I’m a researcher in Entrepreneurship and Innovation in the School of Management at the University of Southampton.  My initial qualifications are in science/technology [BSc Chemistry  (Hons) Swansea, MSc (Computing) Bradford, PhD (Chemistry) Swansea, PGCE (Huddersfield)], though I’ve always been more interested in how things work in the business and social context, not just in the laboratory. After completing my PhD I spent two years as a Research Associate in the USA (SUNY Binghamton).  On returning to the UK I established two small businesses, and undertook a number of training and consultancy roles.  I returned to full-time academia 17 years ago, undertaking research, teaching and consultancy initially  in the area of management systems and information systems in large and small organisations. More recently I have focussed on the complex dynamics of innovation systems, particularly early stage concept development, the latter developed through evaluation of best practice in the US, in particular North Carolina State University and the University of San Diego.  I have also, as a member of an international team, advised Russian technology institutes on issues of technology transfer.  I am a member of the British Academy of Management, an Associate of the Chartered Management Institute, an Associate Member of the KITE Center at Newcastle University and a Visiting Scholar at The Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen. My website:

Research Interests The main thread of my research is underpinned by complexity theory and addresses how new business models and new value creation systems emerge in volatile new sectors. Projects in this area are focused on the creative arts, start-ups in the science sector, and management practices in incubators, with particular interest in very early stage concept development. I have  explored these issues within the EPSRC’s ‘Connecting Communities for the Digital Economy’ initiative, as part of the Steering Group of the Creator cluster, www.creatorproject.org and continue to develop these themes at the personal level and also as a member of the University’s Digital Economy Strategic Research Group. A second strand considers the identity of the entrepreneur in society and how the media represent different forms of entrepreneurship.  Research and teaching are closely related, and I have pioneered the use of new teaching methods in the School as part of the E-Learning Working Group, and am particularly interested in the use of social networking methods by staff and students to create communities of academic interest. July 2005