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Hen­rik Sornn-Friese

Associate Professor

Subjects
Strategy Innovation Shipping Value chain Green transition History

Primary research areas

In­ter­na­tion­al busi­ness and de­cision heur­ist­ics
I in­vest­ig­ate how mul­tina­tion­al en­ter­prises use de­cision heur­ist­ics when ex­pand­ing across bor­ders. This work ex­plores how man­agers nav­ig­ate un­cer­tainty, com­plex­ity, and in­com­plete in­form­a­tion. Con­tain­er ship­ping serves as one em­pir­ic­al set­ting, but the aim is to ad­vance broad­er the­ory on MNE in­ter­na­tion­al­iz­a­tion.
Glob­al ship­ping in­dustry dy­nam­ics
I study how tech­no­lo­gic­al change, reg­u­la­tion, and glob­al mar­ket shifts shape the evol­u­tion of in­ter­na­tion­al ship­ping, ports, and mari­time in­dus­tries. My work links long-term his­tor­ic­al con­text with con­tem­por­ary stra­tegic chal­lenges.
In­nov­a­tion sys­tems and in­dus­tri­al trans­form­a­tions
My re­search ex­am­ines how re­gion­al clusters and in­nov­a­tion sys­tems de­vel­op and dif­fuse in­nov­a­tion, and how geo­graphy, in­sti­tu­tions, and net­works shape com­pet­it­ive­ness and struc­tur­al trans­formation. Ship­ping, ports, and re­lated mari­time activ­it­ies serve as key em­pir­ic­al set­tings for ex­plor­ing these broad­er dy­nam­ics.
Trans­ition to re­new­able en­ergy and green fuels
I study the ad­op­tion of green fuels in ship­ping, in­clud­ing the tech­no­lo­gic­al, eco­nom­ic, and gov­ernance chal­lenges in­volved. My work fo­cuses on how these trans­itions re­shape in­dustry strategies, port roles, and glob­al sup­ply chains.

Ex­plor­ing in­nov­a­tion to steer mari­time de­car­bon­iz­a­tion

My research examines how innovation, structural change, and global disruptions shape business behavior and long-term strategic decisions. By linking historical context with contemporary challenges, I aim to understand how industries evolve - and how they can navigate periods of uncertainty and transformation. 

A central motivation in my work is to generate insights that support more resilient, sustainable, and forward-looking business strategies. Using international shipping and ports as rich empirical settings, I investigate broader questions about how firms adapt, how industries reorganize, and how global value chains respond to geopolitical, technological, and environmental pressures – that is, navigating polycrisis. 

I contribute to society by advancing knowledge that can guide sustainable transitions, inform policy debates, and strengthen decision-making in globally connected industries. My work also explores the circular economy, green fuels, and the role of regional innovation systems in shaping sustainable economic development. 

Beyond research, I am committed to academic citizenship, interdisciplinary collaboration, and supporting the next generation of scholars working on global industry transformation. 

Recent research projects

PO­TENT – Ports as En­ergy Trans­ition Hubs

Ex­plor­ing how ports can act as key hubs in the glob­al en­ergy trans­ition, en­abling green fuels, new tech­no­lo­gies, and more sus­tain­able mari­time value chains.

Outside activities

Uni­ver­sity of South­ern Den­mark - Fac­ulty of So­cial Sci­ences , Novem­ber 2019 - Decem­ber 2019

Ex­tern­al ex­pert eval­u­at­or of the M.Sc. pro­gram in En­vir­on­ment­al and Re­source Man­age­ment

Singa­pore Man­age­ment Uni­ver­sity (SMU) (March-April, every 2nd year) , 2020 -

Re­cip­i­ent of the MPA Pro­fess­or in Mari­time Busi­ness (en­dowed chair)

KEDGE Busi­ness School , 2020 -

Vis­it­ing schol­ar (pro­fes­seur) teach­ing mod­ule on “Green fuels for ship­ping”

The Dan­ish Ac­cred­it­a­tion In­sti­tu­tion , Septem­ber 2021 - Oc­to­ber 2021

Aca­dem­ic ex­pert re­view­er for the level-5 as­sess­ment of Dan­ish Ship­ping Edu­ca­tion (DSE)

CBS Ex­ec­ut­ive , 10th of Oc­to­ber 2023 - 12th of Oc­to­ber 2023

Or­gan­izer and host for the Over­seas Im­mer­sion Mod­ule for SMU’s “Mari­time Lead­er­ship Pro­gramme”

The Dan­ish Ac­cred­it­a­tion In­sti­tu­tion , Au­gust 2023 - June 2024

Mem­ber of the Ac­cred­it­a­tion Pan­el for the in­sti­tu­tion­al ac­cred­it­a­tion of MARTEC - Mari­time and Poly­tech­nic Col­lege

The Dan­ish Ac­cred­it­a­tion In­sti­tu­tion , Au­gust 2024 - June 2025

Chair­man of the Ac­cred­it­a­tion Pan­el for the in­sti­tu­tion­al ac­cred­it­a­tion of Teknika – Copen­ha­gen Col­lege of Tech­no­logy Man­age­ment and Mar­ine En­gin­eer­ing

Min­istry of High­er Edu­ca­tion and Sci­ence, Ac­cred­it­a­tion Of­fice , Oc­to­ber 2025 - Novem­ber 2025

Aca­dem­ic ex­pert re­view­er for the level-5 as­sess­ment of Dan­ish Ship­ping Edu­ca­tion (DSE)