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Staff Profile

Dr Arturo Vega Pinedo

Lecturer in Innovation, Technology and Policy. Director of the MSc in Digital Business programmes.

Background

PhD (innovation policy), MBA, PG Cert (HE), PG Cert (Mktg), Electronic Eng, Cert (IS), BEng 

Academic Profile

I obtained a PhD at Lancaster University Management School on public policies for technology innovation in SMEs. My research has been awarded by the Institute of Small Business and Entrepreneurship (ISBE) and has been selected to be published in the special issue of world-top conferences -Engage Higher Education Institutions (Engage HEI) and International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP). I have developed an emerging portfolio of publications in high-impact/top-ranked journals of the Association of Business Schools (ABS) classification- on disrupting themes affecting units of analysis, topics, theories and methodological approaches in whole research areas. Also, my teaching has been consistently rated by the students as one of the best over the years in the Business School. Finally, I'm director of the MSc in Digital Business programmes for more than 5.5 years with exceptional results in terms of programme design, recruitment, student satisfaction and employability. Prior to joining Newcastle University I worked as a senior lecturer at Canterbury Christ Church University Business School and research associate at Lancaster University Management School. 

Fellow of Advance HE.

Industry Profile

I have almost 10 years of rich experience in multinational corporations, including Oracle, IBM, Philips and Unibanca. My international exposure embraces long stays in the United Kingdom, Spain, Mexico and Peru. I have worked in very diverse areas, including my last leadership role as a principal consultant. My background in industry has given me well-founded knowledge of practically all the organisational innovation process (strategy and innovation definition, project design, selection of products and suppliers, implementation, change management, training, support and evaluation) as well as all the business functions (procurement, logistics, inventory, production and operations, sales and marketing, customer service, and accounting and finance) in different industries. During my stay at Oracle, my teams secured around eight 6-digit-dollar contracts in business software. For this reason, I was a member of the Oracle Excellence Club in two opportunities and travelled to San Juan (Puerto Rico) and Las Vegas (USA) for the awards. I have also written several articles for newspapers and specialised magazines, and given interviews to the media.

Languages: English and Spanish.

Research

Research Profile

My research is on innovation, technology and policy in society as main drivers for competitive advantage and economic development.

My specific research areas are the following:

  • Analysis and design of systems of innovation/entrepreneurship (e.g. ecosystems) in countries, regions, industries, and technological sectors.
  • Knowledge exchange and impact activities of higher education institutions.
  • Formulation, administration, implementation, and evaluation of enterprise-related policies, including science, technology, innovation, and SME policies.
  • Innovation in small and medium enterprise (SME) and start-up sectors, including digital innovation.
  • Philosophy (especially critical realism), transdisciplinarity and methodological pluralism in business studies.

Prospective PhD students

I welcome enquiries from prospective students wishing to undertake doctoral studies under my supervision. The topic areas in which I am prone to develop PhD proposals are any of the ones mentioned above, but we could shape them according to your interests.

Feel free to contact me should you wish to explore the possibility of working together. I would also strongly recommend applying as early as possible to not lose the deadline for relevant scholarships. Before formally applying, the trick is to construct and then email to me (arturo.vega@newcastle.ac.uk) no more than a six-page summary of your proposed work, plus a full list of references.

Teaching

Teaching Profile

The modules I teach are very popular and consistently receive some of the best feedback from the students in the Business School. My teaching has five core characteristics. Firstly, as a consequence of the transdisciplinary nature of my research, I have been involved in courses as diverse as information systems, innovation, international entrepreneurship, strategic management, consultancy projects and public policies. Secondly, my teaching is strongly informed by research. This is instrumental to include topics that really matter in the syllabus of the courses and the content of the sessions. Thirdly, my work in industry has equipped me with relevant experience to base my teaching largely on practice. The aim is to make students reflect on real situations in order to make sense and interiorise theoretical concepts. Importantly, my industrial background has also been fundamental for the delivery of executive education to senior professionals. Fourthly, my degree in higher education has given me knowledge of different concepts and techniques which nurture my planning and daily teaching activities. For example, educational aims, learning styles, student-centred learning, assessment-driven learning, project-based learning, e-learning and multimedia, brainstorming and discussion groups, and feedback types. Fifthly, all the design and execution of my teaching put strong emphasis on employability, including special activities, sessions and coaching about that. 

Responsibilities

  • Director of the MSc in Digital Business programmes.
  • Supervision of PhD, MSc and BSc research projects.
  • Currently, teaching courses related to information systems, strategy, technology, and employability.
  • Previously, teaching courses related to innovation, international entrepreneurship, policy and consulting.
Publications