Background

Background:

 

Karen, a socio-technologist―focused on the interplay between society and the impact of digital technologies. She was voted as #Standout 35 Women in FinTech Powerlist awarded by Innovate Finance* reflecting her work on the governance of FinTech (financial technology) within the Digital Economy, Digital Society and Responsible Innovation. Karen is an Ambassador for the Digital Poverty Alliance, a member of the Prime Ministers Challenge Group for Dementia as Digital Inclusion Adviser and member of the Corporate Digital Responsibility group.

 

FinTech is one of the major growth industries in the UK. Such companies create new, cheaper, and faster financial processes and services utilising the latest technologies―cloud, mobile and blockchain. To succeed, underpinning the use of technology is a prerequisite of how to gain customers trust when the financial industry mortgage crisis (2008-9) remains fresh in consumers memories. FinTech organisations need to gain human and technological trust as advances are rapidly changing the financial services landscape via machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) innovation. In addition, hacking and cyber security data breach events are continuous features of the news. Karen and Prof Aad van Moorsel (Computer Science) have formed a successful socio-technical partnership evidenced by their track record of research awards, FinTrust (£1.2m EPSRC, https://fintrustresearch.com/), Finclusion (£100k, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation/Turing Institute), Agency (£3.5m EPSRC) and UKFin Network (£2.5m EPSRC) working with Atom Bank (Durham) towards optimising FinTech services. ‘FinTrust’ examines the issue of socio-technical trust in FinTech organisations, specifically, increased automation of processes and services in using ML and AI. In short, trust engineering where the use of algorithms present challenges to consumer trust via digitalisation of financial services. Likewise, ‘Finclusion’ uses responsible innovation in digital technologies to explore identity verification for what the FCA terms ‘vulnerable’ customers to permit open and equal access to financial and Fintech services across society. ‘Agency’ utilises interdisciplinary scientific methods, techniques, technology, and collaborative societal approaches to provide people with the freedom to interact online by exploring, identifying, and addressing complex digital harms in our digital world.  The ongoing research will demonstrate how to reduce complex online harms (via digital tools), and societal fears of such harm. 'UKFin Network' facilitates the synergy between practitioners and researchers in tackling wicked problems in financial services/fintech (FS) via collaboration, coalition and co-production communities. It does so by creating a network that is highly inclusive and sensitive to regional and national concerns, which focuses on establishing a UK research agenda and on commissioning research projects within the remit of EPSRC. We will produce a trusted place for the advancement of research in wicked finance, and a conduit between regional and national efforts, as well as between academic researchers, its talent pipeline and FS partners. 

 

Karen speaks at a variety of academic and practitioner events regarding Ethics, Trust, Financial Inclusion and Digital Technologies surrounding FinTech, ethics and responsibility including the Turing Institute, Worldline, CDR (see below), Dynamo conferences, Strathclyde FinTech Symposium. Karen currently forms part of the Dynamo FinTech Steering Group collaborating with FinTech North to develop the NE FinTech ecosystem bringing, practitioners, government, financial regulators, and academics together to engage in knowledge exchange and promote events. In addition, Karen forms part of The IEEE Global Initiative on Ethics of Autonomous and Intelligent Systems, (“The IEEE Global Initiative”) establishing ethical and social implementations for intelligent and autonomous systems and technologies inspiring the creation of Standards (IEEE P7000™ series and beyond). Karen is a founding member of the movement for Corporate Digital Responsibility (CDR)―a fusion of ethical considerations at the individual and societal level, with recognition that technological change can spawn both utopian and dystopian futures. CDR seeks to find the balance and guide our progress toward an equitable digital society, that works for us all. Finally, Karen utilises a mixed-analytical approach across qualitative, quantitative and ‘fuzzy set’ Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) methodologies in examining complex data configurations.

 

Karen is an enthusiastic teacher, nominated for an outstanding contribution to teaching award whilst integrating her research area within the digital ‘Future of Work’ sector to inform her modules, particularly focusing on embedding an agile mindset for undergraduates, postgraduates, and PhD students. Karen currently supervises six postgraduate students who are investigating project management, enterprise and project risk management, entrepreneurship, FinTech, and Ethical Artificial Intelligence/CDR. 

