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Dr Brian Webb

Regional Manager

You can email Dr Brian Webb directly; but for media enquiries please contact a member of The Open University's Media Relations team.

Staff profile

See below for Dr Brian Webb's:

Biography

Since joining the OU in January 2008, Brian has been responsible for the BA Business Studies and Continued Professional Development programme in Scotland and Ireland. He is a course team member on Managing in the workplace (B121), Investigating entrepreneurial opportunities (B322) and Business strategy and policy (B301). His other teaching responsibilities include being a course tutor at Fundamentals of senior management (B713) residential schools. He also teaches on the Executive MBA programme at Queen’s University Belfast.

Prior to joining the OU, Brian was a Senior Lecturer in Information Systems at the Queen's Management School, Queen's University of Belfast. During his time at Queen’s Brian held various roles, including Head of Department, Management and Information Systems. In 2003 he was appointed a Distinguished Erskine Fellow in the Faculty of Commerce, University of Canterbury, New Zealand. Since 2002 he has acted as an external assessor for the EPSRC, the Irish Research Council and the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants. Prior to becoming and academic, Brian worked in the field of Information Systems both in the UK and the US.

Brian has published in the following journals, Sloan Management Review, European Journal of Information Systems, International Journal of Organisational Analysis, Electronic Markets, International Journal of Knowledge Management, Journal of Electronic Commerce Research and Journal of the Association of Information Systems. He recently published a book with Routledge entitled "IT and Competitive Advantage in Small Firms", co-authored with Dr Frank Schlemmer. He is currently (co-) editing a special edition of the Journal of Electronic Commerce Research and will publish a further research article in the Journal of Information Technology in Spring 2009.

In addition to electronic commerce, his current research interests include strategy formulation and enactment in SMEs and in particular the role of firm resources and capabilities in that process.

 

Publications

Book
Webb, BR, Schlemmer, F  (2008)  'Information technology and competitive advantage in small firms', Routlege Studies in Small Business, vol. 13, London, UK, Routledge, pp. 172. Abstract
Book Chapter
Schlemmer, F, Webb, BR  (2009)  'Deploying the Internet for leveraging strategic assets', Bharati, P, Lee I, and Chaudhury, A (eds) Global Perspectives on Small and Medium Enterprises and Strategic Information Systems: International Approaches.
Webb, BR  (2007)  'Re-searching commonality differently: Subjectively replicating a theory of multimedia systems development', Organizational Dynamics of Technology-Based Innovation: Diversifying the Research Agenda, vol. 235, Kluwer Academic Publishers, pp. 101-114. Abstract
Schlemmer, F, Webb, BR  (2006)  'Resilience as a source of competitive advantage for small information technology companies', The Transfer and Diffusion of Information Technology for Organizational Resilience, vol. 206, Boston, US, Springer, pp. 181-197. Abstract
Webb, BR, Schlemmer, F  (2006)  'Resilience as a source of competitive advantage for small IT companies', Donnellan, B, Larsen, T, Levine, L and DeGross, J (eds) The Transfer and Diffusion of Information Technology for Organizational Resilience: Ifip Tc8 WG 8.6 International Working Conference, Boston, Mass, Springer, pp. 181-197.
Webb, BR  (2004)  'Truth to Tell?: Some observations on the application of truth tests in published information systems research', Information System Research: Relevant Theory and Informed Practice, vol. 143, Kluwer Academic Publishers, pp. 669-704. Abstract
Webb, BR, Linane-Mallon, B  (1998)  'Evaluating narrative in multimedia', Design, Specification and Verification of Interactive Systems, Eurographics Series, Vienna, Springer-Verlag.
Webb, BR, Booth, M  (1995)  'Approaches to usability in multimedia systems development', Software Quality Management III, Computational Mechanics Publications, pp. 387-397.
Webb, BR  (1994)  'Teaching usability to Visual Basic programmers', King, G (ed.) Software Engineering in Higher Education, Computational Mechanics Publications, pp. 209-216.
Webb, BR, Newman, DR, Cochrane, C  (1994)  'Computer supported group learning', Gibbs, G (ed.) Improving Student Learning: Theory and Practice, Oxford, OCSD, pp. 329-339.
Conference Paper
Webb, BR, Schlemmer, F  (2006)  'Ricardian versus Schumpeterian theories of management value in the small firm setting: an empirical examination of resources, capabilities and performance within e-business smes', British Academy of Management Conference, Belfast.
Webb, BR, Schlemmer, F  (2005)  'The Application of Enactment Theory to understand the Influence of the Owner Manager on the Development of Dynamic Capabilities: An Empirical Study of e-Business SMEs', The 1st Copenhagen Conference on Strategic Management, Copenhagen.
Webb, BR, Schlemmer, F  (2004)  'Business Evaluation Methods and Models – a review', Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Online Forschung (GOR ’04), Hamburg. Abstract
Webb, BR, Linane-Mallon, B  (1997)  'Evaluating narrative in multimedia', DSV-IS'97, 4th International Eurographics Workshop, Granada, Spain, 4-6June.
Webb, BR, Gallagher, SB  (1997)  'Competing paradigms in multimedia development: who shall be the aristocracy?', 5th European Conference on Information Systems, (ECIS) 19 - 21June, Cork, Ireland.
Webb, BR  (1997)  'Developing an information strategy', Irish Universities Information Systems Conference, Slieve Russell, Co. Monaghan, 12-14 March.
Webb, BR  (1996)  'Let the Data Speak: a call for the use of Grounded Theory in Management Research', Management Research in Ireland Conference, Cork, September.
Webb, BR  (1995)  'Usability and quality in multimedia product development', BCS CASE SIG, Research Colloquium - Information Systems , Quality Developments, University of Wolverhampton, 21 June.
Journal Article
Webb, BR, Gallagher, SB  (2009)  'Action in context and context in action: Modelling complexity in multimedia systems development', Journal of Information Technology, vol. 24, issue 1, pp. 126-138. Abstract
Webb, BR, Schlemmer, F  (2009)  'The Internet as a Complementary Resource for SMEs: The Interaction Effect of Strategic Assets and the Internet', International Journal of E-Business Research, vol. 5, issue 1, pp. 1-24. Abstract
Webb, BR, Schlemmer, F  (2008)  'The managing director and the development of dynamic capabilities: An application of enactment theory', International Journal of Organizational Analysis, vol. 16, issue 1/2, pp. 109-137. Abstract
Webb, BR  (2008)  'Predicting the impact of web services on firm performance by analogy: an empirical study of e-business SMES', Journal of Knowledge Management, vol. 16, issue 6, pp. 137-155.
Webb, BR, Schlemmer, F  (2008)  'Predicting web services performance from internet performance: an empirical study of resources and capabilities in e-business SMEs', Journal of Knowledge Management, vol. 12, issue 6, pp. 137-155. Abstract
Webb, BR, Mallon, B  (2007)  'A method to bridge the gap between breadth and depth in IS narrative analysis', Journal of the Association of Information Systems, vol. 8, issue 7, pp. 368-381. Abstract
Webb, BR, Mallon, B  (2007)  'Bridging the gap between breadth and depth in IS narrative analysis: an integrated methods approach', Journal of the Association for Information Systems, vol. 10, issue 1, pp. 368-371.
Webb, BR, Schlemmer, F  (2006)  'The impact of strategic assets on financial performance and on internet performance', Electronic Markets, vol. 16, issue 4, pp. 371-385. Abstract
Webb, BR, Gallagher, SB  (2006)  'Mapping commonalities and differences in software engineering and graphic design approaches to multimedia systems development', Journal of Computer Information Systems, vol. 47, pp. 87-98. Abstract
Webb, BR, Mallon, B  (2006)  'Determining pleasurability in requirements analysis: Modelling propositions on interaction in adventure and role play videogames', International Journal of Technology, Knowledge and Society, vol. 2, issue 2, pp. 99-110. Abstract
Webb, BR, Mallon, B  (2006)  'Applying a phenomenological approach to games analysis: A case study', Simulation and Gaming, vol. 37, issue 2, pp. 209-225. Abstract
Webb, BR, Mallon, B  (2005)  'Stand up and take your place: identifying narrative elements in narrative adventure and role-play games', Computers in Entertainment, vol. 3, issue 1, pp. 1-19. Abstract
Webb, BR, Gallagher, SB  (2000)  'Paradigmatic analysis as a means of eliciting knowledge to assist multimedia methodological development', European Journal of Information Systems, vol. 9, pp. 60-71.
Webb, BR, Mallon, B  (2000)  'Structure, causality, visibility and interaction: Propositions for Evaluating Engagement in Narrative Multimedia', International Journal of Human Computer Studies, vol. 53, pp. 269-287.
Webb, BR, Sayer, R  (1998)  'Benchmarking small companies on the Internet', Long Range Planning, vol. 31, issue 6, pp. 815-827.
Webb, BR, Newman, DR, Cochrane, C  (1997)  'Evaluating the quality of learning in CSCL', Journal of the American Society for Information Science, vol. 48, issue 6, pp. 484-495.
Webb, BR, Newman, DR, Johnson, C, Cochrane, C  (1996)  'Evaluating the quality of learning in computer supported co-operative learning', Journal of the American Society for Information Science.
Webb, BR  (1996)  'The role of users in interactive systems design', Behaviour & Information Technology, vol. 15, issue 2, pp. 76-83.
Webb, BR, Newman, DR, Johnson, C, Cochrane, C  (1996)  'An experiment in group learning technology: evaluating critical thinking in face-to-face and computer supported seminars', Interpersonal Computing and Technology, vol. 4, issue 1, pp. 01/07/10.
Webb, BR, Newman, DR, Cochrane, C  (1995)  'Using a post experience questionnaire to measure the quality of student learning in a computer conferencing environment', Higher Education Research and Development, vol. 14, issue 2.
Webb, BR  (1995)  'Computer supported co-operative learning - educational research issues', Innovations in Education and Training International,, vol. 32, issue 2, pp. 139-146.
Webb, BR, Newman, DR, Cochrane, C  (1995)  'How to measure critical thinking in face-to-face and computer supported seminars through content analysis', IPCT Journal, vol. 3, issue 2, pp. 56-57.
Webb, BR  (1993)  'Online database use by a small firm', Business Information Review, vol. 10, issue 1, pp. 31-37.