Research Interests
Brigas scholarly endeavours emphasise engaged and collaborative research, which has impact, relevance and practical benefits through policy transformation and changes at practitioner (social enterprises and community groups) levels. This is particularly the case in social enterprise and entrepreneurship education arenas.
Within the social enterprise domain research which have yielded a large number of outputs, examine the processes of growth and scaling in social enterprises through investigating the interconnected and often complex relationships between the environmental determinants, firm dynamics (internal) and social forces (external), impacting on growth. The results of her social enterprise research has been adopted in National Social Enterprise Policy.
Within the established small firms research she also focuses on investigating the factors and challenges encountered in scaling, growing and internationalising the small enterprise.
Entrepreneurship Education line of inquiry investigates the different pedagogical approaches to teaching entrepreneurship across disciplines. Through examining, the process of (embedded) entrepreneurial learning and evaluating new ways of teaching entrepreneurship that resonate with the lived experience of entrepreneurs research informs entrepreneurship programme content and pedagogy. Entrepreneurship education scholarship also investigates more closely embedding entrepreneurial learning across the disciplines and the role of Business Schools. Research outcomes have informed experiential entrepreneurship pedagogy design which support the Universities ethos of generating a more entrepreneurial aware student population. A linked line of investigation on entrepreneurship education is the delivery of entrepreneurial learning for second level schools (teachers and pupils) addressing a priority National and EU policy issue in entrepreneurship education. Her research has led to the development of initiatives for the delivery of entrepreneurial learning in second level schools including the Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Creativity BootCamp; the provision of workshops on creativity and innovation for DEISS schools and the delivery of a teacher workshop on how to deliver entrepreneurial learning
Teaching Interests
Briga's teaching extends the area of entrepreneurship and small business development to include Enterprise Development, Business Consulting, Managing International Business Growth and Internationalising Small Firms. Her teaching experience spans undergraduate, postgraduate and post-experience groups and includes the design and delivery of business development programmes for owner-managers. Core to my teaching philosophy is a commitment to developing, implementing and evaluating learning strategies that promote problem-based approaches of action and experiential learning which enables students to assimilate, process and use information in an entrepreneurial relevant context to embrace the multifaceted and ever changing roles they will adopt in business formation and development. With an understanding of the dynamics and nuances of entrepreneurial learning, there is scope to more fully understand how to develop entrepreneurial competencies in students and prepare them not only for the tasks involved in establishing and growing a business but in developing the mind-set to learn in an entrepreneurial manner. Thus, I strive to operationalize such a learning which connects the knowing to the doing to create the ideal setting for the delivery and assessment of practice based action learning in a realistic context of entrepreneurial world. Its about introducing pedagogy that allow students to construct the ambiguous, uncertain and individualised reality of the entrepreneur so that the students can perceive and construct that reality to give meaning to their learning, usually acquired in the classroom. Inbuilt in my philosophy is demonstrating to students that learning is not a once off activity and they need to be more observant to the fact that learning can be unstructured and occurs everywhere and from different sources and is not always tangible, therefore but a constant flux of learning, unlearning, and how to relearn. I am committed to creating an environment in which students can practice and extend their entrepreneurial skills, confidence and abilities in order to transform theirs, other people and communities lives. Research and scholarly activity underpins my teaching and ensures currency of curricula and pedagogy through an integration of theory and practice. Drawing upon my strong professional working relationships with government development agencies and small and medium firms I can practically demonstrate how entrepreneurs start and grow their businesses and how they source and apply resources to realise local and international market opportunities. Further this relationship provides me with a network of entrepreneurs and policy makers to draw guest speakers and live case studies from. As teaching is inextricably linked with research scholarship my active engagement in applied and theoretical research ensures that students drawing on a wide range of theories and international best practices that shape the field of entrepreneurship and small business development
Professional Activities
Committee
- 2013 AMBA Accrediation Committee ,
- 2008 Social Entrepreneurs Ireland, Social Entrepreneurs Ireland foster and encourage social entrepreneurship in Ireland by providing a range of direct supports to early stage social entrepreneurs and by actively engaging with all key sectors in Irish society to promote social entrepreneurship
- 2007 University of Limerick Access Campus Board, The University of Limerick Access Campus will challenge educational disadvantage in areas of economic deprivation with particular emphasis on Limerick City South. It will work in partnerhsip with Limerick Enterprise Development Partnership (LEDP) to support those in primary and secondary education to participate fully in the formal education system in order that they may have equality of opportunity to access third level education and will promote and support second chance learning through the provision of appropriate educational opportunities for the adult population.
