Professor Ronald McQuaid

Emeritus Professor

Management, Work and Organisation Cottrell Building, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA

Professor Ronald McQuaid

Contact details

About me

Ronald McQuaid is Emeritus Professor of Work and Employment at the University of Stirling. His has a BA(Hons) from Lancaster University and an MSc(Econ) with distinction from  the London School of Economics and a PhD from Harvard University. He has carried out work for many regional, national and supra-national bodies such as the European Commission, UK and Scottish Governments, UK Commission for Employment and Skills, Joseph Rowntree Foundation and various agencies and employers in the fields of employment, unemployment and economic development. He has written over 100 academic publications as well as many reports on employment and related issues.

Employment - Local Economic Development - Human Resource Management - Entrepreneurship - Public Sector Management - Public Private Partnership - Transport and development - Policy See also: Ronald W. McQuaid on ResearchGate

Award

“Extending working lives: age management in SMEs” published in Employee Relations has been selected by the journal’s Editorial Team as a Highly Commended Paper of 2013

One of the Top Fifty articles to have appeared in Emerald Management Reviews during 2004
One of the Top Fifty articles to have appeared in Emerald Management Reviews during 2004 (out of 20,000), as chosen by the EMR independent review board. Lindsay, C. and R.W. McQuaid (2004) ‘Avoiding the ‘McJobs’: Unemployed Job Seekers and Attitudes to Service Work’, Work, Employment and Society, 18, 2, 296-319.

Outstanding Paper in the 2016 Emerald Literati Network Awards for Excellence in Gender in Management.

Outstanding Paper in the 2021 Emerald Literati Awards in the International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy
https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSSP-08-2020-0371
Outstanding Paper in the 2021 Emerald Literati Awards in International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy. Related blog: https://www.emeraldgrouppublishing.com/opinion-and-blog/after-covid-19-what-future-those-working-informal-sector

The Moss Madden Medal.
The Moss Madden Medal for the best paper by a member of the Regional Science Association (British and Irish) published in 2009.

Community Contribution

Budget adviser to the Scottish Parliament Local Government and Communities Committee

Budget adviser to the Scottish Parliament Local Government and Communities Committee on the Scottish Government’s Budget Process, 2007, 2008 and 2009.

Chair of the Scientific Committee of the European Regional Labour Market Monitoring Network

City and Guilds - Scotland Advisory Committee

Divisional / Faculty Contribution

Chair of the School Ethics Committee

Chair of the Faculty Ethics Committee and member of General University Ethics Panel

Education

B.A. in Economics and Financial Control
Lancaster University

M.Sc. (Econ.): Awarded with Distinction, London School of Economics
London School of Economics

PhD The Behavior and Location of Production and Non Production Employment in U.S. Manufacturing Plants, 1954-77
Harvard University

Event / Presentation

Organiser and chair. Workshop on Ageing Workforce and Employabilitym funded by the Royal Society of Edinburgh
The Royal Society of Edinburgh

http://www.napier.ac.uk/…rchWorkshop.aspx
An RSE fundedWorkshop to discuss the ageing workforce. Work is key to people's welfare, including that of older people.Across OECD countries a partial solution to ageing populations is to keep more of the older people in the labour market, such as by encouraging tapering retirement through pension changes and raising the age of retirement etc. Yet in terms of lack of employment one of the most vulnerable groups are those aged from 50 years to retirement age. This will affect people's quality of life in different ways, e.g. terms of different work-life balances and linking work and mental health. A key issue is also the vulnerability to unemployment of those aged beyond fifty years and forward ways of preventing detachment from the workplace. Guest participants included Professor David Bloom, Harvard University,Department of Population and International Health

Skills: Scotland's opportunity. Scottish Government Skills and Training Summit
Scottish Government

Economic Inactivity Literature Review. “Enabling Success” Consultation on a New Strategic Framework to Tackle Economic Inactivity in Northern Ireland – Driving Social Change Through Economic Participation

Multiple scarring effects of youth unemployment in UK. Society for the Advancement of Socio-Economics (SASE) conference 2014

https://sase.org/event/2014-chicago/

Other Academic Activities

Participant in Rockefeller/ Volvo Research Foundation workshop on Access in Bellagio, Italy

Professional membership

Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures & Commerce (RSA)

