Faculty of Business and Law
Business Management Studies
Title: Information overload and consumer decision making in online retail environment
A key challenge for internet-based retail start-ups is how to make their e-store a destination for customers.
This is particularly crucial as a large number of new e-retailers enter into the electronic marketplace every day,
which are unknown, have limited product offerings, and have no established brand image from their previous
ventures. Managers of e-retailers often use task facilitative website design tools such as interactivity and
personalization features to increase the attractiveness of the e-store design and improve its stickiness.
Literature on information control highlight that the effectiveness of such tools depends on their ability to help
users with their information search, assimilation of information, evaluation of the choices, and decision
making. Hence, if an e-store presents an array of decision-making tools irrespective of individual user’s
requirements, it might create ‘information overload’, a sense of frustration, doubt about the seller’s assistive
intent, and increase the evaluative cost of decision-making. Therefore, the first objective of this study is to
understand the role of task facilitative design tools (such as interactivity and personalization) on users’ choice
evaluation cost.
Literature on choice process proposes that consumers’ try to achieve a hierarchy of goals when making their
product selections. They classify the goals as (1) approach goal where the consumers try to maximize the
accuracy of their choice (2) avoidance goals where the consumers try to minimize the experience of negative
emotion. Retail research highlights the role of approach and avoidance goals in post-purchase behaviour such
as spending more money or less money with the store. However, there is limited research on the use of such
goals in the e-retail setting and particularly in the pre-purchase stage where the users are contemplating on
their decision-making. Therefore, the second objective of this research is to understand how user’s choice
evaluation cost might influence their approach and avoidance goals towards the e-store.
This research will involve two stages. In the first stage, this study will conduct behavioural experiments with
real consumers of online retail stores. As a part of the experiment, hypothetical web stores will be created that
resembles real-life e-stores but with different levels of task facilitative tools. Consumers will be exposed to
such manipulations and a survey will be conducted post-experiment to understand the influence of
information overload on their decision making process. To generalize the findings, in the second stage, this
study will get clickstream data on browsing behaviour from two real-life e-stores having different levels of task
facilitative tools. Purchase data of such consumers will be accessed from the two stores to correlate the effect
of information overload to real purchases. Such two-stage study can provide directions to the managers of eretailers to understand the balance between task facilitative tools and users’ choice making process.
Please contact Professor Prithwiraj Nath for further details: p.nath@leedsbeckett.ac.uk
Business Management Studies
Title: Envisioning the Future of Packaging
This project will use a range of techniques to develop a roadmap for the future of retail and how consumers
will purchase goods through a number of different channels. It will specifically focus on what these new
models mean for new packaging development. In addition we will explore how these new ideas will impact
upon the future of packaging and its role in the marketing mix. In particular the student will explore the
following:
Design for Omni Channel requirements
The constraint of a store environment means that all packaging has to protect, preserve transport and market
the product, particularly in the grocery sector. Designers across the globe are adept at developing packaging
designs that deliver against these needs and use complex psychological techniques, developed over many
years to stand out on shelf and encourage purchase in store. However the rules for online selection and
purchase are different, the same psychological techniques do not apply anymore. What does “digital stand
out” mean and what does it look like for digital designers? And what does it mean for packaging?
New Supply Chain Requirements
Most primary packaging is designed to be transported around the world to stores in transit boxes and then
piled high on pallets and usually shrink-wrapped. This fulfils the requirements of protection usually very well
and when the responsibility for the product ends in store the customer receives an intact product. It is then
the customer who must ensure the product reaches their home without mishap.
In Omni channel retail this is very different. Clearly through the bricks and mortar channels the pack
requirements do not change. However there is an additional need to transport the product from a store or a
distribution warehouse to the customer’s home. This is usually in very small quantities and not in any transit
packaging. Companies must ensure that their packs are suitable for this final step in the supply chain and allow
the product to reach the customer intact. This is a critical step in the customer journey and essential for a
great Omni channel experience. How might this change the pack.
