Research strategy for Department of Management

The Department of Management (MGMT) aims to create top-quality research-based knowledge. The research-based knowledge created at MGMT is published in scientific journals and feeds into the department’s education programmes. Moreover, our research is aimed at supporting complex problem solving outside academia. In that way, MGMT’s research seeks impact as being scientifically rigorous and novel as well as relevant to the surrounding world. Our research environment strives to be open-minded and driven by discussion, dialogue and critical reflection.

Within the immense field of management and its neighboring fields, MGMT finds that freedom for the individual researcher in choosing research topic, data, methods, etc. is a core value. Also, responsible research conduct constitutes a core value, and we encourage an ongoing dialogue about this issue. 

Through an enhanced strategic focus, we seek to boost our research results published at the highest international level. Hence, we aim to have our research published in world-leading research journals and other prestigious publication channels with considerable impact within the traditional fields of management and related disciplines. These include marketing, consumer research, organisation studies, strategy, information systems research, international business, corporate communication, innovation, entrepreneurship, accounting, project management, etc. In parallel MGMT also encourages publishing research in the best scientific journals in neighboring fields, such as sociology, political science, economics, psychology, etc. through collaboration with experts in these fields.

MGMT will take further steps towards motivating researchers to publish their research findings in top scientific outlets by connecting research efforts and publication quality to individual career development opportunities and remuneration. Still, MGMT does not only focus on original and relevant research outcomes, we also support the process towards improved research quality. This is done by offering all career levels training opportunities as well as support, advice and mentoring activities as regards publication submissions and grant applications. This demonstrates how MGMT actively encourages researchers to develop innovative and original research ideas and methods on novel and useful topics.

The string of strong publication track records, creative research ideas, rigorous application and development of methods and methodology, as well as interesting research phenomena jointly establish the requirements needed to attract more external research funding from national and international sources. In short, by improving the quality of research published, MGMT seeks to obtain more external research funding. We acknowledge that a substantial increase in research quality may potentially cause a minor reduction in the quantity of our research outcomes.

In recent years, MGMT’s research output has taken a stable, upward trajectory. To continue and accelerate this positive development, MGMT strongly supports research conducted in collaboration with international researchers from leading universities and business schools around the world. Thus, MGMT seeks to be a valuable partner for international research collaboration.  

Talent development and talent attraction are important for improving research outcomes and processes. At MGMT, we support flexible and competitive career development, for example, by aiming to attract highly qualified and promising researchers especially at the junior level. We seek to create the best possible environment to support our junior staff in obtaining faculty tenure. We aim at constantly developing our commitment to research by strengthening both the conditions and content of our PhD education programme. Our goal is to prepare our doctoral students as well as all staff to compete on the job market with the best universities in the world. Thus, placement of PhD students and staff at other great universities has great strategic focus at the department.

One way of attracting and developing research and talent is through externally funded projects. MGMT aims at increasing the external funding of projects and we have allocated significant resources to support the application process. The department sees these activities as central to the careers of professors, because a major research grant is an effective way of building up the level of research activities and development of talent in research groups and sections. Professors’ opportunity to employ PhD students, postdocs and to fund large empirical data collection is enabled through external grants. This is further incentivised through departmental incentive programmes. Applying for external funding is thus strongly encouraged and is a key factor in the career path of professors.