![Andrew Henley BA (Nottingham, MA, PhD (Warwick), FLSW](https://profiles-cardiff.imgix.net/attachments/1297?w=200&h=200&auto=format&crop=faces&fit=crop&q=90")
Professor Andrew Henley
(he/him)
BA (Nottingham, MA, PhD (Warwick), FLSW
Teams and roles for Andrew Henley
Emeritus Professor
Overview
Emeritus Professor of Entrepreneurship and Economics. Published research in over 60 peer-reviewed articles, 2 books and a range of book contributions, over almost 40 years, spanning entrepreneurship (and particularly self-employment) and small business leadership and performance, regional development and labour economics. Extensive policy advisory work, and work in small business leadership development. Past ESRC strategic advisor and committee member.
Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales, 2017 - present.
Fellow of the Institute for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (ISBE), 2024 - present
Past President of the Institute for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (ISBE), 2021 to 2023.
Research Fellow of the IZA Institute for Labor, Bonn.
Follow me - LinkedIn: ahenley
Orcid: 0000-0003-4057-1679
Publication
2026
- Feng, Y. , Henley, A. and Kochanova, A. 2026. When formal management practices meet Informal governance: Family ownership and productivity in UK firms. Small Business Economics 67 , pp.581-618. (10.1007/s11187-026-01191-x)
2025
- Feng, Y. , Henley, A. and Kochanova, A. 2025. The role of management practices in productivity: Does family ownership matter?. Working paper. The Productivity Institute. Available at: https://www.productivity.ac.uk/research/the-role-of-management-practices-in-productivity-does-family-ownership-matter/.
2024
- Henley, A. 2024. What kind of business advice improves small business productivity?. Enterprise Research Centre Insights Paper
- Henley, A. 2024. Welsh productivity performance: lost cause or still waiting for a miracle?. Welsh Economic Review 29 , pp.1-16. (10.18573/wer.267)
2023
- Henley, A. 2023. Is rising self-employment associated with material deprivation in the UK?. Work Employment and Society 37 (5), pp.1395-1418. (10.1177/09500170221092640)
2022
- Henley, A. 2022. Digital technologies, gig work and labour share. Cambridge Journal of Economics 46 (6), pp.1407-1429. (10.1093/cje/beac043)
- Henley, A. 2022. Religion and entrepreneurship. In: Zimmermann, K. F. ed. Handbook of Labor, Human Resources and Population Economics. Cham, Switzerland: Springer. , pp.1-27. (10.1007/978-3-319-57365-6_373-1)
- Henley, A. 2022. Is there a link between small business leadership and productivity?.
2021
- Henley, A. 2021. The rise of self-employment in the UK: entrepreneurial transmission or declining job quality?. Cambridge Journal of Economics 45 (3), pp.457-486. beab007. (10.1093/cje/beab007)
- Henley, A. et al. 2021. Self-employment in Wales during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Welsh Economic Review 28 , pp.1-13. (10.18573/wer.259)
- Henley, A. , Vorley, T. and Gherhes, C. 2021. Implications and impacts of the crisis on micro businesses and their future resilience. In: McCann, P. and Vorley, T. eds. Productivity and the Pandemic: Challenges and Insights from Covid-19. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing. , pp.46-58. (10.4337/9781800374607.00010)
2020
- Henley, A. et al. 2020. Covid-19 Welsh government financial interventions: an analysis of Welsh beneficiaries. Technical Report.
- Henley, A. and Song, M. 2020. Innovation, internationalisation and the performance of microbusinesses. International Small Business Journal 38 (4), pp.337-364. (10.1177/0266242619893938)
- Henley, A. 2020. Small business growth and productivity. In: Productivity Perspectives. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing
2019
- Daniel, E. M. , Henley, A. and Anwar, M. N. 2019. Contemporary ethnic minority entrepreneurship in the UK: A quantitative exploration of break out and entrepreneurial quality. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour and Research 25 (7), pp.1410-1432. (10.1108/IJEBR-01-2019-0021)
- de Meza, D. et al., 2019. Curb your enthusiasm: optimistic entrepreneurs earn less. European Economic Review 111 , pp.53-69. (10.1016/j.euroecorev.2018.08.007)
2018
- Prysor, D. and Henley, A. 2018. Boundary spanning in higher education leadership: identifying boundaries and practices in a British university. Studies in Higher Education 43 (12), pp.2210-2225. (10.1080/03075079.2017.1318364)
2017
- Henley, A. and Lang, M. 2017. Self-employment in Wales: micro-business activity or the rise of the gig economy?. Welsh Economic Review 25 , pp.9-17. (10.18573/j.2017.10194)
- Henley, A. 2017. Creating value. In: Mabey, C. and Knights, D. eds. Leadership Matters: Finding Voice, Connection and Meaning in the 21st Century. Routledge Studies in Leadership Research London: Routledge. , pp.153-166.