 

Integral to the NE FinTech Ecosystem a report was published in conjunction with FinTech North December 2019 see:

https://www.whitecapconsulting.co.uk/articles/new-report-highlights-growth-potential-for-fintech-in-the-north-east/

 

*Innovate Finance is the independent industry body that represents and advances the global FinTech community in the UK. (see: https://www.innovatefinance.com/about/)

Bibliographic links

Academia.edu: https://newcastle.academia.edu/KarenElliott

Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Karen_Elliott9

Publons: https://publons.com/author/1421939/dr-karen-elliott#profile

SSRN: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2888872

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.co.uk/citations?user=NZdXsO8AAAAJ&hl=en

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-elliott-3b692725/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/elliott_kekite

ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2455-0475

 

Roles and Responsibilities:

Lead for Responsible Innovation (inc., CDR) theme, NUCore for Cyber Security and Resilience.

Previously Degree Programme Director (DPD): Groningen Dual Award Programme, Newcastle University Business School.

Previous Ethics Convenor for NUBS.

Member of Centre for Knowledge, Innovation, Technology and Enterprise (KITE) Research Group.

A peer reviewer for the EPSRC/UKRI.

Editorial Board Member for the Journal of Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies.

PhD Students:

Mrs Claire Heron

Mrs Aditi Adhikari

Mr Tom Shanks

Mr Naif Aldwais

Mr Haoran Su

Mr Shaker Alkaabneh

Mr Abdullah Aldhaheri

 

 

Research

Research Interests

Digital Economy - FinTech, Fintrust, Finclusion, Digital Ethics, Corporate Digital Responsibility, Digital Identity, Cyber Security, Complexity Theory, Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA), Agile/Scrum Methodologies, Organisational Behaviour and Behavioural Psychology (Trust/Mindset).

 

Co-lead of the Fintrust, Finclusion and Agency projects - see https://fintrustresearch.com/ 

 

Current Work

Academia.edu: https://newcastle.academia.edu/KarenElliott

Publons: https://publons.com/author/1421939/dr-karen-elliott#profile

Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Karen_Elliott9

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.co.uk/citations?user=NZdXsO8AAAAJ&hl=en

SSRN: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2888872

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-elliott-3b692725/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/elliott_kekite

ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2455-0475

 

Research Roles

Lead for Responsible Innovation (inc., CDR) theme, NUCore for Cyber Security and Resilience.

Previously Degree Programme Director (DPD): Groningen Dual Award Programme, Newcastle University Business School.

Previous Ethics Convenor for NUBS.

Member of Centre for Knowledge, Innovation, Technology and Enterprise (KITE) Research Group.

A peer reviewer for the EPSRC/UKRI.

Editorial Board Member for the Journal of Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies.

 

Postgraduate Supervision

Mrs Claire Heron

Mrs Aditi Adhikari

Mr Tom Shanks

Mr Naif Aldwais

Mr Haoran Su

Mr Shaker Alkaabneh

External Examiner: PhD, University of Antwerp (BEL), Durham University, Sheffield University. Fintech MSc Programme, Bradford University.

 

Referee:
Academy of Management (AOM); Cyber Security Journal, Data and Policy, Big Data and Society; Policing: International Journal of Police Strategies & Management; Human Resource Development International (HRDI) Journal; The Open Psychology Journal; International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior and Research; The European Journal of Finance; Journal of Asian Business & Management, etc.

 

Editorial Board Member: Journal of Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies

 

Funding

EPSRC Agency Fund with Computer Science, 1/22, £3.5m

Internal ESRC Impact Fund, CDR test, 12/21, £10k

EPSRC Fund with Computer Science Faculty, 1/18, £1.2m

Social Entrepreneurship Impact ESRC, 06/17-06/18, £8k

FinTech network development (with Durham University), £7.5k, 06/17-06/18, £3k 

HaSS Learning and Teaching fund (2018-190), Agile/Scrum Professional Training pilot for student education and industry readiness, £10k.

 

Industrial Relevance

Karen is a qualified practitioner in PRINCE2, Management of Risk (MoR), Change Management, Management of Value (MoV) and Managing Successful Programmes (MSP).  Her work is informed by collaboration with industry practitioners across tech and Fintech ecosystems on a regional, national, and international level. Recognised via industry awards from Innovate Finance, Aspioneer Magazine, Digital Poverty Alliance and member of the Prime Minister’s Challenge Group.

