A career academic who has been employed in 6 UK universities and internationally. A pioneer of Entrepreneurship Education both in the UK and internationally with both academic and practical understanding of knowledge transfer and the launching of university spinout ventures. Has published over 150 academic journal articles and 18 books and research monographs including Entrepreneurship (McGraw-Hiil,2003) . Council member of the Accreditation Council for Entrepreneurial and Engaged Universities.Holder of The Queens Award for Enterprise Promotion
Variously described as a ’whitewash’, a ’waste of tax-payers money’, an ’act of political expedie... more Variously described as a ’whitewash’, a ’waste of tax-payers money’, an ’act of political expediency’, the report is the result of a study to up-date the information on discounting provided in the report of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission .(1981). Essentially the problem under investigation is that of non-cost justified or discriminatory discounts i.e. discounts resulting not from economies of scale but from the concentration of power in the retail trades. According to many, the practice is the main reason for the declining importance of the independent small retail trader in Britain, particularly in the grocery trades. Between 1979 and 1981 the number of independent grocery stores in Britain declined by 45 per cent from 86,565 to 47,334 outlets. Since then the decline has continued, possibly at an accelerated pace, and estimates by the British Independent Grocers’ Association suggest that
The paper sets out to explore the link between Chinese cultural values and entrepreneurship. A li... more The paper sets out to explore the link between Chinese cultural values and entrepreneurship. A list of Chinese cultural values (CCVs), first developed by the Chinese Cultural Connection, has been fully reexamined and amended. This list is then compared with entrepreneurial attributes defined by Western researchers in order to find links between the two. Although some entrepreneurial attributes are found to coincide with CCVs, it is concluded that the key attributes are either missing in, or conflicting with CCVs.
The Future of Higher Education in the Middle East and Africa
Throughout the world, universities are being required to introduce entrepreneurship programmes in... more Throughout the world, universities are being required to introduce entrepreneurship programmes in an attempt to create more entrepreneurial graduate students. Though somewhat later than many other countries, the Arab world is no exception. This present paper uses existing research on entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial institutions, to determine what the countries will be required to do if they are to meet the challenge. It concludes that they will need to transform not only what they teach but how they teach while at the same time transforming their own institutions in order to create more entrepreneurial learning environments. The conclusions have relevance for educational policy makers, university administrators and university academics across all disciplines.
Start-ups, often seen as sources of innovation and change, are prone to failure and accordingly t... more Start-ups, often seen as sources of innovation and change, are prone to failure and accordingly they are attracting considerable attention not least from policy makers and Government officials. However, the various new venture creation studies that have emerged since the early 1980s lack cohesiveness, and the domain remains controversial. This article not only exposes the limitations of the existing body of understanding on the topic but attempts to develop a more comprehensive and comprehendible framework for start up (new venture) creation. To do so it uses the frameworks proposed by Whetten, and March and Smith to develop 11 propositions. The resultant model suggests that the creation of a start up involves the identification of an idea or opportunity by an entrepreneur who subsequently organizes a series of activities, mobilizes resources and creates competence using his/her networks in an environment in order to create value. It sheds light on the start-up (new venture) creatio...
Service Industries Review, 2, 1982, pp.22-37. The disappearance of the small, independent local s... more Service Industries Review, 2, 1982, pp.22-37. The disappearance of the small, independent local shop has been a characteristic feature of the distributive systems of most western-style economies in recent decades and several studies have examined the factors responsible for this decline.(1) Among the more important influences has been the encroachment of quasi retail uses into traditional shopping areas as small retailers have been outbid for vacant premises. These uses Fernie and Carrick define as those &dquo;often considered complementary to shopping but classified as ’office’ or ’unspecified’ in the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order, 1971&dquo;. While previous research on this topiC(2) has revealed that the main pressure for prime retailing sites during the 1970s was from building society branches, it would seem that the rate of expansion of such services may have peaked, already. In the 1980s, the greatest probable, growth is expected to come from leisure services, such as amusement centres, health clubs and fast-food retailing. However, relatively little is known about the planning implications of such a trend and the responses of Britain’s planning authorities have been developed largely on an ad hoc basis without the effects of such policies being fully understood. Accordingly, it is argued that, as the pressures continue and increase, there is a need for more information and clearer government guidelines.
Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences / Revue Canadienne des Sciences de l'Administration, 2011
ABSTRACT Entrepreneurial universities where multifaceted efforts are made to ensure their contrib... more ABSTRACT Entrepreneurial universities where multifaceted efforts are made to ensure their contribution to regional economic development have been the focus of many case studies. Using institutional economics as the theoretical framework, we conducted two empirical investigations to advance the literature concerning entrepreneurial universities. First, experts in the field evaluated the appropriateness of several competing definitions of the entrepreneurial university. They also rated facilitators and barriers to universities becoming more entrepreneurial and suggested criteria for evaluating the success of such efforts. Second, the facilitators and barriers previously identified were examined for their relationship to the entrepreneurial success criteria using ratings from the faculty at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (Spain). Although the facilitating factors were positively associated with success indices of the entrepreneurial university, the expected negative relationship between the barriers and success criteria was not observed
ABSTRACT. In recent years several studies have pointed to the importance of marketing to company ... more ABSTRACT. In recent years several studies have pointed to the importance of marketing to company performance and considerable emphasis has been placed, in Britain, on improving the marketing performance of small and medium-sized enterprises. Based on a mail survey of 231 ...
This is the fourth article in a series dealing with the role of universities in the innovation pr... more This is the fourth article in a series dealing with the role of universities in the innovation process in Egypt. The first three examined the topic from the perspective of academia. They revealed that there was relatively little university–industry collaboration. Hence, this article focuses on university–industry collaboration from the perspective of industry. It is based on a questionnaire survey of 237 firms located in different industrial zones in Cairo. The findings confirm the low level of university–industry collaboration, with no more than 6% of the sample claiming to have links with academia. The lack of collaboration is found to stem mainly from firms’ perception that academic research is not relevant to them and from the mismatch between the interests and objectives of the two sectors. The article makes recommendations for what is needed if the situation is to change and focuses particularly on the role of government, the third actor in the Triple Helix.
ABSTRACT There's nothing new in the disappearance of small shops. “A sign of the times” o... more ABSTRACT There's nothing new in the disappearance of small shops. “A sign of the times” or “no place nowadays for the small trader” were once familiar comments as the for sale signs appeared over the corner shops. Now there are questions in the House and academics research into the difficulties of shopping in small rural communities. The problem is not confined to the UK; in this article David Kirby reports on recent Scandinavian legislation which provides for grants to help with modernisation, expansion or just everyday running costs for these small shops which, the Scandinavians believe, “play a vital role in the community”.
ABSTRACT Since the early 1970s considerable interest has been focussed, by a variety of bodies in... more ABSTRACT Since the early 1970s considerable interest has been focussed, by a variety of bodies in many countries, on the problems faced by small shop operators. The result has been an increased awareness of these problems by policy makers and planners at both the national and local level but there have been few attempts to solve the problems. The problems are neither new nor unique to Britain. In America, for instance, research in the 1930s defined particular problems and subsequent studies attempted to determine the future of the small shop in the American retail system. In contrast, the early British workers were concerned to describe the trading characteristics of small unit retailing and it was not until the publication of the Bolton Committee findings in 1971 that attention was focussed specifically on the operational problems of the small retail unit. As a consequence, British retail planning, in contrast to many other European countries, possesses few formal policies of direct relevance to the small shop.
In the contemporary knowledge-based global economy, universities are required to operate more ent... more In the contemporary knowledge-based global economy, universities are required to operate more entrepreneurially, commercializing the results of their research and spinning out new knowledge-based enterprises. In this article, the third in a series by the authors, case studies are presented of activities in three Egyptian universities to demonstrate what is being done in Egypt and the challenges Egyptian universities face when they attempt to collaborate with industry and contribute to the innovation process. The results reveal that such initiatives are often the result of external influences and are not embedded in the core strategic planning activity of the institutions in which they are located. Accordingly, they often have difficulty surviving after the initial project funding is ended, not least because the important partnership links with industry remain largely underdeveloped. The authors consider the implications of the findings for policy formulation and argue for a coherent...
ABSTRACT It is obvious that there is a great need for small business and self-employment in both ... more ABSTRACT It is obvious that there is a great need for small business and self-employment in both developed and developing countries. This article looks at the situation in South Africa, in particular, where there is an urgency to create a good environment for potential entrepreneurship among the black communities, and suggests change, using the experiences of programmes in the UK. Two placement and training programmes are analysed for their potential in raising student awareness of small business, and it is proposed that much could be adapted to suit the situations in developing countries.
