Dr Leana Reinl

As a Lecturer in Enterprise & Management at the School of Business, Waterford Institute of Technology, I deliver several management discipline modules including, 

- International Corporate Strategy

- International Management

- Business Strategy 

- Small Business Management

- Enterprise Skills

I also deliver seminars on WIT's postgraduate generic skills programme.

BOOKS / BOOK CHAPTERS__________________________________________________________

Kelliher, F. & Reinl, L. (2014). Green Innovation and Future Technology: Engaging Regional SMEs in the Green Economy, Palgrave Macmillan Pivot, UK.

Kelliher, F., Aylward, E., Reinl, L. 2014. The impact of knowledge hoarding on micro-firm learning network exchange. In: C. Machado & J.P. Davim (eds) Transfer and Management of Knowledge (Cognitive Science and Knowledge Management Series), ISTE Ltd and John Wiley & Sons, pp. 1-20.

Kelliher, F. and Reinl, L. 2014. The green innovation and future technologies concept. In F. Kelliher & L. Reinl (eds). Green Innovation and Future Technology: Engaging Regional SMEs in the Green Economy, Palgrave Macmillan Pivot, UK, pp. 27-40.

JOURNAL PUBLICATIONS _____________________________________________­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­____________

Kelliher, F., Reinl, L., Johnson, T., Joppe, M. 2018, Exploring the role of trust in rural tourism network engagement: A multi-case study. Tourism Management. 68: 1-12. 

Reinl, L. & Kelliher, F. (2015). ‘Transforming tourism micro-firm practitioner learning: exploring the road to a sustainable learning community’, Journal of Teaching in Travel & Tourism. 15(3): 278-293. DOI: 10.1080/15313220.2015.1064338

Reinl, L., Owens, E., Kelliher, F., Harrington, D. (2015). Facilitating cross-border knowledge exchange among rural micro-firms: a community of practice perspective. International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation. 16(3): 183–195 doi: 10.5367/ijei.2015.0191

Kelliher, F., Reinl, L. (2014). ‘Learning in Action: Implementing a facilitated learning programme for tourism micro-firms’, Irish Business Journal, 9(1): 5-16.

Reinl, L. & Kelliher, F. (2014) ‘The social dynamics of micro-firm learning in an evolving learning community’, Tourism Management, 40: 117-215.

Kelliher, F. & Reinl, L. (2011) ‘From facilitated to independent tourism learning networks: Connecting the dots’, Journal of Tourism Planning and Development, 8(2): 185-198.

Reinl, L. & Kelliher, F. (2010) 'Cooperative micro-firm strategies: leveraging resources through learning networks', The International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, 11(2): 141-150.

Kelliher, F. & Reinl, L (2009) ‘A resource-based view of micro-firm management practice’. Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, 16(3): 521-532.

POLICY PUBLICATIONS_______________________________________________________________

Rural Conversations Series, (2018-19) in associated with the Royal Irish Academy and the Department of Rural and Community Development

Rural Conversation No. 1: ‘Delivering Economic Development in Rural Ireland’. National University of Ireland Galway, 28th November, 2018.
Rural Conversation No. 2: ‘Enhancing Social Cohesion among Communities in Rural Ireland’. Dundalk Institute of Technology, 28th February, 2019.
Rural Conversation No. 3: ‘Building Vibrant and Sustainable Communities in Rural Ireland’, Waterford Institute of Technology, 4th April, 2019.

CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS____________________________________________________

Kelliher, F., Reinl, L., Fleming, D and Grant, U. 2019. Giving voice to the invisible workforce - Reflections on the delivery of a small firm employee network capability development (ENCD) programme. 3E ECSB Entrepreneurship Education Conference, Gothenburg, Sweden, May, 2019.

Kelliher, F., Reinl, L., Holohan, J., Lynch, P. 2018. Action AND research a method of embedding business model innovation in SMEs. Research in Entrepreneurship and Small Business (RENT) conference proceedings, Toledo, Spain, 14-16 Nov.

Reinl, L., Kelliher, F., Aylward, D. 2018. Engaging the rural community: broker influence on sustainable rural micro firm network relationships. 58th European Regional Science Association (ERSA) Congress, ‘Places for people: Innovative, Inclusive and Liveable Regions’ Cork, Ireland, Aug 28-31.

Reinl, L., Kelliher, F. 2017. The role of positional embeddedness in cultivating rural tourism micro-firm networks: a conceptual framework. Embeddedness of Tourism Worlds: Towards New Frontiers? Travel and Tourism Research Association Conference, Angers, France. Apr 25-28.

Kelliher, F., Reinl, L., Johnson, T., Joppe, M. 2017. The role of trust in building rural tourism micro firm network engagement: a multi-country study. The Council for Australasian Tourism and Hospitality Education (CAUTHE) Auckland, New Zealand. Feb 7-10.

Aylward, D., Reinl, L., Kelliher, F. 2016. Enhancing micro firm innovation in rural tourism learning communities, Research in Entrepreneurship and Small Business (RENT) conference, Antwerp, Belgium. Nov 16-18.

