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Profile

Dr Patricia Prado

Lecturer in Sustainable and Responsible Business

  • Email: patricia.prado@ncl.ac.uk
  • Address: Newcastle University Business School
    5 Barrack Rd
    Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 4SE
    United Kingdom
Background

Profile

Dr Patricia Prado is a Lecturer in Sustainable and Responsible Business at Newcastle University Business School. She holds a PhD in Information Science (focus on information and innovation management) from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Brazil. Patricia is also an Associate Professor at the Institute of Applied Social Sciences, Federal University of Pará (UFPA), in the Brazilian Amazon region. She has recently collaborated with the Brazilian Institute of Information on Science and Technology (IBICT) as a Visiting Researcher. Her experience in management and teaching in higher education, at undergraduate and graduate levels, has taken place in Brazil, Colombia and the UK. Patricia also has experience in business, having worked in the area of knowledge management in large companies in Brazil.

Qualifications and Certificates

  • Fellow of the Higher Education Academy FHEA. Advanced HE, UK.
  • Ph.D., Information Science. Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Brazil. Doctoral Visiting Student (Studentship from CAPES) at the Centre for Research in Innovation Management (CENTRIM), University of Brighton, UK.
  • M. A., Applied Linguistics. UFRJ, Brazil.
  • B. A., Language and Literature (English & Portuguese) with additional Teaching Degree (Licentiate), UFRJ, Brazil.

Previous positions

  • Assistant Professor in Business Ethics. Newcastle Business School. Northumbria University, UK.
  • Postdoctoral Research Associate. Project: ‘IKnowFood – Integrating Knowledge for Food Systems Resilience’, GFS Programme. The York Management School & Department of Politics. University of York, UK.
  • Lecturer in Management. Business School. Castelo Branco University (UCB), Brazil.
  • Visiting Lecturer. Pontificia Universidad Javeriana – Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Administrativas, Colombia.
  • Associate Research Fellow. UFRJ Innovation Agency, Brazil. 
  • Postdoctoral Research Fellow. Postgraduate Programme on Information Science, UFRJ, Brazil.

Memberships

  • British Academy of Management (BAM): Innovation Special Interest Group (SIG); Sustainable and Responsible SIG.
  • BAM Innovation SIG Committee - Vice Chair.

Languages

  • Portuguese (native)
  • Spanish (fluent)
Research

Current work

My current research investigates sustainable food systems and the governance of agri-food global value chains (GVCs) in the Global South. I focus on two main themes in partnership with national and international academic collaborators:

Organic food production and certification in Brazil – I examine the role of private and public actors in promoting and enforcing more sustainable alternative modes of governance in food chains, with a particular focus on prevailing sustainability governance mechanisms in soy GVCs.

Innovation and sustainable business in the Amazon region – My research analyses how the dynamic capabilities of firms in the Brazilian Amazon support innovative practices in the context of a transition to a circular bioeconomy. Recent studies have also explored community-led innovations and grassroots initiatives in the Amazon.

In addition, I am leading the qualitative phase of a collaborative project on food waste and residents engagement, funded by a £15,000 grant from the Insights North East (INE) Catalyst Fund. This project, delivered in partnership with INE and Newcastle City Council, supports the implementation of mandatory household food waste collections. It explores the social, behavioural, and communication factors influencing residents participation and policy effectiveness. The project has involved both quantitative and qualitative research phases with researchers from across Newcastle, Northumbria and Sunderland Universities. I am currently preparing the final analysis and report for Newcastle City Council, with results and stakeholder dissemination scheduled for October 2025.

Main expertise

My main research interests lie in the intersection of sustainability and innovation, focusing on sustainable food systems and the governance of agri-food global value chains (GVCs). These frameworks are essential for understanding contemporary forms of global trade and production and for promoting sustainable food systems that address several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), such as SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production). My empirical focus on the Global South is centred on Brazil and the Amazon region; soy and emerging food commodities; organic and agroecological production; circular economy; bioeconomy and sustainable & responsible business models.

I am part of the Strategy, International Business and Society (SIBS) research community at the Business School.

Other expertise

I am also actively exploring the theme of Food Waste & Citizens Engagement through interdisciplinary collaboration across Newcastle University, working closely with Insights North East and Newcastle City Council. This project aims to inform local policy and practice on food waste reduction and citizen participation.