New Omni Channel Marketing Opportunities
Omni Channel retail offers a freedom to decouple the functions of packaging. The preserve, protect and
transport requirements can be delivered by the physical pack. The market function does now not have to be
constrained by the space on a pack; additional digital content can be provided to encourage purchase in many
ways. We will look at the emerging technologies that can support this.
Please contact Professor Cathy Barnes for further details: c.barnes@leedsbeckett.ac.uk
Business Management Studies
Title: Immersive Experiences in Retail
Retail technology is a growing area that interests many companies who are looking to leverage value from
integrating technology throughout the shopping experience. The physical and digital retail worlds are merging
to create the omni - channel shopper who is equally at home purchasing goods on the high street and the
internet. However there is little consensus as to how to utilise the new technologies to enhance the retail
experience across the different channels.
Technologies such as augmented/virtual reality, 3D cameras/projectors and interactive digital installations are
offering real opportunities to merge the real and digital world and create immersive experiences to enhance
the retail industry. Recent developments, driven primarily through the game technology industries, are
offering operational production quality novel user interfaces that have many potential applications beyond the
gamming context. These technologies allow for immersive environments to be built utilising natural interface
technologies such as gesture tracking, gaze tracking and immersive displays including 3D, caves, “holograms”
and head mounted technologies etc . Beyond the visual - interactive/spacialised audio technologies offer
further potential to enhance shopper experience within rich audio landscapes.
The key objectives of the Phd project are to
1) Build a roadmap of technologies applicable to the retail context that could integrate the real and virtual
shopping experiences
2) Understand how the shopper of the future would interact with an immersive retail technology to enhance
the experience
3) Using one or more of these new technologies, develop a demonstrator showing an immersive retail
experience in action.
Please contact Professor Cathy Barnes for further details: c.barnes@leedsbeckett.ac.uk
Business Management Studies
Title: Maximising the local impact of Anchor Institutions in the Leeds City Region
The concept of “anchor institutions” has emerged as a way of thinking about the role that institutions could
play in developing communities. Webber and Karlstrom (2009) suggest that anchor institutions are tied to
specific locations by a combination of factors: invested capital, mission and relationship to customers and
employees It is emerging as a new paradigm for understanding the role that place-based institutions play in
building successful communities and local economies. However, anchor institutions remains an imprecise
concept and ripe for theoretical and empirical investigation in the UK and other national contexts.
The concept of anchor institution refers to a particular role within a local economy. The role involves some
strategic contribution and is likely to be a secondary aim rather than the main focus for the institution. The
Anchor Institutions Task Force in the United States suggests that the role of these institutions has grown in
importance as economies have become increasingly dependent on service and knowledge sectors (AITF, 2013).
AITF has suggested that communities cannot be transformed without greater goal alignment across
institutions, civic organisations, citizens, policy and the private sector. Anchor institutions can play a critical
role, particularly in terms of coordination and support of economic activity although there is little academic
evidence in the UK of their engagement and impact to date.
The research is particularly relevant in the light of findings that identify opportunities for practical action to
increase the impact of Britain's business schools on innovation and growth (Thorpe and Rawlinson, 2013). The
post-doc post will develop synergies with ongoing high impact research (2014-2016) commissioned by the
Joseph Rowntree Foundation and led by David Devins.
Most of the work on defining anchor institutions has been undertaken in the US, where the concept has
contributed to the cultural, social and economic vitality of cities. The origins of the concept lie in the 1960s and
the changes in the structure of the economy at that time and the effects of deindustrialization and
globalization. Institutions, particularly in terms of hospitals and higher education emerged as anchors of their
communities, no longer able to avoid the problems of their local communities and perceiving the need to
contribute towards dealing with pressing social and economic issues. However the notion of anchor
institutions has only recently entered the lexicon of economic and social development in the UK (Work
Foundation 2010).
Our applied research for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation is already uncovering fruitful avenues for further
academic study that will be realized through a post-doc appointment. These include:
 What role does the local context (socio-economic, cultural) and their spatial location (City/CityRegion/Rural) play in the definition of anchors in the UK?
 To what extent can the anchor concept be applied to the private sector and what difference does it
make?
