Dr. Mária Keresztes
Creator of the Neutral Space Method© | Researcher & Author
Cultural & Creative Industries · Transcultural Norms
I work at a crossroads few people occupy: where economics meets the arts. My knowledge was built at four universities — Széchenyi István University, ELTE, Károli Gáspár University and the University of Theatre and Film Arts, Budapest — across economics, aesthetics, psychology, religious studies and the humanities. International scholarships and professional work have taken me from the world's leading economies to emerging markets — across Asia, Europe, the Americas, Africa and Australia.
From this ground grew the Neutral Space Method©: a research-based approach that makes cultural norms, differences and economic processes visible and workable in organizations. My doctoral research — Art as an Economic Force: Cultural Mentoring at an Industrial Site — is its scientific foundation.
Researcher
I am the author of the Transculturator theory and of more than 60 registered scholarly and artistic works (MTMT). My research has appeared in international peer-reviewed journals, including the Scopus-indexed Kritika Kultura and TÉR-GAZDASÁG-EMBER, and my work was supported by the Korean Studies Grant 2024 of the Academy of Korean Studies. But my research does not live in a library: I draw conclusions from real corporate data — from law firms to industrial sites — and turn them into working HR and organizational solutions.
Full publication record on ORCID →What this means for your company
From data to diagnosis — a real example
In a multi-year corporate program, I tracked group-level indicators — participation, absence, creative activity and norm-related behaviour — from 2019 to 2021. The diagnostics showed where recognition and acceptance were missing, predicting motivation loss and turnover risk. After targeted Neutral Space mentoring, norm-related engagement grew fivefold, while group harmony increased and sickness absence stayed low. The findings became concrete HR recommendations — not a report that sits in a drawer.
Want to see what your data would show? →How I help
Identifying the root causes of organizational challenges through research-based assessment.
Transforming qualitative and quantitative data into strategic insight for decision-makers.
Building customized development frameworks and learning solutions.
Supporting executives and teams through evidence-based change processes.
Author & Artist
Art is not a metaphor in my work — it is the instrument. I am the author of artistic and literary volumes including Decisions (2025), Haiku and Visual Artwork and Memories, and my work has been recognized in the Kányádi Sándor competition and featured by HVG. The same creative practice that lives in these works powers the method I bring into companies.
Where it all began: long before boardrooms, I taught environmental education in the rainforests of Indonesia, working with WWF and the PPLH centres in Bali and Seloliman. Sustainability and cross-cultural work have been part of my practice ever since.
Speaker
I give talks and keynotes on transcultural innovation, cultural and creative industries, and the Neutral Space Method© — for conferences, universities and corporate audiences, from AGTECO and the IASK Kraft Conference to Sofia University and industry events.
Interested in a talk? Get in touch →What leaders say
Executives and professional leaders on working with Smartia.
In every session she strives to discover and unleash the potential within her clients, so they can successfully apply what they learn in real life. For sustainable results, I recommend the mentorship programme to anyone seeking long-term investment, security and stability.
"It is very important to us that an economist leads the sessions — not just lecturing, but actually demonstrating the real situations and problems."
Smartia led group sessions for us where our team faced face painting, drama and ethical dilemmas at an off-site location. These are the real problems one encounters daily while working for an international company.
I believe in the connection between physical and mental well-being. It mattered to me that the women I have worked with for 10 years experience this unity at our summer camp — so I invited the mentorship programme. The half-day programme grew into a full day, because the problem-solving through art was of such a high level. Equal opportunities, behavioural culture, community and sustainability — everyone wants to pass it on to their own teams too.
Why this matters for your business
When you work with SMARTIA, you are not buying a generic training. You are working directly with the researcher who built the method — not with a subcontracted trainer. And the Neutral Space Method© keeps improving with every publication, every artwork, and every company she works with.
