Ed Thompson

Ed Thompson is an Associate Professor at De Montfort University in the School of Leadership, Management and Marketing, Faculty of Business and Law. He teaches and conducts research in organizational behaviour, the business environment, crisis planning, and public sector governance. He is the lead author of the best-selling textbook The Business Environment: A Global Perspective and supervises several PhD students. His external roles include being an External Examiner, QAA Reviewer, and Director of a Multi Academy Trust.

Education:

• BA (Hons) Business Studies (2009)
• MSc (Distinction) Project Management (2010)
• PGCertHE (Distinction) (2015)
• PhD Organizational Behaviour (2015)

Ed Thompson's research centers on the intersection of organizational theory and public policy, particularly in crisis response and austerity governance. He applies Actor-Network Theory to examine how emergency plans are constructed and how boundary objects facilitate inter-organizational collaboration. His work also investigates public participation among disenfranchised groups and the impact of austerity on mental health and resilience. His teaching includes the Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship, DBA, and PhD supervision.

His recent publications reflect a strong trend in urban governance under austerity, crisis response traditions, and collaborative public service delivery. Key themes include the role of tradition in emergencies, Gramscian analyses of urban regimes, and the decontextualization of emergency plans. These works span disciplines in political science, organizational studies, and public administration, with methodological grounding in qualitative and interpretive approaches.

Scientific Awards and Honors:

• Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute (FCMI)
• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
• Fellow of the Royal Society for the Arts (FRSA)
• Chartered Management and Business Educator (CMBE)
• Chartered Manager (CMgr)

Ed Thompson advises multiple PhD students on topics including social sensemaking in organized crime, ethical mindfulness in wellbeing, and emotional intelligence in minority entrepreneurs. He has secured external roles with the Quality Assurance Agency, Chevening Committee, and as an External Examiner for several universities. His research is supported through affiliations with the Centre for Urban Research on Austerity (CURA) and professional engagement with the British Academy of Management.

He is affiliated with the Centre for Urban Research on Austerity (CURA) and contributes to public service governance through his role as Director and Deputy Chair of Aspire Learning Partnership, a Multi Academy Trust in Leicester. He has also served as a school governor for over a decade.