 What metrics (social/economic/cultural) can be used to measure the impact of anchor institutions?
 How and to what extent do they contribute to private sector innovation (including small firms)
through the supply chain?
 What are the financial/social/cultural barriers/enablers of anchor collaboration?
 How does the concept of anchor organization impact on the theory and practice of leadership?
 As a property or real estate developer - what role can they play in generating quality jobs and
innovation?
The research approach will reflect the agreed research question and unit of analysis. The research will be
grounded in empirical inquiry. With research focus being at both a policy influencing level and organizational
practice level. The research methodology may be quantitative, qualitative or mixed in nature. A quantitative
approach with seek to measure the impact of anchors whilst a qualitative approach will generate
phenomenological understanding.
A successful candidate will have a level of understanding and practice (and/or prepared to learn) research
methods such as: SPSS/Statistics, Nvivo, Action Research, Deliberative methods, Evaluation.
Please contact Dr David Devins for further details: d.devins@leedsbeckett.ac.uk
Business Management Studies
Title: Generation Y: Public relations and a promotional culture, how digital natives use emerging media
Digital and social media are essential in the field of communications theory and practice and continually
changing the way organisations communicate with stakeholders. This has research relevance but also clearly
links in to disciplinary teaching. A PhD in this area will provide new knowledge for research and potentially
feed into contract and research funding calls as well as providing new areas for teaching at undergraduate,
professional and postgraduate levels.
The proposal is for a sociological/cultural understanding of the phenomenon rather than a technical research
project. This will most likely involve more qualitative enquiry and engagement with practitioners and end
users. There is the potential to use secondary quantitative data from existing research and studies which are
conducted in the field each year such as the European Communication Monitor (ECM, Tench et al 2007-2015).
Research questions will be explored on themes for example of:


blogging as opinion-forming from a practitioner perspective, and/or
blogging from an audience reception perspective and its role in promotional culture.
There is a gap in the literature in the PR field and as stated this will contribute at a theoretical level to both
practice but also to disciplinary development and pedagogy.
Please contact Professor Ralph Tench for further details: r.tench@leedsbeckett.ac.uk
Business Management Studies
Title: Communication, discourse and cultural norms – an exploration of language about food and obesity
In order to address challenging societal problems such as obesity it is necessary to discover what is actually
heard and understood from communication with intended audiences. Only by engaging with the ‘affected
stakeholders’ of the problem - those who will be the receivers of these messages, will society be able to make
significant progress with these difficult, complex, ‘Wicked’ and (un)solvable issues. It is also not well
understood how communications impact on the “trust” that individuals have in food companies or retailers. A
further area of contemporary debate and interest, and therefore contribution/value of the research.
This requires a radical change of approach: an approach that actively engages with the audience, to
understand their world and their perspective – their ‘habitus’ (Bourdieu). This is therefore a socio cultural
qualitative exploration of the themes and issues.
Research questions will be asked that explore:

How might companies respond to meet the changing needs of customers and how might this improve
the food environment?
 Why is the UK discourse associated with obesity polarised from an overall social narrative that obesity
is a self-inflicted state?
 How does this compare with other regions? E.g. contrast to the US (American Medical Association call
obesity a “Disease”) and the EU (where obesity is outlined as a “disability”).
Please contact Professor Ralph Tench for further details: r.tench@leedsbeckett.ac.uk
Business Management Studies
Title: Sports communication and major events: Legacy and leverage of communication for and about mega
sporting events
Sporting events on a mega scale are an annual occurrence. The Tour de France (TdF), for example, as the most
watched annual sporting event competes biennially with a FIFA World Cup or an Olympic Games for broadcast
viewing audiences, column inches in the print media and spectators. But once the crowds have gone home
the challenge of keeping the spirit of the event alive becomes a reality.
With support from the organising bodies including FIFA, the IOC and the ASO (Amateur Sport Organisation)
hosting cities and regions are encouraged to consider legacy development from the outset, indeed many
include it in their bid proposals. But some academics are cautious about the definition and impact of legacy.
