Discussion Papers Editor,
The Innovation Journal

After completing a BSc (Hons) in Civil and Environmental Engineering, in 1977, at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Ken conducted his PhD research into the use of mathematical modelling in determining sampling strategies for pollution monitoring and in setting discharge consents. Some of this research was conducted on behalf of the UK Department of the Environment. He was awarded his PhD in 1982. Also at Newcastle University, he was employed as a specialist adviser to the House of Lords on Hazardous Waste disposal.

In 1988, Ken completed an MBA at London Business School (LBS) whilst working in the pharmaceutical industry and was a research fellow in Operations Management at LBS from 1988 to 1991. He was then employed by the UK Employment Service as a Principal Officer to promote greater alignment between the strategy of the executive agency and the appraisal scheme for senior managers. Ken introduced innovations in the action research approach taken, including defining unique contributions of roles in line with key success factors for the organisation and building objective setting in line with implementing new policies etc and closing performance gaps. Following this assignment, Ken worked for the Central Government Team of KPMG Peat Marwick before joining Bristol Business School (BBS) in 1994. The key aspect of work with KPMG was in assisting clients to achieve greater alignment between pay, appraisal and development schemes. As an example Critical Incident technique was used to develop competence frameworks.

Alongside his role as Director of MBA Programmes at BBS, Ken works closely with Professor Tony Bovaird and Dr Elke Loeffler in public sector research. Two recent examples of work in this field are:

Tony Bovaird, Ken Russell, Elke Loeffler and Lucy Gaster, 2002. Civil Service Reform Case Studies: Final Report. (Published on Cabinet Office Web Site at http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/reform/publications.htm)

Russell, K, Rippin, A. and Bovaird, T. 2001.
"Strategic change at the public-private interface: does competition enhance innovation in public services?" Paper presented at British Academy of Management, September 5-7th 2001, Cardiff.

In his teaching, Ken has run a very successful MBA Consultancy module where students work intensively on real client problems. As part of our engagement with the local community these projects have mainly been with not-for-profit organisations and has included working with HM Customs and Excise.

Ken can be contacted at Bristol Business School as follows:

Telephone: +44 (0) 117 344 3417
E-mail: Ken2.Russell@uwe.ac.uk
Fax: +44 (0) 117 344 2289
Post: Dr Ken Russell
Bristol Business School
University of the West of England
Frenchay Campus
Coldharbour Lane
Bristol
England
BS16 1QY

Updated 28/02/03