PhD Scholarships in Organization Theory, Business Strategy and International Management University of Italian Switzerland, Lugano, Switzerland
Applications are invited for 5 PhD scholarships in the broadly-defined areas of organization theory, business strategy and international management. Candidates for all the positions are expected to have a strong methodological orientation with a solid background in applied statistics, econometrics and quantitative research methods.
Successful candidates will have to provide evidence of:
- Outstanding academic performance;
- A demonstrated interest in quantitative methods;
- A strong commitment to producing high quality research;
- A strong motivation to publish in the best international academic journals;
- A clear commitment to an international academic career
- Excellent communication and writing skills in English;
- Good organization and project management skills.
Research activities and position-specific requirements are described below.
(A) Resource Partitioning and the Limits to Growth of Organizational Population. Funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation. Duration 2 years renewable.
The Project
The research project involves the conceptualization, construction, and validation of a series of dynamic simulation models. The main objective of the model building activity is to define a virtual laboratory that can be used to reach a more complete understanding of the processes that regulate the dynamic of concentration and specialization in industries and organizational populations. The simulation model is grounded in the organizational theory of resource partitioning. In its most general
form, the theory postulates a link between processes of market concentration
and the proliferation of smaller specialist organizations that is frequently
observed in mature industries.
Candidate Background (position A1)
The ideal candidate will have a good knowledge of simulation methods (particularly system dynamics), an interest in the core questions posed by economic and sociological theories of organizations and business strategy, and a strong background in quantitative research methods. Social scientists having a master degree in their main field of study and applied economists with an interest in developing innovative, empirically grounded models of industry evolution are welcome to apply.
(B) Where do Industry Boundaries Come From? Exploring the Network Dynamics of Mergers and Acquisitions in the International Electricity Industry funded by the European Science Foundation and the Swiss National Science Foundation. Duration 3 years renewable.
The Project
The project is part of a broader European-level research effort to understand the dynamics of social and organizational networks, i.e., how relations among individual and composite actors emerge, change and dissolve over time. The global European project is coordinated by Professor Tom Snjiders at the University of Groningen (The Netherlands) with whom visiting and exchange programs will be arranged. The core of the project is represented by the design and execution of a longitudinal study of
mergers and acquisitions in the global electricity industry during the period 1994-2003. The project has a strong methodological flavor with a specific emphasis on the development and testing of exponential random graph models for the longitudinal analysis of network-based processes and for the co-evolution of networks and behavior.
Candidate Background(Position B1)
The ideal candidate will have some knowledge of at least one of the main programming languages and substantial skills in data-base design, use and management. Social and physical scientists interested in network analysis having a master degree in their main field of study, and young scholars with a master degree in statistics or econometrics interested in developing models for the longitudinal analysis of relational data are particularly welcome to apply.
(Position B2)
The ideal candidate for the second position would have a strong background in quantitative methods for the study of economic processes, demonstrated experience in data analysis, and interest in issues of globalization, international trade, corporate finance, strategy and international management. Economists, social and political scientists having a master degree in their main fields of study are welcome to apply.
Both positions B1 and B2 require fluency in English, excellent computer programming skills and a willingness to travel abroad for extended periods of time
(C) Research and Teaching Assistantship in the economics and organization of energy companies and markets funded by University of Italian Switzerland (1 position)
The Project
The chosen candidate will work 2 days a week as teaching assistant and use the remaining time to work toward his or her PhD degree within the Faculty of Economic Sciences at the University of Italian Switzerland. Indicative research areas include energy and energy policy, business strategy and policy, computational and mathematical models of organizations and organizational processes.
The specific research theme will depend in part on the interest demonstrated by the candidate. Initial financial support for 1 year (renewable for a total of maximum 5 years) is provided directly by the University of Italian Switzerland. Renewal is subject to satisfactory progress in the doctoral program.
Candidate Background (Position C1)
The ideal candidate will have a good working knowledge of a variety of simulation methods and techniques (System Dynamics would be considered an advantage) and good computer programming skills. Both natural and social scientists, as well as engineers and computer scientists with a master degree in their main field of study and who are willing to develop an interest in the social sciences are encouraged to apply. The willingness to develop at least some appreciation of the main economic and policy issues related to deregulation, strategic, organizational and market change will be considered an advantage.
(D) Research and Teaching Assistantship in organizational diversity: antecedents and multi-level consequences funded by University of Italian Switzerland (1 position)
The Project
The chosen candidate will work 2 days a week as teaching assistant and use the remaining time to work toward his or her PhD degree within the Faculty of Communication Sciences Indicative research areas include organizational theory, sociology of markets, and applied models of firm competition and industrial evolution.
The specific research theme will depend in part on the interest demonstrated by the candidate. Initial financial support for 1 year (renewable for a total of maximum 5 years) is provided directly by the University of Italian Switzerland. Renewal is subject to satisfactory progress in the doctoral program.
Candidate Background (Position D1)
The ideal candidate will have a Master in Management, Economics, Sociology or Communication Sciences and good knowledge of diverse statistical techniques (or, at least, have an inclination to explore them). Conceiving diversity as the dynamo of evolutionary change, the project will revolve around the development of theoretical and empirical models that explore the drivers and the consequences of organizational diversity. Particular emphasis will be devoted to its implications for firm-level performance and policy-making. A good command of English and working knowledge of
Italian is requested.
The selected candidates will be required to follow courses and fulfil the requirements for the PhD degree at USI. The University of Italian Switzerland is a multilingual and multicultural academic institution. Most of the doctoral courses will be taught in English but a good knowledge of at least one of the official Swiss national languages will constitute a definite advantage.
The bursary for all the positions is approximately CHF 33.000 (gross) per year. Positions A1, B1, and B2 are related to research projects supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation and can be renewed once based on performance considerations.
Position C1 and D1 receive direct support from the University of Italian Switzerland for initially 1 year with continuation conditional on satisfactory performance in the PhD program.
Interested candidates are invited to submit an application letter, a detailed CV a brief statement of purpose and interest (maximum three pages), at least two letters of recommendation, evidence of academic achievement, and their best publication (if applicable). To receive full attention all the application material must be in English.
Applications and requests for additional information should be send no later than June 1, 2006 to:
Professor Alessandro Lomi (lomia@lu.unisi.ch)
Faculty of Communication Sciences
Or
Professor Erik Larsen (erik.larsen@lu.unisi.ch)
Faculty of Economic Sciences
University of Italian Switzerland
Via Buffi 13
CH-6904 Lugano - Switzerland
Website: http://www.unisi.ch/en/concorsi.htm?id=
Source: http://www.eastchance.com/anunt.asp?q=32,other,sch
