Prof Jane Ali-Knight

PhD
Doctorate

Level Doctorate

Student Dr Martin Robertson

Status Complete

Part Time Yes

Years 2015 - 2017

Project Title Sustainable festivals and events - an enquiry of leadership and futures

Project Description As a societal phenomenon, festivals and planned events are discussed in a wide policy context. They have entered a broader discussion with regard to sustainability in which the factors that contribute to being sustainable are part of a new paradigm of responsibility for festivals and events. Recognition that this includes responsibility for socio-cultural impacts has gained traction in the academic literature. However, only minor attention has been given to the dynamics and competencies affecting the decision making of festivals and events leadership as it influences these. As the needs of festival stakeholder are changing, so too consideration of new competencies and new platforms for transformation are required. This critical appraisal provides a significant consideration of my research in this subject area. At the core of the appraisal are nine peer-reviewed journal papers, two peer-reviewed research book chapters and one peer-reviewed conference paper. These reveal the contribution over the last ten years made to the body of knowledge in the research area of leadership, futures and sustainable development of festivals and events. The pragmatist paradigm that had guided the work, and the integration of research methods germane to the stage of the research cycle and the layering of knowledge is discussed. A principal tenet of the research is creation of knowledge which is both academically rigorous and socially useful. The contribution of my work to knowledge and understanding is established in three key theme areas of festivals and events leadership values and influences; festivals and events context and stakeholders; and festivals and events futures. For both academic and the festival and event providers, practical benefits of extending the capacity of leadership competencies and awareness – and the obstructions to this – are shown, with methodologies for future visioning and future proofing observed and discussed. Limitations of the work and future research proposals conclude the work.

Awarding Institution Edinburgh Napier University

Director of Studies Anna Leask

Second Supervisor Jane Ali-Knight

Thesis Sustainable festivals and events – an inquiry of leadership and futures

Level	Doctorate
Student	Dr Martin Robertson
Status	Complete
Part Time	Yes
Years	2015 - 2017
Project Title	Sustainable festivals and events - an enquiry of leadership and futures
Project Description	As a societal phenomenon, festivals and planned events are discussed in a wide policy context. They have entered a broader discussion with regard to sustainability in which the factors that contribute to being sustainable are part of a new paradigm of responsibility for festivals and events. Recognition that this includes responsibility for socio-cultural impacts has gained traction in the academic literature. However, only minor attention has been given to the dynamics and competencies affecting the decision making of festivals and events leadership as it influences these. As the needs of festival stakeholder are changing, so too consideration of new competencies and new platforms for transformation are required. This critical appraisal provides a significant consideration of my research in this subject area. At the core of the appraisal are nine peer-reviewed journal papers, two peer-reviewed research book chapters and one peer-reviewed conference paper. These reveal the contribution over the last ten years made to the body of knowledge in the research area of leadership, futures and sustainable development of festivals and events. The pragmatist paradigm that had guided the work, and the integration of research methods germane to the stage of the research cycle and the layering of knowledge is discussed. A principal tenet of the research is creation of knowledge which is both academically rigorous and socially useful. The contribution of my work to knowledge and understanding is established in three key theme areas of festivals and events leadership values and influences; festivals and events context and stakeholders; and festivals and events futures. For both academic and the festival and event providers, practical benefits of extending the capacity of leadership competencies and awareness – and the obstructions to this – are shown, with methodologies for future visioning and future proofing observed and discussed. Limitations of the work and future research proposals conclude the work.
Awarding Institution	Edinburgh Napier University
Director of Studies	Anna Leask
Second Supervisor	Jane Ali-Knight
Thesis	Sustainable festivals and events – an inquiry of leadership and futures

PhD (Tilburg University)
Doctorate

Level Doctorate

Student Dr David Jarman

Status Complete

Part Time Yes

Years 2019 - 2022

Project Title Social network analysis and festival relationships: personal, organisational and strategic connections

Project Description In the world of festivals and creative communities, relationships matter. Festival managers and producers understand the overlapping links, both professional and private, amongst their colleagues. Freelancers and graduates developing their careers appreciate that opportunities may come by way of personal connections. The future success of entire festival organisations can depend on forging, maintaining and exploiting associations with collaborators, suppliers and allies. Academic literature in the field of festival studies has sought to better understand the interpersonal dimension of these events, from different conceptual standpoints, in a range of contexts. However, in this festival environment there remains an opportunity, if not a need, to establish the place of network-based research methods and perspectives in the development of academic and industry understandings of social relationships. Networks underpin these connections and communities, from simple ties between pairs of people, to complex webs spanning hundreds of individuals, venues, performing companies, supply chains and audience members.

