Four PhD Students in Business Studies

The Department of Business Studies is the largest department within the Faculty of Social Sciences at Uppsala University, with its approximately 130 co-workers. We conduct extensive PhD education and have about 30 PhD students. The research schools MIT, GRASS, Nord-IB and FIRE are connected to the department. The department conducts research and provides PhD education in the following fields: Accounting/Finance, Entrepreneurship, International Business, Marketing and Organisation/Management.

The department has Swedish as its working language, but most research at the department is conducted in English.

The PhD student positions are announced following:

• 2 general PhD student positions in Business Studies. We would like to see applicants in Entrepreneurship and International Business – but also in Marketing, Organisation and Accounting. Financed through faculty funding.

We are looking for a PhD candidate interested in conducting research in the field of entrepreneurship. In our research, we investigate why, how, and with what results new ideas are created, received, and disseminated (or not), in different environments and temporal contexts. It is often a matter of entrepreneurs' business ideas and how these are developed within start-ups, but it can also be about ideas that are created and developed by already existing companies and organizations. Together with your supervisor, you will develop a specific project that relates to ongoing or emerging entrepreneurship research at the Department of Business Studies. It is therefore important that you have a strong interest in the subject area of entrepreneurship in a general sense, while remaining open to developing a more specific project with your supervisor.

We are looking for a PhD student interested in conducting research in the field of international business. In an era of geopolitical uncertainty and changes in global integration of countries' economies, individual firms are subject to change. This can involve many important issues that relate broadly to how firms expand into foreign markets or how they shape strategies and manage their organizations and operations across many countries. Together with your supervisor, you will develop a specific project that relates to the ongoing research at the Department of Business Studies. It is therefore important that you have a strong interest in the subject area of international business in a general sense while having a flexible approach to developing a more specific project in collaboration with supervisors.

• PhD student positions in Business Studies related to the following research projects:

Project 1: Expertise and Decision-Making (Judgments and Decisions) in the Fund Industry

The program will examine expertise and decision-making (judgments and decisions) in the fund industry. Specifically, it will investigate the relationship between IT and human decision-making in fund management and trade. A special emphasis will be on the relationship between financial models and intuitive expertise. The fund industry has undergone a technical revolution with even actively traded funds being run by AI. How is this related to human decision-making in the funds and performance of the funds? How is expertise utilized, and how is the development perceived from the industry but also from the investors? Using both qualitative and quantitative research methods the program aims at adding knowledge about the use of and relationship between expertise and IT, especially within fund management. The program will be part of and add to the existing research on expertise and the use of intuitive expertise in judgments and decisions carried out at the department. Hence, the doctoral candidate is expected to contribute to the research group consisting of the supervisors, among others. The applicants should clearly state if they are primarily interested (and proven qualified) in performing research doing quantitative and/or qualitative research methods. The successful PhD candidate will have the possibility to develop their project plans together with the supervisors, but a specific focus will be put on expertise and IT issues in the fund industry.

Number of positions: 1

Project 2: Directions and Drivers of Technological Trajectories of Swedish MNCs over the Past Three Decades

In the early 1990s, a number of studies were published that highlighted the technological development and international competitiveness of Swedish multinationals. However, we know very little about what has happened over the past three decades. During this period, the global economy and corporate management have undergone a number of changes that have altered the conditions for companies' technological development. Based on patent data and information collected from annual reports, the research project intends to highlight patterns in technology development in some 40 Swedish multinational companies, with a focus on where in the world the development takes place, how it has been affected by developments in the global economy and global crises, and the connection to changing corporate management.

For this project, applicants will need to be interested in the collection and analysis of quantitative data, and to possess or be able to develop the ability to apply advanced statistical methods. Knowledge of Swedish language is an advantage but not a requirement.

Number of positions: 1

General information

Duties: The duties of a PhD student are primarily focused on his/her own research education, (4 years full-time), 90 academic credits of courses and 150 credits research for the doctoral thesis. To a limited extent (maximum 20 %), the work may also involve other departmental duties, mainly related to teaching undergraduate courses – in which case the position may be extended to maximum five years. General rules about PhD education can be found (in Swedish) in Högskoleförordningen Chapter 5, §§ 1-7, in Uppsala University rules and in the General Study Plan for PhD studies at the Department of Business Studies, Uppsala University.

Requirements: General entry requirement: an advanced level qualification, has satisfied fulfillment of the requirements for courses comprising at least 240 credits, of which at least 60 credits awarded at the advanced level, including at least 15 credits for an individual piece of work, or has acquired substantially equivalent knowledge in some other way.
Specific entry requirement: courses in Business Studies comprising 90 credits.

In order to receive a PhD position, the candidate needs to be admitted to the doctoral programme, and for this, his/her potential ability to pursue the programme is decisive.

Note that a master thesis that has not yet been completed and assessed by the application deadline is given respite until June 5, 2025.

Requirements - Language requirement in English: All applicants need to verify English language proficiency that corresponds to English studies at upper secondary (high school) level in Sweden ("English 6"). This can be done in a number of ways, including through an internationally recognised test such as TOEFL or IELTS, or through previous upper secondary (high school) or university studies.

The minimum test scores are:

• IELTS: an overall mark of 6.5 and no section below 5.5
• TOEFL: Paper-based: Score of 4.5 (scale 1–6) in written test and a total score of 575. Internet-based: Score of 20 (scale 0–30) in written test and a total score of 90
• Cambridge: CAE, CPE

More information about English language requirements

Criteria for assessment of applications: please see the criteria.

The application must include:

1. CV
2. Certified graduation diploma and transcripts of academic records, and other relevant documents that prove general and specific eligibility.
3. Research proposal in either English or Swedish (max. 12,000 characters including spaces). The research proposal should address the main research questions and the relevance of the project, relate the project to relevant previous research in the field, and present issues regarding data and methodology.
4. Motivation letter. In the motivation letter you will have to specify which project position you are interested in.
5. Master thesis and books, articles, scripts, etc invoked. Note that a master thesis that has not yet been completed and assessed by the application deadline is given respite until june 5, 2025.
6. TOEFL/IELTS-test (or equivalent). Note that applicants with a master’s degree from an English-speaking university or programme do not need to prove their English skills by submitting a TOEFL/IELTS-test. Information about English tests can be found in the link above.
7. Two letters of reference/recommendation (for example, from university teachers or employers). The letters have to include the contact information to the referees (e-mail address and phone number). The recommendation should state in what way the referent has known the applicant. We are particularly interested in an assessment of the applicant in terms of our admissions criteria. Instructions for recommendation letters.

Interview: An evaluation committee assesses the applications and provides a recommendation for which candidates should be called for interviews. Call for interviews will take place April 14-16, and (if necessary) May 8-9, 2025 to selected candidates. Those who successfully pass the interviews will have to do a written assignment.

About the employment
The employment is a temporary position according to the Higher Education Ordinance, chapter 5 § 7. Scope of employment 100%. Starting date August 20, 2025. Placement: Uppsala.

For further information about the positions, please contact Director of PhD studies Susanne Åberg, ph +46 (0)18 471 1391, susanne.aberg@fek.uu.se or administrator for PhD studies Golondrian Janke, ph +46 (0)18 471 1369, golondrian.janke@fek.uu.se.

You are welcome to submit your application by March 31, 2025, UFV-PA 2025/395. Only complete applications with supporting documents will be reviewed.

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In case of different interpretations of the English and Swedish versions of this announcement, the Swedish version takes precedence.