Our Mission
Conduct rigorous and impactful research on business strategies in emerging markets and the socio-political environment in which firms operate.
Host visiting scholars and students to lecture and conduct research in the region.
Research and publish publicly-available reports on topics regarding the center’s mission, including permanent in-house “Flagship” research programs.
Host public key-note speaker events for our research programs to spark intellectual discussions and public interest to further knowledge generation.
Promote university-industry linkages and cross-disciplinary collaboration that can enhance the understanding and performance of enterprises in emerging markets.
The Center of Technology, Strategy & Sustainability (CTSS) Faculty Director
Dr. Renato Lima de Oliveira received his Ph.D in Political Science from MIT, where he was a MIT Energy Fellow and specialized in political economy and comparative politics. His research area is on the political economy of development and state-business relations, particularly in the areas of industrial and innovation policies, and energy politics.
His PhD thesis analyzed the development of the energy industry and the local supply chain in Brazil, Malaysia, and Mexico, such as and the policies used for industrial upgrading and the promotion of innovation. He has also worked as a consultant for energy, environment, and politics, including assignments for the Ministry of Energy of Mexico and the World Bank. Prof. Lima de Oliveira is also a research affiliate at the MIT Industrial Performance Center (IPC) and a senior fellow of IDEAS-Malaysia.
Management Team
Dr. Renato Lima de Oliveira
Assistant Professor of Business and Society, ASB
Research Affiliate at MIT Sloan School of Management

Tan Zhai Gen
Research and Research Development Manager

Fathin Rusliza
Research Centre Coordinator
Research Associates

Dr. Pieter E. Stek
Postdoctoral Researcher, ASB

Thulaja Thessa K Vasudhevan
Research Associate, ASB
Research Fellow

Maizakiah Ayu Abdullah
Master Degree, Engineering System and Management, Masdar Institute of Science and Technology
Managing Director, COMET – Community Energy Toolkit
2022 In- House Flagship Research Project
ASB-MIT Work of the Future Research Project
As part of MIT’s Work of the Future – Global Research Network, the research project aims to look at Malaysia’s technology adoption (Industry 4.0) and how the work of the future would look like across a few countries, namely Turkey, Malaysia, and Brazil. Through 60 qualitative interviews and a nationally-representative quantitative survey of manufacturers, this research will help in deepening global understanding on Industry 4.0 adoption and shaping national IR4.0 policies for the future.
Sustainability@ASB
The rise of environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) criteria to assess companies shows that investors are mindful that climate risk is investment risk. Hence, companies that do not have a clear sustainability plan will be left behind in competing for capital, talent, and aligning values with customers and other stakeholders. As a leading management education provider in the region, Asia School of Business (ASB) has embarked on a series of programs to incorporate sustainability angles in its curriculum, teaching methodology, and research agenda.
Scenario workshop for energy transition in Malaysia
On the 7th and 8th of December 2021, the Center of Technology, Strategy and Sustainability, in collaboration with the Institute of Strategic and International Studies Malaysia (ISIS Malaysia) and the Institute of Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS), Germany co-organised a 2 days scenarios building workshop at the Asia School of Business aimed at charting out the multiple outcomes and pathways for the future of Malaysian energy in 2050 and how much of it will be made up on renewable energy technologies.
Launch of the “Industry 4.0 Technology Adoption in Malaysian Manufacturing: Strategies for Enhancing Competitiveness” policy report.
The Center of Technology, Strategy and Sustainability Asia School of Business launched its report on “Industry 4.0 Technology Adoption in Malaysian Manufacturing: Strategies for Enhancing Competitiveness” at The Wembley, George Town, Pulau Pinang, on 10 February 2023, with the support of the Penang State Government.