‘When the term is used by organizing committees, it is assumed to be entirely positive there being no such
thing as negative legacy when used in this context. Secondly it is usually believed that legacy benefits flow to a
community at the end of the Games as a matter of course’ (Cashman, 2005, p15). Scholars have sought to
focus attention on the strategies employed by host cities and states in ‘leveraging’ opportunities from sports
mega-events through long-term and carefully planned pre-event activities (Grix, 2012, p219). It is therefore a
matter for the hosts of mega events to consider and plan for a positive legacy impact and they may consider
categorizing them. Cashman (2005) identifies the categories to include sport, economics, infrastructure,
information and education, public life, politics and culture, symbols, memory and history. How these legacy
principles are developed, delivered and communicated are of key importance and an area requiring greater
understanding from empirical research to inform both theory and practice.
The proposed method is case study led with identification of key mega events to be researched using mixed
methodological data. The preferred target is the World Cup in Qatar where Professor Ralph Tench is currently
working on educational provision and research project support through the Josoor Institute, an educational
arm of the Supreme Committee for Qatar 2022 World Cup. This relationship includes working partnerships
with specialists in football and football management worldwide as resources as well as partner universities in
the delivery specializing in football education Liverpool University and major events sponsorship and
marketing, Georgetown University, Washington.
Please contact Professor Ralph Tench for further details: r.tench@leedsbeckett.ac.uk
Business Management Studies
Title: An exploration of governance regulation and responsible practice
Governance theory outside the US has focused less on regulation and more on the importance of developing
responsible practice. Hence, the UK Code of Governance (2010) (despite increased regulation of the finance
industry) is not reinforced by regulation. Comply or explain (in King III terms apply or explain) has been the
watch phrase. The assumption behind this approach has been that too much regulation will not only stifle
enterprise but also stifle the proper exercise of personal, professional and corporate responsibility (i.e. based
in the deliberation exercise of rational agency).
There has been little testing of this assumption theoretically or in practice. Hence, there has been no in depth
analysis of what responsibility in this situation might involve, how such responsibility might relate to
regulation, or how a culture might embody such responsibility. It is argued that even after the credit crisis
much effort has been focused in attempts to improve systems rather than the practice of responsibility
( ‘making systems so perfect that no one needs to be good’ T.S. Eliot The Rock 1942, Lanchester 2010,
Robinson and Smith 2014,).
This research will test this view, first by critically engaging work on the concept of responsibility (cf. Robinson
2009), and secondly through interrogation of the members of ten different boards (corporate and public). This
will involve both qualitative interviews and focus groups reflecting on the dynamics of board deliberation
viewed minimally through the lenses of imputability (agency), accountability, and shared moral liability.
The finds will test directly whether responsibility is being developed, apart from or with aid of regulation, and
will test assumptions about the practice board responsibility, such as those about independent or nonexecutive directors contributing effectively to the board’s deliberations. Hence, it will contribute to the
development of responsibility theory. It will also provide a practical framework for the development of
cultures of responsibility (developing the work of King III).
Please contact Dr William Sun for further details: x.sun@leedsbeckett.ac.uk
Business Management Studies
Title: Virtue theory and governance; character, culture and the boardroom
Analysis of the credit crisis included arguments that this was based on vices such as greed. There has been
little work, however, on the virtues of good governance might be, how they are understood in practice and
how they could be developed in the context of business. Some work has been developed in the area of
leadership and management, not least around wisdom (summed up in Thompson and Bevan Wise
Management in Organisational Complexity 2013). Leadership theory has also focused on integrity in
Leadership (Simons et al 2013, and Jensen 2012) but without working through integrity in relation to virtue.
This research will aim to answer questions about the development and practice of virtues in the boardroom.
How far is wisdom consciously practised in the boardroom, for instance, as part of regular deliberation? What
do virtues look like in a boardroom setting? How is temperance or justice practised in the setting of leaders
rewards?
The research would focus in governance, organisational and virtue ethics theory (largely Aristotelian). It would
use qualitative empirical methods to examine boardroom practitioners’ understanding (individually and as a
board) of virtues and how they are embodied in the practice of governance- focusing on examples of
deliberation in the boardroom, and how the practise of virtues might enhance judgement. It will also explore
how virtues are related to the key value narratives of the organisation or related profession (cf. MacIntyre
1981 on virtues as embodied in narratives rather than codes).
