Contact Professor Neil Turner
- Tel: +44 (0) 1234 750111
- Email: neil.turner@cranfield.ac.uk
- ORCID
- Google Scholar
Background
Neil graduated with an MEng from the University of Bath in the early 1990s, and initially developed avionics systems. He then joined Motorola as a design engineer, developing cellular telecoms infrastructure systems. He managed key development projects from 1998, and from 2004-2008 was head of the radio development group, with product sales of well over $1bn. He has numerous technical patents and defensive publications. He is a Chartered Engineer and Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology.
He joined Cranfield in 2008 and obtained his PhD in 2011. He has taught on and run a range of programmes at Cranfield, and is a regular speaker at academic and practitioner conferences. He is a Fellow of the Association for Project Management and was appointed a Professor of Project Management in 2021.
Neil has published extensively in major journals and his latest textbook is 'Project Management, 5th edition' with Harvey Maylor.
He is the Course Director for the MSc by Research in Project Management.
Research opportunities
Looking to supervise doctoral researchers in the fields of project management / project complexity / ambidexterity / organisational learning / project resilience / front-end planning / project procurement / project performance / net-zero projects.
Current activities
Neil teaches on a range of Masters, Executive Education and Doctoral programmes, primarily on project complexity, organisational learning, and research methods. His current research interests include managing complex projects and programmes, with a focus on how managerial practices and organisational strategic choices can improve project delivery. He also supervises doctoral students working in this field.
Publications
Articles In Journals
- Pinto JK, Davis K & Turner N. (2025). Governance in a crisis and the decision to replace the project manager. Project Management Journal, 56(1)
- York JM, Turner N, Wilson GA & Hussels S. (2025). Translating management research into practice: a six-step path to engage stakeholders. Cogent Business & Management, 12(1)
- York JM, Turner N & Hussels S. (2024). Lean Startup and Learning Loops in Entrepreneurial Ventures: A Systematic Review. Journal of Knowledge Management and Practice, 24(1)
- Turner N & Baxter D. (2024). How to enable ambidexterity in safety-critical software development. Research-Technology Management, 67(2)
- Usher G, Cantarelli CC, Davis K, Pinto JK & Turner N. (2024). Managing sudden unexpected disruptions in complex projects: the antifragility hierarchy. Production Planning & Control, ahead-of-print(ahead-of-print)
- Maylor H, Geraldi J, Budzier A, Turner N & Johnson M. (2023). Mind the gap: Towards performance measurement beyond a plan-execute logic. International Journal of Project Management, 41(4)
- Wilkinson E, Kutsch E, Parry E & Turner N. (2023). Two world views? How regular and reserve Royal Marines perceive each other. Armed Forces & Society, 51(1)
- Boehme T, Fan J, Birchnell T, Aitken J, Turner N, .... (2023). Social enterprise housing supply chains for resource-constrained communities: a complexity lens approach. Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, 29(1)
- Aoufi A, Schoeman M & Turner N. (2022). How to outsource agile projects effectively. Research-Technology Management, 65(1)
- Cecchi MA, Grant S, Seiler M, Turner N, Adams R, .... (2022). How COVID-19 impacted the tacit knowledge and social interaction of global NPD project teams. Research-Technology Management, 65(2)
- Daghar A, Alinaghian L & Turner N. (2022). The role of cognitive capital in supply chain resilience: an investigation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, 28(3)
- Handfield RB, Aitken J, Turner N, Boehme T & Bozarth C. (2022). Assessing adoption factors for additive manufacturing: insights from case studies. Logistics, 6(2)
- Portyanko S, Reinmoeller P, Hussels S & Turner N. (2022). Peer effects and intentional entrepreneurial behaviour: a systematic literature review and research agenda. International Journal of Management Reviews, 25(3)
- Boehme T, Aitken J, Turner N & Handfield RB. (2021). Covid-19 response of an additive manufacturing cluster in Australia. Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, 26(6)