- 2007 Management Development Council of Ireland, The Management Development Council (MDC) was established by Forfas to advise Government on the adequacy and relevance of management development provision for the SME sector in Ireland and provide recommendations on how to upgrade leadership and management skills
- 2003 Limerick City Enterprise Board, Limerick City Enterprise Board facilitates the creation of sustainable enterprises through the provision of financial assistance,business guidance and training supports.
- 2002 Limerick City Development Boaard, The Limerick City Development Board is comprised of 27 people representing State Agencies, Local Government, Local Development & Social Partners List of Members On Governance the Boards agreed to: ¿X work towards an inclusive, holistic strategy ¿X seek to create the capacity in the City to address change in the economic, social and cultural dimension of the City ¿X work towards the creation of equality of opportunity in the City ¿X work towards a City which is self-confident and accessing of all resources in delivering the strategy.
- Department of Management and Marketing Quality Review Committee ,
- - KBS Joint Coordinator for the fourth goal of the Universitys Strategic Plan, Pioneering and Connected ,
- KBS Student Status Committee ,
- Enactus,
Mentoring and advising UL Enactus team on the development and implementation of projects aimed at bringing together student, academic and business leaders who are committed to using the power of entrepreneurial action to improve the quality of life and standard of living for people in need.
Education
- 2012 Kingston University, UK - PhD
- 1992 University of Limerick - MBS
- 1987 University of Limerick - BBS
Association
- 1999 Professioanl organisaion for individuals working in area of marketing., Marketing Institute of Ireland
- Member , Irelands Network of Teachers and Researchers of Entrepreneurship (INTRE)
- Member , Irish Academy of Management
- Member , Institute of Small Business Enterprises (ISBE)
- Member, The European Council for Small Business and Entrepreneurship
- Member, The European Council for Small Business and Entrepreneurship
Employment
- 1994 Kemmy Business School, University of Limerick - Lecturer
Consultancy
- - Provision of advice and training for owner-managers at various stages of business growth and development. The completion of feasibility studies and business plans.
Publications
Book
Entrepreneurship and Business Growth, Volume 2: Cases
Garavan, TN; O'Cinneide, B; Garavan, M; Hynes, B; Walsh, F
Book Chapter
Case study 3: University of Limerick
Birdthistle, N., Hynes, B. and Coughlan, D.
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) in the University Sector: Policies, case studies and issues arising
`Entrepreneurship education - Meeting the skills needs of future graduates in Ireland
Hynes, B; O'Dwyer, M; Birdthistle, N
Handbook of University-wide Entrepreneurship Education,
Creating an Entrepreneurial Mindset: Getting the Process Right for Information and Communication Technology Students
Hynes, B; Richardson, I
Information Communication Technologies: Concepts, Methodologies, Tools, and Applications
Managing the New Venture
Hynes, B; Birdthistle, N; Birdthistle, N
New Venture Creation in Ireland
Four Entrepreneurial Stat-Up's
Hynes, B
Entrepreneurship and Business Start Ups in Ireland
The Small Business Exporting Decision:Seven Case Situations
Hynes, B; Garavan, T
Entrepreneurship and Business Start Up's in Ireland
Conference Contribution
EXIM Summit Irelands Export Import Conference, Wednesday, 18 November 2015,.
Presentation of Paper
Irish Academy of Management
Hynes, Briga
23rd ISBA National Small Firms Policy & Research Conference
Walsh, J., Hynes, B.
Conference Publication
ISBE International Entrepreneurship Conference,
Costin, Y. and Hynes, B.
INY Creative Education Symposium
Hynes, B.
ISBE International Entrepreneurship Conference
Herbst, O. and Hynes, B.
8th International Social Innovation Research Conference (ISIR
Hynes,B. and Herbst, O
11th IFSAM World Congress,
Hynes, B. and Garavan, T, N.
The European Council for Small Business Conference: The Entrepreneurial Process in a Changing Economy
Birdthistle, N., Hynes, B., Costin, Y. and Lucey, S.
