CHRIS FORDE
PROFESSOR OF EMPLOYMENT STUDIES, LEEDS UNIVERSITY BUSINESS
SCHOOL
Employment History
2012- present: Professor of Employment Studies, Work and Employment Relations
Division, Leeds University Business School, Leeds, LS2 9JT.
2006-2012: Senior Lecturer in Industrial Relations, Work and Employment Relations
Division, Leeds University Business School
1998-2006: Lecturer in Industrial Relations, Work and Employment
Relations/Industrial and Labour Studies Division, Leeds University Business School
Education
Ph.D University of Leeds, awarded January 1999,Temporary employment agency
working: issues and evidence
MA Economics, 1994, University of Leeds
BA (Hons, 1st Class) Economics and Management,1993, University of Leeds.
Blessed Robert Johnson College, Telford, Shropshire, 1983-1990. 10 GCSEs, 3 ALevels (French, Mathematics, Economics).
External Activities and Esteem Indicators

ACAS Research Associate 2014-present

British Universities Industrial Relations Association Steward (Communications
Secretary), 2013-2016.

Joint Editor, Work, Employment and Society, 2011-2014. (4* on ABS journal
ranking list)

Academic advisor for the Leeds Chamber of Commerce Quarterly Economic
Survey 2011-present

Academic Fellow, Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, 2012present

External examiner, MBA Programme, Nottingham University Management
School, 2011-2015.

External examiner, MSc Employment Relations, Manchester Business
School, 2013-2016.

External examiner, UG Management Programmes, Heriot-Watt University,
2011-2015.

External Examiner, UG Programme York Management School, University of
York, 2009-2012.

External Examiner on the Trade Union Studies Programme, Northern College,
Barnsley, 2005-2011

European Union Experts Forum on Restructuring 2009-2012.

Peer reviewer for: British Journal of Industrial Relations; Construction
Management and Economics, Economic and Industrial Democracy, Employee
Relations, Energy Studies, Environment and Planning A, Enterprise and Society,
Human Relations, Human Resource Management, Human Resource Management
Journal, Industrial Relations Journal; Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies,
Industrial Relations, International Review of Applied Economics; International
Journal of Training and Development, Journal of Industrial Relations, Labour and
Industry, Local Economy, New Technology, Work and Employment, Personnel
Review, Work, Employment and Society.

Winner of the Ian Beardwell Prize for best research paper at the CIPD
Professional Standards Conference 2007 (with Andrew Brown, Andy Charlwood and
David Spencer).

Rapporteur for ESRC end-of-project reports

Referee for ESRC proposals (Main grant and first grant schemes)

Member of British Universities Industrial Relations Association, British
Sociological Association, Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development,
American Sociological Association
University Management and Leadership Positions

Head of Group, Work and Employment Relations Division, Leeds University
Business School, September 2009-September 2012; April-2013-January 2014

Member of Faculty Executive Group, Leeds University Business School, September
2009-September 2012; April 2013-January 2014

Director of Studies, Work and Employment Relations Division 2000-present

Programme Director, BA HRM Degree 2000-2005

Organiser, Industrial and Labour Studies, Work and Employment Relations Division
and Centre for Employment Relations Innovation and Change seminar series, 20002012
Research
My current research interests are in following areas

Labour migration

Contingent/non-standard employment, particularly agency working and zero
hours contracts

