How can businesses – and business schools – have a positive effect on their regions? And do we need to reconsider the connections between us all?
Ellie Hamilton is Professor Emerita at Lancaster University Management School, with a lengthy background in entrepreneurship and working with businesses. She is also the co-author of a new book, Rethinking Entrepreneurship and Regional Development, with former Lancaster colleagues Dr Rhiannon Pugh and Dr Danny Soetanto.
Ellie joins us to talk about how we need to focus on the role of universities as anchor institutions in their communities; the evolution of entrepreneurship as a concept; how regional development is seen as addressing regional inequalities – but how the focus on economics can be too great; and
We consider how sustainability can be a key part of both entrepreneurship and regional development, and mull over the need to break stubborn habits; shine a light on place-based and community-based entrepreneurship that is embedded in a region; and emphasises the importance of context in any region (be it geographical or institutional) to successful development.
The importance of the input from indigenous people in planning for change comes to the fore once more; a cog model of policy shaping research shaping engagement shaping teaching shaping policy is discussed; and Ellie looks to what the future might bring.
Plus, Ellie tells us about becoming an accidental academic and how to properly enjoy retirement; Jan struggles to spell entrepreneurship – but can blame the French; and Paul laments the treatment of medieval polar bears in the Tower of London.
See Ellie’s new book here: https://www.e-elgar.com/shop/gbp/rethinking-entrepreneurship-and-regional-development-9781802201437.html
For more information on Lancaster University’s entrepreneurship research, see here: https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/lums/our-departments/entrepreneurship-and-strategy/research/
Transforming Tomorrow
Sustainability is key for any business that wants to build a lasting legacy. From carbon footprints to biodiversity to modern slavery, seabeds to factory floors, everything matters.
On Transforming Tomorrow, we make the complex understandable, the theory practical, as we guide you through the ever-changing and often exciting world of sustainability in business.
Speaking to internationally renowned experts and business leaders, we uncover how to mainstream environmental, social and economic sustainability into purposeful business strategy and performance.
Whether you are leading transition in your business, want to build a corporation with a green heart or change your individual actions, or just want to know more about how space weather might affect your operations, Transforming Tomorrow is the show for you.
Hosts Jan and Paul bring insight, perspective, and not a little amount of disagreement, to all the subjects, helping you find the message among the madness.
Join us every Monday to uncover new insights and become a little more inspired that you can make a difference.
You can find transcripts for most episodes at: https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/pentland/resources-for-education-and-practice/transforming-tomorrow-podcast/transcripts/
Send your questions on any of the issues we discuss in Transforming Tomorrow to [email protected] or fill in our feedback form here: https://forms.office.com/e/7Bw4rDiRDt
Find out more about the Pentland Centre and its work here: https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/pentland/
Meet the Hosts
Professor Jan Bebbington is the Director of the Pentland Centre for Sustainability in Business at Lancaster University. Jan is an expert on accounting, benchmarking (to her co-host’s annoyance), and how business and sustainability intersect.
Jan loves nature and wants to protect it – and hopes she can change the world (ideally for the better). She is also motivated to address inequality wherever it is found and especially to eliminate forced, bonded or child labour. Transforming Tomorrow is one small step on that quest.
Paul Turner is a former sports journalist who now works promoting the research activities in Lancaster University Management School – a poacher turned gamekeeper as his former colleagues would have it.
Paul has always been interested in nature and the natural environment – it comes from growing up in Cumbria – and has been a vocal proponent of the work of the Pentland Centre since joining Lancaster University. He does not like rankings and benchmarking, and is not afraid to say so.