Professor Charmi Patel is the Chair and Professor of Strategic Human Resource Management and the Associate Dean for Enterprise and Economic Transformation at the University of Dundee School of Business. She has previously held esteemed academic positions at Aston Business School, the University of Edinburgh Business School, and Henley Business School. 

A distinguished scholar, Professor Patel has published extensively in top-tier, FT-50 academic journals, including the Journal of International Business Studies, Journal of Applied Psychology, Journal of Management, Human Resource Management, Journal of Organizational Behavior, British Journal of Management, and Journal of World Business. Her expertise also informs practitioner audiences through contributions to Harvard Business Review and MIT Sloan Management Review. She has further shaped academic discourse as a guest editor for special issues in leading journals such as the Journal of Organizational Behavior, Journal of World Business, Human Resource Management (Wiley FT-50), and the European Journal of International Management.

Beyond academia, her thought leadership is regularly featured in BBC, ITV News, Forbes, the Financial Times, and HR Magazine, influencing global conversations on HR and organizational strategy. She actively collaborates with organizations committed to transforming their HR strategies, leadership, and workplace culture through evidence-based interventions, driving meaningful and lasting impact.

My research sits at the intersection of organizational behavior, human resource management, organizational theory, and international business and strategy. Driven by a commitment to enhancing the holistic well-being and success of employees and organizations, I adopt a phenomenon-driven approach to investigate novel, complex events and their organizational impacts.

• Health & Well-being (g., presenteeism, SES and health, mental health interventions)
• Strategic Human Resource Management (g, HR Systems and Organizational Performance, Strategic Talent Management, HR Analytics and Decision-Making, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion)
• International Human Resource Management (g., Human Rights in MNCs, Cross-Cultural and Global HRM, Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility, Knowledge Management and Exchange)
• Future of Work and HRM (g., remote work, and hybrid work models, Strategic HR responses to automation and AI, AI in recruitment, employee experience platforms, Ethical considerations in HR technology adoption)
• Institutional Theory (e.g., institutional work, institutional logics and identity, intersectionality in institutional contexts)
• Contexts (g., such as creative industries, MNCs, startups and entrepreneurship, public sector organizations, nonprofits and social enterprises, family businesses and emerging economies)

Research Grants

• Crafting a Sustainable Future: Empowering Indian Crafts in the Creative Industries (AHRC/UKRI Grant 2024-2026, Amount Awarded £339,633) Rodriguez Echavarria, Karina (PI), Charmi Patel (CoI), Wintle, Claire (CoI), Weyrich, Tim (CoI) and Vadodaria, Ketan (CoI)- This project explores the integration of digital technologies with traditional Indian craftsmanship—particularly skills, tacit knowledge, and materiality—to advance inclusive and sustainable innovation in the creative industries. Focusing on the Jawaja artisan community, the research co-develops new materials, designs, and techniques that respect heritage while enhancing market relevance. Employing a mixed-method, practice-based approach, the project creates artefacts collaboratively and establishes an inclusive community of practice, drawing on interdisciplinary expertise in digital innovation, material and visual culture, textile engineering, and organisational sociology to inform strategies for preservation and development aligned with artisan-led agendas.
• Scoping Knowledge Resilient Ecosystems for Artisanry Transformations (British Academy Horizon Europe Pump Priming Grant 2025-2026, Amount Awarded £10,000) Rodriguez Echavarria, Karina (PI), Charmi Patel (CoI)- This project lays the groundwork for a Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Action proposal focused on integrating traditional craftsmanship into contemporary cultural and creative practices to enhance community resilience and sustainability. Building on a strong UK-based collaboration, the project will expand its partnerships, refine its objectives, and design innovative methodologies and frameworks, including digital tools, to support artisan communities and the broader cultural and creative sectors across Europe.
• Greywater Reuse for A Sustainable Pathway in Scotland (GRASP): Assessing Feasibility and Benefits for a Resilient Water Future (FORTH2O Policy Innovation Partnership/ESRC Grant 2025-2026, Amount Awarded £89,867.40) Charmi Patel (PI); Dr Jan Vorstius (CoI); Cascade Water Products Ltd (CoI)- This project investigates the feasibility and transformative potential of greywater reuse as a pathway towards climate-resilient and sustainable water management in Scotland. Working with industry partner Cascade Water Products Ltd and its innovative Aqua Gratis technology, the research examines the technological, organisational, behavioural, and regulatory conditions shaping the adoption and scaling of decentralised water reuse solutions. Integrating interdisciplinary research with stakeholder engagement and participatory design-thinking approaches, the project brings together policymakers, industry practitioners, regulators, and communities to identify barriers, opportunities, and pathways for implementation. By generating evidence-based insights and actionable policy recommendations, GRASP seeks to advance sustainable water innovation, strengthen regional climate resilience, and support Scotland's transition towards a more resource-efficient and circular economy.
• The Antigravity Machine: Escaping Convergence Through Scaffolding Artistic Plurality in AI (UKRI/SSHRC Grant 2026-2027, Amount Awarded £262,250) Phoenix Perry (U.K., PI), Stephen DiPaola (Canada PI), Matthew Plummer-Fernandez (CoI), Ian Garrett (CoI), Charmi Patel (CoI)- This project reimagines generative artificial intelligence to support artistic plurality, cultural diversity, and human creativity rather than reinforcing algorithmic homogenisation. Bringing together interdisciplinary expertise in humanities, design, cognitive science, and computer science, the project develops the Antigravity Machine (AGM), an innovative software prototype that enables artists to explore AI-generated possibilities through non-linear experimentation, creative divergence, and iterative meaning-making. The research addresses algorithmic bias, metadata justice, and the underrepresentation of marginalised cultural traditions while advancing transparent, inclusive, and environmentally sustainable AI practices. Through artist-centred design, critical evaluation, and open-source innovation, the project aims to strengthen creative agency, promote equitable cultural representation, and establish new frameworks for responsible AI in the cultural and creative industries.

Professor Patel is a distinguished educator with a proven record of delivering transformative executive education and designing innovative academic programs across international contexts. Her teaching spans a diverse portfolio of Organizational Behaviour and Human Resource Management courses, including Managing Change, Performance Management Consulting, Women in Executive Leadership, Strategic Talent Development, Data Analytics and Human Capital, and Strategic Human Resource Management. She has designed and led MSc programs in Occupational Psychology and Human Resource Management at Aston Business School and the University of Edinburgh Business School, blending academic rigor with practical applications to prepare future leaders. As a research partner for Deutsche Bank's Workforce Strategy & Analytics, she leads the formulation, design, and implementation of the bank’s annual People Survey, driving a data-driven and actionable employee listening strategy across 27 locations and over 95,000 employees.

In her leadership roles, Dr. Patel has collaborated with accrediting bodies such as CIPD, EQUIS, AMBA, and AACSB to ensure programs meet the highest global standards. She has delivered executive education to senior leaders and CHROs at institutions like Henley Business School, XLRI Jamshedpur, and Toulouse School of Management, supporting leaders from Amazon, Deloitte, HSBC, GE Aviation, Bupa Healthcare, and Oracle. Recognized as one of Poets & Quants’ “40 Under 40 World’s Best MBA Professors” in 2022, Dr. Patel empowers leaders with strategic acumen and a deep understanding of positive organizational scholarship, fostering compassionate, inclusive, and purpose-driven leadership in an ever-evolving global business landscape.