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Results of RAE 2008 (Results Page)
The Business and Management Research Institute (BMRI) has achieved the following highly creditable research profile in the 2008 RAE: 5%@4 star, 30%@3 star, 50%@2 star and 15%@1 star. The Ulster Business School achieved an overall rating of 3a in the 2001 RAE and the research profile for the 2008 RAE represents a significant improvement in the quality and international reputation of the BMRI. The research strength of the Institute focuses on three key areas: Operations Management, Marketing and Social Economy with a strong cross-cutting theme supporting the SME regional economy. It is anticipated that the BMRI will build on this reputation in terms of developing collaborative linkages both nationally and internationally given its close relationships with the British Academy of Management, Academy of Marketing, Academy of International Business and a range of professional bodies, such as, CIMA, ACCA and ICSA. All of this underpins the externally assessed high quality teaching ratings of the Ulster Business School and places the Faculty in poll position to further develop its management education and leadership role in supporting the Northern Ireland economy.
Research Strategy Rationale
The strategy reflects the views of regional and national government bodies such as InvestNI (similar role to regional development agencies in England and Wales), the Review of Public Administration (NI) completed in 2006 and the ten year Science and Innovation Investment Framework (2004-2014) supported by HM Treasury and the DTI. These regional and national bodies emphasise a need within the private and public sector to develop an innovation based culture with the appropriate entrepreneurial and management skills, a focus on improving productivity levels, promoting the development of national/international networks and enhancing the delivery of services across the public sector.
Considerable emphasis is placed on developing a strong creative and innovative research culture. Research within the Institute complements and reflects government thinking at a regional and national level in terms of supporting an agenda for change within the private and public sector. These features are carried through into three broad sub-disciplines in Operations Management, Marketing and Social Economy.
Operations Management
Concentrates on research related to performance and productivity improvements in terms of knowledge, quality and supply management, the management of innovation processes and the development of networks with an emphasis on inter-organisational relationships.[More]
Marketing
Focuses on internationalization, innovation and entrepreneurial strategies for SMEs, consumer behaviour issues and their effect on service delivery and the impact of e-commerce on performance improvement. Researchers in this theme have a strong distinctive competence in qualitative methodologies.[More]
Social Economy
Concerned with human resource issues related to disadvantaged groups, the financial implications of Northern Ireland’s public administration review on the delivery of public services and the performance of not-for-profit organizations.[More]
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