Michael Araki

Background

About Michael Araki

I am a Lecturer (equivalent to Assistant Professor) at the UNSW Business School. I hold two PhDs in Management and Entrepreneurship, and have extensive training in psychometrics (e.g, scale development), econometrics (e.g, panel data analysis), and theory development. My research has been published in leading journals such as the Journal of Business Venturing, Research Policy, The Lancet, and and featured in media outlets like the BBC and Forbes. I also serve on the Editorial Review Board of the Small Business Economics Journal. My research has been motivated by two major and interrelated questions. The first concerns creativity & innovation: What drives creativity, and what journey does a creative insight undertake—from conception to implementation—within the constraints of institutional norms and organizational systems? The second relates to polymathy (a way of being in the pursuit, development, and application of knowledge, marked by the conjunction of breadth, depth, and integration): What does polymathy actually entail, why do people pursue it, and what role does it play in human creativity, innovative entrepreneurship, and the well-being of individuals and society? This has led me to develop some potentially important contributions- The General Model of Creativity (GMC): A formal model integrating cognitive, social, and institutional dynamics of creativity. The GMC has extensions encompassing both entrepreneurship and strategic management- The Developmental Model of Polymathy (DMP): A three-stage model (Polymathic Orientation → Polymathic Knowledgebase → Polymathic Creation) providing an integrative framework that advances our understanding of polymathy and its role in human creativity, innovation, and well-being- The Polymathic Orientation (PO) Scale: A psychometric tool measuring polymathic breadth, depth, and integration at the dispositonal level, enabling more systematic research on polymathy. I am also collaborating with industry partners to create the Atlas of Human Range, a comprehensive tool designed to help individuals in their journey from understanding what is special about themselves to achieving their full potential and contributing meaningfully to society. Prior to my academic career, I worked in the private sector as a manager of small businesses, SAP solutions architect, business consultant, teacher, and flight crew member.