SMES in a Globalised World: Survival and Growth Strategies on Europe's Geographical Periphery
Lenihan, H; Hynes, B; Hart, M
International Council for Small Business
Birdthistle, N., N., Hynes, B, Costin, Y. and Lucey, S
Irish Academy of Management
Costin, Y., Hynes, B., and Birdthistle, N
Irish Academy of Management
Birdthistle, N., Hynes, B. Costin, Y and ODwyer, M.
Irish Academy of Management
Birdthistle, N., Hynes, B. Costin, Y and ODwyer, M.
Irish Academy of Management,
Hynes, B., Costin, Y.and Birdthistle, N
Irish Academy of Management 12th Annual Conference
Birdthistle, N., Hynes, B. and Costin, Y
Irish Academy of Management
Birdthistle, N., Hynes, B. and Costin, Y
Irish Academy of Management 12th Annual Conference
Costin, Y., Hynes, B., and Birdthistle, N
Irish Academy of Management
Costin, Y., Hynes, B., and Birdthistle, N
32nd ISBE Conference
Birdthistle, N., Hynes, B and Costin, Y.
32nd ISBE Conference
Hynes, B., and Birdthistle, N.
Family Business and Entrepreneurship Education Conference
Birdthistle, Costin, Y. ODwyer; M. and Hynes, B.
Family Business and Entrepreneurship Education Conference
Birdthistle, N., Costin, Y. O¿Dwyer; M. and Hynes, B
8th IEEE Conf. on Nanotechnology
S.F. Gilmartin, K. Arshak, D. Collins, D. Bain, W.A. Lane, O. Korostynska, A. Arshak, E. Hynes, B. McCarthy, S.B Newcomb
Family Business and Entrepreneurship Education Conference
Birdthistle, Costin, Y. O¿Dwyer; M. and Hynes, B
Family Business and Entrepreneurship Education Conference
O¿Dwyer, M. with Birdthistle, N., Costin, Y., and Hynes, B.
Family Business and Entrepreneurship Education Conference
Birdthistle N., Costin, Y. O¿Dwyer; M. and Hynes, B.
Entrepreneusip Education -
Birdthistle, N., B. Hynes, and P. Fleming.
Entrepreneurship Education
Hynes,B.Fleming,P. and Birdthistle,N
European Universities¿ Research On the Promotion of Enterprise Education (EUROPE)
Birdthistle, N., Fleming, P., Hynes, B.
Entrepreneurship Education In Europe
Birdthistle, N. Hynes, B. and Fleming, P.
European Universities Research on the Promotion of Enterprise Education, University of Pireaus
Hynes,B.Fleming,P. and Birdthistle, N
European Universities¿ Research On the Promotion of Enterprise Education (EUROPE)
Birdthistle, N, Fleming, P, Hynes, B
23rd ISBA National Small Firms Policy & Research Conference
Walsh, J., Hynes, B.
Babson Entrepreneurship Research Conference,
Hynes, B. and O'Cinneide, B
30th European Small Business Seminar.
Hynes, B.
19th Babson College-Kauffman Entrepreneurship Research Conference
Flynn, A. and Hynes, B
IBA (Institute of Business Advisors), Cross Border Conference
Flynn, A. and Hynes, B
Other Journal
At the Heart or on the Periphery - Information Communications
Hynes, B
International Journal of Management Practice
DOI: 10.1504/IJMP.2013.052320
Social Capital - An Underestimated Enabler of Small Firm Growth
Hynes, B
Enterprising Matters
European Universities Research on the Promotion of Enterprise Education: Good Practices
Birdthistle, N; Fleming, P; Hynes, B
European Commission Directorate General Education and Culture Socrates Publication
European Universities Research on the Promotion of Enterprise Education: National Reports
Birdthistle, N; Fleming, P; Hynes, B
European Commission Directorate General Education and Culture Socrates Publication
Enterprise Education, General Activities of Observation, Analysis and Innovation
Hynes, B; Fleming, P; Birdthistle, N
European Commission Directorate-General Education and Culture Socrates Publication
Other Publication
Marketing in the Equine Industry
Healy, B., O' Dwyer, M., Wixted, L.., Birdthistle, N., Costin, Y., and Hynes, B.
