Lecturer

Email: Jennifer.cowman@tudublin.ie

Tel: +353 1 2207296

Discipline: Business & Society 

 

Current role & Experience 

In my current role as Lecturer in the School of Global Business, TU Dublin I am passionate about teaching and assessment design. In particular I focus on the use of games and authentic assessment to support the learning experience, and drive learner engagement. My research centres on conflict at work in a health care setting with a particular emphasis on non-strike expressions of workplace IR Conflict. More recently, with the support of GrowthHub, I am exploring the design of educational escape rooms to develop entrepreneurial competencies in undergraduate learners. 

PhD, Trinity College Dublin: ‘The Nature of Workplace Industrial Relations Conflict - Expression and Impact in a Healthcare Setting’ 

• IRC Government of Ireland Scholar
• TCD Studentship

BA Mod. Business & Economics, Trinity College Dublin 

• First Class Honours, TCD Gold Medallist

 

In the news 

Judge, Education Awards 2023  

GROWTHhub Entrepreneurship Education Bursary Recipient 2023 for the project below:  

‘I want to break free’: Using escape games to develop entrepreneurial competencies in undergraduate business students. 

 

Teaching & Supervision

Teaching 

My teaching has focused on introducing learners to the managerial process and the specialties of management within a complex environmental context. In addition, I teach research methods and have a particular interest in qualitative enquiry. I adopt an active and authentic approach to learning and assessment. Specially, I utilise games and activities to engage the learner and facilitate skill development. For example, each year my first-year learners interview a manager in small groups. This year interview participants included senior managers and directors from Ernst & Young, Deloitte, Grant Thornton, The Irish Cancer Society, and An Garda Síochana. In Semester 2, the same learners interview entrepreneurs, attend events, and ultimately learn through play and fun. Most recently my attention has turned to the development of escape games to develop entrepreneurial skills in business students. 

Supervision 

I have supervised a range of undergraduate and postgraduate research projects in a variety of areas including HR, Marketing, and Sports Management and Coaching. In supervising novice researchers, I am a proponent of regular communication and clear processes to support the learner experience. I was a member of the former Blanchardstown Research Ethics Committee for several years and continue to advocate strongly for research integrity.  

Programme Development 

I have a keen interest in programme development and have contributed to several program reviews. I was a core team member for the validation of the Digital Marketing programme in Blanchardstown and was responsible for authoring the Teaching Learning and Assessment strategy and defending programme design as the validation panel. I was also a core team member for the School of Business Retention Working Group and the Internal Review project in 2019 where I coordinated research efforts to inform programme design decisions.  

Programme Roles 

I have several years’ experience holding the tutor role for a number of different programmes and years. Currently, I am first year tutor for the Business and IT programme in Blanchardstown. This involves induction training, events for programme cohesion, and pastoral care of students.  

 

Research

My research interests focus on industrial relations conflict – how it’s expressed by employees as individuals and collectives including trade unions.  I am also interested in (i) public sector organisations, and (ii) research on the learner experience, and business education.  

 

Book/ Chapter in book/ Journal Publication:

• Cowman, J. and Keating, M. A. 2013. 'Industrial Relations Conflict in Irish Hospitals: A Review of Labour Court Cases' Journal of Health Organization and Management

Conference Proceedings/Papers:

• Cowman, J. and Keating, M. A. 2017. ‘Unconscious collectivism the coalescence of individualised conflict at work’ European Group for Organisational Studies (EGOS) Colloquium, Copenhagen Business School July 6th -8th
• Cowman, J. and Keating, M. A. 2016. 'The More things Change, the More they Stay the Same: Exploring the Impact of Conflict in a Healthcare Setting' Organisation Behaviour in Healthcare Conference, Cardiff Business School 3-6 April.
• Cowman, J. and Keating, M. A. 2015. 'Exploring Workplace Industrial Relations Conflict: Expressions and Responses Using Qualitative Cases in a Healthcare Conference' International Labor and Employment Relations Association (ILERA) World Labour Congress Cape Town, South Africa 7-11 September.
• Cowman, J. and Keating, M. A. 2014 ' Alternative Expressions of Workplace Industrial Relations Conflict in Healthcare' Employment Relations in Healthcare Conference, Rutgers University School of Management and Labor Relations in Association with the University of Illinois. 14-15 March.
• Cowman, J. and Keating, M. A. 2013. 'Just Go Sick?' Industrial Relations Conflict and Absenteeism: The Undiagnosed Disease of Irish Healthcare Organisations? Improving People Performance in Healthcare Seminar: Understanding Organisational Errors in Healthcare Annual Seminar, DCU Business School September 6th.

 

Professional Experience

I have experience writing for a practitioner audience with Industrial Relations News. I’ve also been involved in a number of civic engagement projects with Eurofound. A selection of articles are provided below.

• Cowman, J. 2015 'Pay - A Review of Labour Court Cases' Industrial Relations News, IRN 04.
• Cowman, J. 2014. 'Shift Work - A Review of Labour Court Cases' Industrial Relations News, IRN 09.
• Cowman, J. 2013. 'Industrial Relations Conflict in Irish Hospitals - Changing Perspectives?' Industrial Relations News, IRN 29. *
• Cowman, J. 2013. 'Pensions - A Review of Labour Court Cases' Industrial Relations News, IRN 26.
• Cowman, J. 2013. 'Compensation - A Review of Labour Court Cases' Industrial Relations News, IRN 06. *
• Cowman, J. 2012. ‘Workplace Bullying – A Review of Labour Court Cases’ Industrial Relations News IRN 3. *
• Cowman, J. 2011. ‘Shift Work – A Review of Labour Court Cases’ Industrial Relations News 2011:46. *
• Cowman, J. 2011. ‘Working Time – A Review of Labour Court Appeals’ Industrial Relations News 2011:42. *