- Henley, A. 2017. The post-crisis growth in the self-employed: volunteers or reluctant recruits?. Regional Studies 51 (9), pp.1312-1323. (10.1080/00343404.2016.1184753)
- Henley, A. 2017. Does religion influence entrepreneurial behaviour?. International Small Business Journal 35 (5), pp.597-617. (10.1177/0266242616656748)
- Morris, W. , Henley, A. and Dowell, D. 2017. Farm diversification, entrepreneurship and technology adoption: analysis of upland farmers in Wales. Journal of Rural Studies 53 (10.1016/j.jrurstud.2017.05.014)
- Henley, A. et al. 2017. Entrepreneurial intentions of Colombian business students: planned behaviour, leadership skills and social capital. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour and Research 23 (6), pp.1017-1032. (10.1108/IJEBR-01-2017-0031)
2015
- Henley, A. 2015. Economics and virtue ethics: reflections from a Christian perspective. In: Kidwell, J. and Doherty, S. eds. Theology and Economics: A Christian Vision of the Common Good. Palgrave Macmillan. , pp.109-125. (10.1057/9781137536518)
- Henley, A. 2015. Business schools, economic virtues and Christian theology. In: Mabey, C. and Mayrhofer, W. eds. Developing Leadership: Questions Business Schools Don't Ask. London: Sage. , pp.121-131.
- Dawson, C. and Henley, A. 2015. Gender, risk, and venture creation intentions. Journal of Small Business Management 53 (2), pp.501-515. (10.1111/jsbm.12080)
2014
- Dawson, C. et al., 2014. Entrepreneurship: cause and consequence of financial optimism. Journal of Economics & Management Strategy 23 (4), pp.717-742. (10.1111/jems.12076)
- Jones, K. et al., 2014. Action learning: how learning transfers from entrepreneurs to small firms. Action Learning: Research and Practice 11 (2), pp.131-166. (10.1080/14767333.2014.896249)
- Dawson, C. , Henley, A. and Latreille, P. 2014. Individual motives for choosing self-employment in the UK: does region matter?. Regional Studies 48 (5), pp.804-822. (10.1080/00343404.2012.697140)
2013
- Dawson, C. and Henley, A. 2013. Over-optimism and entry and exit from self-employment. International Small Business Journal 31 (8), pp.938-954. (10.1177/0266242612445462)
2012
- Dawson, C. and Henley, A. 2012. Something will turn up? Financial over-optimism and mortgage arrears. Economics Letters 117 (1), pp.49-52. (10.1016/j.econlet.2012.04.063)
2010
- Disney, R. , Gathergood, J. and Henley, A. 2010. House price shocks, negative equity, and household consumption in the United Kingdom. Journal of the European Economic Association 8 (6), pp.1179-1207. (10.1111/j.1542-4774.2010.tb00552.x)
2009
- Henley, A. , Arabsheibani, G. R. and Carneiro, F. G. 2009. On defining and measuring the informal sector: evidence from Brazil. World Development 37 (5), pp.992-1003. (10.1016/j.worlddev.2008.09.011)
2007
- Henley, A. 2007. Entrepreneurial aspiration and transition into self-employment: evidence from British longitudinal data. Entrepreneurship and Regional Development 19 (3), pp.253-280. (10.1080/08985620701223080)
2005
- Henley, A. 2005. Job creation by the self-employed: the roles of entrepreneurial and financial capital. Small Business Economics 25 (2), pp.175-196. (10.1007/s11187-004-6480-1)
- Henley, A. 2005. On regional growth convergence in Great Britain. Regional Studies 39 (9), pp.1245-1260. (10.1080/00343400500390123)
2004
- Henley, A. 2004. Self-employment status: the role of state dependence and initial circumstances. Small Business Economics 22 (1), pp.67-82. (10.1023/B:SBEJ.0000011573.84746.04)
- Henley, A. 2004. House price shocks, windfall gains and hours of work: British evidence*. Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics 66 (4), pp.439-456. (10.1111/j.1468-0084.2004.00088.x)
- Henley, A. et al. null. Entrepreneurial intentions of Colombian business students: planned behaviour, leadership skills and social capital. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour and Research (10.1108/IJEBR-01-2017-0031)
Articles
- Feng, Y. , Henley, A. and Kochanova, A. 2026. When formal management practices meet Informal governance: Family ownership and productivity in UK firms. Small Business Economics 67 , pp.581-618. (10.1007/s11187-026-01191-x)
- Henley, A. 2024. What kind of business advice improves small business productivity?. Enterprise Research Centre Insights Paper