Job quality

Restructuring and layoffs, and socially responsible restructuring

Conflict Management
a)
Ongoing externally funded research
1. ‘Compatibility of social and labour rights with European internal market and
competition law’
European Parliament, Employment and Social Affairs Committee, E100,000
Co-investigator, with Dagmar Schiek, Liz Oliver, Gabriella Alberti, plus international
partners http://lubswww.leeds.ac.uk/ceric/eu-social-rightsinternal-market-law/
September 2014-May 2015.
2. ‘Approaches to conflict management’,
ACAS, £10,000
With Richard Saundry, University of Portsmouth. Gemma Wibberley and Ian Ashman
(University of Central Lancsashire), Duncan Adam and Sally Wright (University of
Warwick)
December 2014-April 2015
3. ‘The impact of the Essential Skills in Wales programme: Counterfactual
Evaluation’
Welsh Assembly, £11,000
Principal investigator, with Jo Cutter, Ioulia Bessa and Mark Stuart (through York
Consulting).
4. ‘The impact of collective bargaining’
TUC/Institute of Employment Rights, £2,000
Co-investigator with Robert MacKenzie, Hugh Cook and Danat Valizade.
b)
Completed externally funded projects
1. ‘The impact of the Agency Working Regulations on agency and employer practice’
ACAS, £12,000
Principal investigator with Gary Slater
January-September 2013.
2. The National Minimum Wage and the commissioning of adult social care: the
impact on the pay, hours and work of domiciliary workers
Low Pay Commission, £27,000
Co-investigator with Sian Moore, Mark Stuart and Ioulia Bessa.
January -December 2012.
3. ‘Women transport workers and the economic crisis’, International Transport
Federation
Value: £23, 510
Co-investigator with Mark Stuart, Jane Holgate, Jennifer Tomlinson
January-September 2012
4. 'The State of the Yorkshire Economy'
Higher Education Impact Innovation Fund, £17,500
Principal Investigator with Andrew Robinson(PI), Mark Stuart, Peter Buckley,
Heinrich Voss and Paul Ellwood, LUBS.
January 2011-July 2011
5. 'Migration Worker Project: The experiences of migrants in Barnsley'
Home Office Migration Impact Fund, £8,000
Co-investigator with Robert Mackenzie and Zyama Ciupijus.
December 2009-April 2010
6. 'The Role of Employment Agencies in Pay Setting'
ACAS, £12,000
Principal Investigator with Gary Slater, University of Bradford.
June 2009-September 2010
7. 'A Comparative Study of Non-Standard Employment'
Japanese Institute for Labour Policy and Training (JILPT), £4,000
Co-investigator with Gary Slater, University of Bradford.
June 2009-March 2010
8. 'E-Skills Funding in Europe'
European Commission, DG Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities,
through EU Research Associates, £12,000
Co-investigator with Mark Stuart (PI), CERIC.
April 2009-December 2009
9. 'Estimating the Range of Socio-Economic Benefits of Improving the Overall
Quality of Working Life, and Wellbeing for Employees in the Working Age Population'
ESRC and Health and Safety Executive, £2,000
Co-investigator with Andrew Brown, Andy Charlwood and David Spencer, CERIC.
November 2008-February 2009
10. ‘Encouraging workplace dialogue over training and skills: Case studies’
Department of Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform for
CBI/TUC/DIUS/BERR Joint Working Group on Training and Skills, £12,500
Co-investigator (with Mark Stuart (PI) and Jo Cutter)
September-November 2007
11. 'An Impact study on relocation, restructuring and the viability of the European
Globalisation Adjustment Fund: The impact on employment, working conditions and
regional development'
European Parliament, €39,950
Co-investigator (with Mark Stuart (PI) and Robert MacKenzie)
July 2006 – April 2007.
12. ‘Changing job quality in Great Britain, 1998-2004’.
Department of Trade and Industry, £12,500
Co-investigator (with Andrew Brown, Andy Charlwood and David Spencer)
February-October 2006.
13. ‘The social and economic experiences of asylum seekers, migrant workers,
refugees and overstayers’
Home Office (through the Investing in a Multicultural Barnsley initiative), £8,000
