This month marks the retirement of Professor Colin Eden who has been with Strathclyde Business School since 1987 in varying roles.This month marks the retirement of Professor Colin Eden who has been with Strathclyde Business School since 1987 in varying roles.
Professor Eden started his working life as an Operational Researcher in the engineering industry following his PhD, subsequently becoming Operational Research Manager. This was followed by a period as a Management Consultant specialising in small business problems. He then moved to become Lecturer, then Senior Lecturer, and Reader at the University of Bath School of Management.
Next came his move to Strathclyde as Professor of Management Science and Head of Department at the Strathclyde Business School, Glasgow from 1987-1999. Until 2006 he was Director of the then-named University of Strathclyde Graduate School of Business. He has also been Director of SBS's International Division responsible for its overseas centres in Europe, the Gulf and Asia. Currently Professor Eden is Vice Dean (Staffing).
He has been a Director of the Scottish Examination Board, appointed by the Scottish Secretary of State and an Adviser to the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council.
Professor Eden is internationally known within the field of Management Science, Management, and Research Method through his research and publications in the field. His teaching contributions are to the MBA programme within the field of Strategic Management.
He has received research grants from the Leverhulme Trust, British Telecom, ICL, the Northern Ireland Office, SSRC, EPSRC, Bombardier Inc, and ESRC.
His major research interests are into the processes of making strategy; the relationship between operational decision making practices and their strategic consequences; the use of group decision support in the analysis and making of strategy; managerial and organisational cognition; 'soft OR' modelling approaches and methodologies, including particular emphasis on the role of cognitive mapping; the process and practice of 'action research'; and the modelling of the behaviour of large projects disruptions and delays, including issues of the dynamics of productivity changes, and learning curves.
He has published 8 books and over 150 articles in general management, management science, and project management journals.
Executive Dean, Professor Susan Hart, said, "I'd like to take this opportunity to thank Colin for the legacy he is leaving at Strathclyde Business School. In his time here he has been the Head of Management Science, which he built up from a zero base and he then went on to be a very successful director of the then Graduate School of Business which again he grew significantly in terms of income and reputation during his period of office.
"He steered us towards gaining accreditation and our overseas centres were pioneered under his leadership. Latterly he has also been Vice Dean International and Vice Dean Staffing in addition to continuing an academic career marked by over 180 publications, 11 books, over 11,300 cites and myriad international awards.
"He has been an intrinsic part of the business school and will be missed by us all. I personally would like to thank him for the support he has given to me as Dean over the last few years and wish him all the best with the future."