Dr Ed Thompson

Ed Thompson is an academic conducting research and teaching on areas of the business environment and organizational behaviour. In recent years his teaching has focused on delivery of post-experience learners on apprenticeships and corporate programmes including areas related to risk and business environment. Ed is also the lead author of 'The Business Environment: A Global Perspective' - the best selling textbook on the business context in the UK. 

Ed’s current research focuses on the synthesis of Actor-Network Theory in the context of planning for and responding to crises, and the role of highly inscribed boundary objects in situations of uncertainty. Other areas of research include the investigation of public participation in democratic processes from those who are a part of disenfranchised groups such as the homeless and those in care, and the effects of austerity on resilience capabilities and mental health services. Prior to joining DMU Ed worked in the public sector assessing contract compliance and investigating safeguarding issues in the area of adult social care.

Ed has been a school governor in Leicester for more than 10 years and has served in two large secondary schools as Chair of Governors, he is now a Director for and Deputy Chair of the board of Directors for Aspire Learning Partnership, a Multi Academy Trust in Leicester, having previously been Chair during the Trust's formation. 

Centre for Urban Research on Austerity (CURA)

Thompson, E., Worthington, I., and Britton, C. (2023) The Global Business Environment, 9th Edition, Pearson, London.

Worthington, I., Britton, C. and Thompson, E. (2018) The Global Business Environment, 8th Edition, Pearson, London.

Thompson, E. and Buckley, D. (2024) The Role of Tradition in Crisis  - 'Women and Children First', British Academy of Management Conference 2024, Nottingham, 2nd  - 6th September.

Davies, J.S., Bua, A., Cortina-Oriol, M. and Thompson, E. (2020) Why is Austerity Governable? A Gramscian Urban Regime Analysis of Leicester, UK. Journal of Urban Affairs.

Thompson, E., Macpherson, A and Herbane, B. (2017) Structuring Activities for Objects of Collaboration, Organizational Learning, Knowledge and Capabilities Conference, Valladolid, April 2017.

Davies, J.S. and Thompson, E. (2016) Austerian Realism and the Governance of Leicester, in Bevir, M. and Rhodes, R.A.W., Rethinking Governance: Ruling, Rationalities and Resistance, London, Routledge.

Thompson, E., Kaur, R., Scullion, J. and Baggott, R. (2016) Care and the Vote, Political Studies Association 66th International Conference (panel 2015 General Election 2), Brighton, 21st - 23rd March 2016. 

Davies, J. and Thompson, E. (2014) Collaborative Governance Under Austerity: The Case of Leicester, City Futures (panel S22), Paris, 18^th – 20^th June 2014.

Thompson, E. (2013) ‘An Account of the Decontextualization of Emergency Plans’ British Academy of Management 2013 (Liverpool) – Doctoral Symposium

• Issues relating to preparedness in the public sector; the construction of emergency plans and the ordering of crisis.
• Issues relating to public services and private providers of them.
• Organizational behaviour and practice.
• Boundary Objects and Inter-Organizational Collaboration.
• Actor-Network Theory.

• Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship (CMDA)
• CertHE Crowd Management
• Doctor of Business Administration (DBA)  - Training programme and supervision
• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)  - Training programme and supervision

BA (Hons) Business Studies (2009)

MSc (Distinction) Project Management (2010)

PGCertHE (Distinction) (2015)

PhD Organizational Behaviour (2015)

British Academy of Management, Inter-Organizational Collaboration Special Interest Group - Comittee Member

British Academy of Management                               

Chartered Management Institute (FCMI)

Higher Education Accademy (FHEA)                          

Royal Society for the Arts (FRSA)                                 

Chartered Management and Business Educator (CMBE)

Chartered Manager (CMgr)

Monty Mountford  - Social sensemaking in the context of serious and organized crime (SOC)

Steve Baguely  - The role of ethical mindfulness on staff wellbeing

Angelina Nevzorova - The role of hotels in humanitarian crises: the case of Ukraine

Tom Bailey - Social media implications for crowd management

Zairah Hussain - Emotional Inteligence in Entrepreneurs from Minority Backgrounds

Courtnay McLeod - Alternative models for vocational training (advisor)

Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) / Designated Quality Body (DQB) - Reviewer

Chevening Reading Committee Member (UK Foreign Office)

London Metropoliton University  - External Examiner

Salford University  - External Panel Member

York St Johns  - External Panel Member

Aspire Learning Partnership (Multi Academy Trust)  - Director and Trustee