The Entrepreneurship and the Future of Work Research Group promotes interdisciplinary theoretical and applied research, initiatives and activities in diverse areas. Our research interests address contemporary issues in strategy, entrepreneurship, business ethics, human resource management, employment relations, organisation studies, sociology of work, organisational psychology, computer science, and the law.
The Research Group conducts local, national, international research in three broad thematic research areas:
- Contemporary issues in entrepreneurship & business
- Employee and worker engagement & wellbeing
- Digitalization of work, artificial intelligence & technology
Contemporary issues in entrepreneurship & business: We aim to study current and relevant topics related to entrepreneurship, such as leadership in SMEs, strategy, innovation, business startups, economic development, international entrepreneurship, and the challenges and opportunities faced by entrepreneurs in today’s fast-paced business landscape. We also aim to study how organisations can contribute to creating sustainable, ethical, and socially responsible communities. This involves exploring how businesses engage in sustainable practices, adhere to ethical standards, and take on corporate social responsibility as part of their core mission.
Employee and worker engagement & wellbeing: We aim to study the factors that contribute to the overall wellbeing of employees and workers. This encompasses areas such as working conditions, employment relations, employee voice, equality, diversity, inclusion, leadership, and people management. We pay particular attention to understanding the impact of [macro] economic, political, and socio-cultural contexts on the [meso] organisation level, the relationship between employee/worker and management, the employee/worker experience with work, and the strategic implications for leading and managing people.
Digitalization of work, artificial intelligence & technology: We aim to study the ongoing digital transformation, and how the advent of artificial intelligence and technology are shaping new forms of employment and new ways of working. We explore how these technological advances impact the lives of employees and workers, leading to changes in the overall work environment and in employment and management practices.
Dr Ali Tighnavard Balasbaneh’s research focuses on sustainable construction materials with a focus on decision-making processes. Currently he is concentrating on the social impact of project manager development. Ali is involved in two international research projects that reflect his research specialism, including a project that is examining maintenance management in the context of higher education in Malaysia.
Cherry Cheung has worked on a range of funded projects in social entrepreneurship with a focus on the entrepreneurial skills of refugees. A recent paper included data from 494 business schools in the US that are accredited by AACSB, and found a positive relationship between universities’ commitment to sustainability, diversity, their spiritual ethos and social enterprise provision. Cherry’s current research interests include CSR/ ESG, entrepreneurship amongst vulnerable groups (e.g. refugees and those with autism and other neurodivergent conditions), social entrepreneurship, the legal aspects of business and business and law pedagogies.
Dr Craig Duckworth’s research is in the area of business ethics and normative economics, with application to governance. His work focuses on the moral foundations of business practice and the implications for public policy. Craig is a partner researcher on a British Academy small grant project examining the ethical training needs of economics professionals. This research is being undertaken in partnership with academics from a number of universities in the UK and Ireland. He has also recently co-edited a book on Teaching Ethics to Economists and is researching applied issues in the interdisciplinary area of ethics and institutional economics.
Dr Jingnan Li is researching entrepreneurial fundraising and how its performance is affected by ethnicity and linguistic style. He is undertaking this research in collaboration with researchers in China and Canada. Jingnan is also publishing in the areas of workforce diversity and organisational responsibility.
Dr Saranzaya Manalsuren specialises in equitable and sustainable managerial practices supporting the justice, equality, diversity and inclusion (JEDI) agenda. Her research focus is on developing theoretical and practical approaches to improving working relationships (managerial roles, employee voice, uncertainty, gender equality) for managers by examining the impacts of macro (socio-cultural, institutional and political changes), meso (organisational culture, uncertainty and networking) and micro (generational differences, gender and lived experiences). She is undertaking empirical investigations in Mongolia in a variety of organisational settings (e.g., public, SMEs and MNEs) and across different types of workers (traditional, temporary, and expatriates).
Dr Fernanda Yumi Tsujiguchi is a former postdoctoral research fellow at the Gustavson School of Business, University of Victoria. Her research focuses on how multiple actors, such as entrepreneurs, corporations, and the state can build an environment of pro-innovation through institutions that incentivize creative and entrepreneurial thinking, opportunities, and new venture creation. Recent publications focus on symbolic, cultural, and historical aspects of organizational practices and their capacity to enable new ventures, innovation, and different business models.