- Henley, A. 2024. Welsh productivity performance: lost cause or still waiting for a miracle?. Welsh Economic Review 29 , pp.1-16. (10.18573/wer.267)
- Henley, A. 2023. Is rising self-employment associated with material deprivation in the UK?. Work Employment and Society 37 (5), pp.1395-1418. (10.1177/09500170221092640)
- Henley, A. 2022. Digital technologies, gig work and labour share. Cambridge Journal of Economics 46 (6), pp.1407-1429. (10.1093/cje/beac043)
- Henley, A. 2021. The rise of self-employment in the UK: entrepreneurial transmission or declining job quality?. Cambridge Journal of Economics 45 (3), pp.457-486. beab007. (10.1093/cje/beab007)
- Henley, A. et al. 2021. Self-employment in Wales during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Welsh Economic Review 28 , pp.1-13. (10.18573/wer.259)
- Henley, A. and Song, M. 2020. Innovation, internationalisation and the performance of microbusinesses. International Small Business Journal 38 (4), pp.337-364. (10.1177/0266242619893938)
- Daniel, E. M. , Henley, A. and Anwar, M. N. 2019. Contemporary ethnic minority entrepreneurship in the UK: A quantitative exploration of break out and entrepreneurial quality. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour and Research 25 (7), pp.1410-1432. (10.1108/IJEBR-01-2019-0021)
- de Meza, D. et al., 2019. Curb your enthusiasm: optimistic entrepreneurs earn less. European Economic Review 111 , pp.53-69. (10.1016/j.euroecorev.2018.08.007)
- Prysor, D. and Henley, A. 2018. Boundary spanning in higher education leadership: identifying boundaries and practices in a British university. Studies in Higher Education 43 (12), pp.2210-2225. (10.1080/03075079.2017.1318364)
- Henley, A. and Lang, M. 2017. Self-employment in Wales: micro-business activity or the rise of the gig economy?. Welsh Economic Review 25 , pp.9-17. (10.18573/j.2017.10194)
- Henley, A. 2017. The post-crisis growth in the self-employed: volunteers or reluctant recruits?. Regional Studies 51 (9), pp.1312-1323. (10.1080/00343404.2016.1184753)
- Henley, A. 2017. Does religion influence entrepreneurial behaviour?. International Small Business Journal 35 (5), pp.597-617. (10.1177/0266242616656748)
- Morris, W. , Henley, A. and Dowell, D. 2017. Farm diversification, entrepreneurship and technology adoption: analysis of upland farmers in Wales. Journal of Rural Studies 53 (10.1016/j.jrurstud.2017.05.014)
- Henley, A. et al. 2017. Entrepreneurial intentions of Colombian business students: planned behaviour, leadership skills and social capital. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour and Research 23 (6), pp.1017-1032. (10.1108/IJEBR-01-2017-0031)
- Dawson, C. and Henley, A. 2015. Gender, risk, and venture creation intentions. Journal of Small Business Management 53 (2), pp.501-515. (10.1111/jsbm.12080)
- Dawson, C. et al., 2014. Entrepreneurship: cause and consequence of financial optimism. Journal of Economics & Management Strategy 23 (4), pp.717-742. (10.1111/jems.12076)
- Jones, K. et al., 2014. Action learning: how learning transfers from entrepreneurs to small firms. Action Learning: Research and Practice 11 (2), pp.131-166. (10.1080/14767333.2014.896249)
- Dawson, C. , Henley, A. and Latreille, P. 2014. Individual motives for choosing self-employment in the UK: does region matter?. Regional Studies 48 (5), pp.804-822. (10.1080/00343404.2012.697140)
- Dawson, C. and Henley, A. 2013. Over-optimism and entry and exit from self-employment. International Small Business Journal 31 (8), pp.938-954. (10.1177/0266242612445462)
- Dawson, C. and Henley, A. 2012. Something will turn up? Financial over-optimism and mortgage arrears. Economics Letters 117 (1), pp.49-52. (10.1016/j.econlet.2012.04.063)
- Disney, R. , Gathergood, J. and Henley, A. 2010. House price shocks, negative equity, and household consumption in the United Kingdom. Journal of the European Economic Association 8 (6), pp.1179-1207. (10.1111/j.1542-4774.2010.tb00552.x)
- Henley, A. , Arabsheibani, G. R. and Carneiro, F. G. 2009. On defining and measuring the informal sector: evidence from Brazil. World Development 37 (5), pp.992-1003. (10.1016/j.worlddev.2008.09.011)
- Henley, A. 2007. Entrepreneurial aspiration and transition into self-employment: evidence from British longitudinal data. Entrepreneurship and Regional Development 19 (3), pp.253-280. (10.1080/08985620701223080)
