Doctor Michael Benson DBA, MSc, BSc (Hons), DipM, PGCE, FHEA, FCIM
Principal Lecturer
Summary
I am a Principal Lecturer within the Finance Accounting & Business Systems Department and responsible for Business Engagement, Student Employability and Apprenticeships. I work closely with external companies including The Bank of England, HSBC, Virgin Money, Costa and Deloitte to support real-world student projects to provide unique opportunities for students to gain applied learning skills and experience from industry leaders in their area of study.
About
I am a Principal Lecturer within the Finance Accounting and Business Systems Department at Sheffield Hallam University with over 25 years previously working in retailing and the supply chain, notably with Asda and the Dunbia Group. I was born into retailing as the fourth generation of a large family butchers and bakery business started in 1904 where I gained first hand retailing skills. My passion and experience led me to want to share this with future leaders, and so I entered academia teaching business and retailing. It also gave me the opportunity to complete a Doctorate in retailing, and in 2020 I graduated with a Doctor in Business Administration with my thesis entitled Value Creation in Category Management Relationships in the UK Grocery Market’. The thesis brought together the power of collaboration and how this adds value in business relationships, and has been plaudit as a real world practical example of Vargo and Lusch's theories of Service-Dominant Logic. My teaching is very applied and I have shared my research and experience as far away as Malaysia, China and the United States. I also present at both academic and industry conferences, and remain the only academic to present at the prestigious IGD Category Management Summit, London 2018. I was able to bring together my thesis research and apply to the challenges presented within the sector. I always share my within my teaching providing the highest quality of research-informed practical teaching, which I feel are so important for future business leaders.
I am proud to have pioneered and delivered the FABSTALKS Lecture Series including keynotes from The Bank of England, Houses of Parliament, Virgin Money, Clipper Logistics, Costa and Deloitte, where over 1.500 students gained valuable CPD, gained new skills and networks to help with their future graduate employability. My business experience and networks provide me with the opportunities to include industry leaders and real-world learning to put Sheffield Hallam students first. My experience has also allowed me the contacts to develop a successful Supply Chain Leadership Higher Degree Apprenticeship where we work with apprentices from Clipper Logistics, Rolls Royce, Alstom, and many more. I continue to develop as a professional, and as Chartered Marketer with the CIM ensure my own learning is always up to date through ongoing CPD. I was honoured in 2011 to be invited to Windsor Castle to celebrate the CIM Centenary.
I am an external examiner with University of West of England, Honorary President of Sugarwise Charity, Treasurer of British Academy of Management Marketing & Retail SIG, Committee Member of Category Landscaper Group, and of course my other passion away from the university, Chair of the Social Committee at Hallowes Golf Club.
Principal Lecturer
Teaching expertise
- All aspects of marketing teaching from L4 to L7
- Food Marketing, Strategy, Food Safety Management, Retailing
- Food Supply Chain, Retail Operations, Food manufacturing
- Supply Chain Management and Logistics
Research
- Retailing
- Strategy and Marketing
Industry Links
- Fellow and Chartered Marketer
- Collaboration and research support
- Key account development in recruitment, innovation, student experience
Teaching
Department of Finance, Accounting and Business Systems
Sheffield Business School, Business, Technology and Enterprise
Current projects:
HSBC CPD Manufacturing Course
FABS Accountancy Clinic
KTP - Future of Digital Currencies
Banking Higher Degree Apprenticeship
Virgin Money Greenhouse Programme
Finance Accounting and Business Systems. Also Retailing and Marketing.
Courses taught:
BSc (Hons) Food Marketing Management
BSc (Hons) Food and Nutrition
BA (Hons) Supply Chain Leadership Degree Apprenticeship
Modules taught:
Food Innovation Consultancy Challenge (FICC) (40 credits)
Finance Accounting & Business Consultancy
International Food Marketing & Retail Practice
External Environment (Including Work Based Learning)
Work Based Investigation (60 Credits)
Financial & Management Accounting
Research
Current research projects:
BENSON, M., GLANFIELD, K., HIRST, C. and WAKENSHAW, S. (2022). Service-Dominant Logic: Reframing Retail Category Management, International journal of Retail & Distribution Management, Special Ed (2021), Emerald Publishing.
BENSON, M., BERESFORD, P. and HIRST, C. (2022). Value Creation or Destruction: The Role of Private label in UK Grocery Category Management Decisions In: BAM2019 Conference Proceedings. 1st ed. BAM.
The Conversation ( I had the fourth highest read article in 2021: 47,000 reads)
‘If Amazon buys Morrisons, it could be a win for consumers and a major threat to other supermarkets’ had 47,000 reads, the fourth largest at SHU 2021-22.
Publications
Journal articles
Benson, M., Glanfield, K., Hirst, C., & Wakenshaw, S. (2022). Service-Dominant Logic: reframing retail category management. International Journal of Retail and Distribution Management.
