Staff profile

Professor Les Worrall

Photo Les Worrall
Role Emeritus Professor
Contact  Direct line: 01902 321772
Email: L.Worrall@wlv.ac.uk
Biography

Professor Worrall has taken an active role in management research in the UK: he was Chair of the British Academy of Management’s (BAM) Directors of Research Network (DoRN) (2006-7); a Council Member of the British Academy of Management (from 1998-2004 and from 2006-7); and, a member of the Research Committee of the Association of Business School from 2005 to 2008.

In 2007, Prof Worrall was presented with the “Outstanding Reviewer of the Year Award” by the Emerald Literati Network for his work on the editorial board of Personnel Review.  In 2009, his  paper “The changing locus of workplace control in the English further education sector” published in Employee Relations: The International Journal was chosen as a Highly Commended Award Winner at the Literati Network Awards for Excellence 2010.

Academic qualifications Degree of Doctor in Philosophy, University of Liverpool
Degree of Master of Civic Design, University of Liverpool
BA (Hons) Geography, University of Hull
Teaching interests Research methods. 
Corporate and community engagement Professor Worrall has conducted research for or advised the CBI (the Confederation of British Industry), PricewaterhouseCoopers, Norwich Union (CGNU/Aviva), Adecco, AMICUS, the Chartered Management Institute, BDO Stoy Hayward, RobertsonCooper Ltd, the Open University, The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Simplyhealth, the Work-Life Balance Centre, the Society of Information Technology Management, West Midlands Centre of Excellence for Local Government, Carrington-Crisp Ltd, West Midlands Police Authority, Midlands Excellence, the Manufacturing Foundation, the Leadership Trust, Telford and Wrekin Council, Bath and NE Somerset Council, Hampshire County Council, East Lindsay Council, Northamptonshire County Council, the London Boroughs of Redbridge, Enfield and Haringey, Bradford City Council, Cheshire West and Cheshire/Cheshire East Councils, Warwickshire County Council, the Strategic Planning Society, ICAEW, the Local Government Employers’ Organisation, SOLACE, FITLOG, Dudley MBC, Advantage West Midlands and Government Office (West Midlands).
Professional body membership and roles Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute
Research interests Professor Worrall has varied research interests but focusses specifically on organisational analysis. His main areas of research include changing nature of work and employment; work-life balance and employee wellbeing; the effects of organisational change on employee behaviour; and the effects of different management and leadership styles on employee perceptions of the quality of their working lives.
External academic roles

External examiner MSc Executive Programmes, Trinity College, Dublin.
Professor of Strategic Analysis, Coventry University.
Visiting Professor of Management, Harper Adams University College.

Selected publications Books, chapters in books, research publications and monographs

Worrall, L. (2011) Leading Issues in e-Government Research. Reading: Academic Publishing International.

Worrall, L. (2011, forthcoming) A case study in organisational analysis and organisational development.  In Dundon T and Wilkinson A (eds) Cases in global people management, strategy and innovation.  Sydney:  Tide Publishing.

Worrall, L., Cooper, C. L., Lindorff, M (2011) A picture of trust in UK business organisations.  In Searle, R and Skinner, D (ed) Trust and Human Resource Management:  London, Edward Elgar.

Worrall, L. & Cooper, C. L. (2008) Organisational change in the UK: employee outcomes, Chapter 29 in: J. Storey, P. Wright & D. Ulrich (Eds) The Routledge companion to strategic human resource management (London: Routledge).

Worrall, L., Lindorff, M., & Cooper, C.L. (2008) A comparison of the perceptions of UK managers and managers in Victoria, Australia.  Victoria: Australian Institute of Management.  http://www.aimvic.com.au/QualityofWorkingLife2008.pdf

Worrall, L. (2008) Singing from the same hymn sheet?  A survey of chief executives and heads of ICT about ICT in local government. Northampton: SOCITM.

Worrall, L. & C. L. Cooper (2007) The quality of working life: a survey of managers’ experiences of organisation Chartered Management Institute Research Report  CMI: London.

