Elizabeth Heyworth-Thomas
Principal Lecturer in Business Management, and Programme Leader (PG Business)
Biography
Dr Elizabeth Heyworth-Thomas is a Principal Lecturer in Business Management, specialising in Entrepreneurship, Marketing and Commercialisation, Sociology, and Social Policy.
She has an extensive enterprise engagement profile and is well-connected across business, social science, and health science disciplines both within the UK and internationally.
Elizabeth holds a BA (Hons) in Business and Social Administration, an MA in Business and Marketing, and a PhD in Sociology and Social Policy. She has built a distinguished academic career across leading UK Business Schools, including Cumbria Business School, Wolverhampton Business School, Liverpool Business School, and Bangor University, before joining Birmingham Newman University in 2025.
Profile
Research Interests
Liz’s current work focused on entrepreneurship, the agricultural sector, and market trends.
Teaching
Liz teaches on the postgraduate business programmes, and is an approved PhD Supervisor.
Administrative Responsibilities
Liz is responsible for the Programme Leadership of the Postgraduate Business Programmes: MBA and MSc International Business Management.
Membership of Professional Organisations
- External Examiner: Ulster University
- External Examiner: Regent’s University
- Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
- Associate Editor of the Journal of the International Council for Small Business
- Co-Chair of the AM Entrepreneurial and Small Business Marketing SIG
- Co-Chair of the ISBE ECR/A Forum
- Supervisor Doctoral Students
Conferences and other research activity
Conferences
Heyworth-Thomas, E.M., Jones, R., and Holynski, M. (2024). Entrepreneurial Marketing and Commercialisation: scientific/engineering Entrepreneurs, Global Research Conference on Marketing and Entrepreneurship- Conference.
Heyworth-Thomas, E. M., Ystrakul, A., and Moodey, E. (2024), Sustainable Social Entrepreneurship: a catalyst for thriving communities, ISBE Conference.
Heyworth-Thomas, E.M. (2023). Pursuing Opportunity: a case study of an entrepreneurial start-up in the midst of the pandemic. Global Research Conference on Marketing and Entrepreneurship- Conference.
Heyworth-Thomas, E.M., and Foster, S. (2023). Humanising Business Support: “If I am not here, there is no business” ISBE Conference.
Jones, R,. Morish, S., Heyworth-Thomas, E.M., and Graham, E. (2023). Hybrid pedagogies: Integrating Entrepreneurial Marketing business crisis recovery frameworks within the experiential learning cycle, Journal of Management Education, 45(3), 211-225.
Jones, R., Heyworth-Thomas, E.M., Henley, A., and Jones, W. (2022). Sustainability and Resilience of Rural Enterprise in Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty: Challenges and Barriers to increasing Entrepreneurial Opportunity post-pandemic. ISBE Conference, November 2022.
Heyworth-Thomas, E.M. (2021). Social Enterprise: a sustainable model for supporting vulnerable adults in rural communities. AM Entrepreneurial and Small Business Marketing SIG 25th Symposium – December 2021.
Heyworth-Thomas, E,M., Foster, S., and Jones, R. (2021). Business Owner Wellbeing: the hidden impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. AM Entrepreneurial and Small Business Marketing SIG 25th Symposium – December 2021.
Jones, R., and Heyworth-Thomas, E.M. (2021). Being Enterprising in Beautiful Landscapes: how can governments and policy makers best support rural enterprise? ISBE Conference, October 2021.
Heyworth-Thomas, E.M (2020). Interviewing vulnerable service-user groups: Biographical Narrative Interpretive Method– invited to present at Telling the Story of Business Conference, University of South Wales-January 2020.
Heyworth, E.M., and Jones, R (2014). Social Enterprise: bridging the gap between the statutory sector and the third sector, ICSB World Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Conference, June
Heyworth, E.M., Jones, R., and Roach, D (2013). Providing Support in Rural Wales: motives, observations and end-user perspectives, ISBE Conference, November 2013.
Heyworth, E.M (2013). Improving Student Engagement through use of Online Resources, HEA Teaching and Learning Conference, Bangor University, April 2013.
Heyworth, E. M., Jones, R., and Rowley, J (2011). Meeting the Demand: the study of a business support network, ISBE Conference, November 2011.
External Engagement
- Contributor to UK Parliamentary POSTNote Paper: Quantum computing, sensing and communications, UK Parliament.