Academy of Social Sciences

Supervision of Research Assistants

DIAMOND project

Research assistant/Fellows: Dr Yvonne Hail and Dr Anne-Marie Cullen

Research projects (16)

Data and understanding for A MOre social iNclusive and women participateD mobility system
PI: Professor Ronald McQuaid
Funded by: European Commission (Horizon 2020)
–

Coordinated higher institutions (universities) responses to digitalization (ESCALATE)
PI: Professor Ronald McQuaid
Funded by: European Commission (Horizon 2020)
–

Employee Ownership Database Development
PI: Professor Ronald McQuaid
Funded by: Scottish Enterprise
–

Zero Waste students - Desktop Review and Behavioural Insights
PI: Dr Craig Graham Anderson
Funded by: Zero Waste Scotland
–

Key Competencies of Low-Skilled People for Future Jobs (REPLAY-VET)
PI: Professor Ronald McQuaid
Funded by: European Commission (Horizon 2020)
–

Supporting Older People into Employment (SOPIE): Identifying factors influencing return to work in the over 50s.
PI: Professor Ronald McQuaid
Funded by: Medical Research Council
–

Effective forecasting as a mechanism for aligning VET and Economic Development Strategies
PI: Professor Ronald McQuaid
Funded by: European Commission (Horizon 2020)
–

The impact of welfare reform in Scotland
PI: Professor Ronald McQuaid
Funded by: Scottish Government
–

Destitution in the UK
PI: Professor Ronald McQuaid
Funded by: Joseph Rowntree Foundation
–

Employee Ownership Database Development
PI: Professor Ronald McQuaid
Funded by: Scottish Enterprise
–

Skills in Focus - Youth Unemployment & Scarring
PI: Professor Ronald McQuaid
Funded by: Skills Development Scotland Co Ltd
–

Employee Owned Businesses - Access to Funding
PI: Professor Ronald McQuaid
Funded by: Scottish Enterprise
–

UKCES Visiting Research Fellow
PI: Professor Ronald McQuaid
Funded by: UK Commission for Employment & Skills
–

Enabling Success a new strategic framework to tackle economic inactivity in Northern Ireland
PI: Professor Ronald McQuaid
Funded by: Fishvet Group Ltd
–

The Skills Panorama – Achieving Regional and Local Impact (ARLI)
PI: Professor Ronald McQuaid
Funded by: European Commission (Horizon 2020)
–

Lone Parents and their Employability
PI: Professor Ronald McQuaid
Funded by: Glasgow Centre for Population Health
–

Outputs (240)

Showing 100 of 240 — See all 240 outputs

Article

Investigating sustainability in work after participating in a welfare-to-work initiative using a 2-year cohort study of Work Programme participants in Scotland

Brown J, Walker SH, McQuaid RW, Katikireddi SV, Leyland AH, Frank J, Mackay D & Macdonald E (2024) Investigating sustainability in work after participating in a welfare-to-work initiative using a 2-year cohort study of Work Programme participants in Scotland. BMJ Open, 14, Art. No.: e072943. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2023-072943

Conference Paper (published)

Unintended Consequences of E-Learning: Reflections on the Digital Transformation of Learning in Higher Education

Robinson E, McQuaid R, Webb A & Webster CWR (2021) Unintended Consequences of E-Learning: Reflections on the Digital Transformation of Learning in Higher Education. In: Larsen C, Kipper J, Schmid A & Panzaru C (eds.) Transformations of Local and Regional Labour Markets across Europe in Pandemic and Post-Pandemic Times: Challenges for Regional and Local Observatories. 16th Annual Meeting of the European Network on Regional Labour Market Monitoring (EN RLMM), Timisoara, Romania, 22.09.2021-24.09.2021. Baden-Baden, Germany: Rainer Hampp Verlag, pp. 379-398. https://www.nomos-shop.de/nomos/titel/transformations-of-regional-and-local-labour-markets-across-europe-in-pandemic-and-post-pandemic-times-id-100850/

Book Chapter

The Importance of SMEs as Innovators of Sustainable Inclusive Employment: Some Issues Resulting from Shocks to the Econ-omy Imposed by the COVID-19 Pandemic

McQuaid R & Webb A (2020) The Importance of SMEs as Innovators of Sustainable Inclusive Employment: Some Issues Resulting from Shocks to the Econ-omy Imposed by the COVID-19 Pandemic. In: Larsen C, Kipper J, Schmid A & Ricceri M (eds.) The Importance of SMEs as Innovators of Sustainable Inclusive Employment: New Evidence from Regional and Local Labour Markets. Munich, Germany: Rainer Hampp Verlag, pp. 33-45. www.hampp-Verlag.de.

