Department of Public Leadership and Social Enterprise (PuLSE)

The Department of Public Leadership and Social Enterprise (PuLSE) takes an inter-disciplinary approach to examining key governance, leadership and management challenges faced by public, private and third sector organisations. We have a particular interest in contemporary working patterns that often extend across conventional sectoral boundaries, and in the creation of new hybridised organisational structures. We draw on the combined knowledge, skills and expertise of leading scholars in our research, teaching and external engagement activities. Our work spans a number of related areas including: the governance, leadership and management of public agencies, not-for-profit organisations and social enterprises; inter-organisational collaboration; social and sustainable entrepreneurship; corporate social responsibility; practice based pedagogy. Our primary aim is to enhance the understanding of current developments, processes and outcomes in these intra- and inter-organisational contexts. By generating and extending theoretical insights in this area, we also seek to inform the work of policy-makers and practitioners.

Contact details: For further information on our work, please contact the Department Secretary, Beryl Ridgway. Telephone: +44 (0)1908 655872.

• Business Perspectives: Leadership Masterclass

Jean Hartley, Professor in Public Leadership joined leading practising managers to host the successful Business Perspectives Leadership Masterclass. The event, explored the challenges of leadership from private, public and third sector viewpoints, ranging across large and small private firms, prisons, healthcare, central and local government, and voluntary organisations.

Following on from this event we would like to share some of the valuable output produced. This includes:

• A leadership summary report from the entire leadership quarter which provides a global perspective on leaders and leadership.
• Handpicked video highlights from the day featuring our range of public and private sector leaders.
• A video recording of the follow-up webinar hosted post event which answers the questions; What is political astuteness? How do public leaders stand the test of tough times? Why is optimism important in inspiring hope?

Research

Much of our research concerns innovative forms of organisation and financing, such as social enterprises, mutual, social investment and commissioning, which offer new ways of tackling social, economic and environmental problems. This is triggering the need for new sorts of knowledge and skills in public, private and third sector organisations. We carry out rigorous and relevant research designed to understand and address these emerging challenges. Our research currently focuses on five inter-related themes: 

• Public and third sector governance, leadership and management
• Inter-organisational and inter-sectoral collaboration
• Social enterprise, innovation and entrepreneurship
• Responsible and sustainable approaches to business and management
• Practice-based learning and pedagogy

The Department contributes to and, provides leadership of, the Business School’s Research Centre on Responsibility and Regulation (R&R). Members of the Department also collaborate with colleagues from across the university through inter-faculty groups such as Centre for Innovation, Knowledge and Development (IKD).

A number of academics are involved in cross-national research collaborations. For example, Jean Hartley is a Visiting Professor at the Australia and New Zealand School of Government, working with colleagues on public leadership and she is also working with the University of Roskilde on public services innovation. Professor Rob Paton and Dr Richard Blundel collaborated recently with colleagues from five Ghanaian universities in a two-year government- funded project (ABLE-Ghana) to promote business and entrepreneurial learning. Dr Kristen Reid is chair of the international network association for Educational Innovation in Business and Economics (EDiNEB), and the host for its 2013 annual conference.

Our research publications are available on the University’s research repository (ORO) and can also be located via our staff pages. 

Teaching

Much of the teaching at the Open University Business School draws on a distinctive practice-based learning approach. Continuing pedagogical innovation takes place via the Centre for Innovation in Teaching and Learning (InTEL). The Department for Public Leadership and Social Enterprise is taking a leading role in the development of new curriculum for Postgraduate students, including two recently-launched modules on the Business School’s triple-accredited MBA programme, BB846 Entrepreneurship: Experience and Perspective, and BB847 Managing Beyond the Mainstream. We also contribute to curriculum design and teaching across the Open University Business School’s Undergraduate, Postgraduate and Executive Education Programmes, to joint programmes with other Open University Faculties, and to collaborative projects with other higher education providers in the UK and internationally.

The Business School’s main qualifications, to which the Department contributes, include:

• BA (Hons) Business Studies
• BA (Hons) Leadership and Management
• FD/DipHE in Business Studies
• FD/DipHE in Leadership and Management
• FD/DipHE in Retail Management
• CertHE in Business and Management
• Professional Certificate in Accounting (professional undergraduate)
• Professional Certificate in Management (professional undergraduate)
• Masters of Business Administration (MBA)
• Masters in Management and Business Research Methods (MRes) (full-time)
• MPhil and PhD (research)

The Department’s interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral perspective on leading, managing and organising is also reflected the work of our postgraduate research students. The Business School has a strong community of research students on its full-time MRes and PhD programmes. We welcome applications from suitably-qualified students wishing to pursue research on PuLSE related topics.

External engagement

The Department is committed to making a difference in the world of practice, through the application of high quality research and teaching to practical problems. We are interested in knowledge creation and transfer to policy-makers and practitioners in order to improve governance, leadership and management practices and benefit society. We share expertise through collaborative workshops and seminars, through joint development of research and its dissemination and through the development of executive programmes tailored to particular sectors, services or organisations. We see engagement as producing a virtuous cycle of enhancing the quality of research and teaching while contributing to better practice. Academics are in demand as keynote speakers, as research partners and as knowledge transfer partners. We value engagement with organisations in a mutual path of exploration, understanding and improvement.

Head of Department

• Dr Siv Vangen

       Senior Lecturer in Management 

Department members

• Mr Francis Cattermole
  Lecturer in Business Development (Africa)
• Dr Richard Blundel
  Senior Lecturer in Enterprise Development
• Emeritus Professor John Brennan
  Emeritus Professor of Higher Education Research
• Dr Leslie Budd
  Reader in Social Enterprise
• Professor Chris Cornforth
  Professor of Organisational Governance and Management
• Professor Jean Hartley
  Professor in Public Leadership
• Professor James Fleck
  Professor of Innovation Dynamics
• Emeritus Professor Colin Gray
  Emeritus Professor of Enterprise Development
• Dr Stephen Little
  Senior Lecturer in Knowledge Management
• Professor Rob Paton
  Professor in Social Enterprise
• Dr Kristen Reid
  Lecturer in Work Based Learning
• Dr Anja Schaefer
  Senior Lecturer in Management
• Dr Siv Vangen
  Senior Lecturer in Management and Head of the Department for Public Leadership and Social Enterprise
• Dr Nik Winchester
  Lecturer in Management

Department members

• Deneise Dadd
  Research student
• Janet Diamond
  Research student
• Carol Jarvis
  Research student
• Binod Shrestha
  Research student
• Aqueel Wahga
  Research student
• Sarah Williams
  Research student