Co-investigator (with Robert MacKenzie)
September 2005 – February 2007.
14. 'Good employment relations in the UK offshore oil industry'
International Labour Office, $4,500,
Principal Investigator (with Mark Stuart, Robert MacKenzie and Rob Perrett)
June-October 2004.
15. 'Examination of the social and economic impact of steel redundancies in Wales'
Steel Partnership Training/ ISTC Community Union, £26,805
Co-investigator (with Mark Stuart, Robert MacKenzie, Jean Gardiner, Ian
Greenwood, and Rob Perrett)
December 2002 - December 2003.
c)
Refereed Journal Articles
Published
MacKenzie, R., Forde, C. and Ciupijus, Z (2012) 'Networks of Support for New
Migrant Communities: Institutional Goals versus Substantive Goals?', Urban Studies,
49 (3), 631-647.
Forde, C. and MacKenzie, R. (2011) ‘The Ethical Agendas of Employment Agencies
towards Migrant Workers in the UK: Deciphering the codes’, Journal of Business
Ethics, 95 (4).
Mackenzie, R., Forde, F., Robinson, A., Cook, H., Eriksson, B., Larsson, P., and
Bergman, A. (2010) 'Contingent Work in the UK and Sweden: Evidence from the
Construction Industry', Industrial Relations Journal, 41(6) 603-621.
Gardiner, J., Stuart, M., MacKenzie, R., Forde, C., Greenwood, I. And Perrett, R.
(2009) ‘Redundancy as a critical life event: moving on from the Welsh steel industry
through career change’, Work, Employment & Society 23 (4): 727-745.
Forde, C., MacKenzie, R. and Robinson, A. (2009) ‘Built on shifting sands: Changes
in employers' use of contingent labour in the UK construction sector’, Journal of
Industrial Relations, 51, 5, 653-667.
MacKenzie, R. and Forde, C (2009) ‘The Rhetoric of the ‘Good Worker’ versus the
Realities of Employers’ Use and the Experiences of Migrant Workers’. Work,
Employment and Society, 23 (1): 142-159.
Forde, C. and MacKenzie, R. (2009) ‘Migrant workers in low-skilled employment:
assessing the implications for human resource management’, International Journal
of Manpower, 30 (5); 437-452.
Forde, C., MacKenzie, R. and Robinson, A. (2008) ‘Help wanted? Employers’ use of
temporary agencies in the UK construction industry’, Employee Relations, 30 (6),
679-698.
Forde, C., MacKenzie, R. and Robinson, A. (2008) 'Firm Foundations? Contingent
Labour and Employers' Provision of Training in the UK Construction Sector',
Industrial Relations Journal, 39 (5), 370-391.
Brown, A., Charlwood, A., Forde, C. and Spencer, D. (2008) ‘Changes in Human
Resource Management and Job Satisfaction 1998-2004: Evidence from the
Workplace Employment Relations Survey’, Human Resource Management Journal,
18 (3), 237-256.
Forde, C. (2008) “‘You know we are not an employment agency’: Manpower,
Government and the Development of the Temporary Employment Agency Industry in
Britain”, Enterprise and Society.
Brown, A., Charlwood, A. Forde, C. and Spencer, D (2007) ‘Job Quality and the
Economics of New Labour: a Critical Appraisal Using Subjective Survey Data’,
Cambridge Journal of Economics.
Forde, C. and MacKenzie, R. (2007) ‘Getting the Mix Right: The Use of Employment
Contract Alternatives in the UK Construction Industry’, Personnel Review, 36, (4),
549-563.
Gardiner, J. Stuart, M. Forde, C. Greenwood, I. MacKenzie, R. and Perrett, R. (2007)
‘Work–life balance and older workers: employees’ perspectives on retirement
transitions following redundancy’, International Journal of Human Resource
Management, 18 (3), 476–489.
Forde, C., Slater, G. and Spencer, D. (2006) ‘It’s the taking part that counts?
Participation, performance and external labour market conditions’, Relations
Industrielles, 61 (2), 296-320.
Forde, C., Slater, G. and Spencer, D. (2006) ‘Fearing the Worst? Threat,
Participation and Workplace Productivity’, Economic and Industrial Democracy, 27
(3), 369-398.
MacKenzie, R., Stuart, M., Forde, C., Greenwood, I., Perrett, R.and Gardiner, J.
(2006) ‘All that is Solid? Class, Identity and the Maintenance of a Collective
Orientation amongst Redundant Steel Workers’, Sociology, 40 (5).
Forde, C. and Slater, G. (2006) ‘The Nature and Experience of Agency Working In
