Research facilities and groups

Full-time funded students (Department of Employment and Learning and VCRS grants) have access to training funds to support the development of the PhD. All full-time PhD students are provided with a desk in a shared space and computing and printing equipment.

PhD supervision is available within the research groups listed below.

Accounting and Finance

Within accounting and finance the group focuses on efficiency and performance measurement and the analysis of structural change in the financial sector. Current areas of research include: public sector accounting; charity accounting; performance measurement in NFPOs; banks and credit unions.

Marketing

Research interests fall into two main areas:
(i) SMEs with particular emphasis on the marketing/entrepreneurship interface; and
(ii) the ‘front’ end of the marketing channel, the point of contact between retailer and consumer. Current areas of research include small firms’ marketing theory and practice; SME internationalization; marketing communications; services marketing; SME marketing; qualitative research methodology; factors influencing the performance of SMEs; innovation; knowledge management; strategic marketing; decision- making in entrepreneurial firms; networking as a marketing competency; the role of the Internet in entrepreneurial firms’ marketing; strategy and international business; financial services marketing; internet marketing; direct marketing; public sector marketing; bank marketing; customer marketing; internet banking; motivation for foreign direct investment; customer value and competitive value.

Operations

This group has consolidated its work in the development and application of quantitative and systems based ideas and models. A major interest for members of the group has developed around the implications for a range of organisations of the total quality management philosophy. This is reflected in research work that is focused on supply management and business process improvement. Current areas of research include: electronic commerce and the role of intermediaries, the outsourcing decision-making process, supplier development strategies, early supplier involvement in the design process, supply chain dynamics, public sector procurement and knowledge/innovation management assessment tools.

The research of this group also covers a wide spectrum of issues impinging on the management of human resources within the private and public sectors. The areas researched include NI trade unionism and labour history, labour economics, gender and equality issues, employee relations and employee involvement and participation.