About the Research Group

Business Process Innovation Applied Research Group

The size and rate of change in the business environment, increased by technological advancement, means that organisations are in constant need of reappraisal of their core processes in order to make effective use of scarce resources and to satisfy stakeholders’ differing needs.  Research activity in this area is therefore focused on:

• Benchmarking best practice in process design
• Process mapping and analysis
• Process innovation
• Implementation of process innovation
• Sharing knowledge across organisational boundaries.

Aims

The main aim of the group was to develop a programme of applied research activities focused on improving, integrating or transforming business and organisational processes.

Projects

• Remote Working (LSC/ ESF/ Adjust the Balance)
• UHCW Process Mapping and Analysis

Grants & funding

The ARG successfully won significant funding to carry out the 'Adjust the Balance' research project for the Learning Skills Council as part of a larger ESF funded project.

Anne Marie McTavish, the project manager, Vida Bayley and Dr. Gerry Urwin from the Business Process Innovation Applied Research Group were all committed to the project, which ran until December 2007. The project investigated the barriers to the adoption of remote-working practices, and ways in which these can be overcome.

Project outcomes included: the identification of processes to help implement more effective working practices for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs); academic papers and research; conferences and events.