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Enterprise Research Centre

Enterprise Research Centre

Dr Kathryn Cormican

The Enterprise Research Centre focuses on the design, development and analysis of new processes and systems. This research adopts a life-cycle approach to product innovation. In other words, we aim to optimise all aspects in the development cycle such as needs analysis, concept development, evaluation and validation, commercialisation and product take back at its end of life.

This is an applied research area. Therefore it is essential to work closely with industry to identify and prioritise requirements, co-develop solutions and implement and validate new models and systems. A systems ethos which includes people, process and technology related issues are employed in the research.

The centre of focus maybe on a specific process, business unit, enterprise or value network which would typically include an enterprise and its relationship with its customers, suppliers, regulatory bodies, and other key stakeholders. The research area is multidisciplinary in nature and spans functions such as engineering, technology and business.

Our research models real world dynamic systems as well as analytical theories and frameworks to gain a deep insight into how organisation’s effectively manage their innovative efforts. The following activities are central to this.

  • Analyse root cause of failure and measure the impact and implications of failure on an organization.
  • Model key business processes paying particular attention to the information flow and how decisions are made.
  • Analyse systems relative to key performance indicators such as time, cost, standard, environment, innovation etc.
  • Develop solutions such as (i) information management systems, (ii) process and systems and (iii) models and methodologies based on state of the art best practice
  • Validate and test solution and measure impact relative to key performance indicators.

Our team comprises 8 Ph.D. researchers and 1 post-doctoral fellow who are conducting applied research. All projects centre on the development of tangible outputs such as architectures, models and information management systems. To date we have secured €1.2 million in research funding.

Our Projects

Titles of the projects in the current portfolio include:

  • Creative Parents: The aim of the project is to develop the creative thinking skills of parents, of school age children, through the delivery of face-to-face workshops, combined with digital microlearning.
  • TransIT: Work-based management training kit for the transition to Industry 4.0
  • INCREMENTA: Promoting an Innovation and Creativity mentality in SMEs to allow them to stay competitive
  • A systems architecture to integrate new and emerging technologies to deliver value in knowledge based services
  • User engagement in innovation: An analysis of the Irish medical device industry
  • A model to measure the impact of design thinking on new product performance
  • The development of a formal domain ontology for systems engineering body of knowledge
  • Shared leadership and team effectiveness: A social network analysis in the project life cycle
  • An analysis of performance measurement systems to enhance product portfolio outcomes (in collaboration with Prof. Breda Sweeney, J.E. Cairnes School of Business & Economics, NUI Galway)
  • An empirical analysis of intercultural communication competence in international project management
  • A multi-dimensional capabilities development framework for scaling micro-enterprises
  • A framework to assess a company`s readiness to leverage opportunities emanating from technology disruptions

Our People (Ph.D. Researchers)

Senior researchers

  • Lan Yan
  • Clare O‘Dwyer
  • Yaheli Hernandez (Valeo)
  • Seamus Caulfield
  • Chandrasekhar Dhanapathi 
  • Neda Makrooni
  • Maebh Coleman
  • Juan Chen
  • Sarah Carter (insight)
  • Philip Large

Researchers

  • Darcy Balaski (Hollister)
  • Jeff Duggan (Abbvie)
  • Gaurav Jain (Valeo)
  • Janett Jiminez (Incrementa)
  • Dara O’Connor (Medtronic)
  • Emma Kilduff (MetLife)
  • David Richardson (EI Electronics)
  • Dave Sweeney (Allergan)

Project Managers

  • Dr. Suzana Sampaio
  • Ms. Audrey Fayne

Recent graduates

  • Dr. Qiong Wu: Shared leadership and team effectiveness: A social network analysis in the project life cycle
  • Dr. Danielly Ferreira Oliveira de Paula: Design thinking capability model: A management framework to support design thinking implementation for product development
  • Dr. Sean Keane: Entrepreneurial Self-Efficacy (ESE): A Business Model Approach
  • Dr. Fiona Masterson: Factors that Facilitate Regulatory Approval for Drug/Device Combination Products in the European Union and United States of America: A Mixed Method Study of Industry Views

Our Collaborators

  • Prof Ming Yu, Industrial Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
  • Prof. João Varajão, Department of Information Systems, University of Minho, Portugal
  • Prof. Maria Manuela Cruz Cunha, Computer and Industrial Engineering, Polytechnic Institute of Cávado and Ave, Barcelos, Portugal
  • Prof. Breda Sweeney, Accountancy & Finance, J.E. Cairnes School of Business & Economics, National University of Ireland, Galway