Business

Supervisors / contacts: Prof Yong Wang

Family businesses are reckoned as one of the engines of the post-industrial growth process since they are credited for a sense of loyalty to business success, long-term strategic commitment, and corporate independence. Evidence from the literature shows family businesses as a group outperform non-family businesses. One of the contributing factors is related to the socio-emotional wealth within family businesses, which is built upon blood relationship, intensive interactions, shared values and common understanding of the family. As such, family businesses often enjoy sustainable commitment, low transaction cost, and unrivalled employee loyalty. However, in contrast to this advantageous stance, the economy of the sector is characterised by alarmingly deteriorating survival rates. Researchers confirm that only about a third of family businesses survive the transition from the founders to the second generation. Of those who do that, only about one third are able to survive to the third generation. Professor Wang is interested in exploring strategies, processes, and resources that can contribute to the continuity of family businesses and their entrepreneurial venturing. Projects along the following directions, but not limited to, are welcomed:

• Digitalisation and entrepreneurial venturing in family businesses
• Socio-emotional wealth and family business leadership
• Lean innovation and antecedents in family businesses
• Family business internationalisation
• Resilience of family businesses in times of crisis
• Women involvement in family businesses

Supervisors / contacts: Prof. Sibel Yamak

The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in governance to enhance decision-making processes, improve public service delivery, and ensure ethical oversight is becoming increasingly important. Proposals are invited to analyse current AI applications in public administration, identifying best practices and potential risks associated with AI-driven governance. A multidisciplinary approach, combining management, political science, ethics, and computer science insights to actively develop frameworks that ensure transparency, accountability, and inclusivity is needed. The expected outcome is a set of guidelines and policy recommendations that governments can actively adopt to harness the power of AI while safeguarding democratic principles and human rights.

Method: Interdisciplinary, mixed method

Supervisors / contacts: Prof. Sibel Yamak

There is a need to investigate the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to drive sustainable management in companies across various sectors. Proposals focusing on AI applications in environmental sustainability, such as energy/waste management or social sustainability in terms of addressing equality, are sought. They need to aim to identify innovative solutions that contribute to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Additionally, they will assess the ethical and social implications of deploying AI in sustainability initiatives. The anticipated outcomes include a set of AI-based tools and policy recommendations designed to support sustainable practices and promote ecological resilience.

Method: Interdisciplinary, mixed method

Supervisors / contacts: Dr Samia Mahmood

Previous literature shows that numerous factors, including women's families, domestic choices, and the larger institutional and physical setting, influence and shape women's entrepreneurship. Gender roles and expectations are shaped by deeply rooted cultural and societal conventions, which may be beneficial or detrimental to female entrepreneurs. However, current literature shows some evidence that women entrepreneurs are freed from an oppressive system by questioning the current quo and removing the barriers preventing them from pursuing their entrepreneurial goals. This PhD proposal focuses on the unexplored context and experiences of women entrepreneurs and their journey to empowerment and emancipation in an under-researched and challenging context.

Methodology: Mixed Methods approach

References:

Althalathini, D. and Tlaiss, H.A. (2023), “Of resistance to patriarchy and occupation through a virtual bazaar: an institutional theory critique of the emancipatory potential of Palestinian women’s digital entrepreneurship”, Entrepreneurship and Regional Development, Vol. 35 No. 9–10, doi: 10.1080/08985626.2023.2241412.

Alshareef, S. (2022), “Does location matter? Unpacking the dynamic relationship between the spatial context and embeddedness in women’s entrepreneurship”, Entrepreneurship and Regional Development, Vol. 34 No. 3–4, doi: 10.1080/08985626.2022.2047798

Welter, F. (2020), “Contexts and gender – looking back and thinking forward”, International Journal of Gender and Entrepreneurship, Vol. 12 No. 1, doi: 10.1108/IJGE-04-2019- 0082.

Tlaiss, H.A. (2019), “Contextualizing the career success of Arab women entrepreneurs”, Entrepreneurship and Regional Development, Routledge, Vol. 31 No. 3–4, pp. 226–241, doi: 10.1080/08985626.2018.1551790.

Welter, F., Baker, T. and Wirsching, K. (2019), “Three waves and counting: the rising tide of contextualization in entrepreneurship research”, Small Business Economics, Vol. 52 No. 2, doi: 10.1007/s11187-018-0094-5.

Supervisors / contacts: Dr Samia Mahmood

Automation and technical solutions could help microfinance not only increase the client base but also outreach to underprivileged clients such as women. Technical options include big data, artificial intelligence, branchless mobile banking, or FinTech apps that can be tailored for microlending. The rise of female borrowers for microfinance (80% in 2018) over male clients has been linked to various factors, including women's empowerment through entrepreneurship their contribution to household and children's education expenses and broader impacts like fighting gender inequity. Some studies have negated the claims that women are not the true beneficiaries of the loans and support women entrepreneurship development. One of the areas of concern for microfinance to reach underprivileged clients is costs such as transaction costs, and provisions for delinquent loans in which technology/FinTech can be useful in improving sustainability and outreach. This PhD proposal focuses on how the adoption of FinTech in microfinance could enhance female outreach and enterprise development in developing and emerging economies.

Methodology: Mixed Methods approach

References

Ashta A, Herrmann H. Artificial intelligence and fintech: An overview of opportunities and risks for banking, investments, and microfinance. Strategic Change. 2021; 30: 211–222. https://doi.org/10.1002/jsc.2404

Dorfleitner, G., Forcella, D. and Nguyen, Q.A. (2022), "The digital transformation of microfinance institutions: an empirical analysis", Journal of Applied Accounting Research, Vol. 23 No. 2, pp. 454-479. https://doi.org/10.1108/JAAR-02-2021-0041

Moro Visconti, Roberto, Microfintech: Outreaching Financial Inclusion with Cost-Cutting Innovation (May 26, 2019). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3533873or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3533873

Supervisors / contacts: Dr Mohammad Mahdi

Foreign direct investment (FDI) into developing countries has made significant impact on their economies and particularly the development of their manufacturing sectors since the starting of the economic liberalisation of developing countries some four decades ago. However, while large businesses and corporations have benefited from such inflow and outflow of investment small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) on the other hand, seem to experience little or no benefit from the spillovers of FDI. Research conducted in different developing countries has suggested several reasons for not taking advantage of inward and outward FDI. This PhD proposal focuses on the missing opportunities by SMEs in developing countries from foreign investment and the benefits linkages with large international companies and the required policies to strengthen the standing of SMEs.

References:

Pasali, Selsah and Chaudhary, Arslan, 2020, “Assessing the Impact of Foreign Ownership on Firm Performance by Size: Evidence from Firms in Developed and Developing Countries”, Transnational Corporations Journal, Vol. 27, No. 2 Bilgin, Mehmet Huseyin, Lau, Che Keung and Demir, Ender (2012) “Technology Transfer, Finance Channels and SME Performance: New Evidence from Developing Countries”, The Singapore Economic Review Vol. 57, No. 3

Supervisors / contacts: Dr Roya Rahimi

Introduction: The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the tourism industry presents a promising avenue for advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The United Nations has identified specific targets within these goals that relate to sustainable economic growth, environmental sustainability, and social inclusiveness, all of which are relevant to the tourism sector. This research seeks to explore how AI can be utilized to optimize these aspects, transforming tourism into a tool for sustainable development.

Research Gap: Despite growing interest in sustainable tourism and AI, there is a notable gap in systematic studies that combine these areas to address specific SDGs. Research has predominantly focused on either AI in broader industrial applications or sustainable practices in tourism without integrating AI technologies. There lacks a comprehensive analysis on how AI can specifically support the tourism industry in achieving the SDGs, particularly in areas such as reducing environmental impacts, promoting sustainable local economies, and enhancing visitor experiences in a sustainable manner.

Aims and Objectives:

• To identify and analyse how AI technologies are currently being used in the tourism industry and their potential expansion to further support SDGs.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of AI-driven solutions in sustainable tourism practices, focusing on economic, environmental, and social outcomes.
• To develop a set of best practices for implementing AI in the tourism sector to maximize contributions to the SDGs.
• The purpose of this research is to bridge the gap between AI technology and sustainable tourism to develop actionable strategies that contribute significantly to the SDGs. By doing so, the study aims to provide a framework that can guide policymakers, industry stakeholders, and communities in harnessing AI for sustainable development.

Supervisors / contacts: Dr Roya Rahimi

Introduction: The rapid evolution of digital environments, especially the metaverse, presents new frontiers for marketing and consumer engagement. As a virtual space where users can interact with a computer-generated environment and other users, the metaverse offers unique opportunities for influencer marketing within the tourism industry. This research aims to explore how influencers in

the metaverse can affect tourist behaviours, preferences, and perceptions, potentially reshaping tourism marketing strategies.

Research Gap: While influencer marketing is well-studied in traditional and social media platforms, its application within the metaverse—particularly in relation to the tourism industry—remains underexplored. There is a significant gap in understanding how virtual interactions with influencers in the metaverse can influence real-world tourism decisions and experiences. Additionally, the effectiveness of these marketing strategies in such immersive digital environments has yet to be quantified.

Aims and Objectives:

• To analyse the role of influencers within the metaverse and their potential impact on the tourism industry.
• To identify factors that influence the effectiveness of influencer marketing in the metaverse, focusing on tourist engagement and decision-making.
• To develop guidelines for tourism marketers on leveraging influencer partnerships in the metaverse to enhance destination attractiveness and visitor experiences.
• The purpose of this research is to provide a deep understanding of how influencer marketing in the metaverse can be strategically used to benefit the tourism industry. This study aims to identify best practices and potential pitfalls, offering insights for marketers looking to tap into this new virtual environment.

Supervisors / contacts: Dr Ade Oriade

Project: Consumer behaviours include decision making and successive evaluations, which, consequently, include experience quality, subjective attitude, perceived value, and satisfaction (Chen & Tsai, 2007). There has been some recognition that tourists/visitors/buyers/customers simplify decision making by breaking down the process into manageable steps (Nicholau & Mas, 2008). However, the general models of tourist/visitor/buyer’s decision making, and subsequently experience do not often acknowledge all relevant stages and/or recognise the social context (Decrop & Kozak, 2009), the impulsive nature of some decisions or their complexity (Decrop, 2014). Rationality continues to be either assumed or implied, which negates the role of emotion (Correia, Kozak & Tao, 2014). A partial exploration of constructs in relation to decision making or experience possibly offers inconclusive and partial representation of the relationships that exist in service experience (Oriade & Schofield, 2019). The gap in knowledge about the mental processing, the interrelationship between psychological factors, and contexts of decision making and service experience need further exploration.

Applicable theories: Dual system theory, the hierarchy-of-effects model, and the cognitive-affective-conative framework

Methodology: The primary research will require both qualitative and quantitative elements, including structural equation modelling of the relationship between exogenous, endogenous and mediating variables. The findings will advance theory and practice in this hitherto neglected area of hospitality service failure and recovery research.

References

Chen, C. F., & Tsai, D. (2007). How destination image and evaluative factors affect behavioural intentions? Tourism management, 28(4), 1115-1122.

Correia, A., Kozak, M., & Tao, M. (2014). Dynamics of tourists' decision-making: From theory to practice. In The Routledge handbook of tourism marketing (pp. 299-312). Routledge.

Decrop, A. (2014). Theorizing tourist behaviour. In The Routledge handbook of tourism marketing (pp. 251-267). Routledge.

Decrop, A., & Kozak, M. (2009). 7 Tourist Decision Strategies. Marketing innovations for sustainable destinations, 80.

Nicolau, J. L., & Más, F. J. (2008). Sequential choice behaviour: Going on vacation and type of destination. Tourism management, 29(5), 1023-1034.

Oriade, A., & Schofield, P. (2019). An examination of the role of service quality and perceived value in visitor attraction experience. Journal of Destination Marketing & Management, 11, 1–9.

Supervisors / contacts: Prof. Sibel Yamak

Global challenges we are facing across the planet make sustainability an important topic to address environmental, social and governance problems. Colleagues in Corporate Governance and Sustainability Research Cluster in Management Research Centre are conducting research on sustainability with a special focus on governance. Among them Prof Yamak is interested in welcoming applications in relation to the following themes:

• Sustainability
• Sustainability with a focus on environment and social issues such as gender equality
• The nature of the collaboration and the exchange of knowledge on sustainability between SMEs and MNEs
• Genealogy of corporate social responsibility
• Corporate governance
• Corporate governance with a focus on macro influences on governance practices
• Corporate governance in extreme institutional environments
• The relationship between the board of directors and sustainability performance of the enterprises
• Contextual antecedents of top management teams and their impact on firm performance
• Business elites
• Business elites networks
• Their relationship with the state
• Their impact on society and democracy