This research would make significant contribution both to governance theory and virtue ethics theory, would
critically engage literature which focuses on systemic solutions rather than the on-going practice of virtues,
and critically engage practice which does fails to see the role non-executive directors might have in developing
the broader virtues of the board.in the light of such practice. The impact would be enhanced through our
research relationships with the Institute of Directors and stress on individual and corporate character. One
outcome of this will be a tool for reviewing boardroom practice which builds the values audit (Gregory and
Willis 29013, both members of the Centre above), focusing on virtues and character.
Please contact Professor Simon Robinson for further details: S.J.Robinson@leedsbeckett.ac.uk
Business Management Studies
Title: Employability, Ethics, Excellence and Enterprise in Professional Development
Employability, as developed in relation to university students and wider professional development, has been
largely focused in occupational utility, with little interrogation of underlying values, no understanding of the
contribution of ethical awareness (and related ideas or virtues such as responsibility) to learning or practice,
and no theoretical or practical understanding of how moral virtues relate to intellectual or technical virtues
and skills, or how they can be integrated in professional development and higher education contexts (see
Dowson Personal and Professional Development for Business Students 2015).
This research would aim to explore the relationship between employability, ethics, excellence and enterprise
through action research and qualitative interviews which engage learners and teachers in both business
schools and work based CPD. What relationship, for instance, do moral virtues have to the skills of enterprise?
Do they inhibit or expand creative possibilities? This will explore their experience of education/professional
development and invite them to critically reflect on the skills and virtues they have developed in the learning
context, what factors inhibited the integration of such skills and virtues, how they view the relationships of the
different skills and virtues, and what methods of learning have enabled their integration.
The theoretical framework will involve learning theory, moral development theory and virtue ethics theory,
critically engaging the literature on personal development. We would expect from this research important
contributions to these theoretical fields. This will also provide the theoretical base for an integrative teaching
framework for business schools and work-based CPD and thus contribute through a practical tool to the ongoing debate about creating cultures of integrity in business schools (Bell et al, HEA 2014), and in the
workplace (cf. King Report III 2009).
Please contact Professor Simon Robinson for further details: S.J.Robinson@leedsbeckett.ac.uk
Business Management Studies
Title: A critical examination of the concept of transferable skills, in the context of the liminal experience of
leaving the Armed Forces
The concept of transferable skills assumes central skills which form the bridge between employments,
enabling the person to function effectively whichever employment they take on. The literature, however,
suggests a lack of clarity and rigour about the concept, and a lack of evidence about how ‘transferable skills’
might actually enable a person to successfully negotiate the liminal experience of changing jobs or sectors. Do
such skills actually enable successful transition or are there other critical bridging factors at work, such as
professional identity (and with that some sense of worth/value), specific metacognitive and meta-practical
skills (such as developed awareness of social contexts and the capacity to develop skills and narrative specific
to different contexts), or virtues which underpin skills (such as wisdom, cf. MacIntyre 1981, 1999, Thompson
and Bevan 2013) or virtues/skills which may be central to handling the transitional experience.
The Centre for Governance, Leadership and Global Responsibility is working closely with the Armed Forces in
the UK, providing training and education in management and leadership, in response to the on-going mass
transition to civilian employment. As part of this, the Centre aims to develop research into the transitional
experience which seeks to address the questions above.
It will take place in qualitative interviews, focus groups, and action research (as part of the courses offered)
engaging troops leaving the army about the experience, at pre-liminal, liminal and post liminal stages, how this
relates to their core understanding of skills, virtues and identity, what aspects in the experience have
prevented a successful transition and what skills, virtues, relationships and practices enabled a successful
transition.
This research would focus on learning and change theory and virtue ethics theory. The finding will have direct
contribution such theory, and have impact through focusing in the army on developing a more effective
transitional framework. It might also have impact in wider areas of transitional experience.
