Eric Clinton
DR
Eric Clinton is an Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship at DCU Business School and Director of the DCU National Centre for Family Business. Eric is a Visiting Professor at Babson College, USA and the University of Valencia, Spain. He received his PhD in Entrepreneurship from the Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School UCD. His research interests are primarily concerned with strategic entrepreneurial practices in multi-generational family firms. In one stream of research, Eric explores how family influences entrepreneurial activity in the firm ranging from portfolio activity, communication practices, to engaging the next generation. In another stream of research, Eric investigates how past experiences in the family firm influence future strategic behaviour. In particular the influence of imprinting, legacy, entrepreneurial learning and long-term strategic thinking. This research has been published in leading international journals such as the Journal of Management Studies; Entrepreneurship Theory & Practice; Academy of Management Annals; Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal; Academy of Management Review; Family Business Review and Entrepreneurship & Regional Development.
His work is also regularly presented at leading international conferences such as the Academy of Management Conference, Babson College Entrepreneurship Research Conference and the Strategic Management Society. His research has been funded by the European Union, Irish Research Council (IRC), Family Firm Institute (FFI) and Institute for Family Business (IFB). In 2021/2022, Eric was awarded a visiting research fellowship to the Family Owned Business Institute (FOBI) at Grand Rapids University Michigan USA. Eric’s work on imprinting processes in family firms was awarded the FFI’s best unpublished paper award. Demonstrating the practical relevance of his research Eric has worked with family businesses in over 25 countries globally. Eric is a principal investigator in the STEP Project, the largest family business research project globally. He serves on the editorial review board of Family Business Review, Entrepreneurship & Regional Development and International Small Business Journal. Eric teaches in the area of entrepreneurship and innovation. His commitment to teaching excellence was rewarded in his receipt of the President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching (2015), Teaching Hero Award (2021) and the winner of the prestigious international Innovation & Entrepreneurship Teaching Excellence Awards in Jyväskylä, Finland (2016), and the International Council for Small Business Entrepreneurship Education Excellence Award in Gwangju, South Korea (2023).
Eric is open to receiving applications from prospective Master, PhD or Postdoctoral researchers in the areas of family business, entrepreneurship, or strategic management.
Peer Reviewed Journal
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | McAdam, M., Clinton, E., Hamilton, E., & Gartner, W. B. (2025) 'How Family Business Practices are Created, Maintained, and Transformed Across Generations from a Community of Practice Lens'. ENTREPRENEURSHIP & REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT, . | |
| 2024 | Faherty, C., & Clinton, E. (2024) 'Speaking Up to the Boss: The Effects of TMT Members' Felt Trust and Perceived CEO Trustworthiness on Voice Behavior in Family Firms'. Journal of Management Studies, . | |
| 2024 | Clay, D.; Gamble, J.,; Clinton, E.,; Sherlock., C. (2024) 'Family Firm Innovativeness: An Investigation of Family Governance, Commitment, and Generation Involvement'. ENTREPRENEURSHIP & REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT, . | |
| 2024 | Diaz-Moriana, V.; Clinton, E.; Kammerlander, N. (2024) 'Untangling Goal Tensions in Family Firms: A Sensemaking Approach'. Journal of Management Studies, 61 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2023 | O'Donnell, P.; Leger, M.; O'Gorman, C.; Clinton, E. (2023) 'Necessity Entrepreneurship'. Academy of Management Annals, . [DOI] | |
| 2023 | Lyons, R.; Ahmed, F; Clinton, E.; O'Gorman, C.; Gillanders, R. (2023) 'The impact of parental emotional support on the succession intentions of next-generation family business members'. ENTREPRENEURSHIP & REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT, . | |
| 2023 | Clinton, E. (2023) 'Transgenerational entrepreneurship- managing the good and not so good of an entrepreneurial legacy. A multi-voiced account of family entrepreneuring research ideas'. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour and Research, . | |
| 2023 | McAdam, M., Clinton, E., Hamilton, E., & Gartner, W. (2023) 'Learning in a Family Business Through Intermarriage: A Rhetorical History Perspective'. Family Business Review, . | |
| 2023 | Brophy, M.; McAdam, M.; Clinton, E. (2023) 'Vying For And Forgoing Visibility: Female Next Gen Leaders In Family Business With Male Successors'. International Journal of Gender and Entrepreneurship, . | |
| 2021 | O'Donnell, P.; O'Gorman, C.; Clinton, E. (2021) 'Rethinking the 'Necessity' in Necessity Entrepreneurship'. Academy of Management Review, . [DOI] | |
| 2021 | Gamble, J.R.; Clinton, E.; Díaz-Moriana, V. (2021) 'Broadening the business model construct: Exploring how family-owned SMEs co-create value with external stakeholders'. Journal of Business Research, 130 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2021 | Clinton, E.; McAdam, M.; Gamble, J.R.; Brophy, M. (2021) 'Entrepreneurial learning: the transmitting and embedding of entrepreneurial behaviours within the transgenerational entrepreneurial family'. Entrepreneurship and Regional Development, 33 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2020 | Maura, Maura,Eric, Eric,Clay, Clay (2020) 'Navigation of the paradoxical landscape of the family business'. International Small Business Journal, 38 . | |
| 2020 | Diaz-Moriana, V.; Clinton, E.; Kammerlander, N.; Lumpkin, G.T.; Craig, J.B. (2020) 'Innovation Motives in Family Firms: A Transgenerational View'. Entrepreneurship: Theory and Practice, 44 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2019 | Casillas, J.C.; Moreno-Menéndez, A.M.; Barbero, J.L.; Clinton, E. (2019) 'Retrenchment Strategies and Family Involvement: The Role of Survival Risk'. Family Business Review, 32 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2019 | Vershinina, N.; Rodgers, P.; Mcadam, M.; Clinton, E. (2019) 'Transnational migrant entrepreneurship, gender and family business'. GLOBAL NETWORKS-A JOURNAL OF TRANSNATIONAL AFFAIRS, 19 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2018 | Clinton, E.; McAdam, M.; Gamble, J.R. (2018) 'Transgenerational entrepreneurial family firms: An examination of the business model construct'. Journal of Business Research, 90 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2016 | Clinton, E.; Craig, J.B.; Diaz-Moriana, V.; Faherty, C.M. (2016) 'Big boots to fill—the next generation continuing differently'. International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, 17 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2016 | Clinton, E (2016) 'Book Review: Human Resources in the Family Business- Maximizing the Power of your People'. IRISH JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT, . | |
| 2017 | Clinton, E.; Faherty, C.M.; Diaz-Moriana, V.; Craig, J.B. (2017) 'Glennon Brothers: Old Dogs Need to Learn New Tricks'. Entrepreneurship: Theory and Practice, 41 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2015 | Colm, Colm,M, M,E, E (2015) 'Teeling Whiskey Company: A Tradition of Family Entrepreneurship and Whiskey Distilling'. International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, 16 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2014 | Sciascia, S., Clinton, E., Nason, R., James, A., & Rivera, A (2014) 'Family Communication and Innovativeness in Family Firms'. Family Relations, 62 :429-442. | |
| 2013 | Eric, Eric,Salvatore, Salvatore,Rishi, Rishi,Frank, Frank (2013) 'Resource Acquisition in Family Firms: The Role of Family Influenced Human and Social Capital'. ENTREPRENEURSHIP RESEARCH JOURNAL, 3 . [DOI] | |
| 2011 | Eric, Eric,R, R,P, P,T, T (2011) 'Portfolio Entrepreneurship in Family Firms: A Resource Based Perspective'. Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal, . |