Eric is an Associate Professor in Entrepreneurship at DCU Business School and Director of the National Centre for Family Business. He received his PhD in Entrepreneurship from the Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School UCD.
His research interests are primarily concerned with strategic entrepreneurial practices in multi-generational family firms, focusing on how entrepreneurial and innovative mindsets within family businesses are passed from one generation to the next. In one stream of research, Eric explores how family influences entrepreneurial activity in the firm ranging from portfolio activity, communication practices, to engaging the next generation. In another stream of research, Eric investigates how past experiences in the family firm influence future strategic behaviour. In particular the influence of imprinting, legacy, entrepreneurial learning and long-term strategic thinking. This research has been published in leading international journals such as Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal, Family Business Review, Journal of Business Research and Global Networks. His work is also regularly presented at leading international conferences such as the Academy of Management Conference, Babson College Entrepreneurship Research Conference, and the Strategic Management Society. His research has been funded by the European Union, Irish Research Council, The Family Owned Business Institute, and Irish family businesses. Demonstrating the practical relevance of his research Eric has presented to family businesses in many countries including UK, Hong Kong, Singapore, Mexico, China and the USA.
Eric is a Board Member of the Global STEP Project from Babson College, USA. The STEP (Successful Transgenerational Entrepreneurship Practices) Project explores entrepreneurial practices across multi-generational family firms by forming a unique fusion between family business practitioners and academic scholars to identify best practice in the management and sustainability of the family business. He serves on the Editorial Review Board of Family Business Review and International Small Business Journal. Eric teaches in the area of entrepreneurship and innovation. His commitment to teaching excellence was rewarded in his receipt of the Presidents Award for Excellence in Teaching (2015) and the winner of the prestigious international Innovation & Entrepreneurship Teaching Excellence Awards in Jyväskylä, Finland (2016).