Biography

Dr. Sarah Kieran is Assistant Dean, Academy and an Associate Professor in the Department of Work and Employment Studies in the Kemmy Business School. She lectures in HRM and Strategic/Global HRM. Prior to joining UL she worked as a Management Consultant in Strategic and Organisational Development, mostly for multinational corporations. This followed ten years in the Telecoms Sector where she held a number of leadership roles in Strategy, CRM and HRM. This experience has led to a wide range of research, consultancy and teaching interests covering areas such as strategy-as-practice, sensemaking and other discourse-related perspectives of strategy and strategic change. She is also interested in HR Analytics, New Ways of Working, the HR Profession and other such areas which underpin HRM's contribution to organisational performance. She is founder of the KBS WorkFutures Lab and the recipient of a Horizon 2020 Rise award for research into the Digital Transformation of Work.

Research Interests

Leaders & Managers in MNCs
Strategic Change
Strategic HRM
Digital Transformation of Work
Hybrid Working
People Analytics




Professional Activities

Award

  • 2021 - Skillnet Ireland Seeking Safe Spaces: Graduate Experiences of Work in A Digital Era
  • 2021 - Sustainable Leadership
  • 2020 - Digital Transformation in a Post-Covid World of Work.
  • 2020 - KBS Seed Funding
  • 2020 - H202 Marie Curie Rise
  • 2019 - ICBE HC Analytics Funding
  • 2018 - Skillnet Future of Work Funding
  • 2017 - Kemmy Business School Seed Funding
  • 2011 - PhD Scholarship
  • 2010 - Research Bursary

Committee

  • 2021 Business in the Community,
  • 2020 Our Lady of Lourdes Community Services Group,
  • 2018 AMBA: Association of MBAs Accreditation,
  • 2010 Irish Executives International Network, Management Team member of a not-for-profit, international, Irish network for a two period (2010-2012). Instrumental in developing the Irish Executives Annual Conference and Irish Executive Start-Up Awards.

Consultancy

  • 2018 Greensource - Review, Recommendations and Leadership Team Planning of HRM Strategy.

Employment

  • 2018 University of Limerick Kemmy Business School - Lecturer
  • 2016 University of Limerick Kemmy Business School - Research Assistant
  • 2011 Atlantic Way, Regional Development Network - CEO
  • 2005 OMT Global - Senior Management Consultant
  • 2002 Vodafone - Director/Head of Commercial Strategy and Operations
  • 1999 Vodafone - Head of CRM
  • 1996 Eircell - Head of Organisational Development and Resource Planning

Association

  • 2017 Academic Network, European Academy of Management
  • 2012 Academic Network, Irish Academy of Management
  • 2008 Member, Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development

Education

  • 2016 University of Limerick - PhD
  • 2015 University of Limerick - Graduate Diploma in Academic Practice
  • 2010 University of Limerick - MSc (Honours)
  • 1996 University of Limerick - Postgraduate Diploma
  • 1993 University of Limerick - BA European Studies

Outreach

  • Set up in 1992, Our Lady of Lourdes CSG Ltd is committed to identifying and supporting the needs of people living in the local community, through the provision of people centred services which are open, accessible and professionally delivered. Over the past 25 years the company has grown from strength and currently has an annual turnover in excess of 1.5 million euro PA we are a registered company, fully tax compliant and have charitable status.

Other

  • www.hranalyticsireland.com Founded with Dr. Maria Belizon, UCD. HR Analytics Ireland is a community for knowledge-sharing and education. Our community is for people and companies just starting on their HR Analytics journey and those already involved: HR Analytics Leads, HR data analysts/Scientists, HR professionals, HR Data content creators and HR Data Analytics educators and vendors. This platform is the first HR Analytics forum of HR Analytics in Ireland where professionals can share their ideas, concerns and best practice.
  • https://www.ul.ie/business/kbs-work-futures-lab The KBS Work Futures Lab is a place for business people who want to shape the workplace of the future. We understand the forces at play in globalisation, technology and the economy but believe such forces should not wholly determine how we lead organisations, manage people and design workplaces. We share insights, advance our knowledge, experiment with different work strategies and build business cases to capitalise on the opportunities these forces present. At the Work Futures Lab we break new ground in organisational leadership so that organisational success drives sustainable growth; supporting leaders, growing talent, creating new, valued work opportunities and positively impacting the world around us.

Peer Reviewed Journals

2021

Human resources analytics: A legitimacy process.

Maria Belizon & Sarah Kieran (2021) Human resources analytics: A legitimacy process.. Human Resource Management Journal

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2021

Simple rules for sensemaking praxis: How HR can contribute to strategic change by developing sensemaking capability in organisations

Kieran, Sarah and MacMahon, Juliet and MacCurtain, Sarah (2021) Simple rules for sensemaking praxis: How HR can contribute to strategic change by developing sensemaking capability in organisations. Human Resource Management Journal

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2020

Strategic change and sensemaking practice: enabling the role of the middle manager

Kieran S.;MacMahon J.;MacCurtain S. (2020) Strategic change and sensemaking practice: enabling the role of the middle manager. Baltic Journal Of Management

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2018

HR from the Outside In: Review of Competencies for the Future of HR

Sarah Kieran (2018) HR from the Outside In: Review of Competencies for the Future of HR. Ireland Irish Journal Of Management :31-34

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Books

This author has not written any publications of this type yet.

Book Chapters

2019

THE MIDDLE MANAGER AS SENSEMAKER: THE ROLE OF HRM IN DEVELOPING SENSEMAKING CAPABILITY.

