Dr Graham Winch

Biography

Dr Graham Winch is Emeritus Professor in Business Analysis, having retired from his full-time role as Research Professor in the University of Plymouth Business School, a post he held since 1987. He also served as Associate Dean with responsibility for Postgraduate, Research and Executive Programmes, and as Director for International Relations tasked with developing links with leading international business schools to enhance faculty exchange and collaborative research opportunities.

He remains active in publishing and research, pursuing a portfolio of collaborative research projects and consulting assignments.

He is currently Managing Editor for the Research Problems section of System Dynamics Review, having previously served as Editor-in-Chief for this world-ranked journal. In 2005 he was elected President of the System Dynamics Society, based in Albany NY and serving the international practitioner and academic communities applying and researching system dynamics.

Qualifications

B.Sc. Industrial Chemistry and Management Studies, Loughborough University of Technology (1971)

D.I.S. Diploma in Industrial Studies, Loughborough University of Technology (1971)

Ph.D. Business and Administration, Bradford University Management Centre (1981)

Previously lecturing experience includes nine years at the Durham University Business School, and has held visiting posts and contributed at leading schools including MIT, Auburn and Florida State in the US, CUOA and the Universities of Bari and Palermo in Italy, Lodz and Jagiellonska Universities in Poland, and Swinburne and Monash Universities in Australia.

Early industrial experience included working in the chemical and engineering industries and then in market research, based in both Germany and the UK. He has extensive consulting experience internationally, and has served as V-P and board-director with Federal Group Inc. - the Boston-based consulting subsidiary of a New York investment bank.

Roles on external bodies

President (2005) - System Dynamics Society
Policy Council Member - System Dynamics Society
Programme Co-Chair - 22nd. International System Dynamics Conference

Subject Specialist, Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications (HKCAAVQ).

Research council grant application referee and final award report rapporteur (evaluator) for both ESRC and EPSRC, and for the Science Foundation of Ireland (SFI), in the general areas of innovation and knowledge management.

Teaching

Teaching interests

> Visioning and Strategic Foresight
> Strategic Thinking
> Business Dynamics

Staff serving as external examiners

Research degree examiner at Loughborough University, Cranfield University, Teesside University, RMIT University (Melbourne), University of Wollongong (South Austalia), and University of Palermo.

Undergraduate degree external for Salford, Northumbria, and Sunderland Universities in the UK and for the International School of Business, Budapest. and ESC Rennes, France.

Research

Research interests

Research centres on strategic visioning and process visualisation across a number of strategic issue areas using system dynamics diagramming and simulation approaches. Recent funded projects included research into the concept of ‘computer-aided visioning’ tools, the development of a simulator to support IT learning support strategies in UK universities, and an investigation into the dynamic processes in SMEs when 'going global'. Collaborated with Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne and Warwick Business School in the UK on a project on system visualisation to support the design of wide ranging electronic business processes, and with a consortium of European and Latin American universities on an EU ALFA Programme project developing an SME Growth Simulator.

Grants & contracts

> The dynamics of operational, organisational and marketing processes in SMEs entering the world trade system (in collaboration with CUSA, Palermo/Italy, University of Lodz/Poland, and Agder Research Institute/Norway (European Union, EUR40,000 )
> Strategic thinking in universities relating to adoption of IT-assisted teaching and learning processes, and the development of a decision support model. (HEFCE contract research, £31,000)
> Role of model building and use of models as “Computer-aided Visioning” tools in capturing and sharing knowledge in preparing for fundamental change driven by technology and/or process innovation (ESRC Innovation Program, £128,000)
> Senior management decision-making and the role of model-based computer support systems, including intelligent knowledge based systems (ICL, £66,000 plus computing equipment and related costs)
> Information needs of companies and public sector bodies concerning the local economy and business activity. (National Advisory Body, £65,000)

Publications

Journals

Refereed Journal Articles (selected articles since 2000)

"Three System Dynamics Cases addressing the Challenges in Performance Improvement in the Public Sector”, System Research & Behavioral Science, 2010, 27:4, pp.421 – 424.

"Supporting Value Creation in SMEs through Capacity and Innovation Initiatives: the Danger of Provoking Unsustainable Growth",International Journal of Entrepreneurial Venturing, 2009, pp. 164 - 184, (with C. Bianchi)

"Evaluating Application Service Provisioning using System Dynamics Methodology", British Journal of Management, 2007, 18:2, pp. 172-191 (with W. Currie & P. Joyce)

"A New Construct for Visualising and Designing e-Fulfilment Systems for Quality Healthcare Delivery", The TQM Journal: Special Issue on Sustainable Quality Services in the Healthcare Industry, 2006, 18:6, pp. 638-651 (with P. Joyce & R Green)

"Flexible Study Processes in ‘Knotty’ System Dynamics Projects", System Research and Behavioral Science, 2006, 23:4 pp. 497-507 (with S. Derrick)

"Reflections on the Second European System Dynamics Workshop at Radboud University", 2006, System Research and Behavioral Science, 2006, 23:4, pp. 571-573