Worrall, L., Cooper, C.L. & Mather, K. (2007) Organisational change and its dysfunctional effect on managers in large organisations. Chapter 23 in: J. Langan-Fox, C. L. Cooper & R. Klimoski (Eds) Research companion to the dysfunctional workplace: management challenges and symptoms (London: Edward Elgar).

Levy, M. Powell, P & Worrall, L. (2007) The relationship of strategic intent to the enablers and inhibitors of E-business adoption in SMEs.  Chapter XI in Khosrow-Pour, M (ed) Emerging information resources management and technologies. (London: IDEA Group Publishing for the Information Resources Management Association).

Worrall, L. & C. L. Cooper (2006) The quality of working life: a survey of managers’ health Chartered Management Institute Research Report (CMI: London).

Levy, M., Powell, P. & Worrall, L (2005) The relationship of strategic intent to the enablers and inhibitors of e-business adoption in SMEs, In: M. Levy & P. Powell (Eds) Strategies for growth in SMEs: the role of information and information systems (Oxford: Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann).

Worrall, L., Cooper, C. L. & Parkes, C. (2004) The impact of organisational change on the experiences and perceptions of UK managers from 1997-2000.  In:  Fay, D., & Lührmann, H.  Facing Up to the Constancy of Organizational Change Further Insights and Approaches to Solutions (London: Psychology Press).   

Worrall, L. (2004) Assessing the energy levels of UK managers (London: Chartered Management Institute).

Worrall, L. & Cooper, C. L. (2001) The quality of working life: the 2000 survey of managers’ experiences IM Research Reports (London: Institute of Management).

Worrall, L., Money, A. & Remenyi, D. (2000) A methodology for the evaluation of the effectiveness of IT departments, In: D. Garson (Ed) Public Information Systems (New York: Marcel Dekker) pp. 501-520.

Worrall, L., Cooper, C. L. & Campbell, F. K. (2000) The pathology of organisational change: a study of UK managers’ experiences, In: R. Hamlin, J. Keep & K. Ash (Eds) Organisational change and development: a reflective guide for managers, trainers and developers (London: FT Prentice Hall) pp. 61-79.

Worrall, L., Cooper, C. L. & Campbell, F. K. (2000) The impact of organisational change on managers’ perceptions of their working lives, In: R. Burke & C. L. Cooper (Eds) The organisation in crisis (Oxford: Blackwell) pp. 20-43.

Worrall, L. & C. L. Cooper (1999) The quality of working life: the 1999 survey of managers’ experiences IM Research Reports (London: Institute of Management).

Worrall, L. & C. L. Cooper (1998) The quality of working life: the 1998 survey of managers’ experiences IM Research Reports (London: Institute of Management).

Worrall, L. & C. L. Cooper (1997) The quality of working life: the 1997 survey of managers’ experiences IM Research Reports (London: Institute of Management).

Worrall, L. & Bond, D. (1996) Geographic information systems, spatial analysis and public policy - the British experience, In: A. Mannina (Ed) GIS for Urban and Regional Statistics (Reykjavik: Statistics Iceland) pp. 1-17.

Worrall, L. (1991) Local and regional information systems, In: M. J. (Ed) Economic activity and land use (London: Longman).

Worrall, L. (1991) Spatial analysis and spatial policy (London: Belhaven).

Worrall, L. (1990) GIS: developments and applications (London: Belhaven).

Worrall, L. (1988) Urban demographic information systems, In P. Congdon & P. W. J. Batey (Eds) Advances in regional demography. (London: Belhaven).

Worrall, L. (1987) Information systems for urban labour market planning and analysis, In I. Gordon (Ed) Unemployment, the regions and labour markets (London, Pion).

Refereed Journal articles

May, D.E., and Worrall, L. (2011) Are domestic support and political bias really harmful to the agricultural trade system? New perspectives from the international social network literature.  International Journal of Economic Research 7(2): 249-258

Worrall, L., Lindorff, M., and Cooper, C.L. (2011) Managers’ wellbeing and perceptions of organizational change in the UK and Australia. Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources 49(2), pp.233-254.

