Personal profile
Summary
I am Associate Dean of Students for the Faculty of Business and Law and Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship and Enterprise taking a strategic lead in education and student experience in the faculty.
I take an engaged activist approach to research and innovation to evaluate and develop entrepreneurial ecosystems. I have built innovation and entrepreneurial capacity through education developing entrepreneurial communities and learning for SMEs, students, graduates, trainee GPs, disadvantaged entrepreneurs, creatives and more established businesses across the UK and France.
I have been successful in grant capture, tendered and led research projects funded by the Solent LEP, ERDF, ESRC, UKRI, OfS, LfHE, and HEA. I have won funds as Principal Investigator (£1.1m in the past 5 years) including leading the international research and innovation project Accelerating Women's Enterprise funded 2.34m Euros.
I have published in journals including: The International Review of Administrative Sciences, The Journal of General Management, Electronic Journal of Knowledge Management, and International Journal of Networking and Virtual Organisations.
Research Interests
My research and innovation interests are in applied entrepreneurship, enterprise education and knowledge exchange. My most recent research and scholarship is in gender, disadvantage and entrepreneurship particularly Inclusive Entrepreneurial Ecosystems (IEEs), Student Engagement in Knowledge Exchange (SEKE) and including the creation of a toolkit to enhance SEKE projects across the HE sector.
I have led an international multidisciplinary research and innovation team on the Accelerating Women’s Enterprise (AWE) evaluating the gendered behaviour of entrepreneurial ecosystems. In June 2023, I launched the podcast series 'Accelerating Women's Enterprise - Stories from the frontline' to enhance the impact of AWE.
Current funding includes:
- Creative Management SkillUP Boot Camps Nov 2023 to March 2024
Teaching Responsibilities
I have significant faculty responsibilities in Learning and Teaching as Associate Dean of Students. This involves strategic leadership of education and student experience within the Faculty of Business and Law, and includes ex-officio panel member for course review and approval, and leadership for the faculty strategy and plans in the following: Recruitment and Outreach, Education and Student Experience, Digital Success Plan, Enterprise and Employability. I am AACSB lead for four standards (4, 10,12, 13).
I supervise PhD students.
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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SDG 4 Quality Education
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SDG 5 Gender Equality
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SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth
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SDG 9 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
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SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities
Fingerprint
- 1 Similar Profiles
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
Research output
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Accelerating Women's Enterprise: - Stories from the Frontline
Dann, Z. (Director) & Dann, L. (Other), 14 Jun 2023Research output: Non-textual form › Artefact
Open Access -
Governance and public policies: support for women entrepreneurs in France and England?
Johnston, K., Danho, E. J., Yarrow, E. L., Cameron, R., Dann, Z., Ekinsmyth, C., Busoi, G. & Doyle, A., 19 Oct 2022, (Early online) In: International Review of Administrative Sciences. 19 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile205 Downloads (Pure) -
Disadvantaged Entrepreneurship and Entrepreneurial Ecosystem
Pickernell, D. G. (Editor), Battisti, M. (Editor), Dann, Z. (Editor) & Ekinsmyth, C. (Editor), 17 Jan 2022, Emerald Publishing. (Contemporary Issues in Entrepreneurship Research; vol. 14)Research output: Book/Report › Book
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Baseline Report 1 - Entrepreneurial Ecosystems in France and the UK: The perspectives of disadvantaged female entrepreneurs and stakeholders in the entrepreneurial ecosystem
