Background

Profile

I collaborate with the Associate Dean of Education to lead student recruitment efforts for both undergraduate and postgraduate programs, ensuring the School meets its enrollment targets effectively.

As the former Degree Programme Director for the full-time MBA, I managed a high-profile, externally accredited academic program that spanned multiple schools. My responsibilities included enhancing organisational, structural, and cultural aspects to achieve high levels of student and staff satisfaction. In July 2023, we successfully secured external re-accreditation for the maximum period of five years without any conditions.

My primary research interest lies in Realising Digital Value. My work contributes to and builds upon contemporary theories through a combination of qualitative methods (including ethnography, observational, and longitudinal case studies) and quantitative approaches (such as surveys of NHS Trusts and Association for Project Management Corporates). Additionally, my research explores the sociotechnical and material nature of digital innovation, particularly in the context of technical repair work. This research has significantly impacted both the public (health and social care) and private (energy) sectors by facilitating improved approaches to realising value from digital transformation.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Co-Director for Student Recruitment
• Former Degree Programme Director for the full-time MBA

Qualifications

• BSc and MA in Business and Information Technology with First class honors from Trinity College Dublin
• MSc in Innovation, Creativity and Entrepreneurship with Distinction from Newcastle University Business School
• PhD in Information Systems Management from Northumbria University
• The Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland (formerly ICSA) Foundation Programme

Previous Positions

• Lecturer in Information Systems and Project Management, Northumbria University
• Research Fellow, Business School, Durham University
• Research Internship, Centre for Knowledge, Innovation, Technology and Enterprise
• School Manager, Trinity College Dublin

Awards*

• Nominated for Teaching Award and Supervision Award from Newcastle University's Education Awards
• Teaching Award from Northumbria University
• Awarded a competitive bursary from the Northeast Regional Development Agency to complete an industrial project and study for the award of MSc in Innovation, Creativity and Entrepreneurship at Newcastle University Business School. My research examined the effects of new workplace technologies on the work of technical repair engineers. The results of this project were presented in a report to the participating organisation and shortlisted for a regional award. A new nationwide coaching programme was implemented as a direct result of the research.
• Rising Star Award, North East Recognition Awards
• Runner Up, Blueprint Business Awards
• Winner, TEDCO Business Awards

* (for research awards please see Research)

Memberships

• Member of the British Computer Society (BCS)
• Associate Member of the Association for Project Management (APM)
• Former Member of the APM Benefits and Value Management Specific Interest Group and former co-opted member of the APM North East Branch

Google Scholar: Click here.

Research

Current Work

I am currently working with health and care professionals to co-create a democratised and relational approach for Realising Digital Value from investments in digital transformation initiatives.

Main Expertise

My current research focuses on evaluating digital technologies, understanding emerging work practices, and realising digital value. This research has led to the development and implementation of improved approaches, including the creation of a Realising Digital Value Playbook.

I am an active member of the Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Digital Business research community at the Business School.

Funding Awarded

• £208k Innovate UK for a Management Knowledge Transfer Partnership with Ethical Healthcare Limited to develop and sustain a management capability in realising digital value.
• £5k from Digital Innovation in the Curricula Fund in 2023 to co-design and deliver a Digital Service Jam with Thoughtworks and PROTO as part of the new Digital Transformation for Social Good module on the MSc in Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Sustainability programme.
• £5k from the SAGE Faculty Business Engagement Fund in 2023 to test and evaluate the use of the Realising Digital Value Playbook.
• £5k from Digital Innovation in the Curricula Fund in 2022 to re-design the Digital Business module on the full-time MBA programme to incorporate contemporary approaches to digital transformation, including no-code/low-code applications development.
• £2.3k from the HaSS Higher Education Innovation Fund in 2022 to develop an impact programme to support the dissemination, adoption and evolution of the Realising Digital Value Playbook.
• £5k from the Association for Project Management in 2021 for the second phase of a research project investigating the enablers and barriers to adoption of benefits realisation management practices amongst APM corporate members.
• £5k from the Institute for Social Sciences Pioneers Fund in 2020 to co-develop a Realising Digital Value Playbook.
• £5.6k ESRC Innovation Fellowship in 2019 to undertake a twenty-day secondment with the Association for Project Management to evaluate the effectiveness of existing surveys in development knowledge and understanding about benefits realisation management practices.
• £8.7k from the ESRC Impact Acceleration Award to co-develop a digital realisation strategy and toolkit specifically around Open Source innovations.
• £5k from NHS Digital match funding to support the co-development of a digital realisation strategy and toolkit specifically around Open Source innovations.

Future Research

I am keen to work with organisations interested in developing their capability around realising value from digital transformation.

Postgraduate Supervision

I currently supervise six PhD students. Research topics include technology innovation, consumer relationships with artificial intelligence, identity work in policing, agile project management in the public sector and enterprise risk management.

