My research informs and transforms how we understand the strategic organisation of innovation. I do this through research addressing the foundations of strategy and innovation. Empirically, my research focuses on complex, project-based forms of organising commonly found in infrastructure, engineering, and resources, to develop better explanations for how organisations innovate and adapt. Scholars of strategy and innovation have traditionally paid less attention to these organisational forms. And yet they are a central feature of many economies, including Australia. Theoretically, my research makes contributions to The Behavioral Theory of the Firm (e.g. developing new, more socialised models of organisational search and innovation), the Resource-based View of the Firm (e.g. how engineering and design can be used to protect innovation knowledge from imitation), and Project Organising (e.g. developing new frameworks for managing innovation in projects). I am currently bring this research together to study the innovation in the context of artificial intelligence used in medical imaging with colleagues at UQ's ARC Training Centre for Innovation in Biomedical Imaging Technology. My research has been published or is forthcoming in a wide variety of top journals ranging from MITSloan Management Review and the Academy of Management Review through to Transportation Research Part A and EMBO Reports.
I am passionate about doing research that has a positive impact on our economy and society. My research seeks to improve what we know about how organizations work. The hope is that by better understanding organizations, we'll be better equipped to understand why they function as they do, and thus make better decisions about how they should function.
Journal Article: Design as an Isolating Mechanism for Capturing Value from Innovation: From Cloaks and Traps to Sabotage
Sharapov, Dmitry and MacAulay, Samuel C. (2022). Design as an Isolating Mechanism for Capturing Value from Innovation: From Cloaks and Traps to Sabotage. Academy of Management Review, 47 (1) amr.2018.0413, 139-161. doi: 10.5465/amr.2018.0413
Journal Article: Transparency on scientific instruments
Bergenholtz, Carsten, MacAulay, Samuel C., Kolympiris, Christos and Seim, Inge (2018). Transparency on scientific instruments. EMBO reports, 19 (6) e45853. doi: 10.15252/embr.201845853
Journal Article: The search environment is not (always) benign: reassessing the risks of organizational search
MacAulay, Samuel C., Steen, John and Kastelle, Tim (2017). The search environment is not (always) benign: reassessing the risks of organizational search. Industrial and Corporate Change, 29 (1), 1-23. doi: 10.1093/icc/dtx045
The perception and management of uncertainty in megaprojects: the role of domain decisions
(2016–2017) Project Management Institute, Inc
Bench to bedside - managing technical uncertainty
Master Philosophy
How to enhance the probability of success in a complex project via Risk Leadership
Doctor Philosophy
Artificial intelligence in medical imaging: understanding the frames that influence the adoption and integration of new technology
Doctor Philosophy
The past, present and future of social network analysis in the study of innovation
Steen, John and Macaulay, Sam (2012). The past, present and future of social network analysis in the study of innovation. Handbook on the knowledge economy. (pp. 216-237) Cheltenham, United Kingdom: Edward Elgar Publishing. doi: 10.4337/9781781005132.00023
The past, present and future of social network analysis in the study of innovation
Steen, John and Macaulay, Sam (2012). The past, present and future of social network analysis in the study of innovation. Handbook on the knowledge economy. (pp. 216-238) edited by David Rooney, Greg Hearn and Tim Kastelle. Cheltenham, United Kingdom: Edward Elgar.
New tools to map and manage innovation networks
Steen, J., MacAulay, S. and Kastelle, T. (2008). New tools to map and manage innovation networks. Inside the innovation matrix: Finding the hidden human dimensions. (pp. 83-95) edited by C. Evans. Sydney, NSW, Australia: Australian Business Foundation.
Sharapov, Dmitry and MacAulay, Samuel C. (2022). Design as an Isolating Mechanism for Capturing Value from Innovation: From Cloaks and Traps to Sabotage. Academy of Management Review, 47 (1) amr.2018.0413, 139-161. doi: 10.5465/amr.2018.0413
Transparency on scientific instruments
Bergenholtz, Carsten, MacAulay, Samuel C., Kolympiris, Christos and Seim, Inge (2018). Transparency on scientific instruments. EMBO reports, 19 (6) e45853. doi: 10.15252/embr.201845853
The search environment is not (always) benign: reassessing the risks of organizational search
MacAulay, Samuel C., Steen, John and Kastelle, Tim (2017). The search environment is not (always) benign: reassessing the risks of organizational search. Industrial and Corporate Change, 29 (1), 1-23. doi: 10.1093/icc/dtx045
Five rules for managing large, complex projects
Davies, Andrew, Dodgson, Mark, Gann, David M. and MacAulay, Samuel C. (2017). Five rules for managing large, complex projects. MIT Sloan Management Review, 59 (1), 72-78.