- Guest writer for The Professional Mountaineer [March 2020- ongoing]
- Presentation to Women in Mountaineering Conference: Doing business in beautiful landscapes [2024]
- Presentation to Mountain Training Association Conference: Setting up your mountaineering business [2024]
- Presentation to British Nordic Walking CIC: Marketing Masterclass [2022]
- Interview with BBC Radio Shropshire: Walking for Health [2021]
- Interview with City FM, Smooth FM and Heart FM: The Hidden Impact of Covid-19 on Business Owners [2020]
Research Group Membership and Involvement
- Academy of Marketing: Co-Chair of Entrepreneurial and Small Business Marketing SIG
- Institute for Small Business and Entrepreneurship: host of the ISBE 2022 and 2023 Summer ECR/A Symposium, and 2023 Rural Enterprise SIG Event
- Global Business Clinic Consortium
Research Grants
Completed Grant Projects
1st May 2025 – Nov 2025 Funder: MEDR Award: £7000
Title: Are We Speaking the Same Language? Aligning Employability Terminology Between Universities, Students, and Employers. A collaborative project between Wrexham University, Bangor University, University of Wales Trinity Saint David, the Open University, Aberystwyth University, and Swansea University.
Principal Investigator: Wooley, J. University of Wrexham. Co-Investigators: Cox, T. The Open University., Hall, M., University of Wales Trinity Saint David., Heyworth-Thomas, E. M. Bangor University., Hiatt, J. Aberystwyth University., Jones, S. Swansea University., Marks, C. Cardiff University., and Rolland, S. Swansea University.
November 2024- Nov 2025 Funder: ISBE RAKE Award: £4000
Title: An empirical exploratory analysis of how food and drink businesses in the UK can develop dynamic capabilities for innovation and resilience through lessons learned from disruptive events
Principal Investigator: Oke, A. Leeds Becket University, Co-Investigators: Heyworth-Thomas, E. M, Bangor University, and Jeremiah, F. University of Lincoln, New Zealand.
May 2023-March 2024 Funder: EPSRC/PRF Award: £10,000
Title: Benchmarking, Critical Success Factors, and Network Support for Quantum Physicist-led Spin-outs
Principal Investigator: Dr Elizabeth Heyworth-Thomas, Bangor University, Co-Investigators: Professor Rosalind Jones, Bangor University, and Professor Mike Holynski, University of Birmingham. Partner: University of Birmingham, Quantum UK.
July 2022-January 2023 Funder: Sport England Award: £5000
Commonwealth Games Fund
Title: Nordic Walking to improve mobility of people living with MS, rehabilitative support.
Principal Investigator: Heyworth-Thomas, E.M. Liverpool John Moores University.
Partner Applicant: MS Society Shrewsbury and Berwyn Nordic Walking and Guided Walks.
July 2019 – July 2020 Funder: University of Birmingham, Award: £10,000
Seedcorn Funding
Title: Being Enterprising in Beautiful Landscapes: Investigation of the Challenges in Rural Businesses
Principal Investigator: Prof. Rosalind Jones, Liverpool John Moores University
Co-Investigators: Dr Inci Toral, University of Birmingham, Dr Richard Edwards, independent,
Dr Elizabeth Heyworth-Thomas, Liverpool John Moores University. Partner: National Association for Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Publications
Articles in Peer-Reviewed Journals
Crick, J., Crick, D., Heyworth-Thomas, E. M., Sethna, Z., Deacon, J. Morrish, S. (2025). A tribute to the works of Professor Rosalind Jones, JRME.
Heyworth-Thomas, E.M. (2023). Creating experiential learning opportunities in enterprise education: an example of a facilitator-led business simulation game in a taught setting, Journal of Applied Work Management, Accepted for publication. 15(2), 173-187.
Heyworth-Thomas, E. M., and Jones, R (2019) Social Enterprise: bridging the gap between statutory and third sector. The International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, 20, No. 2: 80-89.
Chapters in Books
Edwards, B., and Heyworth-Thomas (2026). Building Authentic Enterprise Education into the modern HE Curriculum, in Crammond, R., Murray, T., and Bell, R. Applied Practices and Emerging Perspectives towards Entrepreneurship Education. [Accepted: in revision].
Heyworth-Thomas, E.M., Hyslop, K., and Jones, R (2022). Entrepreneurship and Societal Change, in Hyams-Ssekasi, D. (Eds.) Understanding Entrepreneurship: A Catalyst for Change Perspective, Palgrave.
Wiscombe, C., Heyworth-Thomas, E. M., Ryder, S., Maynard, L., and Dobson, C (2017). Social Enterprise and the Rural Landscape, in Oriade, A., and Robinson, P. (Eds.) Rural Tourism and Enterprise: Management, Marketing and Sustainability. CABI Tourism Texts. Conference Publications.
Reports
Cox, T., Hall, M., Jones, S., Hiatt, J., Heyworth-Thomas, E. M., Marks, C., Rolland, S., and Woolley, J. (2025) Are we Speaking the Same Language? Aligning employability terminology between universities, students and employers. Report, Medr, Advance HE, Avaliable at: Are we speaking the same language?, Last Accessed 8th January 2026.
Heyworth-Thomas, E. M. (2025) in, Wilkes, S., and Brawley, S. (2025). Quantum computing, sensing and communications: Research Briefing, UK Parliament. Available at: https:// post. parliament.uk/research-briefings/post-pn-0742/, Last accessed 14 May 2025.