Business Consultancy
Birdthistle, N., Costin, Y., Hynes, B., and O' Dwyer, M
An Examination of the Student Enterprise Awards Programme (SEA) in Ireland,
Hynes. B. and Birdthistle, N
Enterprise Formation
Costin, Y., Birdthistle, N. O'Dwyer, M., and Hynes, B.
Diagnostic Tool Design for SME's Owners
O' Shea, D, Costin, Y, Birdthistle, N., Hynes, B.
An Evaluation of the Student Enterprise Awards programme in South County Dublin
Hynes, B; Birdthistle, N
"To be or not to be a.......HPSU"
Birdthistle, N., Costin, Y., and Hynes, B.
Teaching Entrepreneurship at Second Level - THe challenges
Hynes, B
American Journal Of Physiology-Heart And Circulatory Ph
Comparing and Contrasting Mentoring Styles - What is Best Practice?
Hynes, B
American Journal Of Pharmaceutical Education
Training the Trainers - THe need for Mentor Training?
Hynes, B
American Journal Of Physiology-Heart And Circulatory Ph
Enterprise Education, General Activities of Observation, Analysis and Innovation
Birdthistle, N; Fleming, P; Hynes, B
Peer Reviewed Journal
Engendering entrepreneurial competencies in the youth of today: a teacher's perspective
Birdthistle, N,Costin, Y,Hynes, B
Education And Training
DOI: 10.1108/ET-02-2016-0031
Changing times for Management Educators Rethinking Engagement with Participatory forms of Knowledge Production
Harrington, D., Short, J.C. and Hynes, B.
The Irish Journal Of Management
From the zoo to the jungle- narrative pedogogies and enterprise education
Costin, Y., Drakopoulou Dodd, S. Hynes, B., and Lichrou, M.
Industry And Higher Education
The impact of regional entrepreneurial contexts upon enterprise education
Dodd, SD,Hynes, BC
Entrepreneurship And Regional Development
DOI: 10.1080/08985626.2011.566376
Practice-based learning in entrepreneurship education: A means of connecting knowledge producers and users
Hynes, B., Costin, Y. and Birdthistle, N
Higher Education, Skills and Work-based Learning
DOI: 10.1108/20423891111085366
The Behavioural Traits and Characteristics Of High And Low Expectation/Growth Entrepreneurs: Is There A Difference?
Birdthistle, N., Hynes, B., Costin, Y., Lucey, S.
Irish Business Journal
Entrepreneurship education: meeting the skills needs of graduates in Ireland
Hynes, B,O'Dwyer, M,Birdthistle, N,West, GP,Gatewood, EJ,Shaver, KG
Handbook Of University-Wide Entrepreneurship Education
Growing the Social Enterprise - Issues and Challenges
Hynes, B
Social Enterprise Journal
'Enterprising tertiary level students'
Birdthistle, N., Hynes, B., O' Dwyer, M. and Costin, Y.
Electronic Journal Of Family Business Studies
Exploring the myth- Women-led small businesses have low growth aspirations!
Hynes, B., Costin, Y.
Irish Business Journal
Education:towards an industry sector approach,
Hynes, B; Richardson, I
Education And Training
Managing Staff Retention in the Small Firm - Challenges for the Owner/Manager
Hynes, B; O'Rourke, M
Irish Business Journal
Enerprise education programmes in secondary schools in Ireland: A multi-stakeholder perspective
Hynes, B; Birdthistle, N; Fleming, P
Education And Training
Entrepreneurship Education: A means of Engaging and Exchanging with the Small Business Sector
Hynes, B; Richardson, I
Education And Training
Enterprise education programmes in secondary schools in Ireland: A multi-stakeholder perspective
Birdthistle N., Hynes B., Fleming P.
Education And Training
DOI: 10.1108/00400910710754426
Factors Influencing Small Firm Growth - Progressing the Research Agenda in Ireland
Hynes, B
Irish Business Journal
Entrepreneurship education and training-introducing entrepreneurship into non-business disciplines
Hynes, B
Journal Of European Industrial Training
Published Report
'An examination of the Student Enterprise Awards programme in Ireland'
Birdthistle, N., Costin, Y. and Hynes, B
Stepping Stones: An Examination of Irish Tertiary Level Students Entrepreneurial Spirit,
Birdthistle, N., Hynes, B. and Costin, Y (2011)