Dr. Rachel Hilliard

BComm, MA, Ph.D.

Contact Details

Senior Lecturer
Dept. of Management
Top Floor, St. Anthony's
NUI Galway
T: Ext. 2932
E: rachel.hilliard@nuigalway.ie
 
researcher
 

Biography

Rachel’'s research interests focus on how organisations, both established and start-ups, can transform learning and experience into durable capabilities for innovation to address sustainability challenges. Her work contributes to developing organisational capability theory and especially the nascent theoretical area of dynamic capabilities. She has applied this to understanding the capacity of firms to adapt environmental innovation. She also researches the role of capabilities at the regional and national level, including the governance capability of national systems.

She has previously held visiting fellowships at, b the Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU) at Sussex University and at the Centre for Innovation, Research and Competence on the Learning Economy (CIRCLE) at Lund University, two of the leading centres for innovation studies in Europe.  She was a member of the TASC expert working group and industrial policy commission. She lead the Irish contribiution to the OECD MONIT project. She leads the Innovation & Structural Change research cluster at the Whitaker Institute.

Rachel has supervised PhD students looking at the areas of inter-organisational learning for improved sustainability, mechanisms for knowledge transfer and capabilities for environmental innovation, sustainability-oriented entrepreneurship, ambidexterity in smartgrid entrepreneurship and social innovation.

Rachel lectures in the area of innovation and entrepreneurship. She enjoys introducing students at all levels to the excitement of using start-up techniques to solve real world problems. She has worked on these projects with primary school children in the Youth Academy, postgraduate STEM and business students, as well as executive MBA students. Rachel has also pioneered a range of writing development initiatives for staff and students. She leads the Thesis Boot Camp programme at NUI Galway, providing an intensive writing workshop for PhD students. She also leads the Whitaker writing retreat for staff.

Rachel has worked as a lecturer in Management at University of Galway since 2002. She has served as Associate Head of School with responsibility for developing the School's research culture and profile. She is also an Associate Academic Director of the AUA’s suite of technology management postgraduate programmes: MSc in Technology Management, Diploma in Technology Commercialisation, Diploma in Innovation Management. Rachel was the Vice-Dean for Graduate Studies for the College of Business, Public Policy and Law (2011-2019). She is a founder member and Co-Chair of the University Women's Network. 

Rachel Hilliard holds a BCommerce from University College Cork and an MA in Economics from the University of Exeter. She completed her PhD, '‘Learning to change: the role of organisational capabilities in industry reposonse to environmental regulation',’ at Dublin City University Business School in 2002. She has previously worked in industry, as a researcher on a European international project at QUB and as a lecturer in DCU. 

Selected Publications:
Hilliard, RM; Goldstein, D. (2019) “Search routines as a solution to the problem of the tautology trap in the concept of dynamic capability.” Strategic Organization DOI:10.1177/1476127018755001  

Geoghegan, W.; Ryan, P.; Hilliard, RM. (2018) “Going deep: the micro-foundations of innovation capabilities in the triple helix framework.” Technovation DOI:10.1016/j.technovation.2018.02.016

Crowley, C; Hilliard, RM; Cunningham, J, McAdam, M. (2018) “Small firm networking roles: the duality of structure and agency." Rural Studies DOI: 10.1016/j.jrurstud.2018.08.014







