Paolo Ferri

Paolo Ferri is Associate Professor of Accounting at the University of Bologna. His research interests include arts management, interdisciplinary accounting research, and public sector management. His work focuses on the study of change and innovation in accountability systems within complex and professional organizations, such as museums and cultural, natural, and industrial archaeology sites. His research has been published in international journals such as Accounting, Auditing and Accountability Journal, Accounting History, Critical Perspectives on Accounting, the Journal of Management and Governance, Financial Accountability & Management, and the European Accounting Review.

Academic Positions

• Nov 2020 – present: Associate Professor in Accounting, University of Bologna

• Nov 2016 – Nov 2020: RTD-b (Senior Assistant Professor) in Accounting, University of Bologna

• Jul 2015 – Nov 2016: Lecturer B in Accounting, RMIT University, Australia

• Jan 2013 – Jul 2015: Postdoctoral Fellow, Stockholm University, Sweden

Current Roles

• Coordinator, Master’s Degree in Innovation and Organization of Culture and the Arts (GIOCA)

• Member, PhD Board in GOMAP

• Member, Scientific Committee of the Bigiavi Library

• Rector’s Delegate for Asset Disposal Procedures

• Member, Management Committee of the University Museum System

• Member, Department of Management Seminar Committee

• Member, University Thematic Group in Social Sciences (GTA SSH)

Main Research Projects

• RE3WORK – Resilient Retrofitting and Reuse of Water Heritage and Built Environments: Multi-objective Optimization for Risk Mitigation and Cultural Enhancement. PRIN 2022. Scientific Coordinator of the research unit. 2023–present.

• UNCHARTED – Understanding, Capturing, and Fostering the Societal Value of Culture. HORIZON 2020 No. 870793. Scientific Coordinator of the research unit. 2021–2024.

• Evaluating the Multidimensional Activities of Museums, Libraries and Archives. Funded by the Institute of Artistic and Cultural Heritage of the Emilia-Romagna Region. Research team member. 2019–2020.

• CATARSI – Automatic Understanding of Texts and Articles in Social and Computer Sciences. ALMAIDEA, University of Bologna. Research team member. 2017.

• The Financial Reporting of Cultural, Heritage and Scientific Collections in Australian Museums (1996–2015). RMIT School of Accounting competitive research grant. Principal Investigator. 2016.

• Accounting for Accounting History: A Topic Modeling Approach. RMIT School of Accounting competitive research grant. Principal Investigator. 2016.

Education

• PhD in Business Administration, University of Bologna, 2008–2012

• Visiting, London School of Economics and Political Science, Centre of Analysis of Risk and Regulation (CARR) / Department of Accounting, 2012

• Master’s Degree in Innovation and Organization of Culture and the Arts, University of Bologna, 2003–2006

Other Teaching and Research-Intervention Collaborations

• Bologna Business School. Master in Business Management. Crash Course in Accounting and course in Accounting and Controlling. 2019–present.

• Fondazione Fitzcarraldo. Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) in Cultural Management. Teaching: Business Models in Creative Industries. 2024, 2025.

• Politecnico di Milano. Master in Management of Cultural Heritage and Institutions. Teaching in Management Accounting for Cultural Institutions. 2024.

• ICCROM and Fondazione per i Beni e le Attività Culturali. Undertaking Business in Culture. Course design and teaching activities. 2023.

• University Museum System. The Future of University Museums: From Bologna to Europe and Back. Action research project. 2017–2018.

• Organizer, intensive course Managing Cultural Heritage: An International Perspective, Lecce, 26–27 September 2012.

• Packard Humanities Institute – Herculaneum Conservation Project. Feasibility study on the future development of the Herculaneum archaeological site. Action research project. 2012.

• University Museum System. Strategic plan for the institutional and organizational transformation of the University of Bologna scientific museums. Action research project. 2010.

• Municipality of Milan, Department of Culture. Business plan for the scientific museums of the City of Milan. Action research project. 2010.

• Archaeological Superintendence of Naples and Pompeii. Feasibility study for the creation of a Centre of Excellence at the Naples and Pompeii Superintendence. Action research project. 2008.

Organization of Workshops and Conferences

• Member of the Scientific and Organizing Committee, 9th EIASM Workshop on Managing Cultural Organizations, University of Bologna, 4–5 December 2025

• Member of the Organizing Committee, IRSPM Conference, University of Bologna, 7–9 April 2025

• Member of the Organizing Committee, PSAAG Workshop, University of Bologna, 30 Nov – 1 Dec 2023

• Organizer, workshop CATARSI: Cleaning, Analyzing and Visualizing Techniques for Textual Data. An Interactive Workshop, European Academy of Management Conference (EURAM), Lisbon, June 2019

• Scientific Coordinator and Organizer, Study Day on the Evaluation of Museum Collections, University of Bologna, 12 December 2018

• Member of the Organizing and Scientific Committee, workshop Hybridity in Accounting and Performance Measurement in the Public Sector: Next Steps for Research, Stockholm Business School, 11–12 November 2014

• Organizer, Research Seminar Series, Department of Accounting, Stockholm Business School, Sept 2013 – Jun 2015

• Member of the Local Organizing Committee, 4th EIASM Workshop on Managing Cultural Organizations, University of Bologna, 25–26 October 2012