BERC director Murat Arik has consulted extensively with local and state government agencies, chambers of commerce, and private businesses. For two decades before  becoming director, he served communities across Connecticut and Tennessee as an economic research professional. His research focuses on regional economic trends, international business dynamics, strategic management of resources, and management of innovation. He teaches strategic management to undergraduates. Murat holds a Post-Doctoral Bridge Program (PDBP) certificate in management from the University of Florida, a Ph.D. in international political economy from the University of Connecticut, an M.A. in political science from Syracuse University, and a B.A. in public administration from Ankara University. He serves on the board of directors of Leadership Middle Tennessee (www.leadmt.org) and the Institute for Global Business Research (www.igbr.org). He is also the associate editor of the Global Journal of Management and Marketing (GJMM).