Peer Reviewed Journals

  Year Publication
(2023) 'How Knowledge Transfer Impact Happens at the Farm Level: Insights from Advisers and Farmers in the Irish Agricultural Sector'
Cawley, A.; Heanue, K.; Hilliard, R.; O¿Donoghue, C.; Sheehan, M. (2023) 'How Knowledge Transfer Impact Happens at the Farm Level: Insights from Advisers and Farmers in the Irish Agricultural Sector'. Sustainability, 15 (4) [DOI] [Details]
(2022) 'Pro-socially motivated knowledge hiding in innovation teams'
Hilliard RM; English, J; Coleman M (2022) 'Pro-socially motivated knowledge hiding in innovation teams'. Technovation, 116 [DOI] [Details]
(2021) 'Start-Up Sprint: Providing a Small Group Learning Experience in a Large Group Setting'
Hilliard, R (2021) 'Start-Up Sprint: Providing a Small Group Learning Experience in a Large Group Setting'. Journal Of Management Education, 45 (3):387-403 [DOI] [Details]
(2019) 'The impact of agricultural knowledge transfer resources on farm level profitability during the economic recession – a quantitative study'
Cawley, A. P., O’Donoghue, C. Heanue, K., Hilliard, RM., and Sheehan, M. (2019) 'The impact of agricultural knowledge transfer resources on farm level profitability during the economic recession – a quantitative study'. Journal Of Agricultural Education & Extension, 64 :50-62 [DOI] [Details]
(2018) 'Community of Practice: A flexible construct for understanding SME networking roles in the Irish artisan cheese sector'
Crowley, C,McAdam, M,Cunningham, JA,Hilliard, R (2018) 'Community of Practice: A flexible construct for understanding SME networking roles in the Irish artisan cheese sector'. Journal Of Rural Studies, 64 :50-62 [DOI] [Details]
(2018) 'The microfoundations of firms' explorative innovation capabilities within the triple helix framework'
Ryan, P,Geoghegan, W,Hilliard, R (2018) 'The microfoundations of firms' explorative innovation capabilities within the triple helix framework'. Technovation, 76-77 :15-27 [DOI] [Details]
(2018) 'The Impact of Extension Services on Farm-level Income: An Instrumental Variable Approach to Combat Endogeneity Concerns'
Cawley, A,O'Donoghue, C,Heanue, K,Hilliard, R,Sheehan, M (2018) 'The Impact of Extension Services on Farm-level Income: An Instrumental Variable Approach to Combat Endogeneity Concerns'. Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, 40 :585-612 [DOI] [Details]
(2018) 'Exploring strategic agency in sustainability-oriented entrepreneur legitimation'
Reynolds, O,Sheehan, M,Hilliard, R (2018) 'Exploring strategic agency in sustainability-oriented entrepreneur legitimation'. International Journal Of Entrepreneurial Behaviour & Research, 24 :429-450 [DOI] [Details]
(2016) 'Developing dynamic capabilities for learning and internationalization: a case study of diversification in an SME'
Tallott, M and R Hilliard (2016) 'Developing dynamic capabilities for learning and internationalization: a case study of diversification in an SME'. Baltic Journal of Management, 11 (3) [Details]
(2019) 'Identifying and measuring dynamic capability using search routines'
Hilliard, RM; Goldstein, D. (2019) 'Identifying and measuring dynamic capability using search routines'. Strategic Organization, 17 (2):210-240 [DOI] [Details]
(2011) 'Cluster Versus Firm Specific Factors in the Development of Dynamic Capabilities in the Pharmaceutical Industry in Ireland: A Study of Responses to Changes in Environmental Protection Regulations'
Hilliard, R.M., Jacobson, D. (2011) 'Cluster Versus Firm Specific Factors in the Development of Dynamic Capabilities in the Pharmaceutical Industry in Ireland: A Study of Responses to Changes in Environmental Protection Regulations'. Regional Studies, 45 (10):1319-1328 [DOI] [ARAN Link] [Details]
(2011) 'Environmental performance and practice across sectors: methodology and preliminary results'
Goldstein, D,Hilliard, R,Parker, V (2011) 'Environmental performance and practice across sectors: methodology and preliminary results'. Journal Of Cleaner Production, 19 :946-957 [DOI] [ARAN Link] [Details]
(2006) 'The Role of Organizational Capabilities in Cleaner Technology Adoption: an Analysis of the Response of the Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Sector in Ireland to IPC Licensing Regulations'
Hilliard, R (2006) 'The Role of Organizational Capabilities in Cleaner Technology Adoption: an Analysis of the Response of the Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Sector in Ireland to IPC Licensing Regulations'. European Environment, 16 :336-349 [DOI] [Details]
(2004) 'Conflicting Views: Neoclassical, Porterian, and Evolutionary Approaches to the Analysis of the Environmental Regulation of Industrial Activity'
Hilliard, R. (2004) 'Conflicting Views: Neoclassical, Porterian, and Evolutionary Approaches to the Analysis of the Environmental Regulation of Industrial Activity'. Journal Of Economic Issues, 38 (2):509-517 [DOI] [Details]