Conference Paper (published)

Recruitment and workforce development challenges in low-status sectors with high labour demand – childcare work

Webb A & McQuaid R (2020) Recruitment and workforce development challenges in low-status sectors with high labour demand – childcare work. In: CIPD Applied Research Conference 2020, Dublin City University Business School, 22.01.2020-23.01.2020. Wimbledon: CIPD. https://www.cipd.co.uk/learn/events-networks/applied-research-conference/2020-papers

Book Chapter

What, Who, Why and Ways out of the Informal Economy: A Brief Review of Key Definitions and Approaches

Webb A, McQuaid R & Rand S (2019) What, Who, Why and Ways out of the Informal Economy: A Brief Review of Key Definitions and Approaches. In: Larsen C, Rand S, Schmid A, Bobkov V & Lokosov V (eds.) Assessing Informal Employment and Skills Needs: Approaches and Insights from Regional and Local Labour Market Monitoring. Munich: Rainer Hampp Verlag, pp. 23-40. http://www.hampp-verlag.de/English.htm

Article

Age, health and other factors associated with return to work for those engaging with a welfare-to-work initiative: a cohort study of administrative data from the UK’s Work Programme

Brown J, Katikireddi SV, Leyland AH, McQuaid RW, Frank J & Macdonald EB (2018) Age, health and other factors associated with return to work for those engaging with a welfare-to-work initiative: a cohort study of administrative data from the UK’s Work Programme. BMJ Open, 8 (10), p. e024938. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2018-024938

Book Chapter

Utilising Skills Demands Opportunities to Overcome the Low Professional Status and Attractiveness of a Sector: The Early Learning and Care Sector in Scotland

Webb A & McQuaid R (2018) Utilising Skills Demands Opportunities to Overcome the Low Professional Status and Attractiveness of a Sector: The Early Learning and Care Sector in Scotland. In: Larsen C, Rand S, Schmid A & Dean A (eds.) Developing Skills in a Changing World of Work: Concepts, Measurement and Data Applied in Regional and Local Labour Market Monitoring Across Europe. Munich: Rainer Hampp Verlag, pp. 241-258. http://www.hampp-verlag.de/

Research Report

Identifying approaches for attracting and training new entrants and the existing workforce in the Early Learning and Childcare sector

Webb A & McQuaid R (2018) Identifying approaches for attracting and training new entrants and the existing workforce in the Early Learning and Childcare sector. Replay-VET ERASMUS+. European Strategy Report [Scotland]. Frankfurt, Germany. http://regionallabourmarketmonitoring.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/EUstrategicReports_Scotland.pdf

Book Chapter

Contract-type Public Private Partnerships in Services

McQuaid R (2018) Contract-type Public Private Partnerships in Services. In: Ahmed A (ed.) World Sustainable Development Outlook 2018 - Public Private Partnerships for the Implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. London: World Association for Sustainable Development, pp. 33-47.

Book Chapter

The provision of skills information in Scotland and its governance – Skills Investment Plans and Regional Skills Assessments

McQuaid R (2017) The provision of skills information in Scotland and its governance – Skills Investment Plans and Regional Skills Assessments. In: Larsen C, Rand S, Schmid A, Nagel T & Hoess H (eds.) The Importance of Governance in Regional Labour Market Monitoring for Evidence-based Policy-making. Munich, Germany: Rainer Hampp Verlag, pp. 263-276. http://www.hampp-verlag.de/

Book Chapter

Personalized activation policies for the long-term unemployed: the role of local governance in the UK

Fuertes V & McQuaid R (2016) Personalized activation policies for the long-term unemployed: the role of local governance in the UK. In: Heidenreich M & Rice D (eds.) Integrating Social and Employment Policies in Europe: Active Inclusion and Challenges for Local Welfare Governance. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar, pp. 93-117. http://www.e-elgar.com/shop/integrating-social-and-employment-policies-in-europe

Conference Paper (unpublished)

