Staff Profile
Professor James Cunningham
Prof of Entrepreneurship & Innovation
James A. Cunningham is a Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Newcastle University Business School, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom and is an affiliated member of the Centre for Innovation Research at Lund University, Sweden. Professor Cunningham’s research intersects the fields of entrepreneurship, innovation, and strategic management. His research focuses on strategy issues with respect to scientists as principal investigators, university technology transfer commercialization, academic, public sector and technology entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial universities, entrepreneurial ecosystems and business failure.
His has papers published in leading international journals such as Research Policy, Small Business Economics, R&D Management, International Small Business Journal, Entrepreneurship and Regional Development, Long Range Planning, Journal of Small Business Management, Journal of Technology Transfer, Technological Forecasting and Social Change, International Marketing Management, Journal of Business Research and the Journal of Rural Studies among others. Awards for his research include seven best paper conference awards and two case study international competition awards.
My research interests intersect the fields of entrepreneurship, innovation, and strategic management. My current research focus is on three main themes:
Academic Entrepreneurship and University Technology Transfer
Some issues of current issues of focus include the role of scientists in the principal investigator an how do they shaping science, markets and society? What is the impact orientation of scientists in the principal investigator role? How scientists in the principal investigator role create and capture value for diverse stakeholders? How scientists engage with entrepreneurial ecosystems and other stakeholders in commercialising their research?
Entrepreneurial University
As universities are extending their mission focus to technology and knowledge transfer some issues of current focus include business models, missions and drivers of entrepreneurial universities. The organisational structures, strategies and entrepreneurial architecture that entrepreneurial universities adapt to realise their mission focus in different contextual settings. How do entrepreneurial universities engage formally and informally with civic and societal issues? What is the role and capabilities of technology transfer offices in supporting entrepreneurial university mission expansion?
Entrepreneurial Ecosystems, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Policies
Different actors contribute to the development of entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystems and as such how do these ecosystems evolve overtime? What tensions emerge among ecosystems actors over the stage of entrepreneurship? What is the economic, technological and social impact of entrepreneurial ecosystems? What governance systems are used to support ecosystem evolution? What is the impact of entrepreneurship, innovation and technology policies? What is role of public sector R&D in realising innovation and technology policies?
James teaches on NBS8621 and also supervises MSc dissertations.
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Articles
- Yang L, Lin Z, Quan R, Cunningham J, Huang W. Internal R&D or external asset growth? A closer look at CEO narcissism and entrepreneurial orientation. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research 2024, 30(1), 110-127.
- Giazitzoglu A, Volery T, Cunningham J, Musu A, Bianchi C. Business in the backwaters: how ‘distance from the core’ impacts entrepreneurs’ lived experiences. Entrepreneurship & Regional Development 2024, epub ahead of print.
- Buratti M, Cantner U, Cunningham JA, Lehmann E, Menter M. The dynamics of entrepreneurial ecosystems: an empirical investigation. R&D Management 2023, 53(4), 656-674.
- Cunningham J, Foncubierta-Rodríguez M, Martín-Alcázar F, Perea-Vicente J. R&D Leadership Styles and Behaviors: A Review and Research Agenda. IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management 2023, 71, 10314-10340.
- Amankwah-Amoah J, Nyuur RB, Hinson RE, Kosiba JP, Al-Tabbaa O, Cunningham JA. Entrepreneurial strategic posture and new technology ventures in an emerging economy. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior and Research 2023, 29(2), 385-407.
- Walsh GS, Cunningham JA. Business failure and entrepreneur experiences of passion. International Small Business Journal: Researching Entrepreneurship 2023, 42(3).
- Pattinson S, Damij N, El Maalouf N, Bazi S, Elsahn Z, Hilliard R, Cunningham J. Building green innovation networks for people, planet, and profit: A multi-level, multi-value approach. Industrial Marketing Management 2023, 115, 408-420.
- Vega A, Gabbioneta C, Osorio C, Cunningham J. A Micro-Level Study of Research Impact and Motivational Diversity. The Journal of Technology Transfer 2024, 49, 1303-1346.
- Pattinson S, Cunningham J, Preece D, Davies MAP. Trust building in science-based SMEs in the North East of England: an ecosystem perspective. Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development 2022, 29(6), 902-919.
- Albats E, Alexander AT, Cunnningham JA. Traditional, virtual, and digital intermediaries in university-industry collaboration: exploring institutional logics and bounded rationality. Technological Forecasting and Social Change 2022, 177, 121470.
- Cunningham JA, Lehmann EE, Menter M. The organizational architecture of entrepreneurial universities across the stages of entrepreneurship: a conceptual framework. Small Business Economics 2022, 59, 11-27.
- O'Kane C, Zhang JA, Haar J, Cunningham JA. How scientists interpret and address funding criteria: value creation and undesirable side effects. Small Business Economics 2023, 61, 799-826.
- Harr J, O'Kane C, Cunningham JA. Firm-level antecedents and consequences of knowledge hiding climate. Journal of Business Research 2022, 141, 410-421.
- Messina L, Miller K, Cunningham JA, McAdam R, Hewitt-Dundas N. Exploring the influence of innovativeness on the pace of internationalisation of University Spin-Outs: A Born Global Perspective. Studies in Higher Education 2022, 47(10), 2071-2087.
- Pattinson S, Cunningham JA. Entrepreneurship in Times of Crisis. International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation 2022, 23(3), 71-74.
- Walsh G, Cunningham JA, Mordue T, McLeay F, O'Kane C, Connolly N. What business schools do to support academic entrepreneurship: a systematic literature review and future research agenda. Studies in Higher Education 2021, 46(5), 988-999.
- Cunningham JA, Link AN. Latent technology as an outcome of R&D. Technological Forecasting and Social Change 2021, 162, 120371.
- Miller K, Cunningham JA, Lehmann E. Extending the university mission and business model: influences and implications. Studies in Higher Education 2021, 46(5), 915-925.
- Mangan DJ, Cunningham J. Irish Ports: commercialisation and strategic change. Business Strategy Review 2000, 11(3), 51-60.
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Authored Books
- Cunningham JA, Link AL. Technology and Innovation Policy: An International Perspective. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar, 2021.
- Link AN, Cunningham JA. Advanced Introduction to Technology Policy. Edward Elgar, 2021.
- Evers N, Cunningham J, Hoholm T. Technology Entrepreneurship: Bringing Innovation to the Marketplace. London: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2020.
- Cunningham JA, Harney B, Fitzgerald C. Effective Technology Transfer Offices: A Business Model Framework. Cham: Springer, 2020.
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Book Chapters
- Cunningham JA. COVID-19: Entrepreneurial Universities and Academic Entrepreneurship. In: Audretsch, D.B., Kunadt, I.A.M, ed. The COVID-19 Crisis and Entrepreneurship. International Studies in Entrepreneurship. Springer, Cham, 2022, pp.209-227.
- Dolan B, McGregor C, Cunningham JA. Medical Device Scientists’ Influence on Research Impact within Entrepreneurial Ecosystems: A Systematic Literature Review. In: Fernandes C; Ramírez-Pasillas M; Ferreira JJ, ed. Universities, Entrepreneurial Ecosystems, and Sustainability. Berlin: De Gruyter, 2021, pp.311-332.
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Edited Books
- McAdam M, Cunningham JA, ed. Women Global Entrepreneurship: Contextualising Everyday Experiences. London: Routledge, 2021.
- Cunningham JA, Whalley J, ed. The Internet of Things and Entrepreneurial Ecosystems: Challenges and Opportunities. Cham: Palgrave Pivot, 2020.