- Baxter D & Turner N. (2021). Why Scrum works in new product development: the role of social capital in managing complexity. Production Planning & Control, 34(13)
- Daghar A, Alinaghian L & Turner N. (2020). The role of collaborative interorganizational relationships in supply chain risks: a systematic review using a social capital perspective. Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, 26(2)
- Turner N, Kutsch E, Maylor H & Swart J. (2019). Hits and (near) misses: Exploring managers’ actions and their effects on localised resilience. Long Range Planning, 53(3)
- Turner N, Aitken J & Bozarth C. (2018). A framework for understanding managerial responses to supply chain complexity. International Journal of Operations & Production Management, 38(6)
- Baxter D, Colledge T & Turner N. (2017). A study of accountability in two organizational learning frameworks: why accountability for learning is critical. European Management Review, 14(3)
- Maylor H & Turner N. (2017). Understand, reduce, respond: project complexity management theory and practice. International Journal of Operations & Production Management, 37(8)
- Lee-Kelley L & Turner N. (2016). PMO managers' self-determined participation in a purposeful virtual community-of-practice. International Journal of Project Management, 35(1)
- Turner N, Kutsch E & Leybourne S. (2016). Rethinking project reliability using the ambidexterity and mindfulness perspectives. International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, 9(4)
- Maylor H & Turner N. (2016). "Understand, Reduce, Respond: Project complexity management theory and practice". Academy of Management Proceedings, 2016(1)
- Swart J, Turner N, van Rossenberg Y & Kinnie N. (2016). Who does what in enabling ambidexterity? Individual Actions and HRM practices. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 30(4)
- Turner N, Swart J, Maylor H & Antonacopoulou E. (2016). Making it happen: How managerial actions enable project-based ambidexterity. Management Learning, 47(2)
- Maylor H, Turner N & Murray-Webster R. (2015). “It worked for manufacturing…!”. International Journal of Project Management, 33(1)
- Pellegrinelli S, Murray-Webster R & Turner N. (2015). Facilitating organizational ambidexterity through the complementary use of projects and programs. International Journal of Project Management, 33(1)
- Nicolini D, Söderlund J, Antonacopoulou EP, Carlsen A, Oviedo LC, .... (2015). The Dynamics of Practice: Practising Strategizing and Project Managing. Academy of Management Proceedings, 2015(1)
- Turner N, Maylor H & Swart J. (2015). Ambidexterity in projects: An intellectual capital perspective. International Journal of Project Management, 33(1)
- Lee-Kelley L, Turner N & Ward J. (2014). Intentionally creating a community of practice to connect dispersed technical professionals. Research Technology Management, 57(2)
- Turner N, Maylor H, Lee-Kelley L, Brady T, Kutsch E, .... (2014). Ambidexterity and Knowledge Strategy in Major Projects: A Framework and Illustrative Case Study. Project Management Journal, 45(5)
- Dutton C, Turner N & Lee-Kelley L. (2014). Learning in a programme context: An exploratory investigation of drivers and constraints. International Journal of Project Management, 32(5)
- Maylor HR, Turner NW & Murray-Webster R. (2014). How can it be? Actively managing complexity in technology projects. IEEE Engineering Management Review, 42(3)
- Turner N & Lee-Kelley L. (2013). Unpacking the theory on ambidexterity: An illustrative case on the managerial architectures, mechanisms and dynamics. Management Learning, 44(2)
- Maylor HR, Turner NW & Murray-Webster R. (2013). How Hard Can It Be?: Actively Managing Complexity in Technology Projects. Research-Technology Management, 56(4)
- Turner N, Maylor H & Swart J. (2013). Ambidexterity in managing business projects – an intellectual capital perspective. International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, 6(2)
- Turner N, Swart J & Maylor H. (2013). Mechanisms for Managing Ambidexterity: A Review and Research Agenda. International Journal of Management Reviews, 15(3)
- Geraldi JG, Kutsch E & Turner N. (2011). Towards a conceptualisation of quality in information technology projects. International Journal of Project Management, 29(5)