Ageing of the Labour Force and the Labour Market

McQuaid R (2016) Ageing of the Labour Force and the Labour Market. Workshop on Labour Market and Migration across the Eurasian Continent, part of the Challenges and Opportunities of Economic Integration within a Wider European and Eurasian Space, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA, Laxenburg, Austria, 13.04.2016-14.04.2016. https://iiasa.ac.at/web/home/research/researchPrograms/AdvancedSystemsAnalysis/160413-eurasian6.html

Book Chapter

Operationalisation of the Capability Approach

Chiappero-Martinetti E, Egdell V, Hollywood E & McQuaid R (2015) Operationalisation of the Capability Approach. In: Otto H, Atzmüller R, Berthet T, Bifulco L, Bonvin J, Chiappero-Martinetti E, Egdell V, Halleröd B, Kjeldsen C, Kwiek M, Schröer R, Vero J & Zielenska M (eds.) Facing Trajectories from School to Work. Towards a Capability-Friendly Youth Policy in Europe. Technical and Vocational Education and Training: Issues, Concerns and Prospects, 20. Dordrecht): Springer, pp. 115-139. http://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-11436-1_7

Book Chapter

Capabilities for Voice, Work and Education: Critical Analysis of Programmes for Disadvantaged Young People in Europe

Bilfulco L, Egdell V, McQuaid R, Berthet T, Simon V, Monteleone R, Mozzana C, Rosenstein E, Dif-Pradalier M, Bonvin J, Hollywood E, Jensen NR, Kjeldsen CC, Sztandar-Sztanderska K & Zielenska M (2015) Capabilities for Voice, Work and Education: Critical Analysis of Programmes for Disadvantaged Young People in Europe. In: Otto H, Atzmüller R, Berthet T, Bifulco L, Bonvin J, Chiappero-Martinetti E, Egdell V, Halleröd B, Kjeldsen C, Kwiek M, Schröer R, Vero J & Zielenska M (eds.) Facing Trajectories from School to Work. Towards a Capability-Friendly Youth Policy in Europe. Technical and Vocational Education and Training: Issues, Concerns and Prospects, 20. Dordrecht: Springer, pp. 201-357. http://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-11436-1_11

Book Chapter

11.2.4 Addressing the Issue of Unemployment among Disadvantaged Youth in Scotland: Developing the Capability for Work

Egdell V, Hollywood E & McQuaid R (2015) 11.2.4 Addressing the Issue of Unemployment among Disadvantaged Youth in Scotland: Developing the Capability for Work. In: Otto H, Atzmüller R, Berthet T, Bifulco L, Bonvin J, Chiappero-Martinetti E, Egdell V, Halleröd B, Kjeldsen C, Kwiek M, Schröer R, Vero J & Zielenska M (eds.) Facing Trajectories from School to Work: Towards a Capability-Friendly Youth Policy in Europe. Technical and Vocational Education and Training: Issues, Concerns and Prospects, 20. Dordrecht: Springer, pp. 248-256. http://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-11436-1_11

Article

Protocol for a mixed-methods longitudinal study to identify factors influencing return to work in the over 50s participating in the UK Work Programme: Supporting Older People into Employment (SOPIE)

Brown J, Neary J, Katikireddi SV, Thomson H, McQuaid R, Leyland AH, Frank JW, Jeavons L, de Pellette P, Kiran S & Macdonald EB (2015) Protocol for a mixed-methods longitudinal study to identify factors influencing return to work in the over 50s participating in the UK Work Programme: Supporting Older People into Employment (SOPIE). BMJ Open, 5 (12), Art. No.: e010525. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2015-010525

Book Chapter

Regional Innovation Policy and Public-Private Partnerships

Kristensen I, McQuaid R & Scherrer W (2015) Regional Innovation Policy and Public-Private Partnerships. In: Hilpert U (ed.) Routledge Handbook of Politics and Technology. London: Routledge, pp. 249-261. http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415692014/

Book Chapter

Sustainable Employment, Integration and Sustainable Energy Development

McQuaid R & Bergmann A (2015) Sustainable Employment, Integration and Sustainable Energy Development. In: Ahmed A (ed.) Green Behavior: Re-thinking Policy for Sustainability. World Sustainable Development, Outlook 2015. Brighton, Sussex: World Association for Sustainable Development, pp. 117-125. http://www.worldsustainable.org/index.php/publication/outlook09/outlook-2015