Book Chapters

  Year Publication
(2014) 'Industrial Policy and Sustainability'
Hilliard RM; Jacobson, D (2014) 'Industrial Policy and Sustainability' In: The Nuts and Bolts of Innovation: New Perspectives on Irish Industrial Policy. Dublin: TASC. [Details]
(2012) 'Dynamic capability in action at PharmaCorp'
Hilliard, R (2012) 'Dynamic capability in action at PharmaCorp' In: Case Studies in Global Management. Australia: Tilde University Press. [ARAN Link] [Details]
(2012) 'A Journey Towards Becoming a Learning Organisation: Crann Iorrais Teoranta'
Tallott, M; McCarthy A, Hilliard, R (2012) 'A Journey Towards Becoming a Learning Organisation: Crann Iorrais Teoranta' In: Case Studies in Global Management. Australia: Tilde University Press. [ARAN Link] [Details]
(2010) 'LotusWorks'
Cunningham, J.; Hilliard, R (2010) 'LotusWorks' In: Managerial Challenges in Irish Organisations. Dublin: Orpen Press. [ARAN Link] [Details]
(2009) 'Lotus Automation'
Cunningham, J., Hilliard, R. (2009) 'Lotus Automation' In: Ernst and Young Irish Entrepreneur of the Year Case Collection. Dublin: Blackhall Press. [ARAN Link] [Details]
(2005) 'Governance and Institutional Change in Ireland'
Hilliard, R.;Green, R. (2005) 'Governance and Institutional Change in Ireland' In: Governance of Innovation Systems (MONIT). Paris: OECD. [ARAN Link] [Details]
(2003) 'Regional Aspects of Environmental Regulation: The Case of the Irish Pharmaceutical Sector'
Hilliard, R.; Jacobson, D (2003) 'Regional Aspects of Environmental Regulation: The Case of the Irish Pharmaceutical Sector' In: Irish Regional Development: A New Agenda. Dublin: Liffey Press. [ARAN Link] [Details]

