Dr. Thomas F. Phillips
Ph.D. (New School for Social Research), B.Sc. (Trent), M.A. (York)
Adjunt Professor
Office: DNA Building B101.4
Phone: 705-748-1011 ext. 7009
Email: tphillips@trentu.ca
Areas of Expertise:
economic growth
organizational change
international trade and finance
history of economic thought
Thomas F. Phillips is an economist trained at Trent University, York University, and the New School for Social Research (New York – Ph.D. dissertation: Transformational Growth and Canadian Economic Development). He has been on the faculty at Sir Sandford Fleming College since 1986, and has taught at Trent University since 1988. Currently he is seconded to be the Economist and Sustainability Director for the Greater Peterborough Innovation Cluster at Trent University where he conducts research into community economic development, assists scientists with research funding proposals, and facilitates private and public partnerships leading to sustainable, regional economic growth.
Dr. Phillips has served in many different administrative roles including Academic Team Leader (Dean) of the School of Business at Sir Sandford Fleming College, member of the Board of Governors and Senate at Trent University, member of the Board of Governors of the Greater Peterborough Area Economic Development Corporation (Council of the City of Peterborough appointment), and the Peterborough Community Access Centre (Lieutenant Governor of Ontario appointment), to name a few.
From 2004 to 2006 Dr. Phillips was a member of the faculty at the University College of the Cayman Islands where he developed and delivered the final two years of the first economics degree program offered in the Cayman Islands – one of the world’s largest banking communities. While there he was a frequent commentator on the economic issues of the day. He continues to be a regular contributor to the Grand Cayman Magazine.
Dr. Phillips has published several articles in the popular and academic media including The Nature of Work in a New Economy, Transformational Growth and the Business Cycle (with Edward Nell), Canada and Argentina in the New and Old Business Cycles, and Transformational Growth and Educational Change. His research currently concentrates on the contemporary and historical nature of organizational change in periods of economic transformation. He is on the editorial board, and is a contributor to, a forthcoming Oxford University Press volume on the current status and role of non-neo-Classical approaches economic growth being edited by Edward Nell of New School for Social Research.
Dr. Phillips has taught several different undergraduate-level courses in business and economics at Trent University, the New School (New York), and Carleton University. Currently he is teaching Strategic Management (ADMN 400) – a required course in Trent’s Business Administration program.
Selected publications
Educational Insights from Edward Nell’s Theory of Transformational Growth, in Growth, Distribution and Effective Demand: Essays in Honour of Edward Nell, G. Argyrous, M. Forstater, and G. Mongiovi (ed.), M.E. Sharp, 2004.
Transformational Growth and Educational Change, Selected Papers from the 10th International Conference on College Teaching and Learning, J. Chambers (ed.), 1999. This paper was selected for this publication from all the papers delivered at the conference held in Jacksonville, Florida.
The Old Trade Cycle and the New in Canada and Canada, and Argentina in the New and Old Business Cycles. Studies in Transformational Growth, E.J. Nell, ed., Routledge, 1998.
Transformational Growth and the Business Cycle, Eastern Economic Journal, with E.J. Nell, Spring 1995. [This article was awarded Honorable Mention by the Eckstein Prize Committee of the Eastern Economic Journal in the competition for the "paper judged to be the best published in the EEJ" over the two-year period, 1995-1996.]
The Nature of Work in a New Economy, Policy Options, June 1993.
Weekly articles in the Business Monday section of the Cayman Net News. (Cayman Net News is a paper-based and web-based, national newspaper, with a daily, paper-based circulation of approx. 7000.) From the Spring of 2005 to the Summer of 2006, he wrote or edited fifty-two articles from University College of the Cayman Islands faculty.
Articles written
Creative Reconstruction and the Cayman Economy
Cayman’s Economic Reality
The Threat of Inflation
Technology, Society, and Growth
Putting Cayman in Economic Perspective
Education, Knowledge, Incomes, and Success
Less Free Trade?
Irish Lessons
The Creative Foundation of Economic Growth
The Economic Consequences of the Seven Year Limit
The Role of Education in Cayman’s Transformation
Incomes, the Cost of Living, and Demand
The Economics of Recruiting Talent
China’s Emerging Influence
Crossing National Borders
Cayman’s Future: The Challenge to Change
Courses taught
Strategic Management
Introductory Microeconomics
Introductory Macroeconomics
Microeconomic Theory and Applications
Macroeconomic Theory and Policy
Intermediate Macroeconomics (for the Administration program)
Mathematical Economics
The Political Economy of Social Welfare - Carleton University (Bachelor of Social Work program)
Managerial Economics
International Trade
International Finance
Economics of Trade Unions