Dr. Evelina Atanassova

Associate Professor of Business Administration, Human Resources and Leadership
Business and Professional Studies
Business, Human Resources, Organizational Leadership
evelina.atanassova@umassglobal.edu

Dr. Evelina Atanassova is an Associate professor of Business Administration, Human Resources and Organizational Leadership at UMass Global and has been teaching for the university since March 2014, focusing on the disciplines of Management, Organizational Leadership, and Human Resources. She has also had extensive teaching experience at HEC Paris (Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales) and the Mihaylo College of Business and Economics at California State University, Fullerton. Dr. Atanassova’s research interests include organization management and organization behavior theories; she is currently investigating social networking strategies as a response to professional demands and individual goals, as well as social network configurations. Her research has been presented at major academic conferences, such as The Academy of Management, The European Group for Organization Studies, The Paris Conference on Education, and The International Conference on Assessing Quality in Higher Education.

Earlier in her career, Dr. Atanassova gained operational leadership experience in Human Resource Management as an HR Manager within a large European telecommunications company. In that capacity, she was responsible for developing and implementing large-scale strategic initiatives spanning diverse HR disciplines, including job evaluation and grading, performance appraisal, organizational restructuring, competency models and leadership development. She is a committed learner and educator who has a purpose to develop leaders that are attentive to the business, the people, and the environmental needs organizations and societies face today by bringing together scientific novelties and business trends.

Education History

2016

Ph.D. in English
HEC Paris, France
Dissertation: “Social capital: Strategies and contingencies"

2009

M.A. in English
Chapman University, Orange, USA
Thesis: Reflections on organizational leadership

2005

M.A. in Bulgarian
New Bulgarian Univeristy, Sofia, Bulgaria
Thesis: Developing a strategy for implementing performance management system in the Bulgarian Telecommunications Company

Scholarly Activities

2024

  • Book Publication: Deszca, G., Ingols, C., Atanassova, E., & Tupper, C.F. (2024). Organizational Change. Sage.

2024

  • Conference Panel on Innovative Instruction, International Conference on Assessing Quality in Higher Education

2023

  • Conference Presentation "How to bridge the gap between higher education and industry with agility: Lessons from the Big Techs, The Paris Conference on Education"
     

Professional Experience

Research Assistant 

HEC Paris, France
Supported academic research by conducting literature reviews, collecting and analyzing data, preparing reports, and assisting the development of publications.

 
HR Manager

Vivacom, Sofia, Bulgaria
Managed and developed performance management systems, job grading, workforce planning, and incentive schemes, while also consulting senior management, facilitating internal communication, and driving leadership development, all to align HR strategies with business goals, including supporting the launch of a new company brand.

 
HR Specialist

Vivacom, Sofia, Bulgaria
Designed job descriptions, consulted management on structuring teams and hierarchies, coordinated the job grading process, led HR generalist trainings, and conducted personality assessments to offer personalized feedback and career development guidance.

 

Education History

2016

Ph.D. in English
HEC Paris, France
Dissertation: “Social capital: Strategies and contingencies"

2009

M.A. in English
Chapman University, Orange, USA
Thesis: Reflections on organizational leadership

2005

M.A. in Bulgarian
New Bulgarian Univeristy, Sofia, Bulgaria
Thesis: Developing a strategy for implementing performance management system in the Bulgarian Telecommunications Company

Scholarly Activities

2024

  • Book Publication: Deszca, G., Ingols, C., Atanassova, E., & Tupper, C.F. (2024). Organizational Change. Sage.

2024

  • Conference Panel on Innovative Instruction, International Conference on Assessing Quality in Higher Education

2023

  • Conference Presentation "How to bridge the gap between higher education and industry with agility: Lessons from the Big Techs, The Paris Conference on Education"
     

Professional Experience

Research Assistant 

HEC Paris, France
Supported academic research by conducting literature reviews, collecting and analyzing data, preparing reports, and assisting the development of publications.

 
HR Manager

Vivacom, Sofia, Bulgaria
Managed and developed performance management systems, job grading, workforce planning, and incentive schemes, while also consulting senior management, facilitating internal communication, and driving leadership development, all to align HR strategies with business goals, including supporting the launch of a new company brand.

 
HR Specialist

Vivacom, Sofia, Bulgaria
Designed job descriptions, consulted management on structuring teams and hierarchies, coordinated the job grading process, led HR generalist trainings, and conducted personality assessments to offer personalized feedback and career development guidance.

 

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