding: De Montfort University

Obembe, D., Chukwudum, V. and Nnabuife, N. (2015) ‘Exploring crisis management and business continuity among Nigerian small and medium scale enterprises’, British Academy of Management Conference, University of Portsmouth, 8-10 September. Contribution Type: Full paper; Attendance Funding: De Montfort University

Obembe, D. and Howlett, S. (2010) ‘Knowledge Management in the Voluntary Sector: Investigating Knowledge Sharing Practices for Value Creation’, British Academy of Management Conference, The University of Sheffield, 14-16 September. Contribution Type: Working paper; Attendance Funding: Roehampton University Business School

Obembe, D. and Baptiste, N. (2009) ‘Interim Assessment Feedback as ‘Best-Practice’ in Facilitating Student Learning in HE’, Submission to the Roehampton University 6th Annual Learning and Teaching Conference 2009, London, 28 April. Contribution Type:Full paper; Attendance Funding: N/A

Obembe, D. (2008) ‘Understanding Individual Action: When Employees Contravene Management Directives to Foster Knowledge Sharing’, Submission for the European Group for Organizational Studies 2008 Colloquium, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 10-12 July. Contribution Type: Full paper; Attendance Funding: Roehampton University Business School

Consultancy work

Strategy; knowledge & innovation management, change management. Enterprise Development.

Current availability: Y

Current research students

First Supervision

 

Fabian Mueller-Horn - Diversity, Cognition and Strategic Communication of Top Management Teams

 

Second Supervision

Bisola Ariyo - Exploring Resilience Capability in Micro and Small Businesses in Crisis-Affected Regions

Adebowale Adeyeye - Agricultural Value Chain Optimization in Turbulent Economies

Sade Ogundipe – Leadership Adaptability in UK Private Healthcare During Crisis

Wasiu Kehinde – Entrepreneurial Ecosystem and Value Creation

Jumoke Akinboro – Cohered Emergent Model of Entrepreneurship Education Strategy

Faith Bamidele – Entrepreneurial Identity and Value Creation

Mirna Allam – Institutional Environments, Venture Survival and Performance

Chika Asoegwu – Stakeholder Relationships in Public Sector Modernised Agricultural Projects

Professional esteem indicators

Visiting Professor, University of Ibadan, Nigeria

Editorial advisory board member: Management Decision 

Article editor: Sage Open

 Journal reviews: Organization Studies, Management Learning, Public Money and Management, Entrepreneurship and Regional Development. African Journal of Management.

Conference reviews British Academy of Management; International Conference on Information Systems

PhD Completions

Deji Olagboye (2022) - Enterprise Survival and Growth: Classification, Structures, and Policy Development in Nigeria. (1st Supervisor).

Olapeju Ogunmokun (2022): Bank Credit Risk Decision Making Behaviour and Access to Debt Finance for Small Enterprises. (2nd Supervisor).

Kiranjit Kaur (2022) - Managing Family Firm Survivability and Continuity Dynamics: A Case Of UK-Based Punjabi Family Firms. (2nd Supervisor). 

Eisa Alqaydi (2022) - Investigating the Perception of Expatriates Towards Immigration Service Quality in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates through Mixed Method Approach. (2nd Supervisor).

Ahmad Alfadly (2020)  - Exploiting Customer Experience for Competitive Market Advantage: A Potential Marketing Strategy for Construction Firms in the Gulf Region (1st supervisor)  

Peter McHardy  (2019) - Identifying Boundary Spanning Behaviour across Members of Heterogeneous Groups within a Project Environment (2nd supervisor)

Jarrah Al Mansour  (2018) - Strategy Transition Process and Practices in Public Sector Organizations (1st supervisor)

Adekunle Ogunsade  (2018) - The Influences of Institutional Environment on Individual Entrepreneurial Orientation and Venture creation among Nigerian Youths (1st supervisor)

David Cantliffe  (2017)  - Precursors to Organizational Resilience: A Study of Strategic Decision-Making at the Antecedent Stage of a Crisis (2nd supervisor)

Henry Mumbi (2015) - Shared Leadership: An Exploratory Study taking a Stakeholder Approach in Voluntary Organisations. (1st supervisor)

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