"Exploring the Dynamics of Building, and Losing, Consumer Trust in B2C eBusiness", International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, 2006, 34:7 pp. 541-555 (with P. Joyce)

"Exploring the Training/Service Balance of Senior House Officer Activities", Medical Education, 2006, 40:4 pp. 355-362 (with S. Derrick, J. Chandler, B. Badger, T. Nokes)

"Drivers and Dynamic Processes for SMEs Going Global", Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, 2006, 13:1 pp. 73-88 (with C. Bianchi)

"Unleashing Growth Potential in 'Stunted' SMEs: Insights from Simulator Experiments", International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 2006, 3:1 pp. 92-105 (with C. Bianchi)

"Consideration of options from an entrepreurial, technical and operational perspective: an e-Business design framework approach", Australian Accounting Review (Special supplement on Information Technology: Impacts and Implications for Accounting), 2005, 15:3, pp 44-55, (with P.Joyce)

"An eBusiness Design and Evaluation Framework Based on Entrepreneurial, Technical and Operational Considerations," International Journal of Electronic Business, 2005 3:2, pp. 198 - 214, (with P.Joyce)

"Can we study individual rationality by using simulators? Comments on the paper by Rouwette et al." Systems Research and Behavioral Science, 2005, 21, pp371-372

"Perspectives on rationality in system Dynamics", System Dynamics Review, 2004, 20:1, pp. 75-87 (with A. Groessler and P. Milling)

"A Deep Niche. (A Strategic Ploy to Maximize Effectiveness in Product Design and R&D)", Manufacturing Engineer, 2003 , 82:5 pp. 28-31 (with A. Gill)

"Exploratory Study of the Adoption of Manufacturing Technology Innovations in the USA and the UK", International Journal of Production Research, 2002, 40:12, pp. 2677-2703 (with P. Swamidass)

"User-parameterised Generic Models: a Solution to the Conundrum of Modelling Access for SMEs?", System Dynamics Review - Special issue on Small Medium Enterprises, 2002 , 18:3 pp. 339-358 (with D. Arthur)

"Management of the 'Skills Inventory' in times of Major Change" System Dynamics Review, 2001, 17:2 pp. 151-160.

"Different Drums: Technology Adoption and Impact in US and UK", Manufacturing Engineer, 2000, 79:4 pp. 158-162 (with P. Swamidass)

"Knowledge Management and Competitiveness in Manufacturing", The Engineering Management Journal, 2000, 10:3 pp. 130-134

Books

Book Contributions

"Strategic Asset Building and Competitive Strategies for SMEs which Compete with Industry Giants.",Chapter 5 pp77 - 97, in Handbook of Research on Strategic Management Management in Small and Medium Enterprises, edited by Kiril Todorov and David Smallbone. Hershey, Penn, IGI Global Press 2014, (with C. Bianchi and F.Cosenz)

"A Physiological Approach to Analysing SME Growth Patterns and to Understanding the Distinctions and Similarities between Normal and Abnormal Growth", Chapter 7, pp161 - 172, in Managing a Small Business in the Contemporary Environment, ediited by Malgorzata Porada-Rochon, Rome, Eurolink Edizioni srl 2012, (with C. Bianchi and F.Cosenz)

"Healthcare Delivery Systems: Designing Quality into Health Information Systems" in Studies in Health Technology and Informatics, Vol 129, Kuhn KA, JR Warren & Leong TY (eds.) Amsterdam: IOS Press, 2007. (with P. Joyce and R. Green)

"A Framework for Codifying Business Models and process Models in e-Business design" in Value Creation from e-Business Models, Currie W., (ed) Oxford: Elsevier, 2004. (with P. Joyce)

"Leveraging Professional Knowledge in Healthcare Networks through Integrated IT: V-NBS Approach" In Effective Cooperation, Mitchell F. & Genefke J., (eds.) Basingstoke/New York:Palgrave, 2001 (with F. Sauer)

"The Role of System Dynamics in Strategy Evaluation : A Consultant’s View" In Applied Simulation and System Dynamics, Moscardini, A. O. and Fletcher, E. J. (eds.), Northallerton: Emjoc Press, 1990

Conference Papers

Keynote Conference Addresses

"Systems thinking and modelling interventions in complex problem areas: Park the dogma at the door!", 40th. Anniversary Conference of the OR Society of New Zealand, Wellington, December 2005, pp 1-9

"Coping with the challenges of the new economy: Integrating innovation and organisational effectiveness", 6th. International Research Conference on Quality, Innovation and Knowledge Management, Kuala Lumpur, February 2002 (CD-Rom)

"System dynamics: From theory to practice", International Conference on Systems Thinking in Management, Geelong, Australia, November 2000 (CD-Rom)

Personal

Reports & invited lectures

UN Expert report:
"Program for the Balanced Development of the Bulgarian Economy", United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO Project BUL/87/003), Vienna, 1990

Profiles

Emeritus Professor

Plymouth Business School (Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business)