Worrall, L., May, D and Tate G. (2011, forthcoming) Explaining the formation of network innovations by small agricultural firms: the case of the ex-sugar beet farmers of the UK.  International Journal of Economic Behaviour (forthcoming)

Worrall, L., (2010) Provocation:  Business schools and the economic crisis:  The only true wealth is the wealth of the mind.  International Journal of Management Concepts and Philosophy, 4(1), pp. 7-12.

Worrall, L., Mather, K., and Seifert R. (2010) Solving the labour problem among professional workers in the UK public sector: organisation change and performance management. Public Organization Review, 10 (1), 117-137.

Worrall, L., Mather, K., and Seifert R. (2009) The changing locus of workplace control in the English Further Education sector. Employee Relations, 31 (2), pp. 139-157

Worrall, L. (2008) Management research and management practice: is the relevance gap closing? International Journal of Management Concepts and Practice 3(1), pp.1-18

Worrall, L. & Cooper, C. L. (2007) Managers’ work-life balance and health: the case of UK managers European Journal of International Management 1(1), pp. 129-145 (Invited paper for the inaugural edition).

Worrall, L., Lubbe, S. & Klopper, R. (2007) Academic research and management practice.  Alternation: the Interdisciplinary Journal for the Study of the Arts in Southern Africa 14(2) pp.292-316.

Worrall, L. (2007) Transforming regional economic performance through business transformation. International Journal of Management Practice 2(4), pp.324-343.

Worrall, L., Mather, K. & Seifert, R. (2007) Reforming further education: the changing labour process for college lecturers Personnel Review 36(1), pp. 109-127.

Worrall, L., Lubbe, S. & Klopper, R. (2005) The PhD:  Pathways and Pitfalls. Alternation: the Interdisciplinary Journal for the Study of the Arts in Southern Africa 12(2) pp.260-282.

Worrall, L., Lubbe, S. & Klopper, R. (2005) Challenges in postgraduate research: why PhDs come off the rails. Alternation: the Interdisciplinary Journal for the Study of the Arts in Southern Africa 12(1) pp.236-257.

Worrall, L. (2005) Fiat lux: a reflection on management research International Journal of Management Concepts and Practice 1(3) pp.246-261.

Levy, M., Powell, P. & Worrall, L. (2005) Strategic intent and e-business in SMEs: enablers and inhibitors Information Resource Management Journal 18(4) pp.1-20.

Worrall, L. & Cooper, C. L. (2004) Contemporary issues in UK business organizations: the implications for employee wellbeing Human Resources Psychology (Psihologia Resurselor Umane) 2(2) pp.9-15 (In English and Romanian).

Worrall, L. (2004) Multi-perspective management research: Fusion or confusion? Electronic Journal of Business Research Methods 2(12) http://www.ejbrm.com/vol2-issue2/vol2-issue2-art12.htm

Wang, Y., Ahmed, P. K., & Worrall, L. (2004) Understanding inter-firm networks: a theoretical review International Journal of Management Concepts and Philosophy 1(1) pp.73-98. 

Worrall, L., Cooper, C. L. & Parkes, C. (2004) The impact of organisational change on the experiences and perceptions of UK managers from 1997-2000 European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology 13(2) pp.139-163.

Worrall, L. & Cooper, C. L. (2004) Managers, hierarchies and attitudes: a study of UK managers Journal of Managerial Psychology 19(1) pp.41-68.

Worrall, L., Bannister, F., Remenyi, D. & Money, A. (2001) Measuring performance: two models of IT satisfaction South African Business Review 5(2) pp.4-15.

Worrall, L. & Cooper, C. L. (2001) Managing the work-life balance European Business Forum Issue 6(Summer) pp.48-53.

Worrall, L. & Mole, K. (2001) Innovation, business performance and regional competitiveness in the West Midlands: evidence from the West Midlands Business Survey European Business Review 13(6) pp.353-364.

Worrall, L. & Cooper, C. L. (2001) Management skills development: a perspective on the current position and setting the future agenda. Leadership and Organization Development Journal 22(1) pp.34-39.

Campbell-Jamison, F. K., Worrall, L. & Cooper, C. L. (2001) Downsizing in Britain and its effects on survivors and their organizations Anxiety, Stress and Coping 14(1) pp.35-58.

