Dr Beryl Burns
Dr Beryl Burns PhD, BSc (Hons), FHEA, PGCLTHE
Senior Lecturer in Skills Development and Business Information Systems
My profile
Biography
Prior to pursuing an academic career I worked for several years as a computer engineer in public sector primary, secondary and special needs schools providing IT/ICT support and computer maintenance.
I have worked as a Research Fellow on several research projects and am currently working as a Senior Lecturer in Skills Development and Business Information Systems in the Department of Operations, Technology, Events and Hospitality Management (OTEHM) at Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK.
I hold a BSc (Hons) degree in Information Technology and a PhD in Information Systems and have several academic conference, journal and research project final report publications.
Other academic service (administration and management)
2024/2025
Level 5 Year Manager (90 students)
Unit Leader:
- The Technology Professional (Level 4 BT)
- Introduction to Business Systems (DTS Apprenticeship - Year 1 [Level 4])
- Technical Business Consultancy Project (DTS Apprenticeship - Year 3 [Level 5])
Additional Teaching:
- Digital Business Development (Level 6 BT)
- Digital Business Implementation (Level 6 BT)
- Business Technology Project [Consultancy Strand Supervisor] (Level 6 BT - 3 x students)
- Synoptic Project Supervisor (DTS Apprenticeship - Year 4 (3 x students)
- MSc Synoptic Project - IT Strategy Supervisor (DTS Apprenticeship - 5 x students)
External Activity:
External Module Examiner at The Ulster University Business School for the BSc Hons Marketing Programme
2023/2024
Level 4 Year Manager (98 students)
Unit Leader:
- The Technology Professional (Level 4 BT)
- Introduction to Business Systems (DTS Apprenticeship - Year 1 [Level 4])
- Technical Business Consultancy Project (DTS Apprenticeship - Year 3 [Level 5])
Additional Teaching:
- Digital Business Development (Level 6 BT)
- Digital Business Implementation (Level 6 BT)
- Business Technology Project [Consultancy Strand Supervisor] (Level 6 BT - 3 x students)
- Synoptic Project Supervisor (DTS Apprenticeship - Year 4 (3 x students)
- MSc Synoptic Project - IT Strategy Supervisor (DTS Apprenticeship - 5 x students)
2022/2023
Level 4 Year Manager (105 students)
Unit Leader:
- The Technology Professional (Level 4 BT)
- Business Technology Project [Consultancy Strand Co-Ordinator and Supervisor] (Level 6 BT)
- Introduction to Business Systems (DTS Apprenticeship - Level 4)
- Technical Business Consultancy Project (DTS Apprenticeship - Level 5)
Additional Teaching:
- Digital Business Development (Level 6 BT)
- Digital Business Implementation (Level 6 BT)
- Synoptic Project Supervisor (DTS Apprenticeship - Year 4 (6 x students)
- MSc Synoptic Project Supervisor (DTS Apprenticeship - 6 x students)
2021/2022
Level 4 Year Manager (110 students)
Unit Leader:
- The Technology Professional (Level 4 BT)
- Consultancy Project (Level 6 BT)
- Introduction to Business Systems (DTS Apprenticeship - Level 4)
- Technical Business Consultancy Project (DTS Apprenticeship - Level 5)
Additional Teaching:
- Developing a Digital Business Unit (Level 6 BT)
- Synoptic Project Supervisor (DTS Apprenticeship - Level 6 - 6 x students)
- MSc Synoptic Project Supervisor (DTS Apprenticeship - Level 7 - 6 x students)
External Activity:
External Module Examiner at The University of Hertfordshire Business School for the Information Systems and Project Management Programme
2019/2020
Foundation Year/L3 Year Manager (480 students) [4th year in this role]
Unit Leader:
- Academic Skills for Higher Education (L3)
- Business Effectiveness (L4 BT)
- Consultancy Project (Level 6 BT)
- Introduction to Business Systems and Professional Development (DTS Apprenticeship – Level 4)
- Technical Business Consultancy Project (DTS Apprenticeship – Level 5)
Additional Teaching:
- Developing a Digital Business Unit (Level 6 BT)
Department Coordinator:
Level 4 BT Personal and Professional Development (Strand Approach adopted by OTEHM Department)
Membership of professional associations
Association for Information Systems (AIS)
Association for Information Systems Women’s Network (AISWN)
Association for Women in Computing (AWC)
UK Academy for Information Systems (UKAIS)
Research outputs
My research interests include social and organisational aspects of information systems; call centres; surveillance technologies; professional identity; gender research looking at various issues that arise concerning women working in IT; project management; cyber security and social networking.
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Chapters in books
Burns, B., Light, B. (2008) 'User Led Innovation in Call Centre Knowledge Work: A Social Shaping Perspective.' In Clarke, S. (ed.) End-User Computing Concepts, Methodologies, Tools, and Applications. Information Science Publishing,
Burns, B., Light, B. (2007) 'User-Led Innovation in Call Center Knowledge Work A Social Shaping Perspective.' In McMaster, T., Wastell, D., Ferneley, E., DeGross, J.I. (ed.) Organizational Dynamics of Technology-Based Innovation: Diversifying the Research Agenda IFIP TC8 WG 8.6 International Working Conference, June 14-16, 2007, Manchester, UK. Springer Science & Business Media, pp. 133-147.
