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      Dr Bianca Stumbitz

      ROLE: Research Fellow
      SCHOOL: Business School
      DEPARTMENT: Business KT
      TELEPHONE: +44 (0)20 8411 2485
      EMAIL: B.Stumbitz@mdx.ac.uk
      1. Biography &
        Qualifications
      2. Learning &
        Teaching Interests
      3. Research Outputs &
        Interests
      4. Funded Research &
        Knowledge Exchange Projects
      5. Engagement &
        Impact

      • Biography &
        Qualifications

        Bianca's research interests include small businesses, (social) entrepreneurship and equality issues in the labour market. She has specialist knowledge on the subject of maternity and paternity at work across the world, and has recently undertaken related research in Ghana, South Africa and Malaysia. Her ILO funded study on maternity protection at work in Ghana focused on small firms in the informal economy and the most vulnerable women workers. Bianca also recently studied workplace supports for breastfeeding in South Africa, with a particluar focus on low paid workers. Another key stream of her work is related to social enterprise. Recent projects include a study on wellbeing community businesses, funded by the Power to Change charitable trust, a study on alternative social enterprise models for delivering health and social care public services (funded by Innovate UK), a study commissioned by AESOP (Arts Enterprise with a Social Purpose) to help develop sustainable social enterprise models for its ‘Dance to Health’ programme which responds to the issue of older people’s falls, as well as an ESRC (Economic and Social Research Council) funded study on Older Social Entrepreneurs which was carried out in collaboration with UnLtd, a charity that supports social entrepreneurs in the UK. Bianca has a PhD from Middlesex University in London and masters degrees from Middlesex University, the University of Osnabrück in Germany, and the University of North London.

        Qualifications

        • PhD: 'Social Entrepreneurship Shaped by the Life Course: A Case Study of Older Social Entrepreneurs in the UK', Centre for Enterprise and Economic Development Research (CEEDR), Middlesex University Business School, London, UK
        • MSc Research Methods for Business and Management, Middlesex University Business School, London, UK
        • MRE (Magistra Rerum Europae) European Studies, University of Osnabrück, Germany
        • MA Modern European Studies, University of North London, UK

        Languages spoken

        • German (fluent)
        • French (basic)

        Languages Spoken

      • Learning &
        Teaching Interests

        Teaching interests include small business and (social) entrepreneurship; equality, diversity and inclusion; HRM and research methods.

        MGT3180 - Enterprise and Small Business

        MGT3193 - Business Start-Ups

        HRM3011 - Contemporary Issues in HRM

        PhD Research Training

      • Research Outputs &
        Interests

        • SMEs and the informal sector
        • Maternity and paternity at work (maternity protection, including breastfeeding support)
        • Equality and diversity issues in the labour market (age, gender, ethnicity)
        • (Social) entrepreneurship (particulary motivations, opportunity recognition, entrepreneurship and the life course)
        • Life course