Danho, E. J., Dann, Z., Doyle, A., Ekinsmyth, C., Huang, S., Johnston, K., Pickernell, D. G. & Yarrow, E. L., 2021, Accelerating Women’s Enterprise. 96 p.Research output: Book/Report › Commissioned report
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Navigating entrepreneurial precarity through hybridity: Government Skills Bootcamps for women entrepreneurs in the creative industries
Dann, Z., 5 Nov 2025.Research output: Contribution to conference › Abstract › peer-review
Thesis
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An analysis of new product development processes in frugal innovation: a study of small and medium enterprises in Pakistan
Bhutto, B. (Author), Vyas, V. (Supervisor) & Dann, Z. D. H. (Supervisor), Jan 2021Student thesis: Doctoral Thesis
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Academic entrepreneurship in Petroleum Rentier States
Ikeatuegwu, C. (Author), Dann, Z. (Supervisor), Vyas, V. (Supervisor) & Hoecht, A. (Supervisor), Jan 2016Student thesis: Doctoral Thesis
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Product complexity: its impact on new product development and practical application
Dann, Z. (Author), Barclay, I. (Supervisor), Dec 2006Student thesis: Doctoral Thesis
Projects
- 7 Finished
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AWE: Accelerating Women's Enterprise
Dann, Z. (PI), Ekinsmyth, C. (CoI), Johnston, K. (CoI), Busoi, G. (CoI), Huang, X. (CoI), Murzacheva, E. (CoI), Doyle, A. (CoI), Pickernell, D. (CoI), Panaro, S. (CoI) & Owalla, B. (CoI)
1/09/18 → 30/04/23
Project: Research
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CMSB: Creative Management Skills Bootcamp
Dann, Z. (PI), Ekinsmyth, C. (CoI) & Busoi, G. (CoI)
1/11/23 → 31/03/24
Project: Innovation
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AI Leadership Skills Bootcamp Funded by Portsmouth City Council (£144,000,.00)
Ozcan, S. (PI), Bader-El-Den, M. (CoI), Dann, Z. (CoI), Busoi, G. (CoI), Mohasseb, A. (CoI), Garri, M. (CoI), Bhatti, Z. A. (CoI), Walton, N. (CoI), Sekhon, J. (Team Member), Ahmad, F. (CoI), Arabikhan, F. (CoI), Golcarenarenji, G. (CoI), James, K. (CoI), Xu, M. (CoI), Raheem, S. (CoI), Amin, A. (CoI), Awais Shakir Goraya, M. (CoI), Pearce, H. (CoI), Dam, S. (CoI) & Heald, R. (CoI)
2/09/24 → 31/12/25
Project: Innovation
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CMSB: Creative Management Skills Bootcamp
Dann, Z. (PI), Ekinsmyth, C. (CoI), Busoi, G. (CoI) & Sambrook, C. (CoI)
1/04/24 → 31/03/25
Project: Innovation
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Identifying leadership and management content for the University of Portsmouth medical degree
Owalla, B. (PI), Dann, Z. (CoI) & Capon, N. (CoI)
15/02/22 → 30/06/22
Project: Research
Activities
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International Entrepreneurship Educators Conference 2026
Dann, Z. (Chair)
23 Mar 2026 → 4 Sept 2026Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in conference
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Institute of Small Business and Entrepreneurship (ISBE) Conference
Dann, Z. (Presented paper)
5 Oct 2025Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in conference
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Presentation at Degree Apprentice Minifest 2025 - Impactful Teaching Strategies for Neurodivergent and Disabled Learners on Skills Bootcamps
Dann, Z. (Speaker)
18 Jun 2025Activity: Talk or presentation types › Oral presentation
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BAL Degree Apprenticeship Mini-Fest
Quew-Jones, B. (Organiser), Quew-Jones, B. (Chair), Quew-Jones, B. (Presented paper), Nassar, M. (Presented paper), Romero, R. (Presented paper), Dann, Z. (Presented paper) & Coulter, C. (Presented paper)
18 Jun 2025Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in conference
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External Examiner
Dann, Z. (Examiner)
12 Dec 2024Activity: Examination and External Supervision types › Examination
Press/Media
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New podcast series offers women insights, advice and experience for starting a business
6/07/23
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Research cited
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Assessment can have a big impact on graduate employability
2/04/22
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Research cited