Worrall, L., Remenyi, D. & Money, A. (2000) A methodology for evaluating user perceptions of the delivery of ICT services: a comparative study of six UK local authorities Australian Journal of Information Systems 15(1) pp.69-83.

Worrall, L, Cooper, C. L. & Campbell, F. K. (2000) The impact of redundancy:  perceptions of UK managers Journal of Managerial Psychology 15(5) pp.460-476.

Worrall, L., Cooper, C. L. & Campbell, F. K. (2000) Perpetual change and employment instability: the new reality for UK managers Work, Employment and Society 14(4) pp.647-668.

Worrall, L., Cooper, C. L. & Campbell, F. K. (2000) The impact of organisational change on the work experiences and attitudes of public sector managers Personnel Review 29(5) pp.613-636.

Worrall, L. & Cooper, C. L. (1999) Working hours and their impact on managers Leadership and Organization Development 20(1) pp.6-10.

Worrall, L., Collinge, C. & Bill, T. (1998) Managing strategy in local government International Journal of Public Sector Management 11(6) pp.472-493.

Worrall, L. & Bond, D. (1997) Geographical information systems, spatial analysis and public policy: the British Experience International Statistical Review 26(3) pp.637-658.

Worrall, L., Cooper, C. L. & Liff, S. (1997) Women in management: a study of West Midlands Businesses Personnel Review 26(3) pp.152-173.

Worrall, L. (1996) The Price Waterhouse West Midlands Business Survey: a commentary on regional labour market, skills and training issues Journal of Applied Management Studies 5(2) pp.209-218.

Worrall, L. & Cooper, C. L. (1995) Executive stress in different industrial sectors, structures and sizes of business Personnel Review 24(7) pp.175-183.

Worrall, L. (1995) Managing community information resources: a developing role for UK local authorities Journal of Industrial Affairs 4(2) pp.109-120.

Worrall, L. (1995) Managing information in complex organisations: a local government perspective Local Government Studies 21(1) pp.115-129.

Worrall, L. (1994) Incorporating GIS into strategic management in local government Local Government Policy Making 21(2) pp15-24.

Worrall, L. (1994) The role of GIS-based spatial analysis in strategic management in local government Computers, Environment and Urban Systems 18(5) pp.323-332.

Worrall, L. (1994) Current issues in information management: a local government perspective Journal of Industrial Affairs 3(2) pp.107-119.

Worrall, L. (1994) Geographical Information Systems: applications in government and business Journal of Industrial Affairs 3(1) pp.15-26.

Worrall, L. (1994) Justifying investment in GIS: a local government perspective International Journal for Geographic Information Systems 8(6) pp.545-565.

Worrall, L (1990) Information systems for urban and regional planning in the UK: a review Environment and Planning 'B' 17 pp.451-462.

Worrall, L, Hancox, A. & Pay, J. (1988) Developing the customer orientation: the Wrekin experience Local Government Studies 15(1) pp. 37-48.

Worrall, L. (1988) Population information systems and the analysis of urban change Town Planning Review 58(4) pp.411-424.

Worrall, L. (1990) Improving the quality of "Database UK".  Mapping Awareness 4(3), pp.31-6.

Worrall, L (1989) Design issues for planning orientated spatial information systems.  Mapping Awareness 3(3) pp. 17-20.

Worrall, L. (1985) Social and economic research in an English New Town: local information systems. Environment and Planning ‘B’, 12 pp. 277-285.

Worrall, L. (1986) The analysis and management of urban change:  the role of local information systems.  Journal of Economic and Social Measurement, 14, pp.257-270.

Conference papers and invited papers

Worrall. L (2009) The view from the top.  Chartered Management Institute, West Midlands.  Paper presented at Harper Adams University College, April 2010.

Worrall, L. (2007) Participation, involvement and communications in ICT service delivery.  Socitm Annual Conference.  Belfast, October

Worrall, L., & Cooper, C.L. (2007) The Quality of Working Life:  the 2007 study of managers in the UK. Chartered Management Institute Annual Convention Invited Paper.  October, Birmingham

Worrall, L., (2007) Management research and management practice: is the relevance gap closing?  Invited paper presented at Trinity College, Dublin, May 2007.