        Public Outputs from Research

        • Stumbitz, B., Lewis, S. and Rouse, J. (2017).  ‘Maternity Management in SMEs: A Transdisciplinary Review and Research Agenda’. International Journal of Management Reviews (ABS 3*). DOI:10.1111/ijmr.12143.
        • Lewis, S. and Stumbitz, B. (2017). ‘Research on Work and Family – Some Issues and Challenges’, in Liebig, B. and Oechsle, M. (eds). Fathers in Work Organizations: Inequalities and Capabilities, Rationalities and Politics. Opladen: Barbara Budrich, pp. 227-245.
        • Stumbitz, B., Kyei, A, Lewis, S. and Lyon, F. (forthcoming 2017). The Legal, Policy and Regulatory Environment Governming Maternity Protection and Workers with Family Responsibilities in the Formal and Informal Economy of Ghana. Geneva: ILO.
        • Stumbitz, B., Kyei, A., Lewis, S. and Lyon, F. (2015). 'Maternity Protection at Work in Challenging Environments: A Case Study of Small Businesses and the Informal Economy in Ghana'. Paper to be presented at the Community, Work & Family Conference in Malmø, Sweden, May 2015.
        • Lewis, S., Stumbitz, B. (2015). 'Research on Work and Family - Some Issues and Challenges'. Paper presented at the Fathers in Work Organizations Conference in Bielefeld, Germany, March 2015.
        • Lewis, S., Stumbitz, B., Miles, L., Rouse, J. (2014). Maternity protection in SMEs: An international review, Geneva: ILO. ISBN: 978-92-2-129065-0. Available at: http://www.ilo.org/global/publications/ilo-bookstore/order-online/books/WCMS_312783/lang--en/index.htm.
        • Stumbitz, B. (2015). 'The Business Case for Breastfeeding Support in SMEs', paper to be presented at the Work and Family Researchers Network (WFRN) Conference in New York, US, June 2014.
        • Croucher, R., Stumbitz, B.; Vickers, I.; Quinlan, M. (2013). Can better working conditions improve the performance of SMEs? – An international literature review, Geneva: ILO. ISBN: 978-92-2-1275503. Available at: http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_emp/---emp_ent/documents/publication/wcms_227760.pdf.
        • Stumbitz, B. (2013). Social Entrepreneurship Shaped by the Life Course: A Case Study of Older Social Entrepreneurs in the UK, doctoral thesis, Middlesex University, London. Available at: http://eprints.mdx.ac.uk/12474/.
        • Stumbitz, B. (2013). 'Social Entrepreneurship Shaped by the Life Course', paper presented at 4th EMES International Conference on Social Enterprise in Liège, Belgium, July 2013.
        • Stumbitz, B. (2012). 'Social Entrepreneurial Activity in Later Life: Motivations shaped by the Life Course', paper presented at 4th International Social Innovation Research Conference, University of Birmingham, September 2012.
        • Stumbitz, B. (2012). 'The Benefits of Social Entrepreneurial Activity in Later Life', paper presented at the British Society of Gerontology 41st Annual Conference, Keele University, July 2012.
        • Stumbitz, B. (2012). 'Older Social Entrepreneurs', webinar organised by the Third Sector Research Centre and GlobalNet21, June 2012.
        • Stumbitz, B., McDowall, H. & Gabriel, M. (2012). Golden Opportunities – Social Entrepreneurs in an Ageing Society. Research Findings Series, UnLtd Research. Available at: https://unltd.org.uk/2012/11/02/findings-4-golden-opportunities-social-entrepreneurs-in-an-ageing-society/.
        • Stumbitz, B. (2011). 'The Role and Potential of Older Social Entrepreneurs in an Ageing Society', paper presented at the UK Social Enterprise Capacity Building Cluster Summer School, Durham University, June 2011.
        • Stumbitz, B. (2011). 'The Role and Potential of Older Social Entrepreneurs in an Ageing Society', British Society of Gerontology 40th Annual Conference, Plymouth University, July 2011.
        • Humbert, A., Lyon, F. and Stumbitz, B. (2010). Understanding the Diversity of Social Entrepreneurship. Paper presented at the Institute of Small Business and Entrepreneurship Conference in London, November 2010.
        • Stumbitz, B. and Humbert, A. (2010). The Diversity of Older Social Entrepreneurs – A Life Course Perspective. Paper presented at the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Conference in Vienna, Austria, July 2010.
        • Stumbitz, B. (2001). The Impact of EU Equality Legislation on Women in the UK Labour Market illustrated by Women's Opportunities in Management Careers, masters dissertation, University of North London, UK.

        Publication Feed

        Maternity protection in formal and informal economy workplaces: the case of Ghana

        Stumbitz, Bianca and Lewis, Suzan and Kyei, Abigail A. and Lyon, Fergus (2018) Maternity protection in formal and informal economy workplaces: the case of Ghana. World Development, 110 . pp. 373-384. ISSN 0305-750X

        Research on work and family – some issues and challenges

        Lewis, Suzan and Stumbitz, Bianca (2017) Research on work and family – some issues and challenges. In: Fathers in Work Organizations: Inequalities and Capabilities, Rationalities and Politics. Liebig, Brigitte and Oechsle, Mechthild , eds. Barbara Budrich, Opladen, pp. 227-245. ISBN 978-3847407034

        Maternity management in SMEs: a transdisciplinary review and research agenda

        Stumbitz, Bianca and Lewis, Suzan and Rouse, Julia (2018) Maternity management in SMEs: a transdisciplinary review and research agenda. International Journal of Management Reviews, 20 (2). pp. 500-522. ISSN 1460-8545