Britain: What are the Challenges for Human Resource Management?’, Personnel
Review, 35 (2) 141-157.
Forde, C. and MacKenzie, R. (2005) ‘Skills Shortages and Casualisation in
Construction Evidence from two UK Surveys’, Construction Information Quarterly, 7
(3), 92-96.
Forde, C. and Slater, G. (2005) ‘Agency Working in Britain: Character,
Consequences and Regulation’, British Journal of Industrial Relations, 43 (2), 249271.
Forde, C. and Mackenzie, R. (2004) ‘Cementing Skills: Training and Labour
Utilisation in the UK Construction and Civil Engineering Sector’, Human Resource
Management Journal, 14 (3), 74-88.
Forde, C. (2001) ‘Temporary Arrangements: The Activities of Employment Agencies
in the UK’, Work, Employment and Society, 15 (3), 631-644.
d)
Book Chapters
Forde, C. and MacKenzie, R. (2007) ‘Concrete Solutions? Recruitment Difficulties
and Casualisation in the UK Construction Industry’ in Dainty, A, Green, S. and
Bagilhole, B. (eds.) People and Culture in Construction: A Reader, Taylor and
Francis.
MacKenzie, R. and Forde, C. (2006) 'The Myth of Decentralization and the New
Labour Market', in Alonso, L. and Martinez-Lucio, M. (ed.) Change and Conflict in the
New Economy, Palgrave MacMillan
e)
Reports
Forde, C. and Slater, G. (2013) The Impact of the Agency Working Regulations on
Agency and Employer Practice, ACAS Research Report.
Bessa, I., Forde, C. Moore, S. and Stuart, M. (2013) The National Minimum Wage
and the Commissioning of Adult Social Care: The Impact on the Pay, Hours and
Work of Domiciliary Workers, Low Pay Commission Report.
Forde, C., Stuart, M., Holgate, J. and Tomlinson, J (2012) Women Transport
Workers and the Economic Crisis, Report for International Transport Federation
Forde, C. and Slater, G. (2011) The Role of Employment Agencies in Pay Setting,
ACAS Research Report Series, January 2011.
Forde, C. and Slater, G. (2010) Survey of Non Regular Employment in Europe and
the US: Report on the United Kingdom, Japanese Institute for Labour Policy and
Training, June, 2010,
MacKenzie, C., Forde, C. and Ciupijus, Z. (2010) Migration Worker Research
Project: Final Report for the Barnsley Migration Impact Fund Project, July, 2010.
Wadolkowska, E., Forde, C and Stuart, M. (2010) Financial and Fiscal Incentives for
Eskills in Europe: Brochure prepared for the European Commission from the ‘Eskills
funding in Europe’ Project, 38 pages, June 2010
Wadolkowska, E., Forde, C and Stuart, M. (2009) Financial and Fiscal Incentives for
Eskills in Europe: Best Practices and Recommendations, Final report prepared for
the European Commission from the ‘Eskills funding in Europe’ Project, 184 pages,
November 2009
Forde, C. Stuart, M. and Wadolkowska, E. (2009) Financial and Fiscal Incentives for
Eskills in Europe: State of Play Interim Report prepared for the European
Commission from the ‘Eskills funding in Europe’ Project, 274 pages, June 2009
Brown, A. Charlwood, A., Forde, C. and Spencer, D. (2009) ‘Are workers really so
content?’ in Well Being and Working Life: towards an evidence-based policy agenda,
Report by the ESRC and HSE, 102 Pages, September 2009
European Commission (2009) Checklist on Restructuring Processes, European
Commission, DG Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, February
2009, 40 pages. (contribution as one of 27 National experts on Restructuring)
Forde, C. Slater. G. and Green, F. (2008) Agency Working in the UK, What do we
Know? Centre for Employment Relations Innovation and Change Policy Report
Number 2, May 2008.
MacKenzie, R. and Forde, C. (2007) ‘The social and economic experiences of
asylum seekers, migrant workers, refugees and overstayers: Report for the Investing
in a Multicultural Barnsley Project’, Centre for Employment Relations, Innovation and
Change Research Report, June 2007
Stuart, M., Forde, C., MacKenzie, R. and Wallis, E. (2007) ‘An impact study on
relocation, restructuring and the viability of the European Globalisation Adjustment
Fund: The impact on employment, working conditions and regional development’,
