Waterford Institute of Technology: Office of Research and Innovation

Researcher's Biography

Name: Elaine Aylward

Position: Postgraduate Research Student

Qualifications:

1. Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Marketing, Waterford Institute of Technology

2. Masters by Research in Business, Waterford Institute of Technology

Biography:

In 2001 Elaine graduated from Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT) with an honours (2.1) Bachelor of Arts degree in Marketing. Whilst completing her degree Elaine was awarded a Certificate of Recognition for outstanding academic achievement. Following this she completed a Masters by Research in Business Studies also at WIT. Elaine has co-written two papers on female entrepreneurship which have been presented at internationally recognised conferences. The continuation of Elaine’s postgraduate studies to doctorate level represents her commitment to her continuing academic and professional development. In addition to undertaking research as part of her Masters qualification Elaine was also involved in the successful FEIW programme (www.whysofeiw.com), run from 2005 to 2008. FEIW stands for Female Entrepreneurship in Ireland/Wales and was a pilot programme undertaken by Waterford Institute of Technology in partnership with the University of Aberystwyth, Wales. The focus of FEIW was the design, development and implementation of an enterprise training programme for female entrepreneurs in the South East of Ireland and the South West of Wales.

Research Interests:

Elaine’s research interests lies with rural communities, regional development and in the networks that support these. The tourism interest in her research provides the context for which this research is based upon. This is an area which she has always had significant interest in and where Elaine believes there exists a gap in extant literature. Her interest was further enhanced during past experiences of rural based businesses in the region and the manner in which they networked. She also believes that regional development is vital to overcome the detrimental effects of lost competitiveness especially in the South East region, and in the current economic climate. Research which highlights the South East and brings rural indigenous businesses to the fore is imperative.

Research Project:

The Title of Elaine's Masters thesis is 'Traditional and Non-traditional Female Entrepreneurs : An exploration into what influences their selection of industry sector.'

The title of Elaines’s PhD thesis is ‘Collaborative Rural Networks: An analysis of the impact of the roles and relationships between regional stakeholders in a rural environment.’

Other Works:

Aylward, E, Kelliher, F. & Lynch, P. (2009) Rural Tourism Development: Proposing An Intergrated Model of Rural Stakeholder Network Relationships. In: IAM Conference, Galway Mayo Institute of Technology 02nd - 4th September 2009