Dr Marisa Smith
Reader
Hunter Centre for Entrepreneurship, Strategy and Innovation
Personal statement
Marisa has a Masters in Engineering from the University of Strathclyde in Manufacturing Engineering and Management. She also has a PhD from the University of Strathclyde in Innovation Management in Service Operations. Her doctoral research concentrated on contact centre operations, in particular how to influence innovation and change in contact centres. She has carried out case studies with a number of different contact centres within the UK, to understand how their characteristics impact on their capacity to innovate. Marisa has an interest in service innovation and her background as a manufacturing engineer in Rolls-Royce allows her to examine the differences between manufacturing and service environments. She has published in international journals in the areas of innovation and the transference of manufacturing best practice into service companies. Marisa also has direct knowledge transfer experience of implementing improvements into service based organisation.
The main aims of my research so far have focused on understanding innovative behaviours in organisations and the factors which influence these behaviours. My research interests are varied due to the wide range of factors which can influence innovative behaviours such as strategy, performance measurement, knowledge management, creativity but the focus always come back to how do these subjects influence an organisations ability to innovate.
In general my research adopts a participative case study approach using a qualitative methodology usually through the use of interviews, observations or workshops to get to the heart of the issue under investigation.
Drawing on her research and knowledge exchange work, Marisa is continually seeking to make her teaching relevant to the managers of the future. She also brings in fun aspects to her classes including the use of games and new technology to support the learning process. Marisa also supervises a wide range of dissertation students including UG, PG, MBA and executive MBA.
Area of Expertise
- Innovation Management
- Strategy Making
- Operations Management
Prize And Awards
Publications
- Neurodiversity meets flexible work : how do they interact?
- Smith Marisa
- 85th Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management (2025)
- https://doi.org/10.5465/AMPROC.2025.11487symposium
- Disabled voices - a review and analysis of disability inclusion within management studies
- Smith Marisa, Godwin Eun Sun, Caldwell Nigel
- BAM 2024: 38th Annual Conference of the British Academy of Management (2024)
- Disability & Inclusion Consultancy (spin-out)
- Butler Joanna, Smith Marisa, Remnant Jennifer
- (2024)
- Building analytical framework for research on Inclusive Digitalisation for disabled people and work : application of socio-material approach
- Godwin Eun Sun, Smith Marisa
- 14th Organizations, Artifacts & Practices (OAP) workshop (2024)
- Crafting strategic responses to ecosystem dynamics in manufacturing
- Ates Aylin, Paton Steve, Sminia Harry, Smith Marisa
- Technological Forecasting and Social Change Vol 194 (2023)
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2023.122727
- Making sense of high value manufacturing : relating policy and theory
- Paton Steve, Ates Aylin, Sminia Harry, Smith Marisa
- Production Planning and Control Vol 34, pp. 359-370 (2023)
- https://doi.org/10.1080/09537287.2021.1922777
Teaching
- Innovation
- Strategy
- Research methodology
Research Interests
- Innovation
- High Value Manufacturing
Professional Activities
- Documentary Screening - "Unfiltered: Life as Neurodivergent Entrepreneurs"
- Contributor
- 19/3/2026
- Response to UK Parliament Call for Evidence
- Contributor
- 19/2/2026
- Response to call for evidence - DWP Young People and Work
- Contributor
- 30/1/2026
- University Of Strathclyde (Organisational unit)
- Member
- 9/4/2025
- British Academy of Management Knowledge and Education (MKE) Teaching Practice Conference
- Participant
- 2025
- Disabled voices: disability inclusion within management studies
- Speaker
- 10/2024
Projects
- Iberdrola MBA - Co-Delivery with Comillas Pontifical University
- Smith, Marisa (Principal Investigator) Jefferson, Lucy (Co-investigator)
- 01-Jan-2025 - 31-Jan-2026
- Beyon Navigate Leadership Development Programme
- Smith, Marisa (Principal Investigator) Jefferson, Lucy (Co-investigator)
- 01-Jan-2025 - 30-Jan-2026
- TIC LCPE AM-15 Independent Academic Review of AI Utilisation Practices at ScottishPower
- Revie, Matthew (Principal Investigator) Brown, Blair David (Co-investigator) Smith, Marisa (Co-investigator)
- 01-Jan-2025 - 31-Jan-2026
- ESRC Impact Acceleration Account "building neuroinclusivity in the entrepreneurial ecosystem"
- Casulli, Lucrezia (Principal Investigator) Achlada, Yolanda (Post Grad Student) Mawson, Suzanne (Co-investigator) Smith, Marisa (Co-investigator) Taylor, Helen (Co-investigator)
- A series of events involving multiple stakeholders to promote neurodiverse needs in engaging with entrepreneurial activity
- 06-Jan-2025 - 30-Jan-2025
- Evaluating the Impact of Coaching and Mentoring in Business Education: A Pilot Study on Personal and Professional Leadership Development (PPLD)
- Butler, Joanna (Principal Investigator) Smith, Marisa (Principal Investigator)
- The Personal and Professional Leadership Development (PPLD) initiative will provide coaching, mentoring, and workshops to MBA students and alumni throughout the 24/25 academic year. This project aims to evaluate PPLD's impact on participants' leadership development.
Success will be measured on both individual and institutional levels. Individually, success will be reflected in measurable advancements in leadership skills, self-awareness, and career-related progress, such as securing internships and job offers. Programme impact will also be gauged by increased student engagement, positive feedback, and improved retention, reflecting an enriched student experience.
At the institutional level, PPLD aligns with the university’s goals of fostering career readiness, providing high-quality student support, and promoting holistic development. Integrated with professional modules like SLD, the programme aims to create a diverse, inclusive environment that supports all students' needs, ultimately contributing to their academic, professional, and personal growth. - 11-Jan-2024 - 01-Jan-2026
- Neurodiversity and Teaching Excellence: Improving the outcomes and employability prospects of Breaking Barriers graduates
- Tomazos, Konstantinos (Principal Investigator) Bourkel, Tom (Co-investigator) Smith, Marisa (Co-investigator) Mcdougall, Natalie (Co-investigator)
- The main aim of this project is to explore ways to improve student experience by better understanding the needs of people with neurodiversity
- 01-Jan-2024
Contact
Dr
Marisa
Smith
Reader
Hunter Centre for Entrepreneurship, Strategy and Innovation
Email: m.k.smith@strath.ac.uk
Tel: 548 3146