 

Keywords

FinTech; Trust, Ethical AI, Corporate Digital Responsibility (CDR); Cyber Security; Future of Work; Agile/Scrum; Mindset; Complexity; QCA.

 

 

 

Teaching

NBS8062 – Research Methods (ABC, ICE and eBIS programmes)

NBS8494 – Programme and Project Management (MBA)

NBS8234 – Programme and Project Management (eBIS)

NBS8328 – International Project Management (International Management Practitioner)

 

Publications

• Elliott K, Coopamootoo K, Curran E, Ezhilchelvan P, Finnigan S, Horsfall D, Zhichao M, Ng M, Spiliotopoulos T, Wu H, van Moorsel A. Know Your Customer: Balancing Innovation and Regulation for Financial Inclusion. Data and Policy 2022, 4, e34.
• Inkster B, Digital Mental Health Data Insights Group, Elliott K, Elnahass M, Smeddinck J. Early Warning Signs of a Mental Health Tsunami: A Coordinated Response to Gather Initial Data Insights From Multiple Digital Services Providers. Frontiers in Digital Health 2021, 2, 578902.
• Spiliotopoulos T, Horsfall D, Ng M, Coopamootoo K, van Moorsel A, Elliott K. Identifying and Supporting Financially Vulnerable Consumers in a Privacy-Preserving Manner: A Use Case Using Decentralised Identifiers and Verifiable Credentials. In: ACM CHI 2021 Workshop on Designing for New Forms of Vulnerability. 2021, Online virtual conference: ACM.
• Aitken M, Ng M, Horsfall D, Coopamootoo K, van Moorsel A, Elliott K. In pursuit of socially-minded data-intensive innovation in banking: A focus group study of public expectations of digital innovation in banking. Technology in Society 2021, 66, 101666.
• Toreini E, Aitken M, Coopamootoo K, Elliott K, Vladimiro GZ, Missier P, Ng M, van Moorsel A. Technologies for Trustworthy Machine Learning: A Survey in a Socio-Technical Context. IEEE Transactions on Technology and Society 2021. Submitted.
• Elliott K, Price R, Shaw P, Spiliotopoulos T, Ng M, Coopamootoo K, van Moorsel A. Towards an Equitable Digital Society: Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Corporate Digital Responsibility (CDR). Society 2021, 58, 179-188.
• Elliott K, Massacci F, Ngo CN, Williams J. UNRULY INNOVATION AND TURING COMPLETE ORGANIZATIONS. Technological Forecasting & Social Change 2021. Submitted.
• Aitken M, Toreini E, Carmichael P, Coopamootoo K, Elliott K, van Moorsel A. Establishing a social licence for Financial Technology: Reflections on the role of the private sector in pursuing ethical data practices. Big Data and Society 2020, 7(1), 1-15.
• Aitken M, Ng M, Toreini E, van Moorsel A, Coopamootoo KPL, Elliott K. Keeping it Human: A Focus Group Study of Public Attitudes Towards AI in Banking. Computer Security. ESORICS 2020, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 12580, 21-38.
• Ng M, Coopamootoo KP, Toreini E, Aitken M, Elliott K, vanMoorsel A. Simulating the Effects of Social Presence on Trust, Privacy Concerns & Usage Intentions in Automated Bots for Finance. In: IEEE European Symposium on Security and Privacy Workshops (EuroS&PW). 2020, Genoa, Italy: IEEE.
• Toreini E, Aitken M, Coopamootoo K, Elliott K, Zelaya CG, van Moorsel A. The relationship between trust in AI and trustworthy machine learning technologies. In: FAT* '20: 2020 Conference on Fairness, Accountability, and Transparency. 2020, Atlanta, GA, USA: ACM.
• Elliott K, Patacconi A, Swierzbinski J, Williams J. Knowledge Protection in Firms: A Conceptual Framework and Evidence from HP Labs. European Management Review 2019, 16(1), 179-193.
• Elliott K. Adapt-ability, Agility and three dimensions of complexity. In: 19th International Conference on Agile Software Development. 2018, Porto University, Portugal.
• Elliott K, Cambre B, Newbery R. Intangible behaviours in University spin out activities: a configurational approach. In: 34th EGOS Conference. 2018, Tallinn, Estonia.
