Dr Seamus O'Brien

Director of Cornwall Business School

Seamus' research focuses strongly in the area of entrepreneurship and small business management and he has published widely in this area. Through collaborative research relationships, he is currently investigating factors contributing to adaptation and resilience among micro, small and medium enterprises. He has been an invited speaker, columnist, advisor and champion of entrepreneurship for small businesses.

Dr Seamus O'Brien staff imag

Contact details

Email Seamus.OBrien@falmouth.ac.uk

    Qualifications

    Qualifications

    Year Qualification Awarding body
    2016 PhD University of Liverpool
    2009 PGCE University of Stirling
    2002 MSc (Economics) in Business and Management University of Aberdeen
    2001 BA Economics University of Abertay Dundee

    Membership of external committees

    Chartered Management Fellow - Chartered Management Institute (CMgr FCMI), Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (PFHEA)

    Research Interests

    Research interests and expertise

    Research interests include areas of the enterprise, research into SME growth and success, business development and innovation.

    Research Topics

    • Entrepreneurship
    • Innovation
    • Social change

    Research Outputs

    Publications and research outputs

    Article

    Duarte Alonso, Abel, Kok, Seng, Vu, Oanh Thi Kim and O'Brien, Seamus ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8221-0340 (2023) Reconfiguring an Established Wine Tourism Destination: A Dynamic Capabilities Approach. International Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Administration, 26. pp. 1-23. ISSN 1525-6480 Item availability may be restricted.
    [thumbnail of accepted version Reconfiguring an Established Wine Tourism Destination A Dynamic Capabilities Approach.pdf]

    Sakellarios, Nikolaos, alonso, Abel, Kiat, Seng, O'Brien, Seamus ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8221-0340, fillis, Ian and thi, Kim Vu (2022) The long road to adaptation: Micro and small hospitality firms after the GFC. International Journal of Hospitality Management, online (103). ISSN 0278-4319
    [thumbnail of The Long Road to Adaption Micro and small hospitality firms after the GFC (1).pdf]

    Sakellarios, Nikolaos, Duarte Alonso, Abel, Kok, Seng Kiat, O'Brien, Seamus ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8221-0340, Fillis, Ian and Vu, Oanh Thi Kim (2022) Resilience and coping with a long-term crisis: the cases of Cypriot and Greek micro and small firms. European Business Review, 3. ISSN 0955-534X
    [thumbnail of accepted version.pdf]

    Duarte Alonso, Abel, Bressan, Alessandro, Kiat Kok, Seng and O'Brien, Seamus ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8221-0340 (2021) Filling up the sustainability glass: wineries’ initiatives towards sustainable wine tourism. Tourism Recreation Research, online. pp. 1-15. ISSN 0250-8281 Item availability may be restricted.
    [thumbnail of Accepted copy Tourism Recreation Research.pdf]

    Kah, S, O'Brien, Seamus ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8221-0340, Kok, S and Gallagher, E (2020) Entrepreneurial Motivations, Opportunities, and Challenges: An International Perspective. Journal of African Business, 1. pp. 1-21. ISSN 1522-8916
    [thumbnail of Journal-of-African-Business-2019 02.pdf]

    Kah, Sally, O'Brien, Seamus ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8221-0340, Kok, Seng and Gallagher, Emer (2020) Entrepreneurial Motivations, Opportunities, and Challenges: An International Perspective. Journal of African Business, 1. pp. 1-21. ISSN 1522-8916
    [thumbnail of Journal-of-African-Business-2019 02.pdf]

    Duarte Alonso, A, Kok, S and O'Brien, Seamus ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8221-0340 (2020) Brexit, the wine sector and organisational resilience: an exploratory study of Spanish Wineries. Review of International Business and Strategy, 30. ISSN 2059-6014

    Duarte Alonso, A, Kok, S, O'Brien, Seamus ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8221-0340 and Geneste, L (2020) Understanding entrepreneurial deviance through social learning and entrepreneurial action theory: an empirical study. European Business Review, 32. ISSN 0955-534X