- Henley, A. 2005. Job creation by the self-employed: the roles of entrepreneurial and financial capital. Small Business Economics 25 (2), pp.175-196. (10.1007/s11187-004-6480-1)
- Henley, A. 2005. On regional growth convergence in Great Britain. Regional Studies 39 (9), pp.1245-1260. (10.1080/00343400500390123)
- Henley, A. 2004. Self-employment status: the role of state dependence and initial circumstances. Small Business Economics 22 (1), pp.67-82. (10.1023/B:SBEJ.0000011573.84746.04)
- Henley, A. 2004. House price shocks, windfall gains and hours of work: British evidence*. Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics 66 (4), pp.439-456. (10.1111/j.1468-0084.2004.00088.x)
- Henley, A. et al. null. Entrepreneurial intentions of Colombian business students: planned behaviour, leadership skills and social capital. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour and Research (10.1108/IJEBR-01-2017-0031)
Book sections
- Henley, A. 2022. Religion and entrepreneurship. In: Zimmermann, K. F. ed. Handbook of Labor, Human Resources and Population Economics. Cham, Switzerland: Springer. , pp.1-27. (10.1007/978-3-319-57365-6_373-1)
- Henley, A. , Vorley, T. and Gherhes, C. 2021. Implications and impacts of the crisis on micro businesses and their future resilience. In: McCann, P. and Vorley, T. eds. Productivity and the Pandemic: Challenges and Insights from Covid-19. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing. , pp.46-58. (10.4337/9781800374607.00010)
- Henley, A. 2020. Small business growth and productivity. In: Productivity Perspectives. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing
- Henley, A. 2017. Creating value. In: Mabey, C. and Knights, D. eds. Leadership Matters: Finding Voice, Connection and Meaning in the 21st Century. Routledge Studies in Leadership Research London: Routledge. , pp.153-166.
- Henley, A. 2015. Economics and virtue ethics: reflections from a Christian perspective. In: Kidwell, J. and Doherty, S. eds. Theology and Economics: A Christian Vision of the Common Good. Palgrave Macmillan. , pp.109-125. (10.1057/9781137536518)
- Henley, A. 2015. Business schools, economic virtues and Christian theology. In: Mabey, C. and Mayrhofer, W. eds. Developing Leadership: Questions Business Schools Don't Ask. London: Sage. , pp.121-131.
Monographs
- Feng, Y. , Henley, A. and Kochanova, A. 2025. The role of management practices in productivity: Does family ownership matter?. Working paper. The Productivity Institute. Available at: https://www.productivity.ac.uk/research/the-role-of-management-practices-in-productivity-does-family-ownership-matter/.
- Henley, A. 2022. Is there a link between small business leadership and productivity?.
- Henley, A. et al. 2020. Covid-19 Welsh government financial interventions: an analysis of Welsh beneficiaries. Technical Report.
Research
Primary research interests
- Self-employment and entrepreneurship
- Small business growth and leadership
- Regional economic development
- Economics and ethics
Teaching
Biography
Education and Qualifications
- BA (Hons) Industrial Economics University of Nottingham
- MA Economics University of Warwick
- PhD University of Warwick
- Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales
- Fellow of the Institute for Small Business and Entrepreneurship
- Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
Career Overview
- 2016-2024: Cardiff Business School, Professor of Entrepreneurship and Economics
- 2012-2016: Aberystwyth University, Professor of Entrepreneurship and Regional Economic Development; and Director (Dean) of Institute of Management, Law and Information Science
- 2004-2012: Swansea University, Professor and Head (Dean) of School of Business and Economics; Director, LEAD Wales programme
- 1996-2004: Aberystwyth University, Professor of Economics
- 1986-1995: University of Kent, Lecturer/Senior Lecturer in Economics
- 1985-1986: University of Warwick, Post-doctoral Research Fellow in Economics
Supervisions
I am not currently accepting new PhD students for supervision.
Current supervision
Yuchen Feng
News articles
Contact Details
Research themes
Specialisms
- Entrepreneurship
- Labour economics
- Regional analysis and development
- Small business organisation and management
