Research interests

• Technological Transformation
• Disruptive and Industry 4.0 Technologies
• Digital Innovation

Prof Islam’s research interest lies in exploring new knowledge on how emerging and disruptive technologies are developed, governed, and commercialised. Broadly his research spectrum involves the emergence and growth of disruptive and industry 4.0 technology-based innovation (e.g., Nanotech, AI, Blockchain, Bitcoin, IoT and Social media); the external and internal complexities of inter-firm collaborative partnerships; SMEs’ business sustainability during the COVID-19 pandemic and onwards; and the organisational capabilities and challenges faced by firms to deploy discontinuous-based innovation.

The key objectives of his research is to examine innovation systems—including the structural elements (institutions, actors, collaborations, and networks) that directly influence the development and diffusion of innovations—their strengths, weaknesses, and dynamics. His research is at the forefront of examining how digital technological transformation has revolutionised and accelerated business growth from SMEs to large companies and how organisations can harness the power of technological transformation.

As an Exeter Expert, his research focuses on digital technology transformation, environmental intelligence and sustainability, and innovation themes—all of which are highly significant subjects beyond academia and likely to grow in importance given the current economic environment in the UK. Three key themes lead this work:

• Technological Transformation: To some extent technologies could be seen as a means by which firms can strive to ensure economic sustainability and competitiveness in the decade ahead. This research theme examines the organisational capabilities and challenges faced by firms to deploy emering and digital technologies and the role of actors and intermediaries in structuring the business environment. It also explores challenges in fabricating product component structures, developing process techniques, or navigating more complex systems environments.
• Disruptive and Industry 4.0 Technologies: The study seeks to understand the innovation process of fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0) technologies and to find the collaboration linkages among actors. The innovation systems framework guides this research and directs the study to look at the changing role of knowledge and technology transfer in adopting innovation.
• Digital Innovation: Under this theme, the research seeks to analyse digital innovation data both in healthcare and finance sectors and to provide a taxonomy of the business opportunities within this revolutionary phenomenon. The use of specialist computer software helps to analyse technology, map clusters of key technologies, and visualise collaborative linkages statistically and textually. The aim is to formulate the mechanism of new digital knowledge creation, collaborations, and its deployment to industry sectors.

Research projects

Research Grants/Fellowships Awarded

• Macro, Meso and Micro-level Enablers and Barriers of Nanotechnology Commercialization, with Faculty of Business and Law, The University of Newcastle, Australia; Duration: January 2021 – December 2025; Amount: AUD 100,000.00; Role: Co-Principal Investigator
• Innovation ecosystem for Artificial Intelligence (AI) in aging society and smart city, with Rennes Business School, France; Duration: January 2020 – December 2020; Amount: Euro 7,500.00; Role: Principal Investigator
• Knowledge dynamics of artificial intelligence (AI) in aging society, with Beijing University of Technology, China; Funding body: China Science Foundation; Duration: August 2019 – Feb 2020; Amount: £15,000.00; Role: Principal Investigator and Mentor
• Development of International Partnership with University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and University of New Mexico, USA; Funding body: Outward Mobility Academic Fellowships, University of Exeter IIB (Innovation, Impact and Business); Duration: January 2018 – July 2018; Amount: £5,000.00; Role: Principal Investigator
• Modelling for Discontinuous Innovation and Its Impact on Social Change (with University of Surrey); Funding body: Sustainability and Circular Economy Research Cluster; Duration: August 2017 – July 2018; Amount: £5,500.00; Role: Co-Investigator (led by N. Mustafee)
• Evolution of Cancer Immunotherapies in Health-care Innovation Systems (with Kyoto University); Funding body: The Organisations in Transition Research Cluster; Duration: August 2016 – July 2017; Amount: £5,000.00; Role: Principal Investigator
• Understanding innovation process in the digital publishing sector – A comparative study (with ITS India); Funding body: The Organisations in Transition Research Cluster; Duration: August 2016 – July 2017; Amount: £5,000.00; Role: Principal Investigator
• Collaboration Structure in Nanotechnology Innovation System; Funding body: Glyn Rowland’s Research Grants; Duration: September 2011 – August 2014; Amount: £45,000.00; Role: Principal Investigator and Mentor
• Impact of Organisational Culture on Lean Manufacturing; Funding body: Yarmouk University; Duration: Sep 2013 – Aug 2016; Amount: £79,170.00 (JOD 88,910.00); Role: Principal Investigator and Mentor 
• Learning and Teaching Fellowship (AULTF); Funding Body: Aberystwyth University; Duration: January 2013 – December 2013; Amount: £1,200.00; Role: Principal Investigator
• Exploration of the UK industry takes up of nanotech and to encourage its use; Funding Body: Aberystwyth University Research Funds (URF); Duration: Sep 2011–Aug 2013; Amount: £6,000.00; Role: Principal Investigator
• Staff Mobility Grants at Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Germany; Funding Body: British Council Erasmus Grants; Duration: June 2013 – August 2013; Amount: £3,500.00; Role: Principal Investigator
• Technological Forecasting: Establishing a Management Decision Support System to Forecast the Interchange Ability, Trajectory and Limits of Emerging and Disruptive Technologies; Funding Body: EPSRC Research Fellowship; Duration: Apr 2008 – Oct 2009; Amount: £50,000.00; Role: Lead for Work Module 5           
• Socio-technical Analysis and Appraisal of Hydrogen Energy Technologies; Funding Body: EPSRC Research Fellowship (SUPERGEN XIV Consortium UK); Duration: Nov 2009 – Aug 2010; Amount: £35,000.00; Role: Work Package Lead on sustainable hydrogen energy innovation
• Fluorous Nanoflow Systems and Nanotechnology Systems of Innovation; Funding Body: Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Japan; Duration: April 2002 – March 2008; Amount: £6,80,000.00 (JPY126,000,000.00); Role: Principal Applicant