Variously described as a ’whitewash’, a ’waste of tax-payers money’, an ’act of political expedie... more Variously described as a ’whitewash’, a ’waste of tax-payers money’, an ’act of political expediency’, the report is the result of a study to up-date the information on discounting provided in the report of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission .(1981). Essentially the problem under investigation is that of non-cost justified or discriminatory discounts i.e. discounts resulting not from economies of scale but from the concentration of power in the retail trades. According to many, the practice is the main reason for the declining importance of the independent small retail trader in Britain, particularly in the grocery trades. Between 1979 and 1981 the number of independent grocery stores in Britain declined by 45 per cent from 86,565 to 47,334 outlets. Since then the decline has continued, possibly at an accelerated pace, and estimates by the British Independent Grocers’ Association suggest that
The paper sets out to explore the link between Chinese cultural values and entrepreneurship. A li... more The paper sets out to explore the link between Chinese cultural values and entrepreneurship. A list of Chinese cultural values (CCVs), first developed by the Chinese Cultural Connection, has been fully reexamined and amended. This list is then compared with entrepreneurial attributes defined by Western researchers in order to find links between the two. Although some entrepreneurial attributes are found to coincide with CCVs, it is concluded that the key attributes are either missing in, or conflicting with CCVs.
The Future of Higher Education in the Middle East and Africa
Throughout the world, universities are being required to introduce entrepreneurship programmes in... more Throughout the world, universities are being required to introduce entrepreneurship programmes in an attempt to create more entrepreneurial graduate students. Though somewhat later than many other countries, the Arab world is no exception. This present paper uses existing research on entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial institutions, to determine what the countries will be required to do if they are to meet the challenge. It concludes that they will need to transform not only what they teach but how they teach while at the same time transforming their own institutions in order to create more entrepreneurial learning environments. The conclusions have relevance for educational policy makers, university administrators and university academics across all disciplines.
Start-ups, often seen as sources of innovation and change, are prone to failure and accordingly t... more Start-ups, often seen as sources of innovation and change, are prone to failure and accordingly they are attracting considerable attention not least from policy makers and Government officials. However, the various new venture creation studies that have emerged since the early 1980s lack cohesiveness, and the domain remains controversial. This article not only exposes the limitations of the existing body of understanding on the topic but attempts to develop a more comprehensive and comprehendible framework for start up (new venture) creation. To do so it uses the frameworks proposed by Whetten, and March and Smith to develop 11 propositions. The resultant model suggests that the creation of a start up involves the identification of an idea or opportunity by an entrepreneur who subsequently organizes a series of activities, mobilizes resources and creates competence using his/her networks in an environment in order to create value. It sheds light on the start-up (new venture) creatio...
Service Industries Review, 2, 1982, pp.22-37. The disappearance of the small, independent local s... more Service Industries Review, 2, 1982, pp.22-37. The disappearance of the small, independent local shop has been a characteristic feature of the distributive systems of most western-style economies in recent decades and several studies have examined the factors responsible for this decline.(1) Among the more important influences has been the encroachment of quasi retail uses into traditional shopping areas as small retailers have been outbid for vacant premises. These uses Fernie and Carrick define as those &dquo;often considered complementary to shopping but classified as ’office’ or ’unspecified’ in the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order, 1971&dquo;. While previous research on this topiC(2) has revealed that the main pressure for prime retailing sites during the 1970s was from building society branches, it would seem that the rate of expansion of such services may have peaked, already. In the 1980s, the greatest probable, growth is expected to come from leisure services, such as amusement centres, health clubs and fast-food retailing. However, relatively little is known about the planning implications of such a trend and the responses of Britain’s planning authorities have been developed largely on an ad hoc basis without the effects of such policies being fully understood. Accordingly, it is argued that, as the pressures continue and increase, there is a need for more information and clearer government guidelines.
Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences / Revue Canadienne des Sciences de l'Administration, 2011
ABSTRACT Entrepreneurial universities where multifaceted efforts are made to ensure their contrib... more ABSTRACT Entrepreneurial universities where multifaceted efforts are made to ensure their contribution to regional economic development have been the focus of many case studies. Using institutional economics as the theoretical framework, we conducted two empirical investigations to advance the literature concerning entrepreneurial universities. First, experts in the field evaluated the appropriateness of several competing definitions of the entrepreneurial university. They also rated facilitators and barriers to universities becoming more entrepreneurial and suggested criteria for evaluating the success of such efforts. Second, the facilitators and barriers previously identified were examined for their relationship to the entrepreneurial success criteria using ratings from the faculty at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (Spain). Although the facilitating factors were positively associated with success indices of the entrepreneurial university, the expected negative relationship between the barriers and success criteria was not observed
ABSTRACT. In recent years several studies have pointed to the importance of marketing to company ... more ABSTRACT. In recent years several studies have pointed to the importance of marketing to company performance and considerable emphasis has been placed, in Britain, on improving the marketing performance of small and medium-sized enterprises. Based on a mail survey of 231 ...
This is the fourth article in a series dealing with the role of universities in the innovation pr... more This is the fourth article in a series dealing with the role of universities in the innovation process in Egypt. The first three examined the topic from the perspective of academia. They revealed that there was relatively little university–industry collaboration. Hence, this article focuses on university–industry collaboration from the perspective of industry. It is based on a questionnaire survey of 237 firms located in different industrial zones in Cairo. The findings confirm the low level of university–industry collaboration, with no more than 6% of the sample claiming to have links with academia. The lack of collaboration is found to stem mainly from firms’ perception that academic research is not relevant to them and from the mismatch between the interests and objectives of the two sectors. The article makes recommendations for what is needed if the situation is to change and focuses particularly on the role of government, the third actor in the Triple Helix.
ABSTRACT There's nothing new in the disappearance of small shops. “A sign of the times” o... more ABSTRACT There's nothing new in the disappearance of small shops. “A sign of the times” or “no place nowadays for the small trader” were once familiar comments as the for sale signs appeared over the corner shops. Now there are questions in the House and academics research into the difficulties of shopping in small rural communities. The problem is not confined to the UK; in this article David Kirby reports on recent Scandinavian legislation which provides for grants to help with modernisation, expansion or just everyday running costs for these small shops which, the Scandinavians believe, “play a vital role in the community”.
ABSTRACT Since the early 1970s considerable interest has been focussed, by a variety of bodies in... more ABSTRACT Since the early 1970s considerable interest has been focussed, by a variety of bodies in many countries, on the problems faced by small shop operators. The result has been an increased awareness of these problems by policy makers and planners at both the national and local level but there have been few attempts to solve the problems. The problems are neither new nor unique to Britain. In America, for instance, research in the 1930s defined particular problems and subsequent studies attempted to determine the future of the small shop in the American retail system. In contrast, the early British workers were concerned to describe the trading characteristics of small unit retailing and it was not until the publication of the Bolton Committee findings in 1971 that attention was focussed specifically on the operational problems of the small retail unit. As a consequence, British retail planning, in contrast to many other European countries, possesses few formal policies of direct relevance to the small shop.
In the contemporary knowledge-based global economy, universities are required to operate more ent... more In the contemporary knowledge-based global economy, universities are required to operate more entrepreneurially, commercializing the results of their research and spinning out new knowledge-based enterprises. In this article, the third in a series by the authors, case studies are presented of activities in three Egyptian universities to demonstrate what is being done in Egypt and the challenges Egyptian universities face when they attempt to collaborate with industry and contribute to the innovation process. The results reveal that such initiatives are often the result of external influences and are not embedded in the core strategic planning activity of the institutions in which they are located. Accordingly, they often have difficulty surviving after the initial project funding is ended, not least because the important partnership links with industry remain largely underdeveloped. The authors consider the implications of the findings for policy formulation and argue for a coherent...
ABSTRACT It is obvious that there is a great need for small business and self-employment in both ... more ABSTRACT It is obvious that there is a great need for small business and self-employment in both developed and developing countries. This article looks at the situation in South Africa, in particular, where there is an urgency to create a good environment for potential entrepreneurship among the black communities, and suggests change, using the experiences of programmes in the UK. Two placement and training programmes are analysed for their potential in raising student awareness of small business, and it is proposed that much could be adapted to suit the situations in developing countries.
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