• Wilson J, Elliott K. Making time for an entrepreneurial cuddle: understanding the value of interpersonal relationships in supporting nascent social entrepreneurs. ESRC; Durham University Business School; Newcastle University Business School; Social Enterprise Acumen, 2018.
• Wilson J, Elliott K. Making time for an entrepreneurial cuddle: Understanding the value of interpersonal relationships in supporting nascent social entrepreneurs. In: SEWF 2018 Academic Symposium. 2018, Glasgow Caledonian University, UK.
• Hughes P, Hodgkinson IR, Elliott K, Hughes M. Strategy, operations, and profitability: the role of resource orchestration. International Journal of Operations and Production Management 2018, 38(4), 1125-1143.
• Elliott K, Massacci F, Ngo C-N, Williams J. Unruly Innovation: Distributed Ledgers, Blockchains and the Protection of Transactional Rents. Rochester, NY, USA: Technovation/Social Science Research Network (SSRN), 2018. Available at: https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2888872.
• van den Oord A, Elliott K, van Witteloostuijn A, Barlage M, Polos L, Rogiest S. A Cognitive Organization Theory of Organizational Change: Measuring Organizational Texture, Audience Appeal, and Leadership Engagement. Journal of Organizational Change Management 2017, 30(6), 903-922.
• Brookes M, Elliott K, Pretorius D, Williams J. Complexities of adaptation and change for community-based agencies in South Africa: investigating the introduction of new development models for inclusive growth. In: 9th International Social Innovation Research Conference (ISIRC). 2017, Melbourne, Australia.
• Wilson J, Elliott K. Relationships Matter: examining the effectiveness of building relationship quality when supporting social entrepreneurs in business start-up. In: 9th International Social Innovation Research Conference (ISIRC). 2017, Melbourne, Australia.
• Elliott K, Massacci F, Williams J. Action, Inaction, Trust and Cybersecurity's Common Property Problem. IEEE Security & Privacy 2016, 14(1), 82-86.
• Horton KE, Jacobs G, Bayerl PS, Rothengatter M, Elliott K, Gasco M, Giljohann S, Rus C. A balancing act: How to avoid professional disidentification when faced with stakeholder critique. In: 75th Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management, Best Paper. 2015, Vancouver. Submitted.
• van den Oord A, Elliott K, van Witteloostuijn A, Polos L, Rogiest S, Barlage M. A cognitive organization theory (COT) of organizational change: Measuring organizational texture, audience appeal, and leadership engagement. In: Organizational Ecology Conference. 2014, Barcelona, Spain.
• van den Oord A, Elliott K, van Witteloostuijn A. An fsQCA analysis of Cognitive Organization Theory (COT): organization inertia and change cascades in Police Forces across the EU. In: Institute of Work Psychology International Conference. 2014, Sheffield University: Institue of Work Psychology.
• Bayerl PS, Horton KE, Jacobs G, Rogiest S, Reguli Z, Gruschinske M, Constanzo P, Stojanovski T, Vonas G, Gasco M, Elliott K. Perspectives on the police profession: an international investigation. Policing: an International Journal of Police Strategies and Management 2014, 37(4), 728-745.
• van den Oord A, Elliott K, van Witteloostuijn A. An fsQCA analysis of Cognitive Organization Theory (COT): organization inertia and change cascades in Police Forces across the EU. In: QCA Expert Conference Workshop. 2013, Zurich, Switzerland. Submitted.
• Stone IE, Elliott K, Lamb J. Integrating Impact Assessment with the Business Process: A Case Study of BE Group. In: Institute of Small Business and Entrepreneurship (ISBE) 34th annual conference. 2011, Sheffield. Submitted.
• Macnaughton RJ, Collins PJ, White M, Elliott K, Soukas A, Purves G, Kellett P, Coleman SM. Designing for Health: Architecture, Art and Design at the James Cook University Hospital. London: NHS Estates, 2007. Centre for Arts and Humanities in Health and Medicine (Durham University).