Michele O'Sullivan

Ms.

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Qualifications include a PhD (an action research study of a social enterprise as it evolved from an idea to successful implementation), an MSc in Strategic Management, and a Business Studies Degree (Marketing). Employment experience includes 18 years in financial services, of which ten were in strategic development roles; over ten years as Director and then General Manager in a volunteer- led new model of social enterprise in school age childcare, and over 5 years experience in lecturing at third level. 
Teaching: Modules I have delivered include: Market Feasibility Research, Applied Marketing Research, Practical Research Methods, Innovation and New Product Development Studies, Creativity and Discovery, Marketing Management (all at DCU) Operations and Supply Chain Management (UCD), Irish Social Policy in Early Years Education and Practical HR Research Methods - CIPD in HR (NCI).
Research and Innovation: In addition to research in industry, my research includes exploration of how the rhetoric of theory, policy and/or strategy is applied locally, and how research can both inform, and  be informed by, action, for example:
  • The reality of parents as partners (primary school level) compared to the rhetoric set out in the Education Act, 1999, utilising a Learning Organisation framework.
  • An action research study of the development of a social enterprise in school age childcare.
  • The overlapping relationship between the business and social/educational elements of childcare.
  • A review of social partnership and its role in the development of childcare in Ireland.
  • The emergence of childcare in Ireland with an emphasis on school age childcare.
  • Evaluation of the introduction of e-portfolios as a method of learning and assessment.

Conference Publication

Year Publication
2009 O'Sullivan,M.;Fitzgerald,E. (2009) Campus Engage International Conference Civic Engagement in Practice: An action research collaboration in the development of a social enterprise Republic of Ireland,
2018 Michele O'Sullivan and Geraldine Lavin (2018) E-Portfolios and more: the developing role of e-portfolios within the digital landscape Introducing e-portfolios as a method of assessment Special Conference Edition, CRA/AAEEBL, DCU, Dublin, 23/05/2018- 25/05/2018 Link

Book Chapter

Year Publication
2018 Michele O'Sullivan (2018) 'Business' In: Dublin : ePortfolio Ireland;NIDL; TL National Forum; DCU. Link
2017 O'Sullivan, M. (2017) 'Reflections on a Social Innovation in School Age Childcare' In: Dublin : Glasnevin Publishing.

Conference Contribution

Year Publication
2018 Michele O'Sullivan (2018) Voicing and Valuing: Daring and Doing CARN 2018 Edgehill University/Friends Meeting House, Manchester, UK, .
2018 O'Sullivan, M. (2018) Developing Leadership through Action Research 8th International Action Research Colloquium 2018. ARGI UCD, Dublin, 28/06/2018-29/06/2018.
2018 O'Sullivan, M. (2018) TEL Quality Matters - People, Policies and Practices EdTech 2018 IT Carlow, 31/05/2018-01/06/2018.
2018 O'Sullivan, M. and Lavin, G. (2018) ePortfolios and more: the developing role of ePortfolios within the digital landscape CRA/AAEEBL DCU, 23/05/2018-25/05/2018.
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Research Interests

These include action research as a methodology in enterprise development; leadership and deliberative problem-solving in action research contexts; the play between policy rhetoric and local reality in education and childcare, including social partnership and school partnership; innovation and strategy in the context of (1) commercial entities, and 2) social enterprise and social economy; marketing and strategic management in different contexts.