Disability, Entrepreneurship, Innovation

Dr Tom Coogan, Assistant Professor in Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Nottingham University Business School

Dr Coogan’s research focuses on Entrepreneurship, disability and identity, looking, in particular, at the experiences of entrepreneurship in terms of self-perception of competence and ability by disabled entrepreneurs. He was the PI on a collaborative research project funded by Innovate UK on innovation in entrepreneurship while working on the cross-sectionality between BAME and disability. Focus groups discussions were held in Nottingham, Birmingham, Sheffield, and London. The Report is due in 2020 and foregrounds self-employment as generating wellbeing and therefore having an economic advantage, and encouragement activity for people with disadvantage in entrepreneurship. Dr Coogan’s research speaks to two Areas of Research Interest from the Department of Work and Pensions relating to current and future trends in disabilities that require targeted policy measures, and an understanding of the barriers which prevent people with disabilities from progressing as entrepreneurs and the interventions needed.