European Parliament Research Study, Employment and Social Affairs Committee,
Brussels.
Brown, A., Charlwood, A., Forde, C. and Spencer, D. (2006) ‘Changing job quality in
Great Britain’ Employment Relations Research Series Report No 70, London:
Department of Trade and Industry.
Forde, C. MacKenzie, R. Stuart, M. and Perrett, R.(2005) ‘Good Industrial Relations
in the Oil Industry in the UK’, International Labour Organisation Sectoral Working
Paper 230. Published October 2005.
Greenwood, I., Perrett, R., Mackenzie, R., Forde, C., Stuart, M. and Gardiner, J.
(2004) ‘The Economic and Social Impact of Redundancies from Corus and Allied
Steel and Wire in Wales’, Report prepared for ISTC ('Community') Union/Steel
Partnership Training.
f)
Short Reports and Knowledge Transfer Activities
British Academy (2010) ‘The Multi-Cultural Barnsley Project’, in Past Present and
future: The Public Value of the Humanities and Social Sciences’, This draws on
Mackenzie and Forde's research on new arrivals into Barnsley. British Academy,
June, 2010.
Brown, A., Charlwood, A., Forde, C. and Spencer, D. (2010) ‘Quality jobs and wellbeing at work are in all of our interests’, Yorkshire Post, 30th March 2010.
Brown, A. Charlwood, A., Forde, C. and Spencer, D. (2009) Are workers really so
content?, Well Being and Working Life: towards an evidence-based policy agenda,
Report by the ESRC and HSE, 102 Pages, September 2009
MacKenzie, R. And Forde, C. (2008) ‘Social and economic experiences of asylum
seekers, migrant workers, refugees and overstayers in Barnsley’, Yorkshire and
Humber Regional Review, 18, 2.
Forde, C., Slater, G. And Green, F. (2008) ‘Agency working’, People Management,
Study Notes section, 10th July.
MacKenzie, R. And Forde, C. (2008) ‘Supporting a Multicultural workforce’, Impact
Magazine, Issue 3, Summer 2008, 34-35.
MacKenzie, R. And Forde, C. (2008) ‘Case Study: Investing in a Multicultural
Barnsley’, Leeds University Business and Enterprise.
Forde, C. And Slater, G. (2008) ‘Case study: Agency working in Britain’, Leeds
University Business and Enterprise.
Mackenzie, R. and Forde, C. (2008) 'Survey Reveals Social and Economic
Experiences of New Arrivals in Barnsley', Asylum Newsletter No 39, April/May 2008.
Brown, A., Charlwood, A., Forde, C. and Spencer, D. (2007) ‘HRM Practices may
only have a Limited Effect on Employees’ Job Satisfaction’, Research Forum
Column, People Management, 6th September.
Forde, C. and MacKenzie, R. (2007) ‘The Social and Economic Experiences of
Asylum Seekers, Migrant Workers, Refugees and Overstayers: Key Findings on
Qualifications, Learning and Work’, Report for the Yorkshire & Humberside Regional
Migration Partnership, August 2007.
Audit Commission (2007) ‘Barnsley Borough Council: Investing in a Multi-Cultural
Barnsley’. January, 2007.
Forde, C. MacKenzie, R. and Robinson, A. (2006) ‘Changes in Employers’ Use of
Contingent Labour: Evidence from the Construction Sector’, Bolletino Adapt, Marco
Biagi Institute, October 2006.
Forde, C. (2002) ‘Agency working in the UK’, Eclectic, The Banking and Finance
Faculty Magazine, Issue 9, 10-13.
Forde C (1999) ‘Out of Time? Agency Workers and the Working Time Regulations’,
Centre for Industrial Policy and Performance Bulletin No13, pp 1-3, Spring
Forde C (1996) ‘Regulating Temporary Employment Agencies’, Centre for Industrial
Policy and Performance Bulletin No10, pp7-9, Spring.
g)
Conference activities
I have presented at over 100 conference and workshops, nationally and
internationally.
h)
Doctoral supervision
I have successfully supervised 9 PhD students to completion. I am currently
supervising another 10 doctoral students.
Successfully completed doctoral students under my supervision
Niki Kyriakidou (1999-2004) ‘Graduate employment in the Greek labour market’ ,
jointly supervised with Mark Stuart.
Sarah Mollitt (2002-2006, LUBS scholarship) ‘The case of 'unwanted flexibility': a
study of temporary agency workers in the U.K.’, jointly supervised with Ian
Kirkpatrick
