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Dr Kayleigh Watson

Assistant Professor

Department: Newcastle Business School

KAyleighPrior to joining the school Kayleigh held the role of Postgraduate Academic Assistant at the University of Sunderland, following completion of her undergraduate and post graduate degree studies at Newcastle University. Kayleigh also holds a Post Graduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education and is a fellow of the HEA.

Kayleigh’s main research area concerns the promotion of start-up competitions as an entrepreneurial learning experience. Her doctoral research explored Business Plan Competition participation from the perspective of the nascent entrepreneur participant, this involved employing an approach which captured participant narratives before, immediately after and six months after competition participation. This work has formed the basis for the production of papers for journal publication and presentation at international conferences; whilst also compelling a wider impetus for consideration of how competition provision might be reimagined going forward.

In addition to her core research interests, Kayleigh is keen to use her practice as an educator to inform research. This has inspired pedagogical research around the embedding of formative feedback within module design and delivery. 

Campus Address

City Campus East 1



  • Please visit the Pure Research Information Portal for further information
  • Getting caught between discourse(s): hybrid choices in technology use at work, Ivory, C., Sherratt, F., Casey, R., Watson, K. 1 Mar 2020, In: New Technology, Work and Employment
  • Emergent Perspectives toward the Business Plan among Nascent Entrepreneur Start-Up Competition Participants, Watson, K., McGowan, P. 4 Jun 2019, In: Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development
  • Rethinking Competition-based Entrepreneurship Education in Higher Education Institutions: Towards an Effectuation-informed Coopetition Model, Watson, K., McGowan, P. 2 Dec 2019, In: Education + Training
  • Stimulating entrepreneurial behaviour through start-up competitions: Current features of provision in UK higher education institutions, Watson, K. 2019, Entrepreneurial Behaviour, Cham, Switzerland, Palgrave Macmillan
  • An exploration of the Business Plan Competition as a methodology for effective nascent entrepreneurial learning, Watson, K., McGowan, P., Cunningham, J. 8 Jan 2018, In: International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour and Research
  • Technology Nascent Entrepreneur Experiences of Start-up Competition Participation, Watson, K., McGowan, P. 2017, Technology-Based Nascent Entrepreneurship , New York, Palgrave Macmillan
  • Learning for competitions sake: the competition know-how imperative amongst nascent entrepreneurs, Watson, K., McGowan, P. 28 Oct 2016, ISBE 2016
  • Reimagining the extracurricular business plan competition through the incorporation of effectuation, Watson, K., McGowan, P., Cooper, S. Feb 2016, Australian Centre for Entrepreneurship Research Exchange 2016 Conference
  • The role of communities of practice in mediating the effects of technology change amongst skilled workers., Ivory, C., Casey, R., Watson, K. 2016, In: Work, Employment & Society
  • Leveraging effectual means through business plan competition participation, Watson, K., McGowan, P., Smith, P. 1 Dec 2015, In: Industry and Higher Education

  • PGDip June 13 2018
  • PhD October 28 2016
  • PGCert September 05 2012
  • Business andManagement Studies MSc November 17 2010
  • BA (Hons) June 30 2008
  • Fellow (FHEA) Higher Education Academy (HEA) 2012


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