Research

I am a nationally and internationally recognized scholar within the area of entrepreneurship having a particular expertise in gender, entrepreneurial leadership, technology entrepreneurship and family business.

“Professor Maura McAdam is one of the brightest lights today in Entrepreneurship. This is true not only in her native Ireland but globally as well. Maura has provided invaluable and ongoing contributions to her field and is widely regarded as thought leader and expert in women’s entrepreneurship

Professor Susan Coleman -University of Hartford

Professor McAdam is an innovator in entrepreneurship education, and a world class scholar on women’s entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial families.  She has pioneered entrepreneurship education programs in a variety of countries and cultures (e.g. Saudi Arabia, China, Ireland and UK) and is dedicated to building the next generation of entrepreneurship researchers through numerous collaborative efforts (e.g. ECR mentoring, workshops, seminars and doctoral training). 

Professor Wiliiam Gartner, Babson College, USA

Research Funding

Major Projects

2019-22: GENDER-NET Plus Joint Call on Gender and UN Sustainable Development Goals (1 Million Euros). Overcoming the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Gender Divide: A Cross-Cultural Perspective (Lead Partner with Israel, Norway and Sweden).

Projects

2018- ongoing: QUB Centre for Health Research at the Management School (CHaRMS) (£1K) – seed funding “A job crafting perspective of female health professionals in the gig economy” (with Kelly, G.)           

2017-9: Ulster University (£5K): Claiming Legitimacy and Credibility – An exploration of the identity work undertaken by Female Academics within the context of STEM Entrepreneurship (Co-Investigator with Miller, K., Woods, J. and Cunningham, J.)

2018-2020: Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University (£10K): Exploration of Family Driven Innovation in Saudi Arabian Family Firms (Co-Investigator with Alrubaishi, D.)

Research with Impact

We would particularly like to acknowledge the importance of Prof McAdam’s research in providing the empirical evidence required to help shape the Women’s International Centre for Economic Development (WICED) model and its role in contributing to the independent evidence base which has helped secure over £9m private and public investment in female entrepreneurship support infrastructure in the North West of England”.
Maggie O’Carroll- The Women’s Organisation Liverpool- CEO

Maura’s service to education goes beyond the realm of the University itself and beyond  her involvement in primary research and lecturing as she regularly takes that expertise and deep experience out into the business community.  Maura actively combines the wisdom of her services to education, with an ability to translate that into meaningful insights for a wider audience.  
Catherine Moroney-  Head of Business Banking AIB

Current Research

  • Women in Family Business
  • Islam, Gender and Women’s Entrepreneurship
  • Accelerators and Incubators
  • Business Models and SMEs
  • Family Business
  • Women’s Digital Entrepreneurship

If you are interested in partnerships for further research opportunities, please get in contact –maura.mcadam@dcu.ie

PhD Students

  • Brophy, M.: The Identity Work undertaken by Women Leaders in Enterprising Families. 
  • AL Ayyash, S.: An Evaluative Study of Technology Business Incubation as a Tool for GDP development in GCC Countries on a Macro and Micro Level. 
  • Mohammed Al Ali Basha: An Examination of Factors Affecting Digital Entrepreneurship Intentions in the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries.

If you are interested in doing a Ph.D. in any of these areas, please get in contact – maura.mcadam@dcu.ie