Interview with Professor Isobel Doole

Sheffield Hallam University, Centre for Individual and Organisational Development

Can you give an overview of your business background and research interests relating to international business?
I am Professor of International Marketing at Sheffield Hallam University and am Head of the Centre for Individual and Organisational Development in the faculty of Organisation & Management. My personal research is primarily concerned with the international competitiveness of small and medium enterprises (SME’s). The research projects I have led are primarily focused on helping to improve the competitive capability of sme’s to expand overseas and compete in global markets

My international career started in the private sector. I worked as a marketing analyst at British Steel and as a Special Projects Manager at Proctor and Gamble. before working overseas in firstly Belgium then in the Bahamas and later in Australia. I have worked in international marketing in an academic capacity for over 20 years. As a research centre we are involved in working with many businesses within Yorkshire which involves both specific project work and long-term business and professional development.

Can you give an overview of the specialist areas of international business that you are involved in?
In our centre we focus on improving the competitive capabilities of companies so that these skills can be applied in any overseas market. We do not generally take a particular market or sector focus to our work with businesses. We specialise in how businesses grow internationally, how they develop partnerships and core competencies and how they research and develop international markets. These are the areas where our research interests are focused and where we can best work to help businesses.

Is there any leading edge research or academic work that you are involved in that will benefit businesses looking to enter or develop international markets?
The main focus of our work is researching how businesses can expand internationally from a strategic point of view. This involves identifying how businesses learn to compete and how they make decisions. We identify the processes of ongoing learning and innovation and how this is fed into business decisions. We have worked with many companies over the years, and at SHU we work very much as a team. We have ongoing relationships with businesses with joint interventions and projects which add value to a company’s long-term international strategy. We work with a range of both large corporations and small and medium enterprises.

Can you give some examples of the types of interventions that SHU is currently involved in with businesses?
Our research, evaluative studies and strategy development processes are focussed on developing collaborative learning partnerships which :

• Help organisations achieve improved international business performance through improved competitiveness
• Help individuals and organisational teams to fulfil their international potential by developing capability, competence and confidence
• Help facilitate positive change in organisational and management behaviours to exploit global opportunities
• Use our skills in organisational development, intra and inter-organisational relationships to help individuals and organisations grow and develop globally.
• Use innovative learning & action research techniques to help organisations identify problems and generate innovative solutions to international business problems

We can provide businesses a range of our interventions, products and services. These include:

• Knowledge Transfer Partnerships
• Internships
• Direct Consultancy
• Research Projects
• Professional Development
• Strategy Development Workshops
• Specialist International Business Courses
• Qualification Programmes
• Specialist Advisory Services
• Coaching and Mentoring Services

How do you work with businesses to develop their company skills to succeed in international business? Can you give some examples of the type of skills and your interventions?
The Centre for Individual & Organisational Development works across the public, private and voluntary sectors helping clients to develop their capabilities, facilitate change, improve competitiveness and develop innovative solutions. We offer a variety of direct interventions, business and management research expertise, strategy development processes as well as reflective evaluation studies for both individuals & organisations .We also provide internships and can place graduates in companies for 6 monthly placements to help them develop internationally. We can also offer bespoke programmes to develop professional skills and international business workshops to help build the knowledge base within a company.

Which technologies, geographic markets, and industries does SHU have specialist knowledge in that can help businesses develop overseas?
As a faculty we have academics and international students who have specialist knowledge in a range of overseas markets, including Eastern Europe, European Union, India and China.. Our academics work with a large number of companies including at present a major project within a sister research centre which focuses on the food sector.

How can businesses access the specialist research, knowledge, and graduate facilities that you offer?
Businesses interested in working with us can get in touch with me, Professor Isobel Doole, at the Centre for Individual and Organisational Development. My contact details are i.doole@shu.ac.uk or telephone 0114 225 4461. Alternatively, businesses can contact the Enterprise Centre to discuss a range of business services available, on business@shu.ac.uk or telephone 0114 225 5000

Can you explain how graduate placements and language skills of students at SHU can benefit businesses developing internationally?
Graduate placements in businesses provide a valuable additional resource which can fill the gaps in a company’s resource and skills base. Graduates provide a business with access to both an additional resource and time. Businesses often have opportunities for sales or market development, but they often do not have the time or resources within the firm to look at it and maximise the potential. We have students from all over the world, including India, China and Eastern European, who can provide market expertise, language and cultural knowledge and the time to develop new business opportunities

What sort of education facilities and qualifications does SHU offer to businesses and international trade employees?
Our international business education programmes include BA International Business, MSc International Business, Msc Global Business, Msc International Marketing and MBA programmes. We place approximately 30 companies a year on business Projects and internships benefiting both businesses and retaining our students within Yorkshire

What type of international business projects is SHU interested in receiving from businesses?
We can offer businesses a range of specific interventions and services and we are keen to work with businesses on an on-going partnership basis

Are any of these interventions free or partially funded, or are these interventions conducted at commercial business rates?
Some of our interventions are free, such as research projects. Some are offered with funding support from a variety of sources, for example the DTI provide some support towards Knowledge Transfer Partnerships. Businesses are usually expected to pay a percentage contribution towards an intervention. Some specialist interventions are developed with businesses on a full commercial basis.

How is SHU working alongside UK Trade & Investment to enhance and add value to international business support?
We work very closely with UK Trade & Investment’s regional team and their team at the South Yorkshire International Trade Centre. We ensure that businesses we are working with are also supported by a UKTI International Trade Adviser for on-going strategic support. Equally, if UKTI are working with a company where our expertise can add value, the business will be referred for our support. We are also working with UKTI at a strategic and operational level to promote the knowledge and research expertise of the Universities in Yorkshire & Humber that can add enhance the international business support offered to businesses in the region.