        Maternity protection in SMEs: an international review

        Lewis, Suzan and Stumbitz, Bianca and Miles, Lilian and Rouse, Julia (2014) Maternity protection in SMEs: an international review. International Labour Organization, Geneva. ISBN ISBN 9789221290650

        Maternity protection in SMEs: an international review

        Lewis, Suzan and Stumbitz, Bianca and Miles, Lilian and Rouse, Julia (2014) Maternity protection in SMEs: an international review. International Labour Organization, Geneva. ISBN 9789221290650

        View more publications

      • Funded Research &
        Knowledge Exchange Projects

        Recent Funded Research

        Power to Change

          The role of community businesses in providing health & wellbeing services – challenges, opportunities and support needs (2017-2018)

        University of Cape Town

        • Advancing workplace support for breastfeeding in South Africa: An economic, health and social development need (2017)

        British Council/Newton Fund

        • Advancing Maternity Protection in Malaysia: Meeting Social Welfare and Business Needs, and Contributing to Economic Development (2016)

        School for Social Entrepereneurs (SSE)

        • Evaluation of SSE's activities (2013-2015)

        Knowledge Transfer Partnership

        • Holy Cross Centre Trust (2015)

        International Labour Organisation (ILO)

        • Study on maternity protection and workers with family responsibilities in Ghana (2014-2015)
        • International literature review on maternity protection in SMEs (2013-2014)
        • International literature review on working conditions in SMEs (2012-2013)

        Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and UnLtd

        • PhD Studentship Award, CEEDR, Middlesex University Business School, UK (2009-2012)

      • Engagement &
        Impact

        International Labour Organisation

        • Stumbitz, B., Kyei, A., Lewis, S. and Lyon, F. (forthcoming 2017). The Legal, Policy and Regulatory Environment Governing Maternity Protection and Workers with Family Responsibilities in the Formal and Informal Economy of Ghana. Geneva: ILO.
        • Lewis, S., Stumbitz, B., Miles, L., Rouse, J. (2014). Maternity protection in SMEs: An international review, Geneva: ILO.
        • Croucher, R., Stumbitz, B.; Vickers, I.; Quinlan, M. (2013). Can better working conditions improve the performance of SMEs? – An international literature review, Geneva: ILO.

        Bianca recently led an ILO-funded study on maternity protection (MP) at work in Ghana. The objectives of the project were i) to  explore MP issues and and experiences within the specific, policy and cultural context in Ghana, with a focus on small firms in the informal economy and ii) to begin to examine the feasibility of innovative maternity supports at low or no cost. As part of the study, the research team also advised the Maternity Protection Steering Committee at the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations in Accra, Ghana, in relation to their strategy to accelerate progress of maternity protection measures.


        Social Entrepreneurs aged over 50

        Bianca also completed an ESRC (Economic and Social Research Council) funded study on Older Social Entrepreneurs which was carried out in collaboration with UnLtd, a charity that supports social entrepreneurs in the UK. Her findings were used to develop programmes tailored to the needs of social entrepreneurs over 50, as well as a support toolkit for older social entrepreneurs. The collaboration also resulted in a Research Findings Paper which has provided UnLtd with evidence needed to disseminate their message about the potential of social entrepreneurship in later life to a range of stakeholders and to influence policy (key audiences: social entrepreneurs, support organisations, academics and policymakers).

        Workplace Breastfeeding Support

        Bianca has been acting as an advisor of the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) in their global efforts to empower women through breastfeeding support. Her work with WABA has been focussing on the area of women's employment, including supports for women in low paid employment and the informal economy.

        She is also currently collaborating with the University of Cape Town and the South African clothing workers union SACTWU on the design, implementation and evaluation of an intervention for workplace breastfeeding support.

        Professional Roles and Activities

        • Co-Chair of the International Committee of Work and Family Researchers Network
        • Academic advisor the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA)
        • Member of the Gender and Diversity Group at the Department of Leadership, Work and Organisations.
        • Reviewer for academic journals

        Recent media experience

        Webinar on 'Older Social Entrepreneurs', organised by the Third Sector Research Centre and GlobalNet21.

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