Key publications | Publications by category | Publications by year

Editorship of Journals

• Editor-in-Chief, International Journal of Technology Intelligence and Planning 
• Associate Editor (Lead Bureau Editor for Emerging Technologies), Technological Forecasting and Social Change 
• Managing Guest Editor for Special Issues: IEEE Transaction on Engineering Management; Technovation; Technological Forecasting and Social Change; Journal of Business Research
• Academic Editor, British Journal of Applied Science and Technology

Leadership Role

2017 – 2023,  Interdisciplinary Pathway Lead, Global Political Economy – The ESRC’s South West Doctoral Training Partnership (SWDTP), University of Exeter Business School

2016 –     President, Business and Applied Sciences Academy of North America (BAASANA) UK Chapter

2014 –    Member of the Board of Directors, BAASANA, USA

2017, 2019     Conference Chair, BAASANA International Conference, Organised by BAASANA-UK Chapter

2017 –      Fellow Board Member, Cambridge International Academics, UK

2015 –      Director and Chair of PhD Colloquium, PICMET Annual Conference, USA

2018 –      Director of Studies, University of West of Scotland, London, UK

2016 – 2018   Deputy Director of Education, University of Exeter Business School, UK

2010 – 2014     Director of Postgraduate Research, Aberystwyth Business School, Aberystwyth University, UK

2012 – 2014    Chair for Postgraduate Examination Board, Aberystwyth Business School, Aberystwyth University, UK

Awards and Honours

• Received the ‘Award of Excellence’ for distinctive contributions to BAASANA in 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016
• Received the ‘Award of Excellence’ for outstanding service and distinctive contribution as Conference Chair to the Business and Applied Sciences Academy of North America (BAASANA), 2019, 2017
• Winner of the ‘Brad Hosler Award for Outstanding Paper’, PICMET Conference 2015, Portland, Oregon, USA
• Winner of the ‘Pratt & Whitney Canada Best Paper Award’, R&D Management Conference 2008, Ottawa, Canada
• Awarded a certificate as Nominating Professor in recognition of outstanding PhD student mentoring, PICMET, 2015, Portland, Oregon, USA
• Outstanding Teacher Award: Aberystwyth University Learning and Teaching Fellowship, 2013
• Received the ‘Award of Excellence’ for valuable services as Member of Board of Directors to the BAASANA, 2015, Manhattan, NY, USA

External Recognition

• Invited Keynote Speaker for The tenth China forum of future-oriented technology analysis, 29 -30 July 2019, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China
• Invited Keynote Speaker and Panel Discussant at the International Conference on Innovation in Engineering and Technology (ICIET), Dhaka, Bangladesh, December 27-28, 2018
• Invited Keynote Speaker for Plenary Session at the Innovation and Technology Management Africa, Pretoria, South Africa, August 10-12, 2011
• Invited Guest Speaker at International Conferences held in University of Cambridge (Churchill College), UK, November 11-12, 2017; in Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, JAPAN, October 6-8, 2014; in National University of Singapore (NUS), Singapore, July 26, 2007
• Visiting Professor, Middlesex University London, 2011-2012, UK; North South University, 2012-2013, Bangladesh
• Editor Panellist for TEMSCON'18 Conference, June 28-July 2, 2018, Chicago, USA; PICMET'17 Conference, July 9-13, 2017, Portland, Oregon, USA; PICMET'16 Conference, Sept. 4-8, 2016, Hawaii, USA; PICMET'15 Conference, August 2-6, 2015, Portland, Oregon, USA
• Referee for Research Councils UK (EPSRC, ESRC) and for The Knowledge Foundation Sweden
• Peer Reviewer for 12 leading Journals including Research Policy; Technovation; Technological Forecasting and Social Change; International Journal of Production Economics; IEEE Transaction on Engineering Management; R&D Management; Technology Analysis and Strategic Management; Journal of Technology Transfer; Scientometrics; Technology in Society; International Journal of Innovation and Technology Management; International Journal of Production Research
• Peer Reviewer for Book Publishers: Routledge (Taylor and Francis); Wiley; Earth Scan; IGI Global

Professional Memberships

• Professional Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (HEA), UK
• IEEE TEM Society (USA)
• PICMET (USA)

Professor Islam has substantial experience of significant innovation in inclusive curriculum development and has engaged himself in launching several modules and courses for undergraduate and postgraduate levels including a new MSc programme. As a module leader he has taught a wide variety of courses across the range of teaching areas, and has integrated his research into teaching.

Modules

2021/22

• BEMM178 - Innovation Management