Colleen has been known by many of entrepreneurship scholars in the UK, and was part of the network of colleagues working on Creativity, communications and entrepreneurship. Colleen passed away on August 11, 2022, quietly and with dignity, with family at her side, (aged 66 years).
Her research interests focus on the management of organisational processes that create uncertainty and change (e.g., transitioning to contemporary workplace designs, organisational restructuring, CEO succession, business startup, responding to natural disasters). Colleen and her co-researcherswere particularly interested in how people communicate and make sense of their interaction at critical interfaces, both within and between organisations (e.g., between energy retailers and consumers, line managers and frontline workers). Recently she was involved in studies that have explored (1) the utility of mundane management tools when implementing a global strategic change, (2) the impact of narrativity on the success of strategic change, (3) communicating during a disaster – the Canterbury earthquakes, (4) business startup in the New Zealand designer fashion industry. She was an excellent reviewer for International Journal Entrepreneurial Behaviour & Research, and frequently published in it with her PhD students and colleagues.
Colleen is dearly loved soulmate of Paul McNoe, loved by Alistair and Haylee, Owen and Kate, and their children Sophie, Ivy, and Miller. A fondly loved daughter of Ronald and the late Patricia Pedley, and dearly loved sister of Lorraine Shannon, and Neil Pedley. Fondly loved member of the McNoe family.
Colleen’s family wish to thank the staff at Christchurch Hospital, Ward B6 and Nurse Maude Hospice for their wonderful care and dedication.
Messages may be addressed to The Family of the late Colleen Mills, c/- PO Box 39001, Christchurch 8545.
In lieu of flowers, donations to Nurse Maude Hospice would be appreciated and may be made online at nursemaude.org.nz.
The life celebration for Colleen is being held at 10am, Saturday 20 August (NZ time) at Lamb and Hayward’s Westpark Chapel, 467 Wairakei Road Christchurch.
Here is the link to the live stream of the funeral for the late Professor Colleen Elizabeth Mills.
NB The live stream will be recorded on video and available for up to 90 days afterwards. To connect go to the lambandhayward.co.nz/obituaries and click on the link in Colleen’s obituary for the live stream and video.