Kelliher, F., Reinl, L. 2016. Reconceptualising the tourism destination as a learning community: A social exchange perspective, 3rd Advances in Destination Management Forum (ADM) Conference, Colorado, USA. June 15-18.

Mellett, S., Kelliher, F., Reinl, L. 2016. Environmental influencers for green innovativeness capability development in micro-firms. Canadian Council for Small Business and Entrepreneurship conference proceedings, University of Guelph, Canada, May 25-27.

Aylward, D., Reinl, L, & Kelliher, F. (2015). ‘An Exploration of Evolving Learning Communities in the Micro-Firm Rural Tourism Environment - A Multi-Country Study’ presented at the 18th Annual Irish Academy of Management Conference, NUIG, Galway, Ireland. Sept 3-4.

Kelliher, F. & Reinl, L. (2015). ‘Challenging the Rural Policy-Practice Gap: Engaging rural firms in the green economy’, The International Comparative Rural Policy Studies (ICRPS) Consortium, the Rural Policy Research Institute and the Rural Policy Learning Commons: The Water-Food-Energy-Climate Nexus: An Emerging Challenge for Rural Policy’ workshop. May 19-21.

Reinl, L., Owens, E., Kelliher, F. & Harrington, D. (2014) ‘Facilitating cross-border knowledge exchange among rural micro-firms: a community of practice perspective’, 2nd Global Conference on Business, Economics, Management and Tourism, Prague, Oct 30 – Nov 1.

Kelliher, F., Reinl, L. & Aylward, E. (2014) ‘Exploring the concept of knowledge sharing among rural micro-firms’, Irish Academy of Management Conference, University of Limerick, Ireland. Sept 4-5.

Reinl, L. & Kelliher, F. (2014) ‘Transforming tourism networks: exploring the road to a sustainable learning community’, Transforming Educational Futures Initiative Conference, University of Guelph, Guelph, Canada. June 5-7.

Kelliher, F. & Reinl, L. (2014) ‘Learning in action: Implementing a facilitated learning programme for tourism micro-firms’, Tourism and Hospitality Research in Ireland Conference, Cork Institute of Technology, April 3-4. (Shortlisted for best conference paper award)

Reinl, L. & Kelliher, F. (2013) ‘Micro-firm learning: A Community of Practice perspective’. Working paper. Irish Academy of Management Conference, Waterford Institute of Technology, Ireland. Sept 3-5. 

Reinl, L. & Kelliher, F. (2010) 'From facilitated to independent tourism learning networks: Connecting the dots', International Tourism Entrepreneurship Conference, Wilfrid Laurier University, Canada. Apr 26-27.
Reinl, L. (2009) 'beyond formal learning network structures: an exploration of evolving learning communities in the micro-firm environment',  Irish Academy of Management Conference proceedings, Galway Mayo Institute of Technology, Ireland. Sept 2-4.

Reinl, L. & Kelliher, F. (2008) ‘An analysis of the learning relationships amongst owners/ managers in a micro-firm learning network’, Irish Academy of Management Conference, Dublin City University, Ireland. Sept 3-5.

Kelliher, F. & Reinl, L. (2007) ‘A resourced based view of micro-firm management practice’, Institute for Small Business and Entrepreneurship Conference, Glasgow, Scotland. Nov 7-9.

POSTER PRESENTATIONS____________________________________________________

GIFT INTERREG Programme Team. 2013. Green Innovation and Future Technology: Helping rural SMEs Grow through Green. Presented at: the European Environment and Sustainable Development Conference, Bangor University, Bangor, Wales. Oct 18-19.
GIFT INTERREG Programme Team. 2013. Green Innovation and Future Technology: Helping rural SMEs Grow through Green. Presented at: the Irish Academy of Management Conference, Waterford Institute of Technology, Waterford, Ireland. Sept 2-4 (commended).
Reinl, L., 2012, Green Innovation and Future Technologies (GIFT) learning network, Presented at: UCD’s Earth Institute’s Inaugural Industry and Enterprise Showcase, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland. Nov 6.
Reinl, L., 2010, Evolving learning communities: Looking beyond facilitated network environments, Presented at: WIT Research Day, Waterford Institute of Technology, Waterford, Ireland. May 17.
Reinl, L., 2010, Evolving learning communities: Looking beyond facilitated network environments, Presented at: Sustainable Learning Networks Ireland Wales Conference, Aberystwyth University, Wales. Sept 28.

PERIODICALS/E-ZINES______________________________________________________

Maher, J. & Reinl, L. 2010. ‘Reigniting the Regional Proposition’. Working Paper. School of Business, Waterford Institute of Technology, Waterford, Ireland.
Reinl, L. 2009. ‘The Evolution of Tourism Learning Communities’, WIT Tourism Business E-zine, (Oct Edition).
Reinl, L. 2007. ‘The Importance of Management Development in the Small Firm’. South East Business Magazine (Sept/Oct Edition).

