Biography

Dr. Frances Fabian attended Smith College and Harvard University (MPP) before spending six years with the US Government Accountability Office in Dallas, Los Angeles and San Francisco. She shifted to academia gaining a PhD from the University of Texas at Austin before her professor career at Tulane University in New Orleans and University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Finding Memphis to be the finest locale for life, she ecstatically joined the faculty here in 2008. 

Teaching

Has taught strategy at the undergraduate, graduate and executive levels, and PhD seminar. Also taught entrepreneurship, and global strategy.

Service

Frances participates in various Memphis area entrepreneurship organizations, and looks forward to contributing to a growing entrepreneurism in the region.

Research

Dr. Fabian concentrates on strategic decision making. This interest has led to research on the industry environment, and the nature of information, knowledge and wisdom for organizations.

Recent work has incorporated complexity theory to describe and depict the nonlinearities of modern decision-making environments.

Dr. Fabian has published articles in several leading journals including Journal of International Business Policy, Strategic Management Journal, Academy of Management Review, Journal of Management Studies, and Journal of World Business. She has taught in strategy, entrepreneurship and international management, and in recent years has participated in the African Academy of Management with recent PhD students and long-loved coauthors.

Recent Publications

Clampit, J., Gaffney, N.,  Fabian, F. and Stafford, T. 2023. Institutional misalignment and escape-based FDI: A prospect theory lens.  International Business Review, 32,(3).

Aissaoui, R. and Fabian, F. 2022. Globalization, economic development, and corruption: A cross-lagged contingency perspective. Journal of International Business Policy, 5:1-28  https://doi.org/10.1057/s42214-020-00091-5. 

Reddy, R. and Fabian, F. 2020. Information Asymmetry and Host Country Institutions in Cross-Border Acquisitions. Management International Review, 60, 909-938. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11575-020-00431-w

Kang, T., James, S. and Fabian, F. 2020. Real options and strategic bankruptcy. Journal of Business Research, 117:152-162. 

Trusty, J., Allen, D.A., and Fabian, F.  2019. Hunting while Working: An Expanded Model of Employed Job Search. Human Resource Management Review. 29 (1) 28-42. DOI:

Selected Research

Ndofor, H., Fabian, F, and Michel, J. 2018. Chaos in Industry Environments. IEEE Transactions in Engineering Management. DOI: 10.1109/TEM.2017.2787860

Aissaoui, R. and Fabian, F. 2015. The French Paradox: Implications for variations in global convergence. Journal of International Management. 21 (1): 31-48.

Clampit, J., Kedia, B. Fabian, F. and Gaffney, N. 2015. Offshoring satisfaction: The role of partnership credibility and cultural complementarity. Journal of World Business, 50 (1): 79-93.

Steinbauer, R., Rhew, N., Kinnamon, E. and Fabian, F. 2014. The Conflicting Drivers of Entrepreneurial Ethics, Journal of Ethics & Entrepreneurship 4 (1) 57-72.

Wakolbinger, T., Fabian, F., Kettinger, W.J. forthcoming. IT-enabled Interorganizational Information Sharing Under Co-opetition in Disasters: A Game-Theoretic Framework. Communications of the Association for Information Systems.

Bryant, P., Fabian, F., Kinnamon, E. and Wright, P. 2012. Tailoring Entrepreneurship Education: Exploring Components of Entrepreneurship Education for Underrepresented Groups. Journal of Business and Entrepreneurship, 23 (2): 1-24.

Fabian, F.H., Molina, H., and Labianca, G. 2009. Understanding Decisions to Internationalize by Small- and Medium-Sized Firms in an Emerging Market. Management International Review. 49, (5): 537-564.

Miller, K., Fabian, F.H., and Lin, S-J. 2009. Strategies for Online Communities, Strategic Management Journal, 30 (3): 305-322.

Fabian, F.H. and Dhillon, G. 2007. Losing Managerial Discretion: The Unexplored Risk of Collaborative Information Sharing. Journal of Information Science and Technology, 4 (1): 50-62.

Black, J.A., Hinrichs, K. and Fabian, F.H. 2007. Fractals of Strategic Coherence. Nonprofit Management and Leadership, 17 (4): 421-442.

Dhillon, G. and Fabian, F.H. 2005. A Fractal Perspective on Competencies Necessary for Managing Information Systems. International Journal of Technology Management, 31 (1/2): 129-139.

Black, J., Fabian, F.H. and Hinrichs, K. 2005. Fractals, Stories and the Development of Coherence in Strategic Logic. Competence-Based Strategic Management Applications 7: 421-441, Elsevier.

Golden, B.R., Dukerich, J.M. and Fabian, F.H. 2000. Issue Interpretation on the Resolution of Ethical Dilemmas in Professional Organizations. Journal of Management Studies, 8 (37): 1157-1187.

Fabian, F.H., 2000. Keeping the Tension: Pressures to Keep the Controversy in the Management Discipline. Academy of Management Review, 24 (2): 350-371.

Black, J. and Fabian, F.H. 2000. Fractals, Nested Resources and Competence Based Competition. In Theory Development for Competence-Based Strategic Management, JAI Press series of Advances in Applied Business Strategy Series, 1-30, John Wiley and Sons.

ogilvie, d., and Fabian, F.H. 1999. Decision Making Requirements for Future Organizational Leaders. In J. Hunt (Ed.) Leadership Challenges of the Twenty-First Century Army, 63-89, JAI Press.

ogilvie, d., and Hauge, F.H. 1998. Strategic Decision Making in the 21st Century Army: A Creative Action-Based Approach. In Stephen J. Havlovic (Ed.) Fifty-eight Annual Academy of Management Best Paper Proceedings, San Diego, CA, 1-7.

Ashmos, D.P., Duchon, D., Hauge, F.H. and McDaniel, R.R. 1997. The Nature of Internal Complexity in Unusual Organizations: A Study of Environmentally Sensitive and Insensitive Hospitals. Hospital and Health Services Administration Journal, 41 (4): 535-55.