    Duarte Alonso, A, Kok, S and O'Brien, Seamus ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8221-0340 (2020) Understanding the Impact of Family Firms Through Social Capital Theory: A South American Perspective. Journal of Family and Economic Issues, 41. ISSN 1058-0476

    Duarte Alonso, A, Kok, S and O'Brien, Seamus ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8221-0340 (2019) Sustainable wine tourism development through the lens of dynamic capabilities and entrepreneurial action: an exploratory four-region perspective. Tourism Recreation Research, 45. ISSN 0250-8281

    Duarte Alonso, A, Kok, SK, O'Brien, Seamus ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8221-0340 and O'Shea, M (2019) The significance of grassroots and inclusive innovation in harnessing social entrepreneurship and urban regeneration. European Business Review, 32. ISSN 0955-534X

    Lawless, A, Panya, F, O'Brien, Seamus ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8221-0340 and Kok, S (2019) Talk-about Talent: Underlying Philosophies on Talent in Thai SMEs. Human Resource Development International, 22 (5). pp. 553-572. ISSN 1367-8868

    Duarte Alonso, A, Kok, S, Sakellarios, N and O'Brien, Seamus ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8221-0340 (2019) Micro enterprises, self-efficacy and knowledge acquisition: evidence from Greece and Spain. Journal of Knowledge Management, 23 (3). pp. 419-438. ISSN 1367-3270

    Duarte Alonso, A, Kok, SK and O'Brien, Seamus ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8221-0340 (2019) “Profit is not a dirty word”: Social entrepreneurship and community development”. Journal of Social Entrepreneurship, 11. ISSN 1942-0676

    Duarte Alonso, A, Kok, S and O'Brien, Seamus ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8221-0340 (2019) Uncertainty and adaptation in the context of Brexit: An entrepreneurial action and dynamic capabilities approach. European Business Review, 31. ISSN 0955-534X Item not available from this repository.

    Duarte Alonso, A, Kok, S and O'Brien, Seamus ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8221-0340 (2018) Understanding approaches to innovation through the dynamic capabilities lens: A multi-country study of the wine industry. International Journal of Innovation Management, 1. ISSN 1363-9196

    Alonso, AD, O'Brien, Seamus ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8221-0340 and Kok, S (2018) Innovation, dynamic capabilities and family firms operating in an emerging economy. Journal for International Business and Entrepreneurship Development, 11 (3). pp. 221-242. ISSN 1549-9324 Item not available from this repository.

    Alonso, AD, Alexander, N and O'Brien, Seamus ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8221-0340 (2018) Collaboration and the Emerging Craft Brewing Industry: An Exploratory Study. Journal of Asia-Pacific Business, 12. pp. 1-22. ISSN 1528-6940 Item not available from this repository.

    Alonso, AD, Kok, S and O'Brien, Seamus ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8221-0340 (2018) Sustainable culinary tourism and Cevicherías: a stakeholder and social practice approach. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 26 (5). pp. 812-831. ISSN 1747-7646

    Duarte Alonso, A, Kok, S and O'Brien, Seamus ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8221-0340 (2018) ‘We are only scratching the surface’ – a resource-based and dynamic capabilities approach in the context of culinary tourism development. Tourism Recreation Research. pp. 1-16. ISSN 0250-8281

    Duarte Alonso, A, Sakellarios, N, Alexander, N and O'Brien, Seamus ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8221-0340 (2018) Strengths, innovation, and opportunities in a burgeoning industry: an exploratory study. Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, 30 (2). pp. 276-296. ISSN 1355-5855

    Duarte Alonso, A, Alexander, N and O'Brien, Seamus ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8221-0340 (2018) Networking, collaboration, and home brewing: An exploratory study. Loisir et Societe, 41 (1). pp. 130-153. ISSN 0705-3436

    Alexander, N, Duarte Alonso, A and O'Brien, Seamus ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8221-0340 (2018) ‘Every brew is a challenge and every glass of a good beer is an achievement’: home brewing and serious leisure. Leisure/ Loisir, 42 (1). pp. 93-113. ISSN 1492-7713

    Alonso, AD, Sakellarios, N, Alexander, N and O'Brien, Seamus ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8221-0340 (2018) Corporate social responsibility in a burgeoning industry: a stakeholder analysis. Journal of Strategy and Management, 11 (1). pp. 112-130. ISSN 1755-425X Item not available from this repository.