Sarah Kieran, Juliet MacMahon and Sarah MacCurtain (2019) THE MIDDLE MANAGER AS SENSEMAKER: THE ROLE OF HRM IN DEVELOPING SENSEMAKING CAPABILITY.. United Kingdom : Cambridge Scholars Press Human Resource Management at the Crossroads: Challenges and Future Directions

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2018

Introducing Human Resource Management

Cross, C and Kieran, S. (2018) Introducing Human Resource Management . UK : Macmillan International Higher Education Human Resource Management, 2nd edition

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Edited Books

This author has not written any publications of this type yet.

Other Journals

This author has not written any publications of this type yet.

Conference Publications

2020

Academy of Management Annual Meeting Proceedings 2020

Sarah Kieran, Lorraine T. Ryan and Patrick Gunnigle (2020) Academy of Management Annual Meeting Proceedings 2020.

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2019

The Societal Impact of HRM, 14-15 November, Tilburg.

Kieran, S., Ryan, L., MacMahon, J. and MacCurtain, S. (2019) The Societal Impact of HRM, 14-15 November, Tilburg..

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Conference Contributions

2019

EURAM 2019

Sarah Kieran, Juliet MacMahon and Sarah MacCurtain (2019) EURAM 2019.

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2019

Dutch HRM Network

Sarah Kieran, Lorraine Ryan, Juliet MacMahon and Sarah MacCurtain (2019) Dutch HRM Network.

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2018

EURAM 2018

Sarah Kieran, Juliet McMahon and Sarah MacCurtain (2018) EURAM 2018.

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2018

XI International HRM

Sarah Kieran, Juliet McMahon and Sarah MacCurtain (2018) XI International HRM .

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2017

Irish Academy of Management

Dr. Sarah Kieran, Dr. Juliet McMahon & Dr. Sarah MacCurtain (2017) Irish Academy of Management.

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2017

Irish Academy of Management

Dr. Sarah Kieran, Dr. Jean McCarthy & Dr. Caroline Murphy (2017) Irish Academy of Management.

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2014

International Labour Process Conference

Sarah Kieran (2014) International Labour Process Conference.

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2013

Irish Academy of Management

Sarah Kieran (2013) Irish Academy of Management.

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2009

Irish Academy of Management Conference

Monaghan, S., O'Shea, D, & Kieran, S. (2009) (2009) Irish Academy of Management Conference.

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Published Reports

2021

Seeking Safe Spaces: Graduate Transitions into a Digitally Transformed Workplace.

Kieran, S., Harnett, C., Ryan, L., and Cross, C., (2021) Seeking Safe Spaces: Graduate Transitions into a Digitally Transformed Workplace.. Ireland : Skillnet Ireland

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2021

A New World of Work: Leader Reflections on the Impact of Covid 19.

Kieran, Sarah (2021) A New World of Work: Leader Reflections on the Impact of Covid 19.. Ireland : Skillnet Ireland

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2020

Beyond Covid-19: A New World of Work

Harnett, C. and Kieran, S. (2020) Beyond Covid-19: A New World of Work. Limerick : OMT Global/Enterprise Ireland

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2019

The Future of Work Now: The digital transformation of customer service and the emergence of Ireland's Cx professional

Kieran, S, Ryan, L, MacMahon J and MacCurtain, S. (2019) The Future of Work Now: The digital transformation of customer service and the emergence of Ireland's Cx professional. Ireland : Skillnet Ireland

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Editorials

This author has not written any publications of this type yet.

Book Reviews

This author has not written any publications of this type yet.

Other Publications

2022

What do new graduates think of the workplace?

Kieran, S., Harnett, C., Ryan, L. and Cross, C. (2022) What do new graduates think of the workplace?.

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2022

Why workers don't like their company's HR department

Kieran, S., Harnett, C., Ryan, L. and Cross, C. (2022) Why workers don't like their company's HR department.

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2021

Building homes for employees: what we can learn from an old idea.

Sarah Kieran (2021) Building homes for employees: what we can learn from an old idea.. Ireland : RTE

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2020

What can Leaders learn from the Greek Gods in times of uncertainty?

Sarah Kieran & Fiona Fennell (2020) What can Leaders learn from the Greek Gods in times of uncertainty?. Ireland : RTE

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2020

Man & Machine: Where to from here with the Future of Work?

Sarah Kieran (2020) Man & Machine: Where to from here with the Future of Work?. Ireland : Irish Centre for Business Excellence

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2019

Will Returnships help women return to work?

Sarah Kieran and Lorraine Ryan (2019) Will Returnships help women return to work?. Ireland : RTE Brainstorm

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2019

Mixing Office Romance and Christmas parties in the Age of #metoo.

Lorraine Ryan and Sarah Kieran (2019) Mixing Office Romance and Christmas parties in the Age of #metoo.. RTE : RTE Brainstorm

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2019

Getting People 'On Board' Strategic Change

Sarah Kieran (2019) Getting People 'On Board' Strategic Change. RTE Brainstorm : RTE

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2019

HR Analytics Insights

Sarah Kieran and Maria Jesuz Belize (2019) HR Analytics Insights. Ireland

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2016

The Middle Management Canyon: A Real Time Study of the Middle Manager as Sensemaker in the Context of Strategic Change

Kieran, Sarah Clancy (2016) The Middle Management Canyon: A Real Time Study of the Middle Manager as Sensemaker in the Context of Strategic Change.

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