Bridging the gap- dynamic managerial capabilities and organisational routines.

Project Summary

The project seeks to explore the interaction between the dynamic managerial capabilities (Teece et al) and organisation routines (Feldman and Pentland) and how, if, they complement one another.

Project Outline

The dynamic capabilities perspective is an important and influential construct in strategic management research. However, this concept is often criticised for lacking conceptual clarity and empirical grounding to support and advance the theory-building process (Arend and Bromiley, 2009; Easterby-Smith et al., 2009; Peteraf et al., 2013). Despite this, the research has significantly advanced and, in this process, has produced a plethora of definitions and orientations. The majority of the published research on dynamic capabilities is grounded in the resource-based view of the firm (Penrose, 1959; Wernerfelt, 1984; Barney, 1991) and is largely informed by two seminal papers (Teece et al., 1997; Eisenhardt and Martin, 2000). Another important research stream is influenced by evolutionary theory and builds on research on organizational routines (Nelson and Winter, 1982; Zollo and Winter, 2002; Helfat and Peteraf, 2003). On a common note, both theoretical perspectives emphasize that dynamic capabilities are learned, patterned, and repetitive activities embodied in strategic processes and routines. Although, these research streams share the consensus that dynamic capabilities are repetitive patterns of actions, (i.e. organisational routines). the subsequent research that followed these conceptions has failed to integrate and take note of empirical verification building on the research stream generated by Feldman and Pentland (2003); Pentland et al. (2012) and Pentland and Hærem (2015). The intention behind this research project is to bring these two important yet distinct literature streams together through empirical testing. This will be achieved by acquiring data from higher education statistics agency in the UK.

Name of potential Director of Studies

Dr Imran Akhtar is the Head of Research and Knowledge Exchange & Senior Lecturer with significant responsibility for research leadership, and staff development (design and delivery). Further to this, he is the head of the Doctoral programme with 50 students on the register. He has a keen interest in Graduate Entrepreneurship and Strategy. He is the founding General Chair of the Doctoral Symposium. He has also championed the PhD ICE (Informal Coffee Events), a series of events where the Doctoral Community and the Staff get together to talk about nothing else but research. In general, he is responsible for the PhD cohort and advancing and fostering the research across the three research strands. The main areas of his teaching are primarily in Postgraduate teaching and PhD supervision. Dr Akhtar has examined 4 UK-based PhD students, is the Director of Studies for 3 students and Second Supervisor for 7 PhD Students. As part of this role, he is a member of the Board of Studies for Research Degrees where he regularly chairs the Doctoral admission panels, organises and leads induction and training events and liaises with the Graduate School to set up and lead progressions panels. He is also a Research Ethics Office for the business school. He is the module leader for a level 7 research methods module delivered to a large number of students at the Business school as well as at other local Schools within the university and international partners. He has published in studies in higher education journals and has presented at leading international and local conferences.

1.    GMBS research strategy themes: Centre for Global Business and Enterprise

The proposed research will be aligned with this research centre as it is aimed at advancing theoretical understanding and thus building a rigorous model to catapult the theoretical debate using substantial data from the higher education statistics agency in the UK.

2.    Contribution to the research environment in your department and how this doctorate will strengthen the overall research culture of GMBS. 

The proposed project will feed into establishing and fostering the research culture as well as help the Centre and the School in achieving their research objectives.