Professor Derrick Neal
Location: Vincent Centre
E: d.j.neal@cranfield.ac.uk
T: +44 (0)1793785911
Department of Management and Security
Current activities
Professor Neal is the Course Director for the Defence Acquisition Management masters suite and he teaches in the areas of Strategic Management and Change Management on a range of postgraduate courses. He also contributes to short course teaching around the world as part of the defence diplomacy initiatives.
His research activities are concerned with delivering change within the MoD and he has conducted a number of studies looking at various aspect of this issue. He has conducted research looking at the understanding (or lack of understanding) of dependencies and interdependencies within the Defence Change Programme.
His most recent research looked at the delivery of the Networked Enabled Capability concept and the role of current MoD cultures as an enabler/barrier to changing behaviours. In this regard he works very closely with key departments within the MoD.
As the UK representative on the Transformational Chairs forum in the USA he is instrumental in helping the UK maintain visibility of initiatives and developments in the people, Information and Technology domains of NEC.
Clients
- Chemring Group
- Met Office
- DE&S
- ISS
- FCO
- DiFD
Background
Derrick has a background in Engineering, a PhD in fluid mechanics and a MBA from Cranfield University. He has worked in the defence industry with Vickers and Small and Medium Enterprises both in technical roles and as a Marketing Director. After a brief period overseas he returned to the UK in 1998 and joined Cranfield University. He is Professor of Defence Strategic Change at DA-CMT. Derrick has a particular interest in Strategy and Change Management issues within the MoD and researches and publishes in these areas.
Professor Neal has been a Non-Executive Director of the former DCSA and more recently was a business advisor to the main board of ISS. He is the UK representative of an international group that meets in the USA to advise on Transformational Change in Defence.
Selected publications
Books & Book Chapters
DJ Neal, H Friman (editors), R Doughty & L Wells. Crosscutting Issues in International Transformation. Centre for Technology and National Security Policy, NDU, Washington. Published by NDU Press.
D J Neal. Strategic Management: A public sector perspective, Pearson Tailored Publication, Pearson Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84776-563-5, 2009
D J Neal. Strategic Management in the Defence Sector Vol. 1 A Pearson Tailored Publication, Pearson Publishing. ISBN 1-84479-051-7 2004
D J Neal. Strategic Management in the Defence Sector Vol. 2. A Pearson Tailored Publication, Pearson Publishing. ISBN 1-84479-054-1 2004
A Fitz-Gerald, D J Neal & P Molinaro. “A Strategic Management Framework for Improved Aid Delivery” New Missions, Old Problems, edited by D. Bland, D. Last, F. Pinch and A. Okros, McGill-Queen's University Press, pp. 47-67. 2004.
D J Neal. Strategic Management: Avoiding Analysis Paralysis. Chapter in Managing Defence in a Democracy: Commonalities and Challenges, edited by T McConville and L Cleary, Routlege, pp125-140, ISBN: 0-415-39563-1
D J Neal. Change Management: Turning Strategy into Action. Chapter in Managing Defence in a Democracy: Commonalities and Challenges, edited by T McConville and L Cleary, Routlege, pp 236-249, ISBN: 0-415-39563-1
Refereed Journal Papers
D J Neal & Q Naylor Moving mountains through simple directive – the case of the Future Infantry Structures change initiative. Strategic Change Journal. Vol 16, pp 399-410, December 2007, John Wiley Publishing.
D J Neal & D Moore Time for Defence SMEs to take a Strategic Perspective, Supply Chain Practice, Published by Cranfield School of Management, Vol 8, No 2, ISSN 1477-1632. 2006.neal
