Philip O'Donnell

PhD Scholar wins Best Doctoral Paper Award

PhD Research Scholar, Mr Philip O’Donnell, received Best Doctoral Paper Award at the recent Irish Academy of Management Conference (IAM) in Queen’s University Belfast. The 20th edition of IAM played host to over 100 papers across finance, HRM, CSR, entrepreneurship, marketing and more. 

At both the Doctoral Colloquium and conference, Mr. O’Donnell presented his paper entitled: “Don’t Take it Out of Context: A Study of Entrepreneurship in a Nairobi Slum”. On receipt of the award, Mr. O’Donnell had this to say:

“I appreciate the recognition. In a PhD programme where your work doesn’t tend to be externally scrutinised very often, at least prior to the big event of the final defence, it’s a nice encouragement to have someone look at it from the outside and say ‘yeah, you’re on an okay track’.”

He is co-supervised by the CFB Director, Dr. Eric Clinton, and Professor of Entrepreneurship, Colm O’ Gorman, both of DCU Business School.

Mr O’Donnell  joined the Centre for Family Business in 2014 and has since pursued further study by exploring how micro-enterprises in resource-deprived settings come to be, grow and support development in the surrounding community. His PhD scholarship is funded by Bennett Hospitality, one of the largest locally owned development companies in Charleston, South Carolina, USA.