This book is a response to the situation, an answer to the research question: “What can social network analysis, and a network-orientated perspective, contribute to understanding the relationships within festival and creative communities?”. The work also has personal significance for the author, who was previously employed within the creative industries, and now teaches International Festival & Event Management students at Edinburgh Napier University, in Scotland. A key challenge of writing this book has been to demonstrate that an instinctive general appreciation of how important festival networks are can in fact be examined, illustrated and discussed. A range of projects have helped with this, using different approaches to social network analysis, in a range of contexts. Surveys gathered data from people within organisations, which was illustrated through network diagrams and statistical analysis by specialist software. Interviews were also used, to uncover personal stories and experiences of a networked life. This book is one of the most comprehensive attempts to apply different forms of social network analysis in the festival and creative communities.

Key conclusions include showing that social network analysis has the flexibility to present individual stories and experiences, amongst a bigger picture of connections that stretch beyond any single person’s view. The book has shown that a better understanding of networks can help to inform other academic research, such as that focused on stakeholder groupings, social capital, the importance of place, and the network society. There are also benefits to those living and working in these networked communities, as this book is based on critical realist PhD work that has an “emancipatory” dimension: if people are better informed about their social position and opportunities, they are in a stronger position to make advantageous life choices. Finally, this book presents arguments for a “network theory of festivals”, to help show how the work can inform the development, management, experience and understanding of these events.

The main recommendations to emerge from this work are in two categories. Academically, more use of social network analysis can support and inspire work in new contexts, opening up future research opportunities, such as a focus on network flows as well as network structures. For the festival and events industry, managers who have a better understanding of their organisations’ social networks can make more informed decisions about recruitment, training, team development, resource allocation, creative development, and their links to external stakeholders. The relationship between an organisation’s organic social network on one hand, and its formal hierarchies and departments on the other, often remains hidden, yet it can be highly revealing and of strategic benefit. To all those pursuing a career in festivals, it is recommended that they find ways to appreciate what their network can offer, and consider how they might use their connections to the benefit of all.

Supervisors: Prof. Greg Richards (Tilburg University); Prof. Jane Ali-Knight (Edinburgh Napier University)

Second Supervisor Jane Ali-Knight

Thesis Social network analysis and festival relationships: personal, organisational and strategic connections

