Research
My research focuses on strategy processes and practices in the context of different organizational phenomena, including innovation, new venture creation and scaling, and strategic responses to crises. The outcomes of my research have been published in multiple outlets, including international peer-reviewed journals and managerial journals.
Throughout the years, I have been striving to become a better researcher, co-author, and collaborator, always aiming for greater heights with my research. I am always open to exploring new opportunities and look forward to collaborating.
Current research areas
Temporal Tensions in Strategizing
In this research area, I look at strategizing in various types of organizations, including long-established organizations, family firms, consulting practices, as well as architecture firms. Specifically, I'm interested in exploring the tensions that emerge when different temporal horizons collide (e.g., present vs future, past vs future). I am very passionate about this research area as I believe it to be highly impactful in both research and practice.
Collaborators
Emanuela Rondi, Paola Rovelli, Alfredo De Massis, Vittoria Magrelli, Marco Mismetti
Recognition
2023 Best Paper Runner-Up Award at the Innovation and Product Development Conference (IPDMC) with the paper "Brokering Organizational Identity and Innovation through Future Narratives" co-authored with Emanuela Rondi and Alfredo De Massis.
Strategy-making as Design
In this research area, I look at how strategy-making can be viewed as an act of design(ing). Through different ongoing research projects, me and my co-authors explore the nuances that this analogy opens up in the study of management disciplines. This research stream also allows me to reconcile my background in architecture with my research competencies in management.
Collaborators
Ileana Stigliani, Stefano Magistretti, Nico Klenner, Jeanne Liedtka, Claudio Dell'Era
Recognition
2022 Young Researchers Prize from the Italian Association of Management Engineering (AiIG)
Entrepreneurial Strategy
This research area is close to my personal interests and experiences. Starting during my PhD, serving as a researcher at the Hi-tech Startups Observatory of Politecnico di Milano, I have observed several new ventures struggle throughout the phases of their creation and development, especially when reaching the point of scaling. For this reason, together with my co-authors, I look at different phenomena surrounding entrepreneurial strategy, from creation to growth at scale.
Collaborators
Sylvia Hubner-Benz, Alex McKelvie, Josip Kotlar, Antonio Ghezzi, Jacopo Manotti, Angelo Cavallo, Massimo Colombo
Recognition
Finalist for the Outstanding Dissertation Award 2023 of the STR Division of AOM with my Ph.D. dissertation on "Business Model Experimentation: A Scientific Approach to Strategy and Entrepreneurship"
Academic publications
Sanasi, S. (2025). Structuring experimentation: Implementing Growth Hacking in new ventures. Journal of Business Research, 188, 115084. (ABS 3, ABDC: A; IF: 10.5)
Sanasi, S., Artusi, F., Bellini, E., & Ghezzi, A. (2024). Meaning is in the eye of the beholder: Reconciling business model design with customer meaning-making. Long Range Planning, 57(6). (ABS 4, ABDC: A; IF: 7.4)
Sanasi, S., & Ghezzi, A. (2024). Pivots as strategic responses to crises: Evidence from Italian companies navigating Covid-19. Strategic Organization, 22(3), 495–529. (ABS 3, ABDC: A; IF: 5.2)
Sanasi, S. (2024). How a spreadsheet helped me to land my dream job. Nature, March 28, 2024. (IF: 50.5)
Sanasi, S., Ghezzi, A., & Cavallo, A. (2023). What happens after market validation? Experimentation for scaling in technology-based startups. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 196, 122839. (ABS 3, ABDC: A; IF: 12.9)
Publisher's website | Researchgate
Magistretti, S., Sanasi, S., Dell'Era, C., & Ghezzi, A. (2023). Entrepreneurship as design: A design process for the emergence and development of entrepreneurial opportunities. Creativity and Innovation Management, 32(1), 5-21. (ABS 2, ABDC: B; IF: 3.7)
Sanasi, S. (2023). Entrepreneurial experimentation in business model dynamics: Current understanding and future opportunities. International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, 19(2), 805-836.
Publisher's website | Researchgate
Sanasi, S., Manotti, J., & Ghezzi, A. (2022). Achieving agility in high-reputation firms: Agile experimentation revisited. IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, 69(6), 3529-3545.
Sanasi, S., Trabucchi, D., Pellizzoni, E., & Buganza, T. (2022). The evolution of meanings: an empirical analysis of the social media industry. European Journal of Innovation Management, 25(6), 97-121. Publisher's website | Researchgate
Ghezzi, A., Cavallo, A., Sanasi, S., & Rangone, A. (2022). Opening up to startup collaborations: open business models and value co-creation in SMEs. Competitiveness Review.
Cavallo, A., Ghezzi, A., & Sanasi, S. (2021). Assessing entrepreneurial ecosystems through a strategic value network approach: evidence from the San Francisco Area. Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, 28(2), 261-276.
Publisher's website | Researchgate
Trabucchi, D., Sanasi, S., Ghezzi, A., & Buganza, T. (2021). Idle asset hunters—The secret of multi-sided platforms. Research-Technology Management, 64(1), 33-42.
Cavallo, A., Sanasi, S., Ghezzi, A., & Rangone, A. (2021). Competitive intelligence and strategy formulation: connecting the dots. Competitiveness Review, 31(2), 250-275. Publisher's website | Researchgate
Sanasi, S., Ghezzi, A., Cavallo, A., & Rangone, A. (2020). Making sense of the sharing economy: a business model innovation perspective. Technology Analysis & Strategic Management, 32(8), 895-909.
