Introduction

Joint budget holder of current ESRC Impact Grant awarded to disseminate results of EBK project. Both Dr Macpherson and Professor Thorpe are working on a number of joint publications with CfE Staff as well as on potential funding proposals.

Background

Dr Allan Macpherson is an associate member of the Centre for Enterprise and he is based at University of Liverpool Management School.  Allan has worked on, and published from, a number of funded research projects that are concerned with knowledge and growth, organizational learning and network learning in SMEs. He has recently finished a three-year ESRC funded research project on the Evolution of Business Knowledge in SMEs in conjunction with Professor Ossie Jones. In conjunction with others from the project they are currently continuing to analyze the project data in more depth.  They  are also engaged with disseminating our findings from the project to various policy and practitioner bodies with the support of an ESRC impact grant.

Research

Research Interests:

• Organizational Learning Processes and Barriers
• Management Development
• The Emergence and Development of Organizations and Entrepreneurs

You can also read Allan's profile here

Publications

Book Contributions:

Jones, O., Thorpe, R., Macpherson, A. and Holt, R. (forthcoming) 'The Evolution of Business Knowledge in Smaller Firms' In: The Evolution of Business Knowledge, H. Scarbrough (ed). Oxford, Oxford University Press.

Macpherson A. (2007) 'Thematic Analysis' In: Sage Dictionary of Qualitative Research in Management, R. Thorpe and R. Holt (eds). London, Sage.

Macpherson A., and Wilson, A. (2003) 'Supply Chain Management: Improving Competitive Advantage in SMEs?', In: Competitive Advantage in SMEs: Organizing for Innovation and Change, Jones, O. and Tilley, F. (eds.), Wiley, Chichester, pp. 202-217.

Refereed Journal Articles:

Macpherson A., and Jones, O. (2008) 'Object-Mediated Learning and Strategic Renewal in a Mature Organization'. Management Learning, Vol. 39 (2) pp. 177-201.

Jones, O., Macpherson, A., Thorpe, R. and Ghecham A. (2007) 'The Evolution of Business Knowledge in SMEs: Conceptualising Strategic Space', Journal of Strategic Change, Vol. 16(6) pp. 281-294.

Macpherson A. and Jayawarna D. (2007) 'Training Approaches in Manufacturing SMEs: Measuring the Influence of Ownership, Structure and Markets' Education + Training, Vol. 49(8/9)

Jayawarna, D., Macpherson, A. and Wilson, A. (2007) 'Training Commitment and Performance in Manufacturing SMEs: Incidence, Intensity and Approaches'. Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, Vol. 14(2) pp. 321-328.

Macpherson, A. and Holt, R. (2007) 'Knowledge, Learning and SME Growth: A Systematic Review of the Evidence'. Research Policy, Vol. 36(2) pp. 172-192.

Jayawarna, D., Macpherson, A. and Wilson, A. (2006) 'Managers' Perceptions of Management Development Needs in Manufacturing SMEs', Education + Training, Vol. 48(8/9), pp. 666-681.


Jones, O. and Macpherson, A. (2006) 'Inter-Organisational Learning and Strategic Renewal in SMEs: Extending the 4I Framework'. Long Range Planning, Vol. 39(2), pp. 155-175.

Zhang, M., Macpherson, A. and Jones, O. (2006) 'Conceptualising the Learning Process in SMEs: Improving Innovation Through External Orientation'. International Small Business Journal, Vol. 24 (3), pp. 299-323.

Thorpe, R., Holt, R., Macpherson, A. and Pittaway, L. (2005) 'Knowledge within Small and Medium-sized Firms: A Review of the Evidence'. International Journal of Management Reviews, Vol. 7 (4), pp. 257-281

Macpherson, A., Homan, G. and Wilkinson, K. (2005) 'The Implementation and Use of E-learning in the Corporate University'. Journal of Workplace Learning, Vol. 17 (1/2), pp. 33-48.

Macpherson, A., Jones, O. and Zhang, M. (2005) 'Virtual Reality and Innovation Networks: Opportunity Exploitation in Dynamic SMEs'. International Journal of Technology Management, Vol. 30 (1/2), pp. 49-66.

Macpherson, A. (2005) 'Learning to Grow: Resolving the Crisis of Knowing'. Technovation, Vol. 25 (10), pp. 1129-1140.

Homan, G. and Macpherson, A. (2005) 'E-learning in the Corporate University'. Journal of European Industrial Training, Vol. 29 (1), pp. 75-90.

Macpherson, A., Elliot, M., Harris, I. and Homan, G. (2004) 'E-learning: Reflections and Evaluations of Corporate Programmes'. Human Resource Development International, Vol. 7 (3), pp. 295-314.

Macpherson, A., Jones, O. and Zhang, M. (2004) 'Evolution or Revolution?: Dynamic Capabilities in a Knowledge Dependent Firm'. R&D Management, Vol. 34 (2) pp. 161-177.

Macpherson, A., Jones, O., Zhang, M. and Wilson, A. (2003) 'Re-conceptualizing Learning Spaces: Expanding Organizational Capabilities in a High-tech SME'. Journal of Workplace Learning, Vol. 15 (6) pp. 259-70.

Macpherson, A. and Wilson, A. (2003) 'Enhancing SMEs' Capability: Opportunities in Supply Chain Relationships?'. Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, Vol. 10 (2) pp. 167-80.