Worrall, L. (2006) It's all in day's work:  managers' perceptions of organisational life in 2005.  Chartered Management Institute West Midlands Regional Conference, Keynote address. May, 2006

Worrall, L. (2005) How is managerial work changing? Chartered Management Institute Annual Convention Invited Paper.  November, Leeds

Jones, B., Baldridge, G. & Worrall, L. (2004) Whither social networks?  Virtual teams and strategic reform ICSTM Conference Pennsylvania, USA, May.

Worrall, L., Levy, M. & Powell, P. (2004) Strategic intent and e-business in SMES: enablers and inhibitors European Conference on Information Systems Helsinki, Finland, June.

Jones, B. & Worrall, L. (2004) Conducting multi-perspective management research: fusion or confusion? Part I & Part II ECRM Conference Reading, UK, April.

Worrall, L. (2004) The PhD in business and management ECRM Conference Reading, UK, April.

Worrall, L., Jones, B. & Cooper, C. L. (2003) Redefining organisational wellbeing: just what is a work/life balance in today’s climate SCOS XXI Cambridge, UK, July.

Jones, B., Worrall, L. & Cooper, C. L. (2003) Plumbing the depths of organisational wellbeing: tales of ‘survivors’ and ‘victims’ SCOS XXI Cambridge, UK, July.

Jones, B., Baldridge, G. & Worrall, L. (2003) Experimental use of virtual teams British Academy of Management Harrogate, UK, September.

Worrall L. (2003) Methodologies for performance management and service improvement for local government.  SOCITM Annual Conference, Birmingham (invited paper)

Worrall, L. (2002) The management of absence: a study of FTSE250 companies.  British Academy of Management Conference, London, September.

Worrall, L. (2001) The long working hours culture: an exploratory framework Work, Employment and Society Conference Nottingham, UK,  September.

Worrall, L. (2001) Working hours and work overload British Academy of Management Conference Cardiff, UK, September.

Worrall, L. (1999) The changing nature of managerial work British Academy of Management Conference Manchester, UK, September.

Worrall, L. (1999) Organisational change and communication IEEE Conference Cranfield University, UK, May.

Worrall, L. (1999) Making local government more intelligent: the role of research and knowledge management LARIA Annual Research Conference Manchester, UK, March.

Worrall, L. (1999) Methodologies for the measurement of performance in local authority service departments SOCITM/Institute of Public Finance Conference London, UK, March.

Worrall, L., Remenyi, D. & Money, A. (1998) The assessment of IS/IT strategy performance UK Information Systems Association Conference Reading, UK, November.

Worrall, L. & Mole, K. (1998) Innovation, business and regional competitiveness in the West Midlands European Institute of Business Administration Stuttgart, Germany, November.

Worrall, L., Money, A. & Remenyi, D. (1998) Measuring the effectiveness of local government IS/T strategies Operational Research Society Conference Lancaster, UK, September.

Worrall, L. & Cooper, C. L. (1998) The impact of organisational restructuring on managers’ work experiences British Academy of Management Conference Nottingham, UK, September.

Worrall, L. & Bill, T. (1997) Priority-based budgeting: applications in local government British Academy of Management Conference London, UK, September.

Worrall, L. & Mole, K. (1997) Innovation and business performance: evidence from the West Midlands Business Survey British Academy of Management Conference London, UK, September.

Worrall, L. & Hassall, J. (1997) Developing a fuzzy approach to the measurement of organisational effectiveness: a local government perspective Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on the Dynamics of Strategy Surrey, UK, April.

Worrall, L. & Bond, D. (1996) GIS in public policy: recent UK experiences SCORUS Conference Rekyavik, Iceland, June.

Worrall, L. & Latham, D. (1996) The information needs of local authority Chief Executives Operational Research Society Annual Conference Warwick, UK, September.

Worrall, L. (1996) Chief Executives in local authorities: information for executive decisions Infolog Annual Conference London, UK, June.

Worrall, L. & Collinge, C. (1996) Strategic management in local government: issues and directions Strategic Planning Society/Local Government Management Board Conference London, UK, May.