Conference Publications

  Year Publication
(2006) European Association for Evolutionary Political Economy
Hilliard, RM and D Goldstein (2006) How firm are firm routines? Investigating the balance between persistence and change¿ European Association for Evolutionary Political Economy Istanbul, [Details]
(2006) Organisational Learning Knowledge and Capabilities
Hilliard, RM (2006) Tacit Knowledge And Dynamic Capability: The Importance Of Penrosian Image¿ Organisational Learning Knowledge and Capabilities Warwick, UK, [Details]
(2005) Irish Academy of Management Conference
Hilliard, RM and R Green (2005) Innovation Policy Governance In Ireland: The Problem Of Coherence In An Emerging National Innovation System Irish Academy of Management Conference Cork, [Details]
(2005) Irish Academy of Management Conference
Parker V and RM Hilliard (2005) Do Greener Production Projects Drive Innovation? Irish Academy of Management Conference Cork, [Details]
(2005) Irish Academy of Management Conference
Geraghty, K and RM Hilliard (2005) Global Knowledge Management: The Irish Experience¿ Irish Academy of Management Conference Cork, [Details]
(2005) DRUID Summer Conference on Industrial Dynamics, Innovation and Development
Hilliard, RM and R Green (2005) Innovation policy governance and institutional change in Ireland DRUID Summer Conference on Industrial Dynamics, Innovation and Development Copenhagen, [Details]
(2005) European Academy of Management
Hilliard, RM (2005) Dynamic capability, the pharmaceutical industry and technical change European Academy of Management Munich, [Details]
(2005) The Second Routines Workshop
Hilliard, RM (2005) In Search of Search Routines The Second Routines Workshop Nice, France, [Details]
(2004) DRUID Summer Conference on Industrial Dynamics, Innovation and Development
Hilliard, RM (2004) Tacit knowledge and dynamic capability: the importance of Penrosian `image¿ DRUID Summer Conference on Industrial Dynamics, Innovation and Development Copenhagen, [Details]
(2004) OECD MONIT Workshop
Hilliard, RM and R Green (2004) Innovation Governance in Ireland: the problems of coherence in a newly emerging NIS OECD MONIT Workshop Tokyo, [Details]
(2004) Association of Evolutionary Economics
Hilliard, RM (2004) Conflicting Views: Neoclassical, Porterian and Evolutionary Approaches to the Analysis of the Environmental Regulation of Industrial Activity Association of Evolutionary Economics San Diego, [Details]
(2003) OECD MONIT Workshop
Hilliard, RM and R Green (2003) Innovation Governance in Ireland OECD MONIT Workshop [Details]
(2003) European Network on Industrial Policy Conference
Hilliard, RM (2003) Limitations of technology forcing regulations: the pharmaceutical sector in Ireland European Network on Industrial Policy Conference Porto, [Details]
(2003) Irish Academy of Management Conference
Hilliard, RM (2003) An exploration of dynamic capability in the pharmaceutical sector in Ireland Irish Academy of Management Conference Dublin, [Details]
(2003) DRUID Summer Conference
Hilliard, RM (2003) Dynamic capability, the pharmaceutical industry and technical change DRUID Summer Conference Copenhagen, [Details]
(2003) IBI Regional Science Workshop
Hilliard, RM and D Jacobson (2003) Systems of innovation and their limits: the case of environmental regulation of the Irish pharmaceutical industry IBI Regional Science Workshop [Details]
(2003) SEGERA (Second Generation Research Agenda on the European system of innovation)
Hilliard, RM and D Jacobson (2003) Systems of innovation and their limits: the case of environmental regulation of the Irish pharmaceutical industry SEGERA (Second Generation Research Agenda on the European system of innovation) Roskilde, Denmark, [Details]
(2003) OECD MONIT Workshop
Hilliard, RM and R Green (2003) An overview of the Irish national system of innovation: perceived policy challenges OECD MONIT Workshop [Details]
(2002) Symposium on a New Agenda for Irish Regional Development
Hilliard, RM and D Jacobson (2002) Locational differences in the response of pharmaceutical companies to environmental regulation in Ireland Symposium on a New Agenda for Irish Regional Development Cork, [Details]
(2002) American Association of Geographers
Hilliard, RM and D Jacobson (2002) Locational differences in the response of pharmaceutical companies to environmental regulation in Ireland American Association of Geographers Los Angeles, [Details]
(2001) European Association of Evolutionary Political Economics
Hilliard, RM (2001) An analysis of industry response to the challenges of environmental regulation: an organisational capabilities approach European Association of Evolutionary Political Economics Siena, Italy, [Details]
(2000) Association of Heterodox Economics Conference
Hilliard, RM (2000) The economic impact of environmental regulation of industry: evidence in support of a new analytical approach Association of Heterodox Economics Conference London, [Details]
(1996) Irish Academy of Management Conference
Hilliard, RM (1996) Environmental regulation and industrial competitiveness: a new theoretical framework Irish Academy of Management Conference Dublin, [Details]
(2021) British Academy of Management Teaching and Learning Conference
Hilliard, RM and P Freestone (2021) Online intensive facilitated writing training ¿a way to maintain engagement and support resilience in doctoral researchers British Academy of Management Teaching and Learning Conference London, [Details]
(2021) European Academy of Management
Tallott, M., Hilliard, RM., Nummela, N. (2021) The Development of Ambidexterity for Eco-Innovation in SMEs: an Action Research Study European Academy of Management Montreal, [Details]
(2021) IAM-SERNI Social Enterprise Symposium
Reynolds, O. and RM Hilliard (2021) Entrepreneur legitimation in organizational fields: an examination of agency and context in sustainability oriented social enterprises IAM-SERNI Social Enterprise Symposium Waterford, [Details]
