Mr Fintan Clear | Brunel Business School
After spells within industry at GKN, Pitman, BBC World Service, the European Space Agency, and Sainsbury’s (where I spent 7 years as a systems developer and business analyst), I returned to Higher Education to teach ICT-related subjects and to undertake research on ICT adoption and business innovation. In my research I have managed key work packages for EU and WestFocus research projects, published in leading international journals, and presented at many conferences. After examining models of virtual working and the value of social media in facilitating trade and extensive teaching experience that exploits experiential learning, my research now focuses on ‘new ways of learning’ and, for example, the interface between the Business School and local SMEs (Small and Medium-sized Enterprises) in collaborative projects attempting to solve ‘real-world problems’. Teaching includes entrepreneurship, project management and operations management. Management roles include Director of Work Placement Scheme for Brunel Business School and subject leader for a number of degree variants. I try to play my part as a citizen of Brunel by acting as facilitator for the University’s ‘Access and Disability Forum’.
Research area(s)
- eBusiness, supply chain management and ICT adoption issues
- Data security and management responses
- eGovernment and Web accessibility
- Use of theatric devices as a means of maximising cognitive engagement when attempting knowledge transfer of ‘ostensibly dull material’ – specifically ‘data security’
Research group(s)
Research Interests
Co-Innovate/BBS SME Collaborative Projects: working with Dr Geraldine Cohen and colleagues from Co-Innovate on a project through which Masters and Final Year Undergraduates supervised by BBS academics work directly with firms on dissertation questions that focus on ‘real-world’ problems. Gaining academic learning tempered directly by the market in a necessarily interdisciplinary fashion would appear to have significant employability pay-offs for participating students who seem better prepared to enter the labour market upon graduation. Academic papers are planned looking at pedagogic and strategic questions raised by ‘real-world’ problems being tackled through this form of University-Industry collaboration.
The role of ‘theatric methods’ in animating learning: working with Prof Tom Betteridge (Head of Arts and Humanities), Dr Sharon Lockyer (Sociology and Communications), and John Francis (Brunel Educational Excellence Centre) on new ways of teaching delivery in a project using theatre as a means of ‘animating employability’ for Level One students in CBASS. I have published conference papers on previous work using theatre, with journal papers in preparation.
Teaching
Executive Perspectives on IT (MBA) ; The Principles of E-Commerce (BSc Business and Management) ; Project Management (BSc Business and Management)