Two to the power of three: an exploration of metaphor for sense making in (women’s) collaborative inquiry

This paper explores how working with metaphors provides a way to explore under the surface dynamics embedded in the practice and processes of collaborative inquiry. We argue that metaphors are a form of presentational knowing and provide a bridge between experiential knowing and propositional knowing. We have surfaced an exploration of horizontal (sibling) and vertical relations using retrospective inquiry. This paper demonstrates the reality, messiness and politics of collaborative research inquiry processes, which tend to be understudied and under-theorized. We are concerned to affirm the value of collaborative inquiry, and at the same time, break some taboos and myths concerning the practice of this form of inquiry, in particular, between and among women. We hope that our work will provide an impetus to further research in this territory

Visual imagination, reflexivity and the power of poetry: inquiring into work-life balance

This article explores the use of visual imagination and reflexivity in the creation of poetry as a form of action inquiry. The power of poetry to help inquire into and illuminate new understandings is demonstrated in the creative and imaginative use of imagery, similes and metaphors contained within the choice of words and the connections made to them. Through my work with managers and staff in organizations, by using poetry I have come to understand that the poetic words used not only hold the possibility of explaining and describing experiences, they validate the range of associated emotions and can also influence actions when new meanings and understandings are reached. I have found that the process of action inquiry encourages and facilitates reflexivity. For the purpose of this article I have chosen to focus on work-life balance – an issue that many find challenging at different stages in their working lives

Using collage as an inquiry method into gender related processes

Methodology resource: Using collage as an inquiry method falls into the broader scope of arts based research methods. These approaches are interested in eliciting data that are not readily accessed using more traditional methods such as surveys or interview

The spinout journey: Barriers and enablers to gender inclusive innovation. Summary report

This research is part of a wider project, funded by the EPSRC’s Inclusion Matters initiative, looking at the participation of women scientists, engineers and mathematicians in university spinout companies. As highlighted in our previous report, only 13% of spinout companies across the whole of the UK have a woman founder (Griffiths and Humbert, 2019). This cannot be solely attributed to the underrepresentation of women in professorial roles in STEM disciplines. As this study shows, researchers may spinout at different stages of their careers and the majority of spinout founders in our sample could be classed as early- or mid-career academics. This research charts founders’ spinout journeys from the early days of establishing the company through to developing the spinout and reflecting upon challenges and successes. It compares the experiences of women and men academic founders to better understand where women may be encountering gender bias and have to overcome additional challenges. This approach has enriched empirical knowledge around women’s experiences of academic entrepreneurship but also highlighted areas for development that would enhance and improve the spinout experience for all founders. This report cannot provide a blueprint model for institutions on spinouts but offers recommendations that institutions should consider if they aspire to create an inclusive environment to support academic entrepreneurial activities and to develop a more gender inclusive innovation ecosystem

Pathways to spinout

Our findings show that there can be different pathways to spinning out a company from university research. The journey often starts with a patent, but not in all cases. There might be intermediate steps to commercialisation such as consultancy and licensing. Public funding, such as grants provided by Innovate UK, can offer a helpful financial springboard at the early stages of the process. From the experiences of women and men founders that we have both directly interviewed and undertaken background research on, we have identified a few examples, outlined below, and highlighted key steps which illustrate such diversity

The boomerang effect : a qualitative inquiry into the implementation of a teaching and learning strategy in a new university

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