(2022) Edinburgh Paper Development Workshop
Hilliard, RM (2022) Developing dynamic capability as a concept Edinburgh Paper Development Workshop [Details]
(2023) European Academy of Management
Hilliard, RM (2023) Symposium on Female Entrepreneurship and Regional Development: theory and practice European Academy of Management Dublin, [Details]
(2021) Small Business Economics: An Entrepreneurship Journal - Special Issue Workshop
Reynolds, O. and RM Hilliard (2021) Reynolds O. and RM Hilliard (2021). Entrepreneurship legitimation in organizational fields: an examination of agency and context in sustainability oriented social enterprises Small Business Economics: An Entrepreneurship Journal - Special Issue Workshop Turku, Finland, [Details]
(2019) Organisational Knowledge Learning and Capability
English, J; Coleman, M; Hilliard RM (2019) Motivational Factors in Knowledge Hiding Organisational Knowledge Learning and Capability [Details]
(2019) British Academy of Management
Tallott M and RM Hilliard (2019) Developing Entrepreneurship Capabilities for Eco-innovation in SMEs British Academy of Management [Details]
(2018) McGill International Entrepreneurship Conference
Tallott M and RM Hilliard (2018) Entrepreneurship Capabilities for Internationalisation McGill International Entrepreneurship Conference [Details]
(2017) McGill International Entrepreneurship Conference
Tallott M and RM Hilliard (2017) FACILITATING AMBIDEXTERITYAS A KEY DYNAMIC CAPABILITY FOR ENABLING ECO-INNOVATION IN SMES: AN ACTION RESEARCH STUDY McGill International Entrepreneurship Conference [Details]
(2016) British Academy of Management, Newcastle
Hilliard RM (2016) The importance of Penrosian ‘image’ for the development of the dynamic capability concept British Academy of Management, Newcastle [Details]
(2015) Technology Transfer Society, Dublin
Geoghegan, Will; Ryan, Paul; Hilliard, Rachel (2015) Going Deep: University/ Industry Collaboration in the Triple Helix and the Development of Firm Specific Innovative Capabilitie Technology Transfer Society, Dublin [Details]
(2015) Technology Transfer Society, Dublin
Kouwenaar, R, Hilliard, R and Heanue, K (2015) Knowledge transfer in agricultural extension: the role of learning processes in the transfer of knowledge Technology Transfer Society, Dublin [Details]
(2009) Organisational Learning, Knowledge and Capabilities, Amsterdam
Hilliard RM, D Goldstein and V Parker (2009) Organisational Capabilities for Sustainable Production Organisational Learning, Knowledge and Capabilities, Amsterdam [Details]
(2007) Third Routines Workshop, Strasbourg
Hilliard RM, D Goldstein and V Parker (2007) How are capabilities built? Practice, routine and learning Third Routines Workshop, Strasbourg [Details]
(2007) Association for Evolutionary Economics, Chicago
Hilliard RM, D Goldstein and V Parker (2007) Environmental technology, dynamic environmental capabilities and competitiveness’ Association for Evolutionary Economics, Chicago [Details]
(2007) EURAM, Paris
Hilliard RM, D Goldstein and V Parker (2007) How are Organisational Capabilities for Environmental Management and Innovation Built EURAM, Paris [Details]
(2007) United States Society for Ecological Economics, New York
Hilliard RM, D Goldstein and V Parker (2007) The environmental performance of industry: facility impacts in a cross-sectoral model’ United States Society for Ecological Economics, New York [Details]
(2007) Organisational Learning, Knowledge and Capabilities
Hilliard RM, D Goldstein and V Parker (2007) Organisational Capabilities for Sustainable Production Organisational Learning, Knowledge and Capabilities Ontario, Canada, [Details]
(2010) 4th Organisational Routines Conference, Nice
Hilliard RM, D Goldstein and V Parker (2010) Evidence on Search Routines in Small and Medium Sized Companies 4th Organisational Routines Conference, Nice [Details]
(2011) InterTradeIreland All-Island Innovation Conference
Hilliard RM, D Goldstein (2011) Dynamic Capabilities Building Blocks of Innovation InterTradeIreland All-Island Innovation Conference [Details]
(2014) Druid, Copenhagen Business School
Tallott M and RM Hilliard (2014) Developing dynamic capability through organisational learning: a case study of diversification in an SME Druid, Copenhagen Business School [Details]
(2014) Triple Helix Workshop, Grenoble
Geoghegan, Will; Ryan, Paul; Hilliard, Rachel (2014) Going deep: the microfoundations of innovation capabilities in the triple helix framework Triple Helix Workshop, Grenoble Grenoble Ecole de Management, France, [Details]
(2015) Edith Penrose Centenary Conference, SOAS London
RM Hilliard (2015) The importance of Penrosian ‘image’ for the development of the dynamic capability concept Edith Penrose Centenary Conference, SOAS London [Details]

Published Reports

  Year Publication
(2010) EPA Cleaner Greener Production Programme: Experiences, Impacts and Outcomes for Participant Organisations’.
Hilliard RM, S Pal and V Parker (2010) EPA Cleaner Greener Production Programme: Experiences, Impacts and Outcomes for Participant Organisations’. EPA, Dublin. [Details]
(2009) Sustainable Development – Environmental Technology, Dynamic Environmental Capabilities and Competitiveness.
Hilliard, RM, D. Goldstein, and V Parker (2009) Sustainable Development – Environmental Technology, Dynamic Environmental Capabilities and Competitiveness. EPA, Dublin. [Details]

Media

  Year Publication
(2018) Empathy: the secret ingredient in innovation.
Hilliard, RM (2018) Empathy: the secret ingredient in innovation. Irish Times Media [Details]

Workshops

  Year Publication
(2018) Hacking the Space’: Using design thinking to generate innovative solutions to reconfiguring teaching spaces.
Mullarkey, G;, Flynn, P; Hilliard, R (2018) Hacking the Space’: Using design thinking to generate innovative solutions to reconfiguring teaching spaces. Workshops [Details]

Teaching Interests

Innovation and Technology Management

Entrepreneurship

Research Methods

Strategic Management