University PhD Research Studentship
GSBS/ISSJR/Yunus Centre
http://www.gcu.ac.uk/gsbs/research/researchgroups/
http://www.gcu.ac.uk/yunuscentre/
Reference Number: S2014GSBS034
Studentship Project Title: Social Innovation: Comparative Analysis of Ideologies and Implementation.
Applications are invited for a full-time PhD research studentship at Glasgow Caledonian University within
the [GSBS/ISSJR/Yunus Centre]. The studentship is for a period of three years, subject to satisfactory
progress and provides payment of tuition fees at the UK/EU rate plus an annual stipend of £14,800
[please note that students from outside the EU are required to pay the difference between International
and EU fees, currently this would amount to £7,100 per annum]. The successful candidate will carry out
up to 6 hours of academic-related work per week as part of their research training.
Research Discipline
Social Policy, Politics and public policy studies, Sociology
Research Theme
The PhD research relates to and advances several priority areas in the University’s 2020 Research
Strategy. The project adds to GCU’s growing capacity and international leadership in Social Innovation
research (SI). This is expressed by the contribution of members of the supervisory team to GCU’s
participation in the Ashoka U initiative and the FP7 EFESEIIS research project.
The analysis of SI, social enterprise and social business contributes to GCU’s membership of the UN
Global Compact and commitment to PRME (led by the proposed Director of Studies) by advancing
understanding of the nature, feasibility and impact of alternative models of business and management.
The comparative dimension of the project reflects GCU’s commitment to internationalisation.
The PhD studentship will enhance GCU’s research publications, infrastructure development and impact in
the Social Policy unit of assessment for the 2020 REF exercise.
Research Project Summary
Many countries are said to be developing a new policy paradigm of social entrepreneurship or social
innovation, where markets are used to deliver pubic services and promote social justice (Nicholls, 2010;
Santos, 2012). Advocates of SI claim that this approach outperforms traditional public and voluntary
sector responses to ‘wicked’ social problems. However, SI remains a contested concept and subject to
various interpretations. This inhibits any coherent evaluation of the impact of SI reforms. Conceptual
clarification and rigorous documentation of policies claimed to exemplify SI are required. Hitherto,
explorations of the relationship between ideas of SI and their policy implementation have focused on a
single country (Mason, 2012; Teasdale, 2012; Teasdale et al. 2012). The PhD will advance beyond this by
tracing and comparing the journeys - and possible departures - from rhetoric to policy implementation in
two welfare regimes (one of which will be the UK) to identify the respective influence of ideational and
contextual factors in shaping the reality of SI policy. The PhD studentship will apply a mixed method
research approach (including discourse analyses of public and policy statements, interviews with policy
makers and stakeholders) to provide a comparative perspective on different ideologies of SI and their
respective expression in one of two possible policy areas: either financial inclusion or employability. The
PhD will improve understanding of how far SI is a genuine departure in social and public policy and what
factors shape its implementation.
Version1.1Feb14
Supervisory Team
Director of Studies: Dr Stephen Sinclair, Reader in Social Policy, GSBS / Yunus Centre for Social Business
and Health - http://www.gcu.ac.uk/gsbs/staff/drstephensinclair/
Second supervisor: Prof. Simon Teasdale, Professor of Social Business, Yunus Centre for Social Business
and Health - http://www.gcu.ac.uk/yunuscentre/theteam/staff/simonteasdale/
Third supervisor: Dr Simone Baglioni, Reader in Politics, , GSBS / Yunus Centre for Social Business and
Health - http://www.gcu.ac.uk/gsbs/staff/drsimonebaglioni/
Staff Contact
Dr Stephen Sinclair
Reader in Social Policy, Glasgow School for Business and Society
Glasgow Caledonian University
W502a Hamish Wood Building
70 Cowcaddens Road,
Glasgow, G4 OBA
Tel: 0141 331 3666
stephen.sinclair@gcu.ac.uk
How to Apply
Applicants should complete the University Research Application Form, available from:
http://www.gcu.ac.uk/research/phdresearchopportunities/
Please send the form, stating the studentship project title and reference number, with a CV, copies of
academic qualifications, references, and any other required documentation to:
researchapplications@gcu.ac.uk
The closing date for applications is 19-Dec-14
Version1.1Feb14