The Department of Management and Marketing and the Department of Economics, Cork University Business School (CUBS), University College Cork, invite motivated and talented graduates with outstanding academic records to apply for the CUBS PhD Scholarship for a project titled “Evaluating Flexible Working – Policies, Practices and Impacts.” The supervisory team consists of Dr Lauren Bari (Lecturer in Management), Dr Aileen Murphy (Senior Lecturer in Economics), and Dr Edel Walsh (Lecturer in Economics).
Project Outline
This PhD research will investigate flexible work practices and policies and their impacts on organisational performance, individual well-being and societal issues such as the gender pay gap.
Expectations around work-life and work-care balance have been on an upward trajectory, reflecting social and cultural changes such as more women entering the workforce, changing parenting norms, individualisation of the employment relationship and tight labour markets in some sectors. Legal measures such as the Flexible Working Directive, an expansion of shared parental and other forms of leave for workers, as well as technological advancements that facilitate remote and hybrid working have combined to offer new ways to adapt ones working life to the demands of the domestic sphere.
As a result demand for flexible working among the workforce is growing. This includes reduced working time, job-share, remote and hybrid working, project-based work and autonomy. Consequently, inflexibility can be a reason for high turnover, shortage of skilled workers, dissatisfaction and stress at work. Furthermore, with increasing EU-level legal and policy measures around flexible work for carers, parents, and employees more broadly, we seek to understand how organisations and individuals are managing these demands, which occupations and sectors experience specific challenges and what the implications are for diversity, inclusion, and issues such as gender pay gaps.
Economic theory has tended to position flexibility as a compensating differential in utility models, whereby the benefits of flexibility act as a compensating factor for lower earnings. Occupations and sectors that offer high levels of flexibility have tended to be lower paid and also tended to be disproportionately carried out by women seeking to manage the dual responsibilities of work and care. These occupational segregation factors thus contribute to sex-based wage gaps (the ‘gender pay gap’). Fewer opportunities for vertical mobility within such sectors also act as barriers to women’s career progression, further contributing to sex-based financial and career inequities. Recent research find gender pay gaps are associated with the relative cost of flexibility and how women pay this cost more than men. Analysis of employee-led flexible working arrangements placed emphasis not just on working time and location but also factors such as employee substitutability and autonomy. The link between these factors and a shortage of women in higher-level roles and gender pay gaps creates a challenge for some types of businesses and industries, depending on how amenable the work-type is to these types of flexibility.
This research will use primary and secondary level data from a variety of large surveys, including but not limited to the European Social Survey, Labour Force Survey, BEEPs, Flash Eurobarometer, Gender Pay Reports. A variety of econometric analysis techniques will be employed to quantitatively analyse the data at individual and firm level as appropriate to address the following topics:
- Sectoral analysis on gender pay gap and flexible working
- Impact of flexible working on firm performance
- The well-being gap / effect of flexible working on individuals' well-being
This research will consider flexible work from both human resource management and economic perspectives.
Entry Requirements
Minimum 2:1 undergraduate degree (or equivalent) in an appropriate discipline (e.g., Business Management, Psychology, Human Resource Management, Economics, or other relevant degree), and desirably: appropriate research experience, good communication, organisation, quantitative and interpersonal skills. We are looking to recruit the highest calibre of PhD student from Ireland or abroad for this prestigious award which is funded by Cork University Business School.
If English is not your first language you will need to satisfy the English language requirement:
- IELTS: 6.5 - with no individual section lower than 5.5
- TOEFL: 90 - with minimum scores as follows: Listening - 17; Reading - 18; Speaking - 20; Writing - 17
Funding
The scholarships will cover Home/EU fees and a monthly stipend (€22,000 per annum) and will be open to both Home/EU and international students. Efforts will be made to provide non-EU students with equivalent fees and monthly stipend. This will be dependent on negotiation around the application of fees.
Although the funding will be guaranteed for 4 years, scholarship recipients will also be expected to apply for appropriate external funding (e.g. IRC) and it is subject to satisfactory progress in studies.
The responsibilities and duties of the PhD student will be as follows:
- To conduct a specified programme of research under the supervision and direction of the supervisory team.
- To engage in appropriate training and professional development opportunities as required by the supervisory team, School or College in order to develop research skills and competencies.
- To engage in the dissemination of the results of the research in which they are engaged, as directed by, with the support of and under the supervision of the supervisory team.
- To become familiar with the extant literatures and publication process.
- To acquire generic and transferable skills (including project management, business skills).
- To engage in the wider research and scholarly activities of the research group, School or College.
- To carry out administrative work to support the programme of research.
- To carry out additional duties as may reasonably be required within the general scope and level of the post.
The PhD student will be based in the Department of Management and Marketing and the Department of Economics, CUBS. They will also be a PhD scholar within the Human Resource Research Centre. CUBS is committed to providing a dynamic and supportive learning and research environment, which recognises the diverse backgrounds and interests of both students and staff. In line with this, the successful applicant will be provided with a supportive supervisory team and will be provided with learning and networking opportunities to attain the highest standards of academic excellence. This scholarship seeks to build on our already strong cohort of PhD scholars.
Assessment of the applications will be based on demonstrated potential for excellence in research and the strength of the candidates CV and academic experience. Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed as part of the competition. Annual performance reviews will take place and satisfactory progress is required for continuation of the funding award.
Application Procedure
Applicants should email [email protected] in the first instance with:
- Completed application form which can be downloaded here.
- An academic CV including evidence of any publications, awards, skills or presentations at conferences, and contact details of two referees
- A letter of interest
Closing Date
Wednesday 15th May 2024.
Interviews will take place mid-June. The start date will be 1st October 2024.