Senior Lecturer in Business and Management
BA (Hons), BSc, CMS, DMS, MBA, ILAM (DIP), F.IMSPA.
Michael is currently a Senior Lecturer in the Leadership and Management team. Formerly, he was employed in the sport and physical activity industry for over twenty five years. During his time in this sector he swiftly progressed to senior management. These roles included: General Manager of three leisure facilities and responsibility for management of Corporate Swimming Development, Assistant Director of Sports Facilities (multiple facilities), and Director of Sports Service Management: Training and Consultancy. Responsibilities during this time included: the management of up to one hundred employees, financial control of substantial - multi-million - income and expenditure budgets, leading a team of senior managers concerned with developing value creation initiatives, and the opening and operation of two new flagship leisure facilities. In addition, he has delivered commercial training to over ten thousand candidates and consulted on various industry topics. During this time he was also part of project teams which achieved awards in Investors in People and ISO 90002, and he was also directly responsible for, and part of project teams, delivering high profile regional, national, and global events such as: World Karate Championships, and World Championship Boxing.
Michael is a former National Qualifications Assessor for the Institute of Sport and Recreation Management, and is also a former National Strategy Board member for the same Institute. Michael retains very close involvement with the sport and physical activity sector through membership of various boards, and attendance and contributions to key events.
Michael is a well rounded academic and module leader with a passion for education, and personal development. Michael has worked on a diverse range of subjects including: Research Methods, Marketing, Marketing Research Methods, International Management, Managing in a Business Context, Consumer Psychology, Strategic Management, International Business, and Managing Projects. His passions remain firmly in the subject areas of Marketing, Research Methods, and Dissertation Supervision. Specifically, his current research interest concerns value creation in the service sector.
Michael has delivered academic papers at national and regional conferences. He is the author of fourteen professional journal publications, and is also the Institute of Sport and Recreation Management award winner for written publications (William Francis Award). He is currently a North East Regional Board member of the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity. Michael takes pride in being on the National Board of the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity Strategic Leadership Group. He was awarded the highest level of membership - Fellowship - for his contributions to the Institute in 2010.
T: +44 (0)191 515 2299
E: michael.cassop-thompson@sunderland.ac.uk