Please contact Professor Simon Robinson for further details: S.J.Robinson@leedsbeckett.ac.uk
Business Management Studies
Title: Integrity and Leadership
Integrity and leadership has become high profile. Major professions, such as the ICAEW and IoD, and
businesses such as Barclays identify integrity as being one of few critical values, not least, it is argued, because
it acts as the basis for professional and leadership trust. Recent work, however, suggests that integrity remains
a contested idea, ranging from moral integrity (Williams, G. 2008, Williams, B. 1994) to behavioural integrity
(Simons 2013, Jensen 2012). Moral integrity has further variations, from psychological integration (Frankfurt
1990), moral consistency, consistent identity (Taylor 1989), and integrity viewed as a virtue or complex of
virtues (Williams 2008, Solomon 2008, Scherkoske 2014). Recent work on leadership and values (Robinson and
Smith 2014) suggests both that leadership is focused in handling complexity and related integrity is focused in
identity which is plural and dialogic (involving elements of most of the previous views).
This research will test the hypothesis of a more complex and dynamic view of integrity, asking questions about
the relationship of leadership to identity (focused in leadership values or moral/pre-moral values of the
profession/institution?), what is the nature of consistency in complex asymmetrical relationships, and how it is
achieved, what is the relationship of integrity and virtues, and what is the basis for a relationship between
integrity and trust (beyond behavioural integrity)?
The research will involve qualitative methods, including semi structured interviews with leaders and followers
in several institutions, and focus groups, focusing on the questions above. Its impact will be thee-fold. First, it
will help the shape a understanding of the idea of integrity built in practice, thus developing theory beyond, for
instance the ICAEW research of 2009 and 2012. Second, it will contribute to the IOD concern to deepen the
key professional values. Third, it will provide the basis for a framework for the practice and development of
integrity in business leadership, and thus for CPD.
Please contact Professor Simon Robinson for further details: S.J.Robinson@leedsbeckett.ac.uk
Business Management Studies
Title: Responsibility, Governance, and Higher Education: A Cross Cultural Study
The responsibility of Higher Education and how this is embodied in governance practice is receiving increasing
attention (cf. HEFCE, NUS, CIHE, HEA reports 2005-2015). Western practice tends to focus on responding to
discrete initiatives, such as HEFCE’s stress on developing effective sustainability practice. There is little
attention, however, to underlying philosophies of the value and purpose of Higher Education (often involving
different narratives cf. Robinson and Katulushi 2005) and how that relates to the social responsibility of Higher
Education.
As part of the on-going collaboration with the ZUJT (Hangzhou) research institute this research will explore and
compare the approach to responsibility and governance in four Higher Education Institutes in the UK and
China. It will focus on the different value narratives, and stakeholder relations in Higher Education in both
countries and how the practice of governance engages these.
Methods will involve surveys, qualitative interviews (with leaders and boards), and paper based research
(evidencing decision making processes and underlying values).
This research will contribute to the theory and practice of governance and social responsibility in the public
sector, and to the ongoing focus on good governance in China.
Please contact Professor Simon Robinson for further details: S.J.Robinson@leedsbeckett.ac.uk
Business Management Studies
Title: Alternative Corporate Governance Theories: A Review and Assessment
Corporate governance was systemically failed before the 2008 financial crisis, depicted by the regulatory
governance failure, market governance failure, stakeholder governance failure, and internal governance failure
(Sun et al., 2011), and demonstrated by the fact that corporate governance not just failed to prevent the 2008
financial crisis, but actually contributed to the crisis (e.g., Clarke, T., 2011; OECD, 2009; Tomasic, 2011). Since
the global financial crisis, a wave of new regulations and corporate governance codes were enacted in the
United States and the United Kingdom in an attempt to improve the financial industry and corporate
governance practices. But serious corporate scandals have continued to shock the world.
Then we have to ask some basic questions: Why do the corporate governance problems of greatest concern
persist? Why have corporate governance reforms over decades had little effect in rectifying corporate
governance defects? This PhD research project is aimed to explore the theoretical roots of corporate
governance failures and understand why and how the current dominant theories in corporate governance are
severely limited and misleading. It will concentrate on reviewing and assessing alternative theories of
corporate governance, such as the political model, the legal model, the cultural model, and the emergent
model, in order to see which model is more useful in understanding the reality of corporate governance.