Other areas of expertise include Business Ethics; Sustainable Development Agenda, SDGs & Net Zero; sustainable innovation and eco-innovation; and intra-firm diffusion of innovation.

Funding received

Food Waste & Residents Engagement Project (2024-2025). £15,000 grant from Insights North East (INE) Catalyst Fund. Collaborative research with Insights North East and Newcastle City Council, supporting the rollout of mandatory household food waste collections and citizen engagement strategies. Quantitative phase led by Dr Diogo Monteiro (Sep 2024–Feb 2025); qualitative phase led by Dr Patricia Prado (Mar–Oct 2025). Funding supported the recruitment and line management of Research Assistant Kazi Zaman (PGT student, NUBS).

Effective sustainability governance of agrifood global value chains (GVCs): from local knowledge to global chains in contemporary Amazonia. (2019-2020). £2,500 grant from CONFAP / CNPq – THE UK ACADEMIES 2018-2019 Research Mobility Grants in partnership with Newton Fund. Host: Federal University of Para (UFPA)/ Information Science Department and Interdisciplinary Centre for High Amazonian Studies (NAEA). Individual grant.

Promoting effective sustainability governance in global supply chains. (Jan - Dec 2019). £18,697 grant from York ESRC IAA - The University of York ESRC Impact Acceleration Account + £5,000 Politics match. Co-Investigator. 

Promoting sustainable business supply chains for soy. (2018-2019) £4,910 grant from York ESRC IAA – Business Boost Scheme. Co-Investigator.

Exploring the governance of ‘embedded’ commodities: the UK-Latin American soy connection. (2018-2019) £14,810 grant from N8 Agrifood Local Pump Priming. Co-Investigator. (Co-applicants from Stockholm Environment Institute, School of Geography, Politics and Sociology / Newcastle University; Management School, University of Sheffield).

Future research

I would like to further investigate emerging food commodities in the Global South and the associated social and environmental risks, as well as the opportunities for sustainable and responsible businesses in their value chains. 

I am also interested in developing an interdisciplinary research agenda that expands into broader themes (e.g., gender and food production, and sustainable consumer behaviour) underpinned by the SDGs.

Postgraduate Supervision

Thi Van Tran. ‘The role of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in promoting Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) practices in Vietnam’. DBA. Award: March 2023. Newcastle Business School, Northumbria University.

Narjara Xavier Silva. ‘Eco-innovation in small businesses: a study of the agroecological segment from the Brazilian service of technical responses’. PhD. Award: March 2021. Postgraduate Programme on Information Science, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ).

Wladmir Henriques Motta. ‘Product Life Cycle and the Generation of Eco-innovations: challenges for Brazil.’ PhD. Award: March 2018. Postgraduate Programme on Information Science, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ).

I am interested in supervising PhD students whose projects align with my current work and expertise. I am open to informally discuss proposals with potential candidates.

Teaching

Pedagogical approach and Expertise

My pedagogical approach is based on socio‐cultural constructivist and critical pedagogies. It aims to support knowledge construction, critical thinking and the development of key intellectual and professional skills for students’ graduate careers. These include, for example, designing learning activities that engage students in interactive problem‐solving sessions based on real‐world situations. I also explore possibilities of a more ‘playful’ approach to create safe spaces for academic experimentation and exploration, as well as to promote reflective risk-taking, ideation and participation. Playing is an essential part of human experience and can facilitate learning while reducing stress and developing emotional resilience and problem-solving skills.

I started my international teaching experience in Brazil and Colombia. I taught at UG and PGR levels, and at MBAs, with modules on Innovation Management, Business Model Innovation, Management of Organisational Change, and Innovation and Sustainability. After moving to the UK, I have designed and led several UG modules in the area of Responsible Business. My research-led teaching and curriculum development are nurtured by the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME).

Undergraduate Modules

  • BUS2038 Introduction to Sustainability - Theory and Practice (20 credits)
  • BUS3003 Advanced Business Practice (20 credits)

Postgraduate Modules

  • NBS8658 The International Business Environment (20 credits)
  • NBS8650 Introduction to Sustainability Management (10 credits)

Postgraduate Modules - Module Leader

  • NBS8493 Corporate Social Responsibility and the Challenge of Ethical Business (10 credits)
  • NBS8513 Role of Business in Society - Issues and Challenges (10 credits)
  • NBS8660 Advanced Sustainability Management Project (60 credits)


Publications