Dr Karla Zimpel-Leal is a Senior Lecturer in Innovation and Enterprise at Oxford Brookes Business School, at Oxford Brookes University. Her research is inspired by real world challenges that can inform both academia and industry. Her latest research is aligned to the UK’s Industrial Strategy grand challenge of an Ageing Society, investigating emergent and disruptive Homecare Business Models for older adults. Her work looks at how these homecare organisations create, capture, and deliver value to older adults and the care landscape more generally. She is also looking at the professionalization of the care workforce, from skills and development to creating a workforce strategy. She works closely with homecare providers, policymakers, regulators and commissioners, advancing business model innovation, promoting sustainability and growth, as well as influencing social policy.

Her previous research encompasses knowledge transfer and innovation, particularly focusing on understanding the generative mechanisms that are driving knowledge transfer between science and industry, and addressing challenges such as healthy ageing, nutrition and food security whilst reducing waste and environmental impact. Before rejoining academia and with an entrepreneurial spirit, Karla has spent many years paving her own road through founding a bespoke gifting retail business in London and co-founding an international beekeeping business, as well as consulting in Supply Chain Management and Procurement for organisations such as; Office of Communications, Ealing Council and Lotus Cars. Her academic degrees comprise a BA (Hons) in Business and International Trade from Unisinos, an MSc (distinction) in Supply Chain Management and a PhD in Knowledge Transfer from Norwich Business School, University of East Anglia, UK.

Publications: 

Zimpel-Leal K, ‘Emergent homecare models are shaping care in England: an ethnographic study of four distinct homecare models ‘ Advances in Health Care Management 20 (2021) pp.3-27

Zimpel-Leal Karla, Lettice Fiona, ‘Generative Mechanisms for Scientific Knowledge Transfer in the Food Industry’, Sustainability 13 (2021)

Zimpel-Leal K, Goodlad C (2019) Care workforce challenges. Policy Brief, Sustainable Care Programme