IMPACT GHANA. INSPIRE AFRICA. ENGAGE THE WORLD.
Prof. Dr. Nathalie Homlong
Economic Geography, Regional Development and Sustainable Development
Prof. Dr. Nathalie Homlong
Prof. Dr. Nathalie Homlong is an internationally respected scholar of economic geography and regional development. Her academic work examines how geographic, institutional and economic forces shape development trajectories—particularly in emerging and transitional economies. She is widely recognised for her analyses of foreign direct investment (FDI), business location dynamics, and the spatial patterns that influence competitiveness and regional growth.
With a strong interdisciplinary research portfolio, Prof. Homlong integrates economic geography with policy-relevant studies on sustainable development, investment attraction, and the governance of regional economies. She is the co-editor of Aspects of Sustainable Development in Ghana (LIT Verlag, 2024), a volume that explores the social, economic and environmental dimensions of development within the Ghanaian and broader African context. Her work consistently bridges theory and practice, offering insights that support decision-making in public policy, economic planning, and international business strategy.
Prof. Homlong’s research on FDI—particularly European investments into Asian markets—has contributed significantly to understanding personnel management challenges, intercultural negotiation, host-country institutional frameworks, and strategic choices regarding market entry and business forms. Her broader expertise spans entrepreneurial ecosystems, labour-market development, social innovation, and job-creation strategies. This combination positions her as a leading voice on how investment flows, governance structures and local capabilities interact to shape sustainable regional development.
She has also served as project leader for an EU-funded initiative aimed at fostering entrepreneurship among university students, developing innovative teaching approaches and supporting student-driven start-ups. Her career reflects a deep commitment to applying economic-geographical knowledge to real-world challenges—advancing sustainability, inclusive growth and regional innovation in both developed and developing contexts.
Research Interests
Teaching Fields
Collaboration & Engagement
Research Interests
RESEARCH PORTFOLIO & INTERESTS
Prof. Dr. Nathalie Homlong’s research explores the spatial, institutional, and economic dynamics that influence development outcomes across regions. Her work centres on how foreign direct investment (FDI), business location decisions, and governance frameworks shape competitiveness and sustainable growth in emerging and transitional economies. She applies economic-geographical theory to real-world patterns of trade, investment, entrepreneurship, and labour-market development.
Her scholarship includes significant work on European FDI flows into Asian markets, examining institutional quality, intercultural management challenges, and strategic choices relating to market entry and business formation. She also studies the drivers of regional development, sustainable economic planning, and investment attraction, with a particular focus on developing and middle-income countries.
Her most recent co-edited volume, Aspects of Sustainable Development in Ghana (LIT Verlag, 2024), reflects her broader interest in how environmental, social, and economic dimensions converge in shaping development pathways across Africa. She is further engaged in research on entrepreneurial ecosystems, job-creation strategies, governance quality, and place-based development.
Core Research Themes
- Foreign direct investment (FDI) dynamics and investment attraction
- Business location choice and regional competitiveness
- Entrepreneurship ecosystems and job creation
- Institutional frameworks, governance quality, and development policy
- Sustainable development in emerging economies
- Intercultural management and organisational behaviour in international business
SDG Alignment:
- SDG 8: Decent Work & Economic Growth
- SDG 9: Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure
- SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
- SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
Teaching Fields
TEACHING FIELDS/INTERESTS
Prof. Nathalie Homlong teaches across the fields of economic geography, regional development, investment geography, and international business, combining theoretical understanding with practical, policy-oriented perspectives. Her teaching emphasises the ways in which geography, economics, and institutional systems shape development outcomes, investment patterns, and regional competitiveness.
Prof. Homlong supports research in sustainable development, regional analysis, and international investment. She integrates case studies from Europe, Africa, and Asia, drawing on her extensive research in FDI, location choice, and development policy. Through EU-funded initiatives and international partnerships, she also contributes to entrepreneurship education, competence development, and innovative teaching methods that prepare students for global and intercultural professional environments.
Teaching & Instructional Areas
- Economic Geography & Regional Development
- International Business & Foreign Direct Investment
- Investment Location Theory & Spatial Analysis
- Globalisation, Trade & Regional Competitiveness
- Entrepreneurship & Innovation for Sustainable Development
- Research Methods in Geography & Social Sciences
- Cross-cultural Management and Internationalisation in Higher Education
Pedagogical Strengths
- Applied, policy-relevant orientation
- Use of real-world investment, regional, and sustainability case studies
- Integration of intercultural and comparative perspectives
- Support for student-led innovation and start-up development
Collaboration & Engagement
COLLABORATION & ENGAGEMENT
Prof. Dr. Nathalie Homlong’s collaborative work sits at the intersection of economic geography, investment dynamics, and sustainable development. Her research emphasises how foreign direct investment, regional governance structures, and entrepreneurial ecosystems shape economic opportunities in both developed and emerging regions. She works closely with academic institutions, development partners, industry actors, and public agencies to translate economic-geographical insights into practical strategies for inclusive growth, regional competitiveness, and sustainable economic transformation.
Her ongoing collaborations include leadership in EU-funded educational and research initiatives, where she contributes to the design of innovative pedagogies, capacity-building frameworks, and entrepreneurship development programmes for students and early-stage ventures. These efforts advance SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 8 (Decent Work & Economic Growth) by equipping learners with the skills and global competencies necessary to participate in modern regional economies. In her work on foreign direct investment and regional development—especially in Africa and Asia—Prof. Homlong examines institutional quality, location attractiveness, talent development, and investment policy. This research supports SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) by informing evidence-based policy interventions for emerging regions.
Prof. Homlong welcomes partnerships that leverage her expertise in FDI analysis, sustainable regional development, entrepreneurship ecosystems, and higher-education innovation. She is particularly interested in collaborative research, joint project development, SDG-focused capacity-building, and multi-country studies on investment attraction, regional planning, and sustainable growth. Her work reinforces the values of SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) by bringing together global academic and policy networks to co-create solutions that foster equitable and resilient development across regions.