Particularly it will give more attention to the emergence theory of corporate governance and test it in practice.
The PhD research project will employ a mix of different research methods, including critical review, secondary
data, first-hand empirical data (direct experiences and observations), and Participatory Action Research (PAR).
Participatory Action Research involves all relevant parties together in actively examining currently experienced
problematic actions in order to change, transform and improve it (McRitchie, 2010). They do so by critically
reflecting on the historical, political, cultural, economic, geographic and other contexts which make sense of it.
In the participative research process, action is researched, changed and re-researched. It is a co-research
process by and for those involved and impacted.
Please contact Dr William Sun for further details: x.sun@leedsbeckett.ac.uk
Business Management Studies
Title: Embedded CSR and Its Implications
The resurgence of CSR movement around the world since the late 20th century has brought about a large
number of CSR initiatives and programmers developed by business and non-business organizations. However,
CSR has largely failed in practice, mainly because many businesses tend to treat CSR as a PR tool or lip service,
rather than genuinely believe it and engage with it. The CSR failure is also a consequence of immature
theoretical constructions in this field, as CSR is often regarded as something externally added to business.
‘Embedded CSR’ is a relatively new concept (Sun et al., 2010; Sun, 2012). It suggests that CSR as ethical values
is intrinsic in business, inseparable from business, is interconnected with society and has a natural
responsibility to society, and the values of CSR are contextually emerged in history and society and produced
by institutional contingences in concrete time and space (Sun, 2009).
The PhD project aims to further develop the theory of embedded CSR based on empirical studies. It is going to
understand how CSR (including sustainability) concerns can be incorporated into international and local
businesses (their goals, cultures, strategies and operations), in other words, how CSR is or ought to be
embedded in business, rather than separate from business, in global and local contexts. In this regard, we will
seek to answer the following basic questions: What does a responsible business mean? Is it a PR strategy or a
genuine business with some intrinsic values? Does and how a responsible business makes profits and
outperform? How could businesses integrate or incorporate different goals into one? How could the
international standards of CSR be adopted in local contexts (i.e., in individual firms, specific industries, local
communities, and traditional societies)?
The research methods of this project are both quantitative and qualitative by the use of survey and case
studies. A large survey with carefully designed questionnaires will be undertaken to depict the CSR perceptions
by business practitioners, governmental agents, academics, local communities, and other stakeholders. Basic
statistical analysis will be used for the quantitative data analysis. Case studies will be used for a deep
understanding of CSR initiatives and their implementations by various businesses, particularly large
companies. A total of 6-10 case studies would be sufficient for cross-checking with the above-mentioned
survey.
The PhD study will make a big contribution to the theoretical development in CSR and demonstrate the
usefulness of the theory in practice.
Please contact Dr William Sun for further details: x.sun@leedsbeckett.ac.uk
Business Management Studies
Title: Detecting and Evaluating the Determinants of Non-Technological Innovations in Small and MediumSized Enterprises
Enterprise Innovation is a complex phenomenon that includes both technological (new product; new
production machinery) and non-technological characteristics (new markets; new-improved production
methods; new forms of organization) (Chesbrough, 2003; Desouza et al., 2009). Interdisciplinary research
attention on innovation has been witnessed over recent decades but the formal technological and
economic aspects of innovation have dominated inquiries and been taken into account in greater number
of analyses, despite the importance of the non-technological dimension of innovation (Bruland and Mowery,
2004).
The emerging argument is that innovation in firms is not solely about applying R&D and new technologies, but
should also focus on re-organisation, through changes to routines, internal organisation, external relations and
marketing; and be more integrative in product, process and organisational innovation (Baranano, 2003; Boer
and During 2001; Schmidt and Rammer, 2006). This has been supported by the recent inclusion of nontechnological metrics being recognised and sought in its five-yearly ‘Community Innovation Survey’ (OECD,
2005, 2009).