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Reports
Burns, B., Ferneley, E., Wright, D., Bate, S. (2009) Crime Prevention for Emerging Enterprises Final Report. University of Central Lancashire and University of Salford (Funded by Skills Development Fund).
Burns, B. (2007) KAN (Know and Network): Women in IT Final ESF Project Report. University of Salford.
Griffiths, M., Moore, K., Burns, B., Richardson, H. (2007) The Disappearing Women: North West ICT Project Final Report. University of Salford and European Social Fund (ESF), Spring 2007, ISBN: 9781905732180.
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Journal articles
Blair, G., Pagano, R., Burns, B. (2019) 'Contingency Framework for Addressing Failure in Information Systems.' Journal of Innovative Research in IT & Computer Science, 03(02)
Burns, B. (2008) 'Offshoring: secure or open to the praying mantis?.' Strategic Outsourcing: An International Journal, 1(1) pp. 77-86.
Burns, B., Light, B. (2007) 'Users as Developers: A Field Study of Call Centre Knowledge Work.' Journal of Organizational and End User Computing, 19(4) pp. 42-56.
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Conference papers
Edifor, E., Koghut, M., Yarwood, D., Burns, B. (2024) 'PRACTISE – A New Authentic Assessments Framework for Degree Apprentices.' In Learning, Teaching & Student Experience (LTSE) Conference 2024. Birmingham, UK,
Burns, B., Keogh, C., Richardson, H., Tattersall, A. (2009) 'Using e-business tools to overcome gender barriers for women at work in the UK ICT labour market.' In ISIT (1st International Conference on Information Society and Information Technology). 1. Novo Mesto, Slovenia, 12/10/2009 - 13/10/2009. Mertik, M., Damij, N. (ed.) ISIT, pp. 18-27.
Burns, B. (2009) 'Constructing Professional Identity Online: Web 2.0 - The New Vogue.' In International Conference on Information Society and Information Technologies. 1. Novo Mesto, Slovenia, 12/10/2019 - 13/10/2019. Mertik, M., Damij, N. (ed.) pp. 7-17.
Bell, F., Burns, B., Adam, A., Griffiths, M., Oates, B.J., Smith, S. (2007) 'Ethical Research and Practice in a Women’s Social Network.' In Towards a Social Science of Web 2.0. York, UK, 5/10/2007 - 6/10/2007.
Griffiths, M., Moore, K., Burns, B., Richardson, H., Adam, A. (2007) 'Disappearing from the Knowledge Based Economy? Women moving from technology-orientated to human-orientated knowledge work.' In Gender Work and Organization 5th International Interdisciplinary Conference. Keele University, Staffordshire, UK, 27/6/2007 - 29/6/2007.
Griffiths, M., Moore, K., Burns, B. (2007) 'Gendered Processes of Leaving the ICT Industry: Co-Producing and Understanding ‘Significant Events’.' In Gender Work and Organization 5th International Interdisciplinary Conference. Keele University, Staffordshire, UK, 27/6/2007 - 29/6/2007.
Burns, B., Light, B. (2007) 'Innovation in call centre working: the negotiable boundary between developers and users.' In Informatics Research Institute (IRIS) Postgraduate Conference. University of Salford, Manchester, UK, 12/6/2007 - 12/6/2007.
Burns, B. (2007) 'Users as Professionals: A Study of Deployment and Its Relationship to Professional Identity.' In International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP) Doctoral Consortium. University of Salford, Manchester, UK, 12/6/2007 - 13/6/2007.
Burns, B., Light, B. (2006) 'Rewriting the Rules: Professionals, Technologies and Call Centre Working.' In European Association for the Study of Science and Technology (EASST). Lausanne, Switzerland, 23/8/2006 - 28/10/2019.
Burns, B., Light, B., Adam, A. (2006) 'Users as Professionals: A Study of IT Deployment and its Relationship to Professional Autonomy.' In 14th European Conference on Information Systems (ECIS). Gothenburg, Sweden, 11/6/2006 - 15/6/2006. Association for Information Systems (AIS),
Burns, B., Light, B. (2006) 'Retaining Professional Identity in Contact Centre Work: A Case Study Investigation (Best Paper Award).' In UKAIS Conference 2006: 'Where Theory Meets Practice'. Cheltenham, 9/4/2006 - 11/4/2006.
Burns, B., Light, B. (2005) 'Professionals as Users: Autonomy Considerations for the Deployment of Information Systems.' In 26th ICIS 2005. Las Vegas, U.S.A, 11/12/2005 - 14/12/2005.
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Presentations
Burns, B. (2007) Constructing Professional Identity Online: Web 2.0 - The New Vogue [Abstract]. [Presentation] Association for Information Systems (AIS), International Conference on Information Systems (ICIS) Montreal, Quebec, Canada,10/10/2007.