Website Content

Who are lone parents? Challenging the media perception

McQuaid R (2014) Who are lone parents? Challenging the media perception. Informing and supporting action to improve health and tackle inequality [Blog post] 08.12.2014. https://www.gcph.co.uk/latest/news/537_who_are_lone_parents_challenging_the_media_perception

Book Chapter

Sustainable integration of the long term unemployed: From Work First to Career First

McQuaid R & Fuertes V (2014) Sustainable integration of the long term unemployed: From Work First to Career First. In: Larsen C, Rand S, Schmid A & Keil R (eds.) Sustainable Economy and Sustainable Employment: Approaches to Measuring Sustainability in Regional and Local Labour Market Monitoring. Munich: Rainer Hampp Verlag, pp. 359-373. http://www.hampp-verlag.de/

Research Report

Employee Owned Businesses – Access to Funding

McQuaid R, Brown R, Summers J & Mawson S (2014) Employee Owned Businesses – Access to Funding. Scottish Enterprise. Scottish Enterprise. http://www.evaluationsonline.org.uk/evaluations/Search.do?ui=basic&action=showPromoted&id=570

Website Content

Youth unemployment produces multiple scarring effects

McQuaid R (2014) Youth unemployment produces multiple scarring effects. Economy and Society Blog [Blog post] 28.07.2014. http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/multiple-scarring-effects-of-youth-unemployment/

Presentation / Talk

Multiple scarring effects of youth unemployment in UK

McQuaid R, Raeside R, Egdell V & Graham H (2014) Multiple scarring effects of youth unemployment in UK. Society for the Advancement of Socio-Economics (SASE) conference 2014, Chicago, 10.07.2014-12.07.2014.

Presentation / Talk

Economic Inactivity Literature Review

McQuaid R (2014) Economic Inactivity Literature Review. “Enabling Success” Consultation on a New Strategic Framework to Tackle Economic Inactivity in Northern Ireland – Driving Social Change Through Economic Participation, Derry, Northern Ireland, 18.03.2014-18.03.2014.

Research Report

The opportunities and challenges of the changing public services landscape for the third sector in Scotland: a longitudinal study (2009 – 2013) year four and final report

Dutton M, Egdell V, McQuaid R & Osborne SP (2013) The opportunities and challenges of the changing public services landscape for the third sector in Scotland: a longitudinal study (2009 – 2013) year four and final report. Scottish Government - Governance & Communities - Local Government & Third Sector. Social Research series. Scottish Government. http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/0044/00441541.pdf

Research Report

The Growth of Employee Owned Businesses in Scotland

McQuaid R, Canduela J, Egdell V, Dutton M & Raeside R (2013) The Growth of Employee Owned Businesses in Scotland. Scottish Enterprise. Employment Research Institute, Edinburgh Napier University. http://www.evaluationsonline.org.uk/evaluations/Documents.do?action=download&id=614&ui=basic

Research Report

An expert paper on the type, extent and delivery of childcare provision necessary to maximise the economic participation of women within Northern Ireland, report for Equality Commission for Northern Ireland

McQuaid R, Graham H & Shapira M (2013) An expert paper on the type, extent and delivery of childcare provision necessary to maximise the economic participation of women within Northern Ireland, report for Equality Commission for Northern Ireland. Equality Commission for Northern Ireland. http://www.equalityni.org/archive/pdf/ChildCareMainReport(Web).pdf

Research Report

Economic Inactivity Research Project (those with family commitments and the long-term sick and disabled) - Literature Review

McQuaid R, Graham H, Shapira M & Raeside R (2013) Economic Inactivity Research Project (those with family commitments and the long-term sick and disabled) - Literature Review. Department for Employment and Learning Northern Ireland. Employment Research Institute, Edinburgh Napier University. http://www.delni.gov.uk/economic-inactivity-literature-review.pdf

Article

Entrepreneurship training to promote start-ups and innovation in Bahrain

Al-Dairi A, McQuaid R & Adams J (2012) Entrepreneurship training to promote start-ups and innovation in Bahrain. International Journal of Innovation and Knowledge Management in Middle East and North Africa, 1 (2), pp. 179-210. http://www.worldsustainable.org/index.php/books/outlook09/outlook-2012/2088-ronald-abstract

See all 240 outputs

Teaching

PhD supervision.

Research programmes

Research themes