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New for 2010/11

We have a number of prospective supervisors looking for Doctoral researchers in specific areas. If you have not identified an area of interest from the list, try browsing the interests of our research groups below. If you find one, you can research potential supervisors among the relevant group faculty, before you write a proposal. Apart from the areas listed here, you can also try other ways to find a research topic.

Accounting

Research in the Accounting group at WBS focuses on understanding accounting in its organisational, social and economic contexts to inform academic debate, policy formation and accounting practice.

• Accounting history
• Accounting knowledge and professional expertise
• Management accounting and control
• Capital market research in accounting
• Corporate governance and sustainability
• Audit
• Taxation.

Finance

Research in Finance at WBS is distinguished from that in many other universities by the rigorous way in which financial questions are addressed.

• Derivatives
• International finance
• Financial econometrics
• Pensions policy
• Investment management
• Behavioural finance
• Corporate finance and governance.

Entrepreneurship and small business

The CSME central theoretical premise is that small firms are not 'scaled-down' versions of large firms. The group has an international reputation for undertaking primarily quantitative work on smaller firms. We strongly favour individuals with demonstrably strong economic/econometric skills - normally acquired by a Masters degree in economics/finance or econometrics.

• Entrepreneurial attitudes
• Public Policy Evaluation
• SME Finance
• Regional variations in enterprise.

Industrial Relations and Organisational Behaviour

The IROB group comprises members drawn from a wide range of disciplinary backgrounds from the social sciences. There are two major research centres connected to IROB - the Industrial Relations Research Unit (IRRU) and the Innovation, Knowledge and Organisational Networks Research Centre (IKON). The group has also established the Warwick Organisation Theory Network (WOTNet).

• Europeanisation and internationalisation
• The organisation and practice of management consultants and other professional services groups
• Equality and diversity
• HR, work organisation and performance
• Employee organisation, representation and voice
• Regulation, law and organisations
• Multinational corporations
• Labour migration
• The dynamics of social networks in the commercialisation of innovation
• Innovation in knowledge-intensive organisations
• 'Knowledge management' discourse and practice
• Critical management studies
• The philosophy of organisations
• Politics and ethics in organisations
• Financialisation, corporate governance and the impact of new financial processes on organisations
• Organisations, identity, consumption, aesthetics and the senses.

Operational Research and Management Sciences

Research focuses on the practical application of OR, the practice of OR and OR strategy. At the same time, it works to extend the theoretical basis of model and methodology development. Members are involved in many areas of research, which include the following:

• DEA
• Discrete mathematics and its applications
• Discrete modelling, algorithmic analysis and combinatorial (discrete) optimisation
• Optimisation and decision analysis
• Research on health care
• Simulation
• Soft OR
• Supporting strategy.

Information Systems and Management

The Information Systems and Management Group conducts research on the interface between business and technology in contemporary private and public sector organisations using a multi-level approach incorporating society, organisations and people.

• Adoption and diffusion of IT
• IT, innovation and knowledge
• Global sourcing and global virtual networks
• IT strategy
• ICT enabled healthcare
• e-Government
• e-Crime and intelligence integration in the police service
• SOA
• CRM
• Managing large scale ICT projects.

Governance and Public Management

Members of the GPM group are concerned with the study of public management, leadership, finance and policy and also with governance more generally, including that of the economy. Through its close links to the Local Government Centre, the group has a particular emphasis on issues affecting local government and governance. Group members have developed particularly strong connections with public and local institutions in the UK, but there are also concentrations of research on Europe (east and west) and Sub-Saharan Africa.

• Civil society
• CSR
• Governance
• Governance of labour markets and social policy
• Innovation and improvement
• Local and regional governance and economic development
• Local government
• Management in central government, the health service and the criminal justice system
• Public finance and taxation
• Public leadership
• Public value
• Social inclusion and exclusion.

Operations Management

Our faculty has led the movement in Europe towards a 'sector neutral' approach to the study of operations incorporating all service as well as manufacturing sectors.

• Operations management and strategy
• Innovative lean and agile processes
• Service excellence
• Supply chain management
• Performance management
• Health service management.

Marketing and Strategic Management

The central research topics are strategic management, marketing, and international business. Research encompasses a wide range of management and business studies interests, reflecting the multi-disciplinary background of our faculty. There are three distinctive research networks - SAMS, SOLAR and TIRU - whilst topic interests include:

• Economics and innovation
• Corporate governance
• Organisation resilience and terrorism
• M & A
• Branding strategies in professional sports
• Consumer culture and identity
• Sales organisation effectiveness and performance
• Modelling competitive strategy
• Organisations as complex adaptive systems
• Organisational discourse theories
• International business strategy in China
• Organisation learning and dynamic capabilities.