Dr Isla Kapasi

Dr Isla Kapasi is an early career researcher in the field of entrepreneurship. She completed her PhD in 2015 – Home-based business: a means to what end? – and is continuing to explore this area in her research. Prior to developing her academic career, Isla was involved in public, private and third sector employment and self-employment. She has run several small businesses and is currently a mentor for high growth firms in Edinburgh in partnership with Edinburgh Chambers of Commerce.

Isla is committed to informing her teaching with research. She is experienced in the development of innovative teaching curricula, most recently with Team Entrepreneurship. She has in-depth experience of working with undergraduates, postgraduates and MBAs.  Isla is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Qualifications

  • 2015 PhD (Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh)
  • 2011 MRes (Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh)
  • 2009 MSc (Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh)
  • 2000 BA Hons (Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh)

Research

Isla’s current research interests include: home-based business, critical entrepreneurship studies, leadership, innovation and gender.

Publications

Journal Articles

Kapasi, I., & Galloway, L. (2018). Home-based Business: An Exploration of Business Model Heterogeneity. Journal of Business Models, 6, 63-78.

Forthcoming 2016 Kapasi, I., Sang, K. and Sitko, R. Their stories: gender, identity work and women leaders Gender in Management

Forthcoming 2016 Kapasi, I. and Galloway, L. Rural home-based business: a study of motivations, challenges and outcomes in Scotland Local Economy

2015 Kapasi, I. and Galloway, L. Work-life balance in home-based businesses: a UK study The International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation 16 (1) pp.33-42.

2015 Galloway, L., Kapasi, I. and Sang. K. Entrepreneurship, leadership and the value of feminist approaches to understanding them International Small Business Journal.

2015 Galloway, L., Kapasi, I. and Whittam, G. How not to do it!! A salutary lesson on longitudinal & qualitative research approaches for entrepreneurship researchers International Journal of Entrepreneurship Behavior & Research.

2015 Galloway, L. and Kapasi, I. Exploring ‘successful’ outcomes of entrepreneurship education Industry and Higher Education 29 (6) pp. 505-515

Book chapters

Forthcoming 2016 Kapasi, I. Autonomous and self-determined student learning: The value of an innovative Finnish approach in: Foster, M. and Penman, C. (eds) Innovations in Learning and Teaching Edinburgh: Edinburgh Napier University

Conference papers

Kapasi, I., “Design your own destiny”: neoliberal values, the idealised ‘self’ and experiences in the context of home-based business, EGOS, Edinburgh 2019

2016 Kapasi, I. and Grekova, G. “Textbooks are one thing; the real world is different. Perspectives on self-determined learning”, ISBE, Paris, France. 27 – 28 October

2016 Osowska, R., Kapasi, I. and Jackman, L. “The effect of culture on female entrepreneurship motivations”, ECFED, Lyon, France. 23-24 June

2016 Kapasi, I. “Practicing entrepreneurship? Learning from the Finnish experience”, Teaching Fellows Conference, Edinburgh, UK. 7 January, 2016

2015 Kapasi, I., Galloway, L. and Wimalasena, L. “Structure and Agency: Re-examining Theories of Entrepreneurial Intention”, Institute for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (ISBE) Conference, Glasgow, UK. November 7-8, 2015

2014 Kapasi, I. and Galloway, L. “Theory of Planned Behaviour and Qualitative Approaches: A Tale of Two Studies”, Institute for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (ISBE) Conference, Manchester, UK. November 5-6, 2014

2014 Kapasi, I. “Why Home-based Business? Exploring the motivations of Scottish owner-operators” International Council for Small Business (ICSB) World Conference on Entrepreneurship, Dublin, Ireland. June 14-16, 2014

2014 Kapasi, I. and Galloway, L. “Home-based Business Motivations: does it vary by urban and rural location? 12th Rural Entrepreneurship Conference Rural Entrepreneurship: Farm, Festival, Food or Fibre Optics?, Harper Adams University, Shropshire, UK. June 4-5, 2014

2014 Kapasi, I. “Why entrepreneurship? A Critical Realist approach” Scottish Graduate School of Social Sciences Business Management Pathway Student Colloquium, Stirling University, Stirling, UK. April 18-19, 2014

2012 Galloway, L., Kapasi, I. and Whittam, G. “Where are they now? An entrepreneurship education follow-up” 7th European Conference on Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Santarem, Portugal. September 5-6, 2012