Conference papers
Benson, M., Beresford, P., & Hirst, C. (2019). Value Creation or Destruction: The Role of Private label in UK Grocery Category Management Decisions. In British Academy of Management (2019) Conference Building and Sustaining High Performance Organisations during Uncertain Times: Challenges and Opportunities, Aston University, Birmingham, 3 September 2019 - 5 September 2019. BAM: https://www.bam.ac.uk/marketing-and-retail-0
Benson, M., Beresford, P., & Hirst, C. (2019). Value Creation Capacity of Category Management Collaborations in the UK Private Label Chilled Food Sector. In The Second Global Conference on Creating Value (New York), New York, NY, USA, 14 May 2019 - 16 May 2019. http://www.creatingvalue.co/conference/
Benson, M., Goose, C., Hall, C., Webb, A., & Louis, A. (2019). The Undiscovered Truths of Collaborative Value Creation in UK Grocery Retail Category. In The Second Global Conference on Creating Value (New York), New York, NY, USA, 14 May 2019 - 16 May 2019.
Benson, M., Hirst, C., & Beresford, P. (2018). The changing role of the Category Captain in UK grocery retail market. Recent Advances in Retailing and Services Science.
Book chapters
Barnes, B., Benson, M., & Beresford, P. (2019). Retail and Distribution. In Marketing Real People, Real Decisions. (Third European Edition). Pearson
Benson, M., & Beresford, P. (2019). Retail and Distribution. In Pearson Etext for Marketing Real People, Real Choices -- Access Card. (Third European Edition). Pearson
Scholarly editions
Benson, M. (Ed.). (2021). If Amazon buys Morrisons, it could be a win for consumers and a major threat to other supermarkets. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/if-amazon-buys-morrisons-it-could-be-a-win-for-consumers-and-a-major-threat-to-other-supermarkets-163189
Benson, M. (Ed.). (2021). If Amazon buys Morrisons, it could be a win for consumers and a major threat to other supermarkets. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/if-amazon-buys-morrisons-it-could-be-a-win-for-consumers-and-a-major-threat-to-other-supermarkets-163189
Theses / Dissertations
Benson, M. (2020). Value Creation in Category Management Relationships in the UK Grocery Market. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Hirst, C., & Schofield, P.
Presentations
Benson, M., Beresford, P., & Hirst, C. (2019). Value Creation or Destruction: The Role of Private label in UK Grocery Category Management Decisions. Presented at: BAM 2019 Conference Building and Sustaining High Performance Organisations during Uncertain Times: Challenges and Opportunities, Aston University, Birmingham
Benson, M., Murray, F., & Taylor, A. (2019). Food Innovation Consultancy Challenge: 'Live' Learning and Professional Development with an Industry Client. Presented at: BAM 2019 Conference, Birmingham, UK, 2019
Benson, M., Hirst, C., & Beresford, P. (2019). Value Creation Capacity of Category Management Collaborations in the UK Private Label Chilled Food Sector. Presented at: The Second Global Conference on Creating Value (New York), New York, NY, USA, 2019
Benson, M., Goose, C., Webb, A., Hall, C., & Louis, A. (2019). The Undiscovered Truths of Collaborative Value Creation in UK Grocery Retail Category Management Relationships. Presented at: The Second Global Conference on Creating Value (New York), New York, NY, USA, 2019
Benson, M. (2018). IGD Category Management and Shopper Marketing Summit.
Benson, M. (2018). Category Captain Adding Value in Category Management Relationships in a Changed Retail Marketspace.
Benson, M., Hirst, C., & Schofield, P. (2018). Value for whom? A critical Analysis of Category Management Relationships in the UK Grocery Sector.
Benson, M., Hirst, C., & Beresford, P. (2018). The Changing Role of the Category Captain in UK Grocery Retail Market. Presented at: Recent Advances in Retailing and Services Science, MELIÃ MADEIRA MARE Rua de Leichlingen nos 2 & 4 Funchal, Madeira
Benson, M. (2017). BAM Marketing & Retail SIG Event.
Benson, M. (2017). The creation of value in category management from a food manufacturing and retailing perspective.
Benson, M. (2017). Value Creation in Category Management Relationships: A Comparative Analysis. Presented at: BAM 2017 Annual Conference - 'Re-connecting management research with the disciplines: Shaping the research agenda for the social sciences', Newcastle University
Benson, M. (2017). Value Creation in Category Management Relationships: A Comparative Analysis. Presented at: BAM 2017 Annual Conference - 'Re-connecting management research with the disciplines: Shaping the research agenda for the social sciences', Newcastle University
Posters
Benson, M. (2019). Reducing Childhood Obesity: Food Innovation Consultancy Challenge. Presented at: 2019 PHE Conference, Warwick University, 2019
Benson, M. (2015). What constitutes an effective retailing relationship? Presented at: SBS Doctoral Conference, Sheffield, UK, 2015
Other activities
External Responsibilities
External Examiner: University West of England (Marketing)
BAM Treasurer: Marketing & Retail SIG