Worrall, L. (1995) The information and intelligence needs of local authority chief executives British Academy of Management Conference Sheffield, UK, September. 

Worrall, L. (1995) Information requirements elicitation: the perspective of local authority chief executives BIT'95 Conference Manchester, UK, September.

Worrall, L (1992) The role of GIS-based spatial analysis in strategic management in local government. Regional Science Association Annual Conference, Dundee University. 

Worrall, L. (1992) Local information systems:  database development.  GIS Research (UK) Conference, Keele University.

Worrall, L (1991) Local information systems and the Census.  British Computer Society GIS Special Interest Group Annual Conference, Birkbeck College.

Worrall, L (1990) Issues in the application of GIS in urban and regional policy making environments. EGIS, Amsterdam.

Worrall, L (1990)  Spatial analysis and public policy:  an overview.  17th SCORUS Conference (International Association for Official Statistics), Duisburg, Germany.

Worrall, L (1989) Urban planning processes and strategic information systems. International Conference on Computers in Urban Planning, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.

Worrall, L (1988) Information systems for urban and regional planning in the UK: A Review. Fifth Regional Science Association. International Workshop on Strategic Planning, Enschede, Netherlands.

Worrall, L (1988) Information for the analysis of urban socio-demographic and economic change. 16th General Conference of IARUS, Palace of Europe, Strasbourg, France.

Worrall, L (1988) The measurement of urban social and demographic change. British Society for Population Studies Annual Conference, Nottingham University.

Worrall, L (1987) The development of local information systems.  Institute of British Geographers, Population Study Group Annual Conference, Mansfield College, Oxford.

Worrall, L (1984) Social and economic research in a new town: local information systems. Regional Science Association Fourth International Workshop on Strategic Planning, Liverpool University: Liverpool.

Published research reports

Hurst, J., Skinner, D., & Worrall, L (2009) The 2008 24/7 Work-Life Balance Survey.  Work-Life Balance Centre, Loughborough and the University of Coventry.

Hurst, J., Skinner, D., & Worrall, L (2007) The 2007 24/7 Work-Life Balance Survey.  Work-Life Balance Centre, Loughborough and the University of Coventry.

Hurst, J., Daniels, G., French, S., Skinner, D., & Worrall, L (2007) The 2006 24/7 Work-Life Balance Survey.  Work-Life Balance Centre:  University of Keele.

Worrall, L. (2006) SMEs and the public sector procurement of ICT West Midlands ICT Cluster AWM.

Worrall, L. (2005) Benchmarking the performance of ICT in local government SOCITM London.

Worrall, L. (2005) Management skills development for women in the Black Country  A report for the Black Country LSC (with K. Gilbert, G. Jordan, C. Priola, M. Greenland, T. McEntegart & S. Osman).

Worrall, L. (2004) Benchmarking the performance of ICT in local government. SOCITM London.

Worrall, L., Gilbert, K., Jones, B., Roland, R., Jordan, G., Mahony, C., Allen, C., Roche, M., Singh, P. & Babb, N. (2003) Advanced management skills needs: a study of the Black Country and Wolverhampton-Telford growth corridor Advantage West Midlands & University of Wolverhampton.

Worrall, L. (2003) Benchmarking the performance of ICT in local government SOCITM London.

Worrall, L. (2002) Benchmarking the performance of ICT in local government SOCITM London.

Levy, M. & Worrall, L. (2001) Supporting effective internet adoption in SMEs Report to Network West Midlands.

Worrall, L. (2001) Managing Absence and Employee Healthcare: The Experiences of Major UK Employers.  Report commissioned by Norwich Union.  RobertsonCooper Ltd: Manchester.

Worrall, L. (2000) What do ICT users really think? Benchmarking the performance of ICT in local government SOCITM London.

Worrall, L. (1999) Measuring user satisfaction: Benchmarking the performance of ICT in local government SOCITM London.

Worrall, L. (1995) Responding to change: towards a framework for managerial action.  CCTA: London.

Storey, D. & Worrall L. (1994-2000) West Midlands Business Survey Reports.  Price Waterhouse Coopers:  Birmingham.

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