Dr Tim Edwards

Research interests

My research interests are varied but primarily focus on a critical approach to management. My aim is to develop understanding of a number of themes including, organizational innovation, knowledge work, entrepreneurship, processes of institutionalization and situated learning. This work has included studies of innovation in small and medium sized firms; industry and academic collaborations through the Knowledge Transfer Partnership (formerly the Teaching Company Scheme); project management and change in the Superyacht industry; UK Science Parks and acquisitions and mergers in the UK brewing industry.

Much of my work is based on collaborative links with scholars in other institutions, including, for example, the University of Alberta, Canada, Wharton School of Business, USA and UNSW, Australia. Current work includes theorizing “entrepreneurial passion” and “institutional complexity” in the design and construction of Superyachts and developing an emergent perspective of Management Practice and Human Resource Management. Adopting a critical approach is useful to both academic and industry audiences alike. Specific sponsors include the Advanced Institute for Management Research (AIM), the Cabinet Office (UK Innovation Report), Cardiff Innovation Network, the Superyacht Industry Forum, Superyacht Builders Association, as well as individual firms involved in the research activities.

RESEARCH FUNDS
European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) (1999-2001): ‘Learning companies: Developing the innovative potential of Welsh SME manufacturers’. Lead researcher.
ESRC/EPSRC (2003): Advanced Institute for Management Research: ‘Value creation and the UK economy: A review of strategic options’. Lead scholar.
British Academy (2003-2004): “Knowledge Management: Strategic Choice in the Design, Development and Build of Complex Artefacts” (SG: 36137). Principal Investigator.
Cardiff University Seed corn funding: “Organizational Action” (2008) and “Theorizing Institutional Logics” (2010). Principal Investigator.
Cardiff University International Travel Scholarship Scheme (2007). Visiting Professor, University of Alberta.

Selected publications

Kakavelakis, K and Edwards, T. (forthcoming). ‘Situated learning theory and agentic orientation: A relational sociology approach’, Management Learning.

Edwards, T. (2011). ‘Knowledge work and the employment relationship in the ‘new workplace’’ in Blyton, P., Heery, E., and Turnbull, P. (eds), Reassessing the Employment Relationship, Palgrave Macmillan: Hampshire.

Delbridge, R., and Edwards, T. (2008). ‘Challenging conventions: roles and processes during non-isomorphic institutional change’ Human Relations, 61(3): 299-326.

Edwards, T., and Jones, O. (2008). ‘Failed institution building: Understanding the interplay between agency, social skill and context’, Scandinavian Journal of Management, 24(1): 44-54.

Edwards, T, Delbridge, R, and Munday, M. (2007). ‘A critical assessment of the evaluation of EU interventions for innovation in the SME sector in Wales’. Urban Studies 44(12): 2429 - 2448.

Delbridge, R, and Edwards, T. (2007). ‘Reflections on developments in institutional theory: Toward a relational approach’. Scandinavian Journal of Management, 23(2): 191-205.

Edwards, T. (2007). ‘Organizational politics and the ‘process of knowing’: understanding crisis events during project-based innovation projects’, European Journal of Innovation Management, 10(3): 391-406.

Edwards, T. (2007). ‘A critical account of knowledge management: Agentic orientation and SME innovation’, International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour and Research, 13/2: 64-81. (Best paper award, 2008).

Edwards, T, Delbridge, R, and Munday, M. (2005). ‘Understanding innovation in small and medium sized enterprises: A process manifest’, Technovation, 25(10) 1119-1127.

Edwards, T., Battisti, G, and Neely, A. (2004) ‘Value creation and the UK economy: A review of strategic options’, International Journal of Management Reviews. 5/6, 3&4, 191-213.

Edwards, T. (2001) ‘Techno-Economic Networks: Technology Transfer via the Teaching Company Scheme’, Social Interaction and Organisational Change: Aston Perspectives on Innovation Networks, (Ed) Jones, O, Conway, S and Steward, F, Imperial College Press, ISBN 1-86094-203-2.

Edwards, T. (2000). ‘Organisational innovation – Developments towards an interactive process perspective’, Technology Analysis and Strategic Management, 12(4), 445-464.

Jones, O, Edwards, T, and Beckinsale, M. (2000). ‘Technology management in a mature firm: Structuration theory and the innovation process,’ Technology Analysis and Strategic Management, 12(2) 161-177.

indicative practitioner publications
Edwards, T., and Delbridge, R. (2008). ‘Delivering to order, exceeding expectations: Managing the design-construction interface’. The Yacht Report.

Edwards, T, Battisti, G, McClendon, W, Jr., Denyer, D, and Neely, A. (2005) ‘Pathways to value: How UK firms can create more value using innovation strategically’, Advanced Institute of Management Research.

Edwards, T, Battisti, G, McClendon, W, Jr., and Neely, A. (2004) ‘How can firms in the UK be encouraged to create more value? A Discussion and Review Paper’, Advanced Institute of Management Research, ISBN-0-9546885-1-1.

Edwards, T, Delbridge, R, and Munday M. (2003) ‘Learning companies: innovative potential of Welsh manufacturing SMEs’, Cardiff Business School, ISBN-0-902810-08-1.

Activities

Member of the ESRC Peer Review College
Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts
Member of the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Management Reviews
Member of the Editorial Board of the Scandinavian Journal of Management
Member of the Cardiff Business School Ethics Community