Dr Helen Eccleston

Profile

Biography

Dr Helen Eccleston joined Edge Hill University in September 2020 as a Lecturer in Business and Management. Previously, she held academic posts at the University of Central Lancashire as an Associate Lecturer and as a PhD Candidate in the field of SME Strategy. Prior to commencing her academic career, Helen worked in management roles within the private sector, principally related to people development and management.

Research Interests

Helen is a dedicated researcher whose interests lie in the domain of strategizing within family-owned Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs). In her PhD research project, Helen considered how strategy emerges within SMEs, its specific dynamics and intricacies, to understand how a coherent and consistent pattern in the absence of deliberate intention can consequently become strategy.

Building upon the findings of her doctoral research, Helen’s current research endeavours centre specifically on the emergence of strategies within family-owned SMEs. Notably, she has recently explored the role of emotion in the context of family entrepreneurship, to unravel how emotion can ripple outward creativity.

To facilitate her research goals, Helen actively collaborates with partners across the United Kingdom and Europe. By engaging with experts and organisations in various regions, she seeks to enrich her research insights and contribute to the collective understanding of strategizing in family-owned SMEs. Helen’s dedication to advancing knowledge in this field underscores her commitment to supporting and enhancing strategy work in family-owned enterprises, thereby fostering their long-term sustainability.

Teaching

Helen is an accomplished educator who brings a wealth of expertise and passion to her teaching practice. She assumes a leadership role across multiple modules: BUS3024 Strategic Management, BUS2019 Employability, and BUS3037 Organisational Misbehavior.

Helen is also our Business School Employability Lead, where she is committed to developing curriculum to equip students with employability skills and experiences essential for success in the professional world. By embedding employability within her teaching, Helen empowers students to embrace their career aspirations and take ownership of their professional growth.

Helen’s teaching extends beyond the confines of the classroom, as she actively engages in ongoing professional development to remain at the forefront of educational practices, recently presenting at the Advance HE Employability Symposium 2022 and at Praxis Auril Conference 2023 where she discussed student knowledge exchange through internship partnerships with SMEs. By staying abreast of emerging trends and pedagogical approaches, she continuously enhances her teaching methodologies, ensuring that her students receive the highest quality education and are well-prepared for their future careers.