Innovation strategy in new transportation systems: the case of Crossrail
Dodgson, Mark, Gann, David, MacAulay, Sam and Davies, Andrew (2015). Innovation strategy in new transportation systems: the case of Crossrail. Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 77, 261-275. doi: 10.1016/j.tra.2015.04.019
Making innovation happen in a megaproject: London's crossrail suburban railway system
Davies, Andrew, MacAulay, Samuel, DeBarro, Tim and Thurston, Mark (2015). Making innovation happen in a megaproject: London's crossrail suburban railway system. Project Management Journal, 45 (6), 25-37. doi: 10.1002/pmj.21461
Mantra to method: lessons from managing innovation on Crossrail, UK
DeBarro, Tim, MacAulay, Samuel, Davies, Andrew, Wolstenholme, Andrew and Gann, David (2015). Mantra to method: lessons from managing innovation on Crossrail, UK. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Civil Engineering, 168 (4), 171-178. doi: 10.1680/jcien.15.00008
InnovationXchange: A case study in innovation intermediation
Håkanson, Lars, Caessens, Petra and Macaulay, Sam (2011). InnovationXchange: A case study in innovation intermediation. Innovation: Management, Policy and Practice, 13 (2), 261-274. doi: 10.5172/impp.2011.13.2.261
Small worlds: The best network structure for innovation?
Steen, John, Macaulay, Sam and Kastelle, Tim (2011). Small worlds: The best network structure for innovation?. Prometheus, 29 (1), 39-50. doi: 10.1080/08109028.2011.567125
Innovation strategy in temporary organizations
MacAulay, Sam, Davies, Andrew and Dodgson, Mark (2014). Innovation strategy in temporary organizations. Strategic Management Society Conference, Madrid, Spain, 22 September 2014.
MacAulay, Sam, Davies, Andrew and Dodgson, Mark (2014). Organising innovation in temporary organizations: Preliminary findings and future research directions. 30th EGOS Conference, Rotterdam, Netherlands, 3-5 July, 2014.
A review and critique of the small worlds hypothesis: The best network structure for innovation
Steen, John, MacAulay, Sam and Kastelle, Tim (2010). A review and critique of the small worlds hypothesis: The best network structure for innovation. DRUID Summer Conference 2010: Opening Up Innovation: Strategy, Organization and Technology, London, United Kingdom, 16-18 June 2010. Copenhagen, Denmark: DRUID Society.
How do people find knowledge in complex organizations? A process perspective on problemestic search
MacAulay, S. (2009). How do people find knowledge in complex organizations? A process perspective on problemestic search. DRUID Summer Conference 2009, Copenhagen, Denmark, 17-19 June, 2009. Copenhagen, Denmark: DRUID.
How do you prepare for tomorrow's mine today?
Mitchell, Paul, Steen, John, Sartorio, Afonso, Bolton, Wayne, MacAulay, Samuel C., Higgins, Louise, Kunz, Nadja, Yameogo, Theo, Hoogedeure, Wim and Jackson, John (2017). How do you prepare for tomorrow's mine today?.
How do you prepare for tomorrow’s mine today?
Mitchell, Paul, Steen, John, Sartorio, Afonso, Bolton, Wayne, MacAulay, Samuel C., Higgins, Louise, Kunz, Nadja, Yameogo, Theo, Hoogedeure, Wim and Jackson, John (2016). How do you prepare for tomorrow’s mine today?. : EYGM.
Productivity in mining: Now comes the hard part, a global survey
Mitchell, Paul, Bradbrook Michael, Higgins, Louise, Steen, John, Henderson, Chris, Kastelle, Tim, Moran, Chris, MacAulay, Sam and Kunz, Nadja (2014). Productivity in mining: Now comes the hard part, a global survey. Not available:
The perception and management of uncertainty in megaprojects: the role of domain decisions
(2016–2017) Project Management Institute, Inc
Bench to bedside - managing technical uncertainty
Master Philosophy — Associate Advisor
Other advisors:
How to enhance the probability of success in a complex project via Risk Leadership
Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor
Other advisors:
Artificial intelligence in medical imaging: understanding the frames that influence the adoption and integration of new technology
Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor
Other advisors: