PhD 2009 brochure

Welcome to WBS

Join our WBS Doctoral Programme and you will become a member of
a dynamic, highly esteemed, and international research community.
Consistently ranked amongst the best in the world, our PhD programme
is also one of the largest in Europe with nearly 200 doctoral researchers
from over 40 different countries. Our size and international dimension
makes WBS a vibrant and exciting place to study.
Studying for a PhD is challenging but also exciting and rewarding if you
have the right qualities and motivation. You can expect the defining
features of academic life to shape your experience at WBS – innovative
ideas, rigorous critical enquiry, international perspectives, and relevance
to policy and practice. As well as researching for your PhD you will have
the opportunity to collaborate with recognised experts, produce leading
research, participate in seminars and conferences, and contribute
to teaching activities. The skills and networks you develop will be
invaluable in your future career, whether in academia or in other fields.
Our comprehensive research training programme, recognised by the
UK’s Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), will equip you for
the challenges of research in the social sciences. Our PhD in Finance
offers additional training in finance-related methodologies, if this is
your area of interest.
We offer a number of scholarships and bursaries as well as a research
and conference travel allowance. Added to this, the high quality
facilities we provide in beautiful campus surroundings help to strike a
balance between work and leisure. IT resources and support, specialist
library services, and careers advice are just some of the advantages you
can expect. With all the amenities you need in one place, including
excellent sporting and entertainment facilities and easy transport links
to London and elsewhere, WBS is an ideal base for your research.
We look forward to welcoming you to our Doctoral Programme.
Professor Andrew Sturdy
Associate Dean (Doctoral Programme)

2 | Warwick Business School

wbs.ac.uk/students/doctoral | 3

I came to study at WBS for a PhD
in 1996. For me it was the obvious
place to choose because of its
reputation and position in the
rankings. Of course I also had a
supervisor whose research interests
coincided with my own.
I was impressed by the resources
such as the access to so many
books and journals, and having
an office to share with other PhD
students, but the thing that stood
out most for me was the sense of
being part of a PhD community.
The environment plus the number
and quality of the students here
enables us to learn from one
another. It was competitive but
in a healthy sense as, in trying to
outperform each other, it pushed
us to achieve our best.
We made the most of the
opportunity to compare our work,
broaden our understanding and
take advantage of the diverse
knowledge represented across
the different years and groups.
WBS also provided the basis
for scholarly collaboration and
a lifelong network of friends
and colleagues whose career
development and success we are
able to feed off and support.
I left WBS to take up a lectureship
at the University of Aberdeen
before moving to the University
of Nottingham where I was later
promoted to Senior Lecturer. I was
attracted to return to WBS in
March 2007 by the variety and
scale of the work that is possible
here as well as the strong links
with industry. In comparison to
some other institutions I also feel
that I am able to contribute more
directly to decision making and it
is a pleasure to work with the high
calibre students that WBS attracts.
Dr Jimmy Huang
Reader in Information Systems


Our subject strengths

Our faculty is made up of around 180 academic Enterprise Teaching Marketing & Strategic Management
staff who belong to a subject group, research Focusing on enterprise and entrepreneurship, Informed by a multidisciplinary approach, our
centre, or research unit, sometimes working across research interests include: research interests are concerned with marketing
more than one. As a doctoral researcher at WBS and/or strategic management, and include:
h SME finance
you will be fully integrated into the subject group
h public policy towards SMEs h decision making, positioning, processes,
to which you are attached, and where you will
modelling risk and performance, new
have the opportunity to contribute to research h enterprise culture
organisational forms, policy and corporate
and, in many cases, teaching activities. This not h small businesses and fast growth SMEs. governance
only connects you with others who share similar
Members of the group also belong to the Centre for h consumer behaviour
or related research interests, but provides the best
Small & Medium Sized Enterprises. h market entry, market planning, methodological
possible foundation for your professional future.
and managerial issues in market segmentation,
Industrial Relations
Subject groups market structures, global retail, and service
& Organisational Behaviour
WBS is divided into subject groups, each with a marketing
A critical social science perspective informs our
specific focus. We also have research centres and
research in the areas of: h adoption, change and diffusion of technologies.
special interest groups which often span disciplines
and operate on national and international h industrial relations Operations Management
levels. Subject groups have their own web pages, h human resource management Research activities focus on the design, planning,
where you can find out much more about their h organisational analysis control and improvement of operations in the
teaching and research, including topics where PhD manufacturing, service, private, and public sectors
h organisational behaviour.
applications are especially welcome. including:
Members of this group are active within various
W wbs.ac.uk/faculty/subjects h lean thinking and continuous improvement
professional and practitioner organisations
W wbs.ac.uk/faculty/research h service excellence
including: the Industrial Relations Research Unit;
Accounting the Innovation, Knowledge & Organisational h supply chain management
Research is informed by two major perspectives: Networks Research Unit; and Warwick h performance measurement
a critical interpretive perspective which seeks to Organisational Theory Network. h health service excellence.
understand the role of accounting in management
Information Systems & Management Operational Research & Management Sciences
practice, and a capital market perspective which
Our information systems research focuses on the Research focuses on the practical application
evaluates the relevance of accounting for valuation
theoretical and application-oriented issues facing of operational research investigating how OR
and decision making purposes. Research interests
the adoption and diffusion of ICT in the private and methods can be used to improve real world
include:
public sectors. We seek to improve understanding problem situations, as well as in strengthening
h financial accounting, reporting, and statement of how ICT impacts on people and organisations. its theoretical basis in model and methodology
analysis Research interests include: development in:
h management accounting h IS strategy, development and project h practice of OR
h auditing taxation management
h improving OR performance within organisations
h accounting education and professionalisation. h IT governance such as the health service, electricity and finance
h global software development and offshore industries
Finance
outsourcing h OR strategy.
Research activities span the broad area of money
and markets, specifically: h business transformation and complexity
h applications of specific technologies Public Management & Policy
h corporate finance This group brings together expertise in research
h IS in small and medium enterprises.
h international finance including linear and and teaching in the area of:
nonlinear modelling of exchange rate The group shares an interest in knowledge
h public sector management and policy
movements, and work on foreign exchange management and social theory with the Innovation,
market microstructure Knowledge & Organisational Networks Research h public services.
h financial markets and options. Unit. The group forms the teaching unit of the Institute of
Governance & Public Management (IGPM).
Members of the group are involved in the Research
Boards and Education Faculties of the ESRC, the
Warwick Finance Research Institute, and leading
professional institutes.


Basically there are two ways of
choosing your supervisor. The first
is the ‘you finding the supervisor’
approach. You have a rough idea
and know what you are interested
in but are not exactly sure what
topic you are going to do. On the
web site you search through the
faculty and find the area that you
are interested in, and then you
can contact potential supervisors
and discuss possible projects you
can work on together. In that way
you can find out exactly what the
supervisor wants.
The second is the ‘supervisor
finding you’ approach. If you
know specifically what you are
going to do, then you just go
through the normal process; you
write your research proposal, fill in
an application form and send it in
to WBS. The admissions secretary
will pass on the information to the
relevant group and they will read
your ideas to see whether they
are interested in having you as a
student.
Both approaches can work
depending on whether you know
exactly what you want to do or
not. But the first is much more
likely to achieve a good match.
Remember, you will have to work
closely with your supervisor for
a number of years and they will
have to work with you!

Xuhui Yang
current doctoral researcher,
Marketing & Strategic
Management group


I am a qualified Chartered
Accountant, Consultant and
Finding a supervisor Academic. I have operated as
Strategic Adviser to Governments
and Chief Executives and held
Head of Finance and Resources
positions.
I thought I knew it all, but the
faculty inspire insight and
facilitate foresight unlike any
other experience, training
or qualification that I have
Now that you have an idea Achieving a good match
undertaken.
of the range of broad subject Getting a good match between you and your
areas we offer, the critical supervisor is essential. Take some time to browse Laurence Ferry
step in your application is our online expertise directory and explore the current doctoral researcher,
identifying the member or sections relating to our faculty’s and subject Accounting group
members of WBS faculty groups’ research interests and academic expertise.
whose research interests This will help you decide whether the research
correspond with your interests of our staff match your ideas. We strongly
intended research topic. You encourage you to discuss your research ideas
will need to choose at least one with one or more prospective supervisors before
supervisor who is a specialist applying.
in your chosen field. A second
You might also find it helpful to browse details of
supervisor may also be
research projects currently being undertaken by
involved at this stage or will be
our doctoral researchers on our web site.
appointed towards the end of
your first year of study with us. W wbs.ac.uk/students/doctoral
W wbs.ac.uk/faculty/members
The majority of our
established faculty supervise Get to know their work
doctoral research and all When you have identified a prospective supervisor
are actively involved in for your research, we strongly advise you to
research, publishing in read some of their publications to gain a better
leading international journals, understanding of their research interests. This will
and working with research enable you to decide whether you need to refine
boards, private and public your research idea to ensure a match, or whether to
sector organisations, and search for a different supervisor.
professional institutions.
If your chosen supervisor is unable to supervise
your research, you may be advised to choose
another person, or to defer your entry in order to
work with them at a later date.


The shape of our
Doctoral Programme

Structure Year one: research training programme Other training
You will usually be attached to a specific subject Designed and delivered by staff with a high degree You may have the opportunity to follow some
group or research centre. Some of our doctoral of expertise in research methodologies, and taught postgraduate modules from our Specialist
researchers have an affiliation with more than one complying with the Economic and Social Research Masters Portfolio.
group if their research area is cross-disciplinary. If Council’s requirements, our research training will
w wbs.ac.uk/students/masters
your specialism is finance, you should consider our enable you to develop many skills as a researcher
PhD in Finance, detailed on page 11. in social sciences, not just those you will need to You will also be encouraged to take up the
complete your thesis. wide range of personal and professional skills
Doing a PhD is a serious undertaking. The
development opportunities offered by the
minimum registration period for our Doctoral You will undertake four compulsory core modules
University. We work closely with other University
Programme is three years full-time. You will which are delivered through a combination of
departments including the Careers Service to
register initially for the degree of MPhil. When you weekly lectures, seminars, and day schools. A
deliver training specifically tailored to meet the
successfully complete the compulsory research structured feedback process throughout the
needs of our doctoral researchers. If you become
training in the first year and present a satisfactory year ensures that modules can be fine-tuned if
involved in teaching, an introductory training
research proposal to the Upgrading Panel, your necessary and any specific needs or gaps in content
course is compulsory and you will be supported by
registration will be upgraded from MPhil to PhD at can be addressed.
teaching staff in the relevant subject group.
the end of your first year.
Core modules Sharing your research
The requirement for the PhD is a thesis of around
Three modules are assessed through coursework.
80,000 words which you will produce under the There will be many opportunities available to you
In order to upgrade from MPhil to PhD you must
guidance of your supervisor. The degree of PhD is for networking and disseminating your research.
pass the coursework requirements of two of
awarded solely on the basis of this thesis and an In addition to events organised by our Doctoral
these: Philosophy of the Social Sciences and either
oral examination or viva voce, the main criterion for Programme team and WBS, research seminars
Qualitative or Quantitative Research Methods.
the award being that the thesis makes a significant organised by your subject group will offer you
contribution to knowledge. Philosophy of the Social Sciences the nature of the chance to exchange ideas and present your
social science, issues of theory construction and research. As a member of your subject group you
All full-time researchers are required to submit
problem formulation, and paradigms of social will have the facility to create your own web pages.
their thesis within four years from the start of their
enquiry and explanation.
registration. Part-time PhD students must finish You will also benefit from a conference allowance
within six years. Qualitative Research Methods fieldwork access, to attend conferences and make high level
observation, interviewing, documentary analysis, presentations of your research to different
Supervision and case studies. audiences.
In designing and undertaking your research project,
Quantitative Research Methods the use of
you will be advised by one or two supervisors with
descriptive and inferential statistics, sampling,
appropriate research expertise and interests. Your
multivariate analysis, and statistical packages like
main supervisor will be nominated when you are I definitely benefited from the
SPSS.
offered a place on our Doctoral Programme; a research training. It provided me
second supervisor may also be appointed at this A final core module is not assessed, but is a key part with an introduction to various
stage, but certainly will be by the end of your first of your research training at WBS: philosophies, because in my
year of study. particular area, organisation
Research Planning and Management Skills
studies, there are different
It is your supervisor’s task to guide your work and covers all skills relevant to thesis preparation,
standpoints and ways that you
you can expect your learning relationship with conference presentations, journal submissions,
can look at things.
them to change over time. Early on they may help and your future career.
to give shape to your thesis, direct you to certain We got an introduction to these
texts, suggest that you consider other alternatives, Years two & three and to the methodologies which
and steer your plans in a certain way. Later, when After year one you will be encouraged to can be used to explore things from
the focus and direction of your thesis has been attend a continuing programme of training and a philosophical standpoint. I did
established, your supervisions may well take the development events according to your specific receive invitations to research
form of a dialogue in which you discuss particular needs including more advanced and specialised methods events outside Warwick
problems or issues that concern you. As you research methods, research planning, and careers from the ESRC, who are were
develop more autonomy in your work it is quite and professional skills development workshops. funding me, but our seminars here
common for you to determine the pattern of your were so good that I tended not to
supervisions with your supervisor monitoring your go to these others!
progress. Dr Diane Skinner
PhD (Warwick)


Being a doctoral researcher at
WBS is a great experience. My
supervisors are top researchers
in the field and are committed
to helping me shape my ideas,
enhance my research capabilities,
and build my confidence. I also
have many opportunities for
intellectual exchange with great
minds from all over the world.
Hazel Huang
Marketing & Strategic
Management group


Three areas of the WBS Doctoral
programme stand out: supervision,
colleagues, and community.
The supervision process is very
important for a young researcher,
because it forms the backbone of
the way one conducts research in
the future. I meet my supervisor
regularly to discuss work, and our
collaboration on research is ongoing.
I am very content with the degree
and ease of interaction with the staff
in the Finance group and the fact
that I feel free to knock on anyone’s
door for a chat or for some help, if
needed.
Life at WBS is dynamic and very
enjoyable, not only within the
doctoral and research community,
but the University community as a
whole.
The international community is very
large, which brings a lot of diversity
to the events organised.
Gino Cenedese
current researcher on our
Doctoral Programme in Finance


Given the specific quantitative
skills needed in finance, the
PhD in Finance research training provided for
finance students is different to
that of the rest of the Doctoral
Programme. The Finance group
offers training in essential topics in
the finance area. Furthermore, as
part of the training programme,
the Finance group organises
weekly seminars and workshops.
PhD students and staff members
Course structure Core modules attend the workshops series, so we
Our PhD in Finance has a minimum registration Three modules are assessed through coursework all have the opportunity to share
period of three years full-time. Initially you will and final examination: our work, learn presentation skills,
register for the degree of MPhil. On successful and get the necessary feedback
Theory of Finance asset pricing, corporate finance,
completion of the research training programme on our work. External researchers
and derivative securities.
and presentation of a satisfactory research present their current work in the
proposal your registration will be upgraded from Quantitative Methods in Finance financial seminar series, which provides us
MPhil to PhD status. You will then complete a econometrics and quantitative techniques. with knowledge at the forefront
thesis of around 80,000 words, under the guidance Frontiers of Research in Finance latest research in of research on many topics.
of your supervisor. the fields of international finance, investments and All this training put together
The degree of PhD is awarded solely on the basis portfolio management, asset pricing, behavioural provides a coherent and thorough
of this thesis, the criterion for the award being finance, corporate finance, derivatives, and preparation for good research.
that the thesis makes a significant contribution to microstructure of markets. Elvira Sojli
knowledge. There are two further core modules: current doctoral researcher,
As a doctoral researcher within the Finance group Finance group
Methodology of Social Science designed to
you will have the opportunity to participate in enable you to understand the philosophy and
the group’s weekly internal and external research paradigms which underlie research in finance
seminars and there is a generous conference within the wider context of the physical and social
allowance available to assist you in attending sciences. Assessed by coursework.
conferences and presenting your research.
Planning and Managing Research focuses on
Supervision issues such as research process and design, coping
In designing and undertaking your research project, with conferences, getting published, and writing
you will be advised by one or two supervisors with skills for researchers. Non-assessed.
appropriate research expertise and interests. Your
main supervisor will be provisionally nominated Elective modules
when you are offered a place; a second supervisor You will also be required to complete two modules
is normally chosen towards the end of the first year selected from one of the WBS finance-related
of study. For further insights into the supervision Masters or the PhD in Economics programme at
process see page 8. Warwick.
W wbs.ac.uk/students/masters
Year one: research training programme W www.warwick.ac.uk/go/econphd
The taught courses in the first year will provide
structured and high level post-masters training Years two & three
in theoretical and empirical research methods in You will be encouraged to undertake additional
finance. These are compulsory for all researchers training in year two and beyond to broaden your
registered for the degree. You must pass all the understanding of social science research as well
assessed modules in order to upgrade to PhD. as research in the finance area. In particular, you
The modules will be delivered mainly through will be encouraged to take the Philosophy of
lectures and seminars with additional workshops Social Sciences and Qualitative Research Methods
and day schools as required. modules from the main WBS Doctoral Programme,
attend research seminars and benefit from a range
of other courses to improve your personal and
professional skills throughout your period of study.
See page 8 for details.


Research at WBS

In the most recent Research
Assessment Exercise (2001),
WBS was one of only three
UK business schools to
achieve the highest 5* rating,
only awarded for research
of international excellence.
Our research influences the
academic, business, and policy
communities and underpins
all our teaching.
This research-led ethos is
driven by the motivation
of our faculty and doctoral
researchers to develop new
ideas, as well as challenge
existing thinking through
their contributions to
key debates. We do not
set research agendas for
individuals or groups, nor
do we promote a particular
methodology or approach.
Rather, through our positive
research culture, the range of
disciplines and approaches,
and strong links with collaboration across our
industry, trade unions, and faculty and with other leading
governments, we provide an experts around the world.
environment in which all our With one of the largest and
researchers can flourish. highest ranked doctoral
We also lead by example. programmes in Europe, we
Enthusiasm for individual are proud of our leading
research is championed by our role in developing the next
most senior staff, especially generation of researchers.
our Dean, Howard Thomas, Join us and you will be an
who continues to publish integral part of the WBS
leading research on strategic research community; not
management issues. a student so much as an
academic colleague in
Our research output can be
training. In addition to the
seen in the 600 to 700 works,
excellent support and facilities
ranging from books and
we provide, we are fully
research articles to conference
committed to helping you
proceedings, that we publish
fulfil your research potential.
each year. These result from
individual and team research, Professor David Storey,
including cross-subject Associate Dean (Research)


The practice of corporate governance:
an accounting perspective

Thomas Ahrens describes the context, ‘After two to overcome distinctions between explanations that
decades of corporate governance debates and focus either on agents or structures – rather than
report after report on how to improve the practice ask whether the actions of people cause things
of corporate governance (eg Cadbury, Greenbury, or if people are at the mercy of social and other
Hampel, Turnbull, Higgs, etc) we are still facing structures, we want to explain the functioning of
an unending stream of corporate scandals. Why? corporate governance as a joint outcome of choice,
Because Enron and Worldcom demonstrated that action and circumstances.’
rules without principles are not effective. In the UK,
Recent research into the effectiveness of audit
scandals during the early 1990s such as Polly Peck,
committees and communication between boards
BCCI, and Barings showed that abstract principles
and shareholders has shown it is possible to
need the support of practical understandings.
conduct such interactions in ways that generate
These are complexes of know-how that do not arise
new benefits for firms. Subtle communications
from principles or rules, and cannot be imposed by
with audit committee members can diffuse cases Professor Thomas Ahrens
regulators, but emerge over time through practice
of internal fraud or misuse of resources before they (pictured) and Dr Rihab
because the knowledge of how to do something
lead to a showdown at the Board. Communication Khalifa of the Accounting
well depends on experience; it requires sustained
with shareholders and investors can strengthen the group are conducting a
work in a particular field. This research is concerned
Board’s strategic thinking and help to implement research project on corporate
with discovering how such understandings can be
strategic initiatives throughout the company. Rihab governance together with
recognised and understood so that they may become
points out, ‘Practice theory suggests that a key Professor Chris Chapman of
part of the general practice of corporate governance
challenge to implementing improvements within Imperial College. Conceived
and its regulation.’
corporate governance lies within companies’ failure as a pilot project at this
Attempting reform in the area of corporate to realise the potential benefits. Organisational stage, it will build upon
governance is not without its challenges. Individual members’ ability to use corporate governance on a well-established body
incentives and economic and regulatory frameworks requirements to enhance management strategy of accounting research
impose limitations and unlike audit, for example, requires what we call ‘practical understanding of the concerned with questions
corporate governance has no champion or corporate governance debate.’ We are seeking to do of accountability, audit,
professional group of experts. Similarly, though this by asking why practical understandings should and governance, and will
it holds implications for everyone from directors become part of the corporate governance debate, determine the scale of a larger
to shareholders, ultimate responsibility remains how it has been possible to have omitted them thus study to come.
unclear. In addition, whilst corporate governance far, and what the benefits of articulating those
reports articulate rules of good governance and understandings as part of the process of regulating
generate codes of practice, corporate governance corporate governance are?’
is perceived as mandatory regulation; companies
As well as publishing the research findings,
know they must comply but they have not fully
Rihab hopes to set up a seminar that will bring
grasped its potential benefits.
practitioners and academics together. She says,
The significance of this research lies in its ‘Depending on the scope of the full-scale project,
implications for the vast ambitions that are tied there may be other opportunities to disseminate the
to corporate governance. Corporate governance findings and ensure that practical understandings
reports have focused on shareholder value through are incorporated into the regulation of corporate
transparency and accountability; firms should use governance.’
shareholder capital in the most efficient manner
The project is also conceptually similar to the
thereby leading to an optimal allocation of resources
projects of a number of doctoral researchers who are
in the economy. An even grander ambition, that
exploring accountability relationships in various
has been difficult to put into practice, is to make
empirical settings and industry sectors. Rihab
business responsive to a wide range of stakeholders
adds, ‘Within the Accounting group my role as the
from employees to the environment! Corporate
Doctoral Programme Committee Chair is also to
governance is set to become the cornerstone of
help integrate our PhD students – there is no doubt
ethical business.
that this degree of shared focus on accountability
The project will identify the extent to which helps to ensure that their work is fully recognised

research at WBS
these ambitions are practical and perhaps even within the group’s research agenda. We are looking
counterproductive. Rihab explains, ‘By using forward to welcoming new doctoral researchers to
practice theory – a strand of social theory that seeks the group.’


Alternative media: redefining news and organisation

While investigating public broadcasting André A non-corporate alternative
had observed the groundswell of alternative media Many commentators have noted that today’s media
networks and activism on the Internet and, as is increasingly dominated by corporate behemoths
emerging phenomena, they seemed subjects ripe like CNN and News Corporation. Alternative
for further investigation. In 2005, together with media organisations have set up models of making
colleagues Steffen Bohm of the University of Essex and distributing news that reject this corporate
and Sian Sullivan from the University of East Anglia, control. By developing a space for user-generated
he was awarded £45,000 from the ESRC’s ‘non content, alternative media has been able to reject
government public action programme’ to further the restrictive editorial policies of corporate media.
investigate the alternative media sector.
This means that journalists disseminate some of
The focus of the project is a variety of open source the more controversial material to audiences which
web-based news site which has spread rapidly CNN or the BBC would never touch. Alternative
Shared values and around the globe. The content of these sites is media organisations have also developed radical
collaboration might seem often created through a system of open publishing new ways of organising the production of media
the ideal ingredients for by which ‘anyone’ can upload a report (written, content. They have built online communities who
organisational harmony audio, or video) directly to the site through ‘an work in a democratic, bottom-up fashion. This
but in an ongoing research openly accessible web interface.’ As with other means that people are not restricted by the scripts,
project into the alternative sites which depend on user-generated content, the hierarchies, and contracts that rule the world of
media sector, funded by the guiding philosophy is that site users are no longer mainstream media.
Economic and Social Research passive receivers of information mediated by media
In many ways, the alternative media sector has been
Council (ESRC), Dr André corporations but active producers of meaning,
well ahead of the game. André says, ‘Alternative
Spicer, Associate Professor able to express their opinions and exercise their
media organisations invented things like blogs,
in Industrial Relations and freedom of speech directly, and without fear of
user-generated content, and online communities.
Organisational Behaviour recrimination.
They developed ways of harnessing the voice of
(IROB), suggests that the The team are specifically looking at web-based people online and enabled them to put their own
reverse may be true. alternative media throughout the world. André view across. It is only now that large corporates
explains, ‘The objectives of the study are twofold. like News Corporation and Google are catching
Firstly, it is an examination of a popular uprising of up. Social web sites like MySpace and YouTube
people who want to contest the status quo; how is now try to copy the models initially invented by
it organised? What is its structure? How does such alternative media movements such as Indymedia.
an organisation sustain itself? Secondly, it implies a The problem is that the main objective of these
critique of what management corporations do. Can so-called Web 2.0 initiatives is to commercialise
alternative media organisation offer alternative the Internet by targeting a huge amount of online
ways of organising? How does a structure shaped advertising to a lucrative group of users. Alternative
by shared ideologies and identities impact on the media movements are non-commercial; they see the
organisation? What kind of culture or economy Internet not as just another cash cow, but as a way
emerges in an organisation which operates on to give millions of people a voice to campaign for a
values based on commitment and respect? As a better, more equitable world.’
virtual organisation how does the lack of a physical
In their study the researchers’ starting point was
space impact on its operation?’
that alternative media plays an important political
The project has been extended but the initial role as it challenges the ideological structuring of
findings are already proving interesting: mainstream media, and gives political activists
access to a publishing platform that they would
not otherwise have. However, what André found
was a variety of complexities and oddities that often
make it difficult for alternative media collectives to
organise effectively.


An open closed shop; Low personnel but high personal costs More about research at WBS
no entry to the uninitiated Alternative media is often driven by people who This article was first published as a feature on the
André describes how the participants typically share common passions but this too can present WBS web site. You will find more articles on current
take a user identity which is different to their real challenges. ‘It’s very intense and because their research in our online press centre.
name. Questions of identity start to emerge from identity is bound up in what they do, it has a high
W wbs.ac.uk/news
this. ‘This difference between the online and impact on their lives. People are brought together by
offline presence raises lots of issues,’ says André. a sense of kinship and personal commitment and
‘Who is in? Who’s out? Are you an activist or not? devote enormous and unpaid amounts of time and
Although users/members apparently share an ethos passion to what they do. This is hard to sustain over
of activism there is no specific definition of what time and they often suffer from burn-out or end
activism is.’ While alternative media collectives up feeling disillusioned. Since it’s informal, when
are often explicitly open for everyone to join and things go wrong there are no external rules you can
contribute, in reality they are sometimes rather appeal to or formal structure to keep it together –
closed entities ruled by identity politics involving things start to break down.’ This is sometimes called
specific dress codes and languages. Thus there is an ‘activist burn-out’, which may be seen in many
ongoing challenge for alternative media to recruit radical political movements. That said, corporate
newcomers to their groups and keep themselves environments are not immune to the phenomenon
open to new ideas and people who might not share of burn-out as there is frequently little opportunity
their political convictions. to take a step back or even leave the organisation.

Agile in theory but slow in practice Calm at the eye of the storm
Typical of many such organisations structured Throughout their research the team have observed
around shared values and commitment to a in particular how the practice and ideology of
common purpose, the alternative media collectives openness sometimes gives way as the community
often explicitly reject standard organisational turns in on itself. This sometimes leads to atrophy
tools. This is positive because it means they can and the result is reduced opportunities for protest.
develop output quickly. There is a greater degree Contrary to expectations, the dynamism one might
of spontaneity, willingness to take risks, and expect to find at the centre of such networks shifts;
immediacy in their ability to respond to breaking the centre spins off clusters of people who become
news. However, André points out, ‘The irony is that dissatisfied and want to set up new ventures. These
there is much time spent in talking about how they are often more dynamic, more interesting, and able
will plan and organise things. The need to arrive at to move very rapidly.
decisions by consensus can slow things down and
André concludes, ‘Alternative media organisations
ultimately counteract their potential to be flexible
do amazing things. They have produced some of
and respond quickly.’ Nevertheless, the benefit of
the most interesting and daring news coverage
grassroots consensus decision making is that each
available. In an increasingly concentrated media
member has the opportunity to participate in the
landscape they are vital in ensuring that the truth
structuring of the organisation. In corporations
gets out there. They have produced some alternative
the discourse of empowerment has existed for a
ways of organising news media based on principles
long time but what one sees, however, is that there
of cooperation and participation. But to continue to
is often an illusion of participation; employees are
make these vital contributions they must be aware
given the impression of participation, openness
of the dangers of turning in on themselves.’
and empowerment, while the real decisions are
still made at the top. In contrast, alternative media
movements try to implement radical grassroots
organisational processes that involve everyone.

research at WBS wbs.ac.uk/students/doctoral | 15

An evolutionary perspective
on knowledge management in practice

What interested you about knowledge I decided to approach five consultancies and look
management as a subject of research? at high, medium, and low performing project
Knowledge is seen as the key to improved teams in each to find out if different companies do
business performance. Consequently, knowledge things differently and if so, why? I also wanted to
management has become an increasingly know whether high performing teams employed
fashionable topic. There is a commonly held different knowledge management practices to low
perception that knowledge is a good whose value can performing teams. Essentially, I was interested in
be extracted and shared with little or no marginal understanding ‘What are the explicit and emergent
cost. When you consider that companies currently knowledge management practices? and, ‘Under
spend around 3.5 percent of their total revenue what conditions do they, or don’t they work?’
on knowledge management programmes, it’s not
hard to see the value they attach to it. However, Where does your study fit in relation to existing
knowledge management has become a much theories on knowledge management?
Taman Powell came to study abused term and frequently companies implement There are a number of challenges related to the
for a PhD at WBS with over knowledge management initiatives with little study of knowledge and knowledge management.
ten years’ experience in success or understanding of why they then failed to Over the centuries, the term knowledge itself has
corporate business and has achieve the desired results. The idea that knowledge presented a challenge for theorists seeking to define
been awarded the Bentley management can exert such a positive influence on and describe it empirically. I decided to look at it
College/HEC Outstanding a company’s performance is very appealing and I from two perspectives; as a tacit and explicit asset
Student Paper Award by the was interested in exploring this disconnect between and as an individual and social entity. This offers
Academy of Management. ideals and realisation. four different types of knowledge whereas typically
Taman receives support for knowledge is described as being of only one kind.
his research from the ESRC. Why did you decide to focus your research Tacit knowledge is hard to articulate. For example,
Now in his final year, he offers on management consultancies?
many of us are able to ride a bike but remain unable
an insight into knowledge Having previously worked at a senior level for
to explain how we do this. Explicit knowledge, on
management in practice Accenture, management consultancies presented
the other hand, can be expressed and transferred in
in the field of management the ‘classic’ subject for a research project of this kind.
formal language.
consulting. Their work is viewed as being highly knowledge
intensive and consequently they are seen as being From a social perspective, whether organisations
at the forefront of knowledge management practices. have knowledge, or whether this is simply the
Management consultancies are also frequently application of human qualities to non-human
tasked with implementing knowledge management entities, has been the subject of much debate.
initiatives for their clients. However, while an organisation cannot create
knowledge without individuals, as Brown and
The rhetoric of knowledge management is highly
Duguid point out, ‘a great deal of knowledge is both
compelling as it offers companies a means of
produced and held collectively.’ Many theorists
controlling knowledge that can be standardised and
have contributed to this social perspective arguing
managed, thereby enabling everyone to have access
that knowledge is distributed throughout the
to the ‘best’ knowledge. Often the result is more
organisation’s members as well as being embedded
an information management than a knowledge
in its routines and culture. Spender (1996) adds this
management system. All too often companies
social perspective to the explicit/tacit knowledge
express frustration at employees’ apparent non-
typology (Polanyi, 1958, Nonaka, 1991) to develop a
compliance and when things go wrong criticisms
model including four distinct types of knowledge.
are aimed at the implementation. My sense was that
this is connected to a deeper set of issues concerning
the fundamental concept of knowledge and the
underlying assumptions behind such knowledge
management practices.


Can you outline some of your key findings? Similarly, the identification of a significant
Explicit conscious objectified My research so far would suggest that organisations disconnect between firm-level and project-level
transition through various approaches of knowledge practices suggests that firm-level practices need to be
Tacit automatic collective management. Different approaches are often realigned to take into account how work is actually
dependent on size and, whilst initial approaches may performed. In doing so, we need to escape from the
Individual Social be quite naïve, organisations’ formal approaches to mindset that IT is the panacea for the challenges
knowledge management can be seen to evolve over posed by knowledge management
Figure 1 The different types of organisational time as they practice and learn through experience.
All of this points to the need for a broadening of
knowledge (adapted from Spender 1996) Most organisations start with a codification
knowledge management tools and techniques to
approach but after a time they shift their focus to
In this model conscious knowledge (individual cover a more complete perspective of knowledge.
the personalisation strategy. I hypothesised that
explicit) is found to be easily transferable (though The majority of formal approaches deal with the
the personalisation strategy would be succeeded
may be internalised differently by different exploitation of explicit knowledge and, whilst there
by attempts to formalise a social network in order
communities) whilst it is not possible to articulate is an evolution of practice under way, there is still a
to foster effective knowledge management.
automatic knowledge (individual tacit). Automatic long way to go before we have an effective model of
knowledge is required for action, whilst conscious However, when I looked at project teams, it was how to manage knowledge in organisations.
knowledge represents the sense-making associated apparent that an organisation’s formal approach to
with that activity; for example, the difference knowledge management had next to no impact on
between having a recipe and understanding the how people on the ground conducted knowledge References
cooking methods it requires. Objectified knowledge management. Project team members employ Brown J S & Duguid P (1998) Organising
(social explicit), while easily transferable, is emergent knowledge approaches. Their first Knowledge. California Management Review,
dependent upon the rules that legitimised it, and instinct was to seek knowledge from trusted sources, 40(3), 90–111
on collective knowledge (social tacit) to interpret ie friends or colleagues, rather than from strangers Hansen M T, Nohria N & Tierney T
it. Though academic in theory, this is significant or a database. When you are seeking something you (1999) What’s Your Strategy for Managing
as each suggests a different approach to creation, do not know much about, it’s hard to know what Knowledge? Harvard Business Review, 77(2),
transfer, learning, and use. ‘knowledge’ exists and therefore difficult to evaluate 106–16
the quality of that knowledge. Added to that, most
In terms of knowledge management, Nonaka (1994) Nonaka I (1991) The Knowledge-Creating
project teams already possess a significant amount
proposed a model of knowledge conversion based on Company. Harvard Business Review, 69(6),
of knowledge and expertise so by appealing to
‘an assumption that knowledge is created through 96–104
their ‘community of practice’ it is easily shared and
conversion between tacit and explicit knowledge’.
communicated. These outcomes beg the question Nonaka I (1994) A Dynamic Theory of
Hansen et al (1999) argued that organisations
whether organisations are wasting their resources Organisational Knowledge Creation.
either follow a knowledge management strategy of
focussing such a high percent of them on the Organization Science, 5(1), 14–37
codification (when knowledge is ‘carefully codified
codification approach to knowledge management.
and stored in databases, where it can be accessed Polanyi M (1958) Personal Knowledge. Chicago:
and used easily by anyone in the company’) or The University of Chicago Press.
What are the implications of this
personalisation (when ‘knowledge is closely tied to
for knowledge management practice? Spender J C (1996) Organizational Knowledge,
the person who developed it and is shared mainly
Overall I would say my research suggests that the way Learning and Memory: Three Concepts in
through person-to-person contacts. The chief
we are managing knowledge needs to be readjusted. Search of a Theory. Journal of Organizational
purpose of computers at such companies is to help
My research does not support the extant views of Change Management, 9(1), 63-79
people communicate knowledge, not to store it.’)
knowledge which define it as static and endorse
From these theories it is clear that organisations rely a selection of approaches based on firm-level
on different types of knowledge and therefore need characteristics. There is a call for the identification
to focus their knowledge management efforts on of an evolutionary perspective of knowledge
either the codification or personalisation strategy. management. In terms of practice, the next stage
In my research I wanted to investigate how these would be an attempt to facilitate and leverage
approaches changed over time, effectively adopting the emergent knowledge management practices
an evolutionary perspective, as well as how the that take place in all organisations. However, this
explicit knowledge management practices impacted poses greater challenges for management as the
the activities of consulting team personnel, actions required, and the outcome expected, from
effectively adopting a practice perspective. facilitating these emergent practices is less clear

research at WBS
than with codification and personalisation.


Small, satisfying but not all that beautiful:
employee commitment and the small firm

Small firms, employing fewer than 250 employees, There were three key findings, the first being that
account for about 60 percent of employment in there is a genuine size effect which, other things
most modern economies. The situation of workers in being equal, tends to promote employee satisfaction
these firms has attracted a less than commensurate at work. Secondly, the effect works differently in
interest among researchers. different sectors. Lastly, satisfaction does not mean
harmony or shared interests between managers and
A limited but important line of debate has been
workers.
characterised by three positions:
h ‘Small is beautiful’ close working relationships Size and ‘morale’
and the absence of bureaucracy generate The WERS analysis addressed an index of ‘employee
harmony needs’, made up of employee reports on 22 items
including satisfaction with pay and views of how
h Autocracy small firms often pay low wages
fairly managers treated workers. Even after allowing
and operate in competitive markets, leading to
Professor Paul Edwards, for a wide range of factors embracing employees’
autocracy in the workplace
Sukanya Sen Gupta, and individual characteristics, such as age and education,
Chin-Ju Tsai of the Industrial h Contingency small firms are shaped by their and those of their workplaces, including sector and a
Relations Research Unit market situations, and little if anything of their set of HR practices, the index showed a more positive
(IRRU), report on how workplace relations depend on size alone. picture the smaller the size of the firm.
pragmatism may have a greater
Though the third is an advance on the first two, it The more detailed study of 89 firms supported this
role to play than unerring
leaves open the question of just what it is about the result. Though the three sectors were deliberately
loyalty amongst employees of
market that leads to certain workplace relationships chosen to be very different, on several key indicators
small firms.
rather than others. And in extreme form it denies such as employee attitudes to management and
that enterprise size plays any role at all. satisfaction with job autonomy there was remarkable
New research we have conducted under the ESRC/ similarity across all the firms.
EPSRC Advanced Institute of Management Research Interviews with managers and some of the
(AIM) programme, has moved beyond these employees in the Warwick sample, together with
stereotypical positions. It is based on two sources. more in-depth investigation in six firms, suggested
Firstly, our primary research has addressed a key reason for the result. Workers and managers
employment relations in 89 firms, in 32 of which work alongside each other, and the level of effort
data on employee attitudes were collected (with a expended by managers is visible to workers. As we
total sample of 384 employees). These firms were will see, this does not mean that there is a sense
chosen to offer as specific a view as possible of of harmony. However, it does mean that there is
distinctive types of small firm. With one exception, awareness of a shared endeavour.
the firms had fewer than 100 employees. They also
came from three tightly defined sectors: ICT, media
and TV production, and food manufacturing.
The second source was the authoritative 2004
Workplace Employment Relations Survey (WERS)
into the size of firm and employee attitudes – a
collaborative work embracing WBS colleagues
David Storey and George Saridakis from the Centre
for Small & Medium-sized Enterprises, and Robert
Blackburn of Kingston University. The survey
has data on over 600 small and medium-sized
enterprises (SMEs) and 4,000 of their employees.


Wage-effort bargains and the sectoral context Satisfaction but not harmony
This generic tendency within small firms was Some images of the small firm suggest wholly
shaped by two factors. The first is the overall common interests as reflected, for example, in
market situation of the firm. The firms studied the sharing of rewards and of risk. Even in the two
had established niches in their markets which professional sectors, these images were inaccurate.
meant that rewards were felt to be reasonable. For Any kind of profit sharing was extremely rare. Most
those adopting an ‘autocracy’ perspective, such firms paid basic salaries, sometimes with a bonus
a position might be written off as unusual. But at the end of the year. Such bonuses were rare,
the WERS evidence shows that small firms often and their size and distribution was entirely in the
have considerable longevity and also that market hands of managers. Other aspects of reward were
conditions as a whole are not worse than those also subject to management discretion. Generally,
facing large firms. fringe benefits such as sick pay were absent, but
valued employees might be allowed some paid time
Indeed a minority of small firms are under intense
off. Such choices were made by managers as they saw
pressure. Other research conducted by Paul Edwards
fit. Employees were treated not as equals but as staff
and Monder Ram shows that wages here can be
to be assessed. Performance in the two professional
extremely low. It also examines the ways in which
sectors was thus appraised in some detail, and even
illegal employment is produced and reproduced
some of the food firms had developed detailed
among small firms. Even under such conditions,
appraisal schemes.
however, straight autocracy is rare, and there
is, instead, a form of negotiated order based on Workers were plainly aware of these arrangements.
family and often kinship ties. Shared misery and They made a clear distinction between themselves
negotiation to make the best of a difficult situation and managers. They also recognised that promotion
characterise such workplaces. Even under extreme opportunities were often limited, and could see
conditions small firms are not characterised by the reasons for this, namely, the small size of the
autocracy. Under more standard conditions, there is firms and the lack of space at the top. While they
a degree of space within which a reasonable balance also valued the training that was available within
of reward and effort can be struck. their current jobs, they could still see the realities
of ownership and control.
The second factor relating to the firms studied is the
distinct balance of effort and reward. In the food In summary, workers in small firms are reasonably
firms, for example, low wages were balanced by satisfied because of the benefits of informality and
a largely undemanding pace of work and the fact the sectorally distinctive structure of the wage-
that workers could find space to develop personal effort bargain. But they are constrained by their
relationships. This was underpinned by the limited own skills in terms of the jobs that they can seek,
degree of mechanisation, so that the anonymity of and satisfaction is in relation to what they can
work in large and rationalised plants was absent. reasonably expect. It is not a reflection of deeper
In media companies, by contrast, there was a contentment, still less a conscious choice of jobs.
demanding work pace, and pay was not high for They also recognise a divide between them and
professional staff; the benefits lay in the interest of their managers. Pragmatic acceptance, rather than
the job and the distant prospect of media stardom. deep-seated loyalty, characterised their views of
their jobs.
For more information on this project, see the paper
by Chin-Ju Tsai, Sukanya Sen Gupta and Paul
Edwards, ‘When and Why is Small Beautiful?’ in
Human Relations, December 2007.

research at WBS wbs.ac.uk/students/doctoral | 19

At Warwick you’re part of a large
community that encompasses
several thousand staff and
students and you do get a real
sense of community here. I pursue
a number of interests outside my
PhD. I used to row competitively
at university and I now coach
the rowing team which I really
enjoy. I’m also a member of the
triathlon club and run exercise
classes for them which is great.
Warwick also gives you lots of
other opportunities to network
in other clubs and societies. One
of the things that I love about it
is the Arts Centre. I enjoy going
to the theatre and there is always
something interesting to go and
see. I love the place!
Nick Wake
Operations Management
group


Life at WBS

Cosmopolitan & scenic environment Accommodation & amenities Library
The University of Warwick campus is a spacious Some postgraduate halls of residence are available The University of Warwick library offers superior
and attractive environment, with everything for 50 weeks of the year, some are available on facilities having recently had a £3.5 million pound
you need on a single site. It is home to a vibrant, shorter lets. Most study bedrooms have en-suite refurbishment to house its collection of over
international community providing you with a bathrooms, shared kitchen and lounge facilities, one million books. Extensive online resources
stimulating and supportive setting for your studies. direct-line telephone points, and all have Internet including over 25,000 electronic journals and
access. There are also some rooms and houses on databases, official publications, newspapers,
The campus offers a vast array of entertainment
campus that are suitable for students with partners inter-library loans and specialist collections for
and there’s still plenty of space to relax in the quiet
or families. business research make it easy for you to access the
tranquillity of the Warwickshire countryside. We
information you need. Specialist subject librarians
offer a great balance between urban and rural life; Some students opt to become resident
are available to support staff and researchers.
you are close to the city whilst living in beautiful tutors providing them with campus based
In addition the Modern Records Centre makes
calm surroundings with lakes, meadows, and accommodation in return for taking on pastoral
available primary sources of British political, social
woods. London is just over an hour away by train responsibilities for the students in their residence.
and economic history with particular reference to
and you are 10 minutes from historic Coventry, and
If you prefer to live off campus, the University labour history and industrial relations.
around 20 minutes from Birmingham International
can offer places in shared houses reserved for
Airport, Stratford-upon-Avon, and Warwick. W www.warwick.ac.uk/go/library
postgraduates. These properties are located in
W www.warwick.ac.uk/go/mrc
On campus there’s every conceivable service: nearby Coventry, Royal Leamington Spa, and
supermarket, bars, cafes, restaurants, post office, Kenilworth.
Leisure & entertainment
hairdresser, launderette, banks, travel agency, and
Whatever you decide, Warwick Accommodation Warwick Students’ Union is one of the biggest
health centre – just some of the facilities which
can help you find a place to live. in the UK and is the centre of campus social life.
make it easy for you to deal with everyday life
Spread over five floors, it features several bars,
while concentrating on your studies. w www.warwick.ac.uk/accommodation
restaurants and cafes as well as a welfare and
w www.warwick.ac.uk/go/campus Study facilities advice centre, and several flexible spaces that
At WBS we offer the majority of our full-time function as clubs, marketplaces, and gathering
Aside from the range of cafes and restaurants
doctoral researchers a dedicated desk and PC in points.
available across the campus you will also have
use of the WBS staff lounges and kitchen facilities a shared office with access to other office facilities w www.sunion.warwick.ac.uk
providing you with the opportunity to meet such as copiers, faxes, phones etc. With access
other members of faculty and staff in relaxed to networked computer rooms, our part-time Culture
surroundings. doctoral researchers are also able to make the most Another main cultural attraction of the campus is
productive use of their visits to WBS. Our unique Warwick Arts Centre. With its concert hall, cinema,
Sports online study environment, my.wbs, is specially two theatres, and art gallery, as well as a restaurant
Superb provision is made for sports activities at designed to enable you to network and share and bar, it attracts some of the biggest names in
the University. We have an Olympic standard resources with other students and staff and keep the arts including Peter Brook, Buena Vista Social
floodlit athletics track and all-weather pitches up to date with all the WBS news. Our Information Club, Ray Davies, Russell Brand, Cheek by Jowl,
supporting outdoor sports including football, Systems Support Unit are on hand to offer Bryn Terfel, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, and Derren
rugby, hockey, and cricket. There is also a 5km support with IT queries and a range of specialist Brown.
‘trim track’. Tennis players are well provided for programmes and applications is available through
W www.warwickartscentre.co.uk
with both outdoor and brand new indoor courts. the WBS systems network, as well as the usual
The Sports Centre offers a 25m swimming pool, office software.
squash courts, extensive weight training and fitness
The University offers state-of-the-art language
suites, regional-standard climbing centre, martial
learning for over 15 languages at a range of levels.
arts and table tennis facilities, a sauna, and three
Computing facilities are equally excellent, with a
multipurpose sports halls. There are also over 75
high speed connection to the Internet available
sports clubs, from Aerobics to Zhuan Shukuan.
in all study bedrooms on campus. There are Wi-Fi
W www.warwick.ac.uk/go/sportatwarwick hotspots provided by over 60 wireless access
W www.warwicksport.co.uk/clubs points in a range of public and communal areas
around the University and WBS.


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