Innovative firms show that process innovation and organisational change as being significant innovating
strategies (O´Sullivan and Dooley, 2009). However, if not accompanied by organisational change the effort to
implement technological innovation is expected to encounter limited success (Freeman, 1995).
A number of areas for potential research are emerging as important within the non-technological innovation
domain. Research focusing on SMEs in any of the following would be groundbreaking:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
The measurement of innovation, and its effects, is methodologically challenging due to the complexity and
variety of firms innovations.
The relationships between non-technological innovation and technological innovation are in need of much
further exploration.
Research approaches understand organizational innovation either as a necessary adaptation to the
introduction of new technologies, or as a precondition for successful product or technical process
innovations. In fact, it is important to understand how and under what circumstances firms innovate.
Judgements and decision strategies (i.e. role of innovation and costs), structural (hierarchy, functional
lines, and organizational boundaries), and what behavioural dimensions.
Dynamism and novelty are required for innovation measurement (Shapiro, 2006) in order to make it
possible to catch up with changes in the innovation field. A revision of the European Innovation
Scoreboard (EIS) methodology that confirms the importance of non-R&D innovation is needed
(Hollanders and Cruysen, 2008) to develop due to a stronger focus on non-technological aspects, on
outputs of innovation demands and on services.
The outcomes of organizational innovations are difficult to define, measure and specify. A new set of
performance indicators are necessary for firms’ innovations measurement.
7.
The domain of open innovation, networking and the use of non-R&D data for innovation measurement is
of much importance. R&D inputs are not sufficient to assure that innovation activities will end up with
diversified introduction of new products.
Other areas of non-technological innovation focused research could be explored, dependent on the novelty,
interest, knowledge and strengths of the doctoral candidate.
The research approach will reflect the agreed research question and unit of analysis. The research will be
grounded in empirical inquiry. With research focus being at both a policy influencing level and SME practice
level. The research methodology is likely to be both quantitative and qualitative in nature. A substantial
dataset will offer statistical significance, whilst depth inquiries will offer phenomenological understanding.
Successful candidate will have a level of understanding and practice (and/or prepared to learn) research
methods such as: SPSS/Statistics, Stata, R, JMulti, Microfit, Eviews, Grounded Theory, Case Studies, Content
and Construct Analyses, Applied Cognitive Task Analysis
Please contact Professor David Douglas for further details: D.J.Douglas@leedsbeckett.ac.uk
Business Management Studies
Title: SMEs and Social Responsibility
There has been little research focused in SMEs and social responsibility. Spence, Taylor and others suggest that
there are at least three reasons for this, CSR:
- has been defined and practised in terms of large corporations
- has been seen separated from actual business decision making (cf. Sun’s separation thesis 2011, 2012,
Gregory and Willis values audit 2013)
- has not been actively focused in core values of the organisation or significant community.
Building on on-going research into ethical governance and SMEs in the Centre (Taylor) this research will
explore the practice and ideas of social responsibility in SMEs. It will build on effective research with SMEs in
Europe which suggests that the social identity of SMEs is often built in either the family or significant meaning
system such as religion.
It will focus on surveys about practice and values across SMEs and qualitative interviews with SMEs in the
Leeds/Bradford area (reflecting the cultural mix), interrogating leaders about their understanding and practice
of social responsibility, how this relates to their sense of social identity and underlying worldview (and worthview, Boltanski and Thevenot 2006), how this relates to relationships with different stakeholders, and how it
relates business decision making in general.
This research will contribute not simply to the development theory in SMEs and social responsibility, but also
to more integrative and holistic views of CSR as a whole (thus beginning to drive the wider debate and critique
of CSR in large corporations), and to more holistic views of business decision making and stakeholder relations.
Hence, it will contribute to the on-going work of the IoD in developing integrated thinking and decision
making.
Please contact Professor Simon Robinson for further details: S.J.Robinson@leedsbeckett.ac.uk
Closing date is midnight on 30th June 2015.
Details of how to apply can be found at: http://www.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/research/researchdegrees/research-studentships-and-fees-only-bursaries/