Esteem Indicators

• Member of the British Computer Society
• Member of the Association of Project Management (APM)
• Prior member of the APM Benefits Management & Value Special Interest Group. Please see blog at https://www.apm.org.uk/blog/investing-in-change-top-tips-for-delivering-value-for-money/
• Reviewer for Work, Employment and Society and Information Management
• Guest Speaker at HMRC
• Co-development of engagement, cross-fertilisation and enrichment activities with the National Innovation Centre for Data

Industry Relevance

Current and past research has directly impacted the work and organisation of professionals involved in digital transformation. Predominantly in the public sector but my research and impact extends to the private industry including a national utility company, an accountancy practice and management consultancy.

Media Appearances

Open to commenting on digital transformation projects, particularly in the public sector. I spoke about the development of the NHS Covid-19 App in the Business School's Podcast series in 2020.

You can find me quizzing the Directors of Strategy and Technology at the National Innovation Centre for Data as part of the Enterprise Academy Insights Talks on YouTube.

Teaching

Main Expertise

• Director of Student Recruitment

I am module leader on the following postgraduate modules:

• NBS8628 Digital Transformation for Social Good
• NBS8263 Realising Digital Value

I am a Guest Lecturer for the University of Bristol's MSc in Healthcare Management.

Publications

• Articles

  • Alabed A, Javornik A, Gregory-Smith D, Casey R. More than just a chat: a taxonomy of consumers’ relationships with conversational AI agents and their well-being implications. European Journal of Marketing 2024, 58(2), 373-409.
  • Casey R, Ivory C, Walsh L. Failure to realise benefits from digital transformation: Towards a relational ontology of Benefits Realisation Management . Information & Organization 2023. Submitted.
  • Ivory C, Sherratt F, Casey R, Watson K. Getting caught between discourse(s): Hybrid choices in technology use at work. New Technology, Work and Employment 2020, 35(1), 80-96.
  • Waring T, Casey R, Robson A. Benefits realisation from IT-enabled innovation: A capability challenge for NHS English acute hospital trusts?. Information Technology and People 2018, 31(3), 618-645.
  • Waring T, Robson A, Casey R. Benefits Realisation in Acute Hospitals in England – A Strategic Management Perspective. Open Access Evidence Based Information Systems Journal 2015, 1.
  • vandenBorn A, vanWitteloostuijn A, Barlage M, Sapulete S, vandenOord A, Rogiest S, Casey R. Policing opportunities and threats in Europe. Journal of Organizational Change Management 2013, 26(5), 811-829.

• Conference Proceedings (inc. Abstracts)

  • Casey R, Small A, Wainwright D. Value Realisation, Problem Structuring and Multimethodology in Practice. In: The Operational Research Society’s Annual Conference. 2022, University of Warwick: The Operational Research Society.
  • AlAbed A, Javornik A, Gregory-Smith D, Casey R. I and AI: Towards a Typology of Relationships between the Self and Anthropomorphised AI. In: Proceedings of the European Marketing Academy 51st. 2022, Budapest: European Marketing Academy.
  • Mackenzie E, Wilson R, Go Jefferies J, Casey R, Martin M. Governing through neutrality: critiquing discourses of 'patient centred care' and 'integrated care' in the English NHS. In: 11th International Critical Management Studies Conference: Precarious Presents, Open Futures. 2019, Milton Keynes: The Open Univeristy.
  • Casey R. Exploring the use and usefulness of a co-produced toolkit to value open source innovation. In: Health Policy & Politics Network Annual Conference. 2019, Green Templeton College Oxford.
  • Ivory C, Casey R, Watson K. The role of mobile phones in repair worker communities of practice. In: 27th European Regional International Telecommunication Society Conference. 2016, Anglia Ruskin University.
  • Casey R. Realising benefits from Information Technology: Emerging findings from an NHS Trust. In: 10th Annual Ethnography Symposium. 2015, University of Liverpool.
  • Casey R, Wainwright D, Waring T. Benefits Realisation of Information Technology in the National Health Service: A Paradigmatic Review. In: 9th European Conference on IS Management and Evaluation (ECIME 2015). 2015, University of West England, UK: Academic Conferences and Publishing International Limited.
  • Casey R, Waring T, Wainwright D. Benefits realisation of Information Technology in the National Health Service: A paradigmatic review. In: 9th European Conference on Information Systems Management and Evaluation. 2015, University of the West of England, Bristol: Academic Conferences and Publishing Limited.

• Digital or Visual Media

  • Casey R, Wainwright D. Realising Digital Value Infographic. ESRC Impact Acceleration Award, 2023.

• Online Publication

  • Wilson R, Mackenzie E, Go-Jefferies J, Casey R, Martin M. Advancing Innovation with Managers in the NHS organisational environment (AIMING) project. NHS North of England Commissioning Support Unit (NECS), 2017. Available at: http://www.necsu.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/AIMING-Report-December-2017.pdf.

• Reports

  • Casey R. Exploring how to design an effective survey on Benefits Management. Association for Project Management, 2019.
  • Casey R, McClorey L, Wyeth M. Association for Project Management (APM) Benefits and Value Specific Interest Group (SIG) Research Report on the impact of webinar based professional development “Does webinar-based professional development affect knowledge and behaviour?”. Newcastle: Newcastle University, 2019.