Neil Wolfenden (2002-2006, ESRC scholarship) ‘Non-standard employment
contracts in the IT sector: The shifting boundaries of control’, jointly supervised with
Robert MacKenzie.
Khalid al Horr (2004 – 2009) ‘Political contingency and the implementation of
localisation policies: a case study of the oil and gas sector in Qatar’, jointly
supervised with Robert MacKenzie.
Antonios Panagiotakopolous (2005- 2009) ‘An empirical investigation of employee
training and development in Greek manufacturing small and medium sized
enterprises’, jointly supervised with Mark Stuart.
Hadi El-Farr (September 2007-September 2011), ‘Knowledge management and
Human Resource Management’, jointly supervised with Ian Kirkpatrick
Hugh Cook (September 2007-September 2012, ESRC scholarship) ‘High
Performance Human Resource Management Practices and Performance: A Case
study of a large supermarket retailer’, Jointly supervised with Robert MacKenzie.
Zyama Ciupijus (September 2007- September 2013, LUBS Doctoral Research
Fellowship), ‘Eastern European workers in Britain: examining the status quo and
potential of EU migrants from the perspective of soft skills development', jointly
supervised with Robert MacKenzie
Nousheen Zakaria (October 2009-December 2013), ‘HRM strategy and
implementation in Pakistan’, jointly supervised with Andrew Robinson
Current doctoral students under my supervision
Fatima Malik (October 2008 – present, University Scholarship) ‘Managing training
and workplace learning: policy and practice across biotech high skills ecosystems’,
jointly supervised with Mark Stuart
Nuzo Ezeichi (October 2010-present) ‘Health and Safety in the Nigerian Offshore Oil
Industry’, jointly supervised with Steve Vincent
Adejoke Ige (April 2013-present) ‘Alternative Dispute Resolution Mechanisms: A
case study of ACAS’, jointly supervised with Mark Stuart and Ian Greenwood
Kate Morgan (April 201-present, ESRC 1+3 scholarship) ‘Employee silence in the
workplace’, jointly supervised with Robert MacKenzie
Abdul Basuhal (October 2011-present, Saudi Arabia Government) ‘Localisation
policies in Saudi Arabia’, jointly supervised with Robert MacKenzie.
Rana Alyani (January 2012 – present, Saudi Arabia Government) ‘Integrated teams
in healthcare in Saudi Arabia’, jointly supervised with Mark Stuart and Ian Kirkpatrick
Angeliki Skondra (September 2012-present, CERIC scholarship) ‘Skills and training
in SMEs, jointly supervised with Mark Stuart
Danat Valizade (September 2012-present, LUBS scholarship) ‘Trade union
strategies towards non-standard workers’, jointly supervised with Robert MacKenzie
Jiachen Shi (September 2013-present) ‘External influences on HRM strategies: a
case study of the Chinese banking sector’, jointly supervised with Hugh Cook
Marina Boulos (January 2015-pesent) ‘Causes and impacts of stress in the
workplace’, jointly supervised with Jo Ingold
Teaching experience
I have 18 years of lecturing experience across the full range of undergraduate,
postgraduate and post-experience levels, encompassing a diverse portfolio of
teaching. My teaching expertise spans Human Resource Management, Employment
Relations, Labour Economics, the Sociology of Work, Internal Communications and
Research Methods. I have led and taught on the following modules (my current
teaching is highlighted in italics)
Level 0 and 1 Undergraduate
Introduction to HRM
Organisation of Business
Business and Society
Economic Institutions Industry
Economic Institutions Labour
Level 2 Undergraduate
Labour Economics
Contemporary Industrial Relations
HRM Research Methods and Practice
Level 3 Undergraduate
Strategic HRM
Controversies in Employment Relations and HRM
Global Perspectives on HRM and Employment Relations
HRM in the Asia Pacific
Business Ethics
M-Level and above
HRM Core Course
Research Methods in HRM
Internal Communications and Change Management
Global Perspectives on HRM and Employment Relations
HRM in the Asia Pacific
Business Ethics
HRM (MBA)
HRM: An International Perspective (Executive Level)
Understanding your Discipline (PhD students)