2006 – present                                                                                 Waterford Institute of Technology, Ireland

Irish Research Council Fellow: Oct 2014- 2017       

Awarded an ELEVATE: Irish Research Council International Career Development Fellowship – co-funded by Marie Cure Actions, I will explore how regional specific conditions including policy interventions and local learning arrangements influence learning communities in the tourism sector in Canada under the mentorship of Prof. Marion Joppe, University of Guelph, Canada and Dr Felicity Kelliher, Waterford Institute of Technology.

The Fellowship has an outgoing phase of 2 years and a 1 year home phase back at WIT. This work builds on almost a decade of research conducted by Dr Kelliher and I which explored the social learning dynamics of tourism communities in Ireland. Rural tourism development is one of the core research focuses in the RIKON group based in the School of Business at WIT (www.rikon.ie). This work augments the Institute’s on-going contribution to rural regional growth and social renewal.

Key components of the Fellowship include:

Project management;
Seminar and case design & delivery;
Advanced research methods training;
Funding proposal development;
Editorial skills development;
Research dissemination via International peer reviewed journals and conferences.

Business Development Officer, GIFT INTERREG project: Oct 2011 - present        

A collaboration between WIT, University College Dublin, Ireland and Bangor University, Wales, the projects core aim is to develop and hone SMEs’ GIFT skills via a cross border innovation forum in pursuit of developing the green economy in Ireland and Wales. In this role I worked closely with a cross disciplinary multi-national research team in the coordination, delivery and evaluation of facilitated learning network support to a multi-sector SME network and in tandem, pursue academic research to develop and engage sustainable communities of learning and practice. Key responsibilities:

Managed and delivered key project outputs including continuous professional development workshops, business led projects and face to face and virtual learning forums (via moodle platform);
Project administration- financial reporting and budgeting; proficient knowledge of agresso financial software and procurement regulations and guidelines;
Presented interim reports to project stakeholders;
Engaged a multi-stakeholder network of SMEs, academics and regional / government actors;
Met academic publication outputs and identified future funding streams and partners.

Research Investigator, RIKON Research Group: Jan 2011 - 2012

Established in 2007, RIKON are Ireland’s leading applied Service Innovation Centre working with firms of all sizes and from numerous industry sectors. The RIKON team, comprising academic and commercial business managers assists organisations to develop strategies and innovative solutions to gain distinctive competitive advantage. Methodologies are rooted in extensive field research. Key responsibilities:

Conducted trend analysis, on-line surveys, focus groups and in-depth interviews to inform new product development processes in a number of SMEs;
Identified and co-ordinated individual/ group training supports for SME networks.
Reported to SME clients, RIKON team and Enterprise Ireland;

Research Assistant, Fáilte Ireland Tourism Learning Networks (TLN): Oct 2006 - Dec 2010      

The TLN project incorporated the design and delivery of a Higher Education & Training Awards Council of Ireland (HETAC) accredited business development programme. This initiative was funded (€2.186m) by the National Tourism authority of Ireland, Fáilte Ireland and developed by WIT to provide a flexible, action-orientated model of learning for SME tourism enterprises. Amendments to enhance learning strategies informed by my Masters (Research) were rolled out nationally on the programme. Participant submissions/graduations significantly increased based on these enhancements (145%). Key responsibilities:

Informed the design and delivery of programme learning strategies based on applied research expertise;
Recruited SME learning sets in the southeast region by theme and county;
Designed and managed a process for Level 6 Certificate submissions including measures for quality assurance;
Designed and maintained SME training and learning development records and reported same to project stakeholders;
Event management: meeting/conference coordination.

Chief Administrator, Irish Academy of Management (IAM) Conference: July - Sept 2013             

WIT’s School of Business hosted the IAM Conference in 2013, the largest of its kind in Ireland. The theme of the conference was the ‘Scholarship of Integration: engaging communities of learning and practice’. Representing all five continents, 260 attendees presented on a variety of topics including innovation, entrepreneurship and small business management, tourism and international business over the three day conference. In addition an Excellence in Practice Assembly brought together business leaders from all sectors to engage in discussion and to present academic-practitioner partnership case studies via poster presentations. Key responsibilities:

Conference design, development and implementation in liaison with the Conference Chair;
Coordination of conference programme and volunteer schedule;
Management of 200+ paper submissions, track allocation and maintenance of academic paper database;
Production of conference brochure and track schedule;
Hospitality, logistics and technical liaison;
Session chair for postgraduate research parallel paper presentations.

Event Manager, Ireland Newfoundland Economic Development Conference: June - Sept 2010                 

This conference sought to establish a policy framework and an action set to help secure economic and social outcomes for the southeast of Ireland. Participants from the southeast of Ireland and Newfoundland Canada represented indigenous businesses and community groups; local authorities and development agencies; financial institutions, academia and various government departments. Key responsibilities:                                                                                  

Designed, developed and implemented conference programme;
Managed conference budget and invoicing;
Coordinated conference speakers and assisted in the development of workshop content;
Compiled stakeholder database and managed the registration process;
Contributed to conference report and working paper detailing outcomes.