PhD Study : Exploring the nature and consequences of leadership in the technology-driven world

Summary

The aim of this project is to undertake an empirical investigation that will advance our understanding of leadership in the digital era so that the findings help impact the ways of developing leaders and leadership at organisational, regional and national levels. Technology, as a key driver for change, has rapidly impacted the way organisations operate, perform and function. Technology is driving changes in strategies, structures, and people, rather than the other way around.

On the one hand, new digital technologies, such as artificial intelligence, augmented reality, internet of things, virtual reality, deep learning, machine learning, cloud based tools, voice technology, smart devices, natural speech processing, and geolocation technology have opened up new possibilities in industries including healthcare, hospitality, manufacturing, education, transport and tourism.  These new digital transformations affect the ways of doing work, learning and development of employees, the leaders’ and followers’ roles in organisations across the globe.  We are better connected more than ever before, and our communications have become instant and hierarchies are being flattened in most organisations.  On the other hand, the tasks of managers and leaders in contemporary organisations have become more complex, interdependent, and volatile, because technology-driven change increases complexity.

Leaders are forced to create different organisational structures and connected work models; they have to rethink and sometimes replace many existing metrics and measures of performance (of their own and that of others).  They are required to demonstrate different type of leader behaviours, in terms of how they communicate and influence others, in the age of post truths, alternative truths and fake news, using tweets, snapchats and WhatsApp messages  (Hyacinth, 2017; Sainger, 2018; Auvinen et al. 2019; Schein and Schein, 2019).  They need to continuously learn to lead differently.

To help organisations succeed in this digital era, we need a new generation of leaders and leadership. We need leaders with a deeper awareness of how everything — technology, data, processes and people — fit and work together for shared purposes (Greengard, 2019).  We need leaders who are entrepreneurial (to move their organisations into unexplored territories), enablers (to equip people with capacity and capability) and architects (to design strategic vision and create learning culture) (Ancona, Backman and Isaacs, 2019).

Such leaders can positively influence, and contribute to improved ways of working at all levels by promoting cross-functional digital tools that are agile and inclusive (Kazim, 2019).  It is in this context, it becomes important that we need to better understand the various facets of leadership as a phenomenon.  Our knowledge of the nature and consequences of leadership in digital era could help developing leaders at all levels, so that the shared purposes are achieved in companies, societies and nations. Despite the scholarly advances found in the ever-growing leadership literature, several questions remain unanswered that provide exciting challenges to be addressed with future research.

This project requires applicants from diverse disciplines and fields, such as management, education, healthcare, tourism and transport, hospitality, media studies, engineering and computing, to name a few. Some of the interesting leadership questions that can be explored in this project are given in Appendix 1.

Download Appendix 1

Essential criteria

Applicants should hold, or expect to obtain, a First or Upper Second Class Honours Degree in a subject relevant to the proposed area of study.

We may also consider applications from those who hold equivalent qualifications, for example, a Lower Second Class Honours Degree plus a Master’s Degree with Distinction.

In exceptional circumstances, the University may consider a portfolio of evidence from applicants who have appropriate professional experience which is equivalent to the learning outcomes of an Honours degree in lieu of academic qualifications.

• A comprehensive and articulate personal statement
• Research proposal of 2000 words detailing aims, objectives, milestones and methodology of the project
• A demonstrable interest in the research area associated with the studentship

Desirable Criteria

If the University receives a large number of applicants for the project, the following desirable criteria may be applied to shortlist applicants for interview.

• Masters at 65%
• Research project completion within taught Masters degree or MRES

Funding and eligibility

The University offers the following levels of support:

Vice Chancellors Research Studentship (VCRS)

The following scholarship options are available to applicants worldwide:

• Full Award: (full-time tuition fees + £19,000 (tbc))
• Part Award: (full-time tuition fees + £9,500)
• Fees Only Award: (full-time tuition fees)

These scholarships will cover full-time PhD tuition fees for three years (subject to satisfactory academic performance) and will provide a £900 per annum research training support grant (RTSG) to help support the PhD researcher.

Applicants who already hold a doctoral degree or who have been registered on a programme of research leading to the award of a doctoral degree on a full-time basis for more than one year (or part-time equivalent) are NOT eligible to apply for an award.

Please note: you will automatically be entered into the competition for the Full Award, unless you state otherwise in your application.

Department for the Economy (DFE)

The scholarship will cover tuition fees at the Home rate and a maintenance allowance of £19,000 (tbc) per annum for three years (subject to satisfactory academic performance).

This scholarship also comes with £900 per annum for three years as a research training support grant (RTSG) allocation to help support the PhD researcher.

• Candidates with pre-settled or settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, who also satisfy a three year residency requirement in the UK prior to the start of the course for which a Studentship is held MAY receive a Studentship covering fees and maintenance.
• Republic of Ireland (ROI) nationals who satisfy three years’ residency in the UK prior to the start of the course MAY receive a Studentship covering fees and maintenance (ROI nationals don’t need to have pre-settled or settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme to qualify).
• Other non-ROI EU applicants are ‘International’ are not eligible for this source of funding.
• Applicants who already hold a doctoral degree or who have been registered on a programme of research leading to the award of a doctoral degree on a full-time basis for more than one year (or part-time equivalent) are NOT eligible to apply for an award.

Due consideration should be given to financing your studies. Further information on cost of living