    Duarte Alonso, A and O'Brien, Seamus ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8221-0340 (2017) Family firms’ management decision to export/not to export: A resource-based view. Journal of Advances in Management Research, 14 (3). pp. 270-287. ISSN 0972-7981

    O'Brien, Seamus ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8221-0340 (2015) Innovation and its Drivers in SMEs. Change Management: An International Journal, 14 (3-4). ISSN 2327-798X

    Report or Working Paper

    Bermingham, R (2020) Life beyond COVID-19: What are experts concerned about? Technical Report. Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST).

    Conference or Workshop Item

    O'Brien, Seamus ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8221-0340 and Giorgioni, G (2019) FDI in rural Unitary Authorities: the case of the North-West of England. In: Rural SMEs, 2019, Liverpool.

    O'Brien, Seamus ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8221-0340 and Giorgioni, G (2014) Successful rural SMEs – which catalysts work? In: http://conference.bam.ac.uk/BAM2014/htdocs/conferencepapers.php?trackname=Entrepreneurship, Portsmouth. Item not available from this repository.

    O'Brien, Seamus ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8221-0340 and Giorgioni, G (2014) What makes a successful Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise (SME) in a rural location. In: University of Liverpool Doctoral Conference, Liverpool. Item not available from this repository.

    Other

    O'Brien, Seamus ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8221-0340, Kok, S and Duarte Alonso, A (2019) Rawhide Custom - Carving a niche market through customisation, personalised detail, and social media. UNSPECIFIED.

    O'Brien, Seamus ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8221-0340, Kok, S and Duarte Alonso, A (2019) Will we still be saying “Cheers” after Brexit? UNSPECIFIED.

    O'Brien, Seamus ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8221-0340, Kok, S and Duarte Alonso, A (2018) Tasting success with gin: adapting to changing trends. Liverpool Chamber.

    Research Students

    Current research students

    • Enhancing Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) access to financing by Malaysian Development Financial Institutions (DFIs).
    • Resilience and coping behaviour among micro, small and medium enterprises in times of economic crisis: An exploratory case of Greece."
    • An investigation of internal CSR practices of foreign and domestic companies within the oil sector in Nigeria as a developing economy

    Previous student supervision

    • Exploring success factors that are critical for micro, small and medium sized businesses in the North West of England: Does the size of the enterprise influence the criticality of the factor?
    • Contextual influences on training heterogeneity in small businesses
    • Investigating the linkage between competitive strategy and human resource management practices in Nigeria medium-sized enterprises
    • Coaching practices within three Small Medium Enterprises in Thailand
    • Entrepreneurial psychological factors: an investigation into individual differences in entrepreneurs
    • An investigation into performance measurement in social enterprises in the UK

    Number of research students supervised to completion

    6

    Research degrees examined

    6 PhDs
    1 DBA

    Teaching

    Areas of teaching

    • Entrepreneurship

    Professional Engagement

    Engagement with professional associations and societies

    • Africa Oye 2018 - the aim of analysing some economic as well as social impacts, which will be useful for us for the Arts Council, City Council and other trusts and funds
    • Turncoat Gin 2019 – Mentoring on the future direction of the company, authored Business Plan submitted for funds - Share structure/Crowd Funding and exporting
    • Liverpool Chamber of Commerce Voice of Business Newsletter Developing a series of case studies and business development workshops to different hubs in the Liverpool and Sefton area