Level	Doctorate
Student	Dr David Jarman
Status	Complete
Part Time	Yes
Years	2019 - 2022
Project Title	Social network analysis and festival relationships: personal, organisational and strategic connections
Project Description	In the world of festivals and creative communities, relationships matter. Festival managers and producers understand the overlapping links, both professional and private, amongst their colleagues. Freelancers and graduates developing their careers appreciate that opportunities may come by way of personal connections. The future success of entire festival organisations can depend on forging, maintaining and exploiting associations with collaborators, suppliers and allies. Academic literature in the field of festival studies has sought to better understand the interpersonal dimension of these events, from different conceptual standpoints, in a range of contexts. However, in this festival environment there remains an opportunity, if not a need, to establish the place of network-based research methods and perspectives in the development of academic and industry understandings of social relationships. Networks underpin these connections and communities, from simple ties between pairs of people, to complex webs spanning hundreds of individuals, venues, performing companies, supply chains and audience members. This book is a response to the situation, an answer to the research question: “What can social network analysis, and a network-orientated perspective, contribute to understanding the relationships within festival and creative communities?”. The work also has personal significance for the author, who was previously employed within the creative industries, and now teaches International Festival & Event Management students at Edinburgh Napier University, in Scotland. A key challenge of writing this book has been to demonstrate that an instinctive general appreciation of how important festival networks are can in fact be examined, illustrated and discussed. A range of projects have helped with this, using different approaches to social network analysis, in a range of contexts. Surveys gathered data from people within organisations, which was illustrated through network diagrams and statistical analysis by specialist software. Interviews were also used, to uncover personal stories and experiences of a networked life. This book is one of the most comprehensive attempts to apply different forms of social network analysis in the festival and creative communities. Key conclusions include showing that social network analysis has the flexibility to present individual stories and experiences, amongst a bigger picture of connections that stretch beyond any single person’s view. The book has shown that a better understanding of networks can help to inform other academic research, such as that focused on stakeholder groupings, social capital, the importance of place, and the network society. There are also benefits to those living and working in these networked communities, as this book is based on critical realist PhD work that has an “emancipatory” dimension: if people are better informed about their social position and opportunities, they are in a stronger position to make advantageous life choices. Finally, this book presents arguments for a “network theory of festivals”, to help show how the work can inform the development, management, experience and understanding of these events. The main recommendations to emerge from this work are in two categories. Academically, more use of social network analysis can support and inspire work in new contexts, opening up future research opportunities, such as a focus on network flows as well as network structures. For the festival and events industry, managers who have a better understanding of their organisations’ social networks can make more informed decisions about recruitment, training, team development, resource allocation, creative development, and their links to external stakeholders. The relationship between an organisation’s organic social network on one hand, and its formal hierarchies and departments on the other, often remains hidden, yet it can be highly revealing and of strategic benefit. To all those pursuing a career in festivals, it is recommended that they find ways to appreciate what their network can offer, and consider how they might use their connections to the benefit of all. Supervisors: Prof. Greg Richards (Tilburg University); Prof. Jane Ali-Knight (Edinburgh Napier University)
Second Supervisor	Jane Ali-Knight
Thesis	Social network analysis and festival relationships: personal, organisational and strategic connections

PhD - withdrawn (Edinburgh Napier University)
Doctorate

Level Doctorate

Student Dr David Jarman

Status Withdrawn

Part Time Yes

Years 2011 - 2014

Project Title Festivals in the Networked Society

Project Description I enrolled in a part time research degree with Edinburgh Napier University in 2011, as a full time lecturer in The Business School. I enjoyed the opportunity to investigate and discuss my research themes, but ultimately was not able to complete the doctorate. The experience effectively set me up for the next decade of study, through which I carried out a range of empirical projects on related themes: festivals, communities and networks. The publications and conference presentations that resulted from this work led me to undertake a PhD with Tilburg University in The Netherlands (completed 2022). This was a richly rewarding journey, carried out before, during and after periods of Covid-19 lockdown.

I am proud of my research journey, and very grateful for all the support I received from colleagues and departments within Edinburgh Napier. My initial PhD enrolment confirmed my interest in festival networks, and gave me a platform on which to make substantial contributions to knowledge in my field.

Awarding Institution Edinburgh Napier University

Additional Supervisor Jane Ali-Knight

Level	Doctorate
Student	Dr David Jarman
Status	Withdrawn
Part Time	Yes
Years	2011 - 2014
Project Title	Festivals in the Networked Society
Project Description	I enrolled in a part time research degree with Edinburgh Napier University in 2011, as a full time lecturer in The Business School. I enjoyed the opportunity to investigate and discuss my research themes, but ultimately was not able to complete the doctorate. The experience effectively set me up for the next decade of study, through which I carried out a range of empirical projects on related themes: festivals, communities and networks. The publications and conference presentations that resulted from this work led me to undertake a PhD with Tilburg University in The Netherlands (completed 2022). This was a richly rewarding journey, carried out before, during and after periods of Covid-19 lockdown. I am proud of my research journey, and very grateful for all the support I received from colleagues and departments within Edinburgh Napier. My initial PhD enrolment confirmed my interest in festival networks, and gave me a platform on which to make substantial contributions to knowledge in my field.
Awarding Institution	Edinburgh Napier University
Additional Supervisor	Jane Ali-Knight

DBA
Doctorate

Level Doctorate

Student Vinette Carmeta Rowe

Status Current

Part Time Yes

Years 2017

Project Title The role of advertising in achieving organizational performance and success within the Jamaican telecommunication industry: A management perspective

Awarding Institution Edinburgh Napier University

Director of Studies Christine Band

Second Supervisor Jane Ali-Knight

Prof Jane Ali-Knight's Supervisions (4)