Publisher's website | Researchgate
Work in progress
Sanasi, S., Rondi, E., De Massis, A. Longitudinal case study on mediated identity work in a long-established organization. Revise and Resubmit (ABS 4, ABDC A*)
Sanasi, S., De Massis, A., Case study on organizational challenges and sensemaking in outlier ventures. Under review (ABS 4, ABDC A)
Sanasi, S., Magistretti, S., Stigliani, I. Case study on strategizing through design in a big telco. Submitted (ABS 4*, ABDC A*, FT50)
Sanasi, S., Zasa, F. P., Rondi, E., De Massis, A. Case study on the creation of the distant future using collaborative scenario planning. Submitted (ABS 3, ABDC A)
Magistretti, S., Sanasi, S., Klenner, N.F., Liedtka, J. M. SLR on entrepreneurship as design. Minor revision (ABS 3, ABDC A)
Manotti, J., Sanasi, S., Ghezzi, A. Multiple-case study on new space technologies as a source of sustainable business model innovation. Minor revision (ABS 3, ABDC A)
Dissemination
De Massis, A., Rondi, E., Sanasi, S., Zasa, F. P. (2024) “Aggiornare l’Innovation management oltre i modelli basati sul presente.” Sistemi & Impresa, 2 (March 2024), 61-63 (ISSN: 0394-929X). Full article
De Massis, A., Mismetti, M., Rondi, E., Sanasi, S. (2023) “Ritorno alle origini: Le imprese familiari in un contesto incerto.” MIT Sloan Management Review Italia, 2(4), 49-52.
De Massis, A. & Sanasi, S. (2023) “Managerializzare le imprese familiari attraverso una gestione professionale.” Sistemi & Impresa, 6 (September 2023), 30-35 (ISSN: 0394-929X).
De Massis, A. & Sanasi, S. (2023) “La sfida del tempo nelle imprese familiari: Gestire la tensione tra passato e futuro.” We Wealth, 56 (April 2023), pp. 60-61 (ISSN: 2611-2639).
Research reports
“Gli investimenti in startup hi-tech nel 2021: l’ecosistema non lascia, ma raddoppia.” (2022) Osservatori Digital Innovation, School of Management, Politecnico di Milano. Available here. Publication on 20/02/2022
“Sesto Osservatorio Open Innovation e Corporate Venture Capital 2021.” (2021) Confindustria, Assolombarda and InnovUp. Available here. Publication and presentation of results on 03/12/2021
“Startup e imprese nella trasformazione digitale: open innovation per accelerare la ripresa.” (2021) Osservatori Digital Innovation, School of Management, Politecnico di Milano. Publication and presentation of results on 30/11/2021
“L’innovazione digitale non va in lockdown: alle imprese cogliere l’effetto startup” (2020) Osservatori Digital Innovation, School of Management, Politecnico di Milano. Available here. Publication and presentation of results on 03/12/2020
“Osservatorio Startup Hi-tech: Rapporto Annuale – 2019. Settima Edizione.” (2020) Osservatori Digital Innovation, School of Management, Politecnico di Milano. Available here. Publication on 26/11/2020
“Quinto Osservatorio Open Innovation e Corporate Venture Capital 2020.” (2020) Assolombarda, InnovUp e Smau. Available here. Publication and presentation of results on 21/10/2020.
“Digital Innovation 2020: Companies and Startups together towards an Open Company.” (2020) Digital Innovation Observatories, School of Management, Politecnico di Milano. Publication on 03/07/2020
“Innovazione Digitale 2020: Imprese e Startup verso l’Open Company.” (2019) Osservatori Digital Innovation, School of Management, Politecnico di Milano. Publication and presentation of results on 03/12/2019
“Quarto Osservatorio Open Innovation e Corporate Venture Capital 2019.” (2019) Assolombarda, Italia Startup e Smau. Available here. Publication and presentation of results on 24/10/2019
“Companies and Startups in The Digital Transformation Tornado: the Search for Innovation” (2019) Digital Innovation Observatories, School of Management, Politecnico di Milano. Publication on 02/05/2019
“Imprese e startup nel vortice della trasformazione digitale: alla ricerca dell'innovazione.” (2018) Osservatori Digital Innovation, School of Management, Politecnico di Milano. Publication and presentation of results on 29/11/2018
“I centri di ricerca italiani che operano in ambito digitale” (2018) Osservatori Digital Innovation, School of Management, Politecnico di Milano. Available here. Publication on 29/09/2018
“Hi-Tech Startups Observatory Annual Report - 2017, Fifth Edition.” (2018) Digital Innovation Observatories, School of Management, Politecnico di Milano. Available here. Publication on 19/07/2018
“Startup Intelligence: Sharing e Peer-to-peer Economy.” (2018) Osservatorio Startup Intelligence, Osservatori Digital Innovation, School of Management, Politecnico di Milano. Published on 19/04/2018
Webinars
“Gli investimenti Corporate in startup.” (2021) Osservatori Digital Innovation, School of Management, Politecnico di Milano. Presentation of research results on 27/09/2021
“I nuovi modelli di business della Sharing Economy.” (2019) Osservatori Digital Innovation, School of Management, Politecnico di Milano. Presentation of research results on 24/09/2019