Interview with an HDR

Sanduni Senaratne

Tell us a bit about your research and when you expect to finish.

So, I operate within the context of digital labour platforms. Digital labour platforms can be simply thought of as a variety of digital platforms which facilitate the connection between a service requester and a service provider – think Uber, Fiverr, and AirBnB for instance. These have a pervasive presence in the modern economy and have become popular as a way of conducting business itself. These platforms can be identified across various business sectors and there is an increasing trend to adapt platform-based business models by organizations. The extensive dependency on algorithms within such platforms provide an interesting premise for further investigations. In the digital labour platform context, simply think of an algorithm as a set of computer-programmed instructions that convert input data to an output for achieving a predefined goal.

For instance, when you book an Uber, it is an algorithm which connects you to a potential driver who will take you to your intended destination. It is important to understand the role played by such algorithmic applications within labour platforms, in order to prescribe mechanisms for the design of labour platforms that balance various stakeholder interests and as such, lead to sustainable platform-based business models. So, I study algorithmic management in digital labour platforms – where algorithms control and coordinate the resources of such platforms via the vast amounts of data collected and processed by the platform. I’m interested in understanding the make of digital labour platforms from algorithmic and multi-actor perspectives, combining multiple actor roles and responsibilities, and how they are controlled and coordinated via algorithmic management applications across various transaction functions of these platforms. If things go well, I should be done with my studies by 2026!

Who are your supervisors?

My supervisors are Dr. Erwin Fielt and Prof. Marek Kowalkiewicz – So, Erwin is a platform expert and Marek – well, ever heard of ‘The Economy of Algorithms’? Me studying ‘ALGORITHMIC management in digital labour PLATFORMS’, imagine what our brainstorm sessions must be like!

Give us an example of where you hope your research will have impact in the real-world.

My study will provide guidelines for platform owners in designing digital labour platforms that balance the motives of multiple stakeholders. Not only for owners, but this study will also offer useful insights for service providers and service requesters on these platforms – which largely include you and I, and even regulatory bodies, to make informed decisions on evaluating, selecting, governing, joining and staying on-board these platforms.

Tell us your origin story, what made you get into research?

For starters, I never thought that I will end up in the academia. I guess it was destiny. I’ve always had a knack for reading since I was a kid and I read my first research paper when I was an undergraduate student. It was a paper on change management in organizations. I was so awe-struck on the way it was written and how practical it was. It was then that I realized the impact that research can have on the society. Many moons after – voila! here I am doing my PhD!

So, how are things progressing? 

I like the pace at which my study is progressing – I have my fingers crossed for a conference paper soon! I think I’m prone to work best under a healthy level of pressure. Don’t get me wrong, I actually like deadlines! And I think I organize and work best when I have a deliverable that needs to be completed on a specific date – whether they be self-imposed or otherwise. And the same applies to my study. Another very important thing is loving what you do. As you have to be heavily invested in your study for 3-4 years, it’s crucial that you do something that you are honestly passionate about. I believe as long as you have self-discipline and passion for what you do, you’ll be alright 🙂

Tell us something about yourself others may not know.

I LOVE singing, playing the guitar, and reading. And I do make a mean Sri Lankan chicken curry! As a little girl, my passion was to be a presenter for the Discovery channel! I guess one way that I’ve always kept that spark alive is through freelancing as a presenter at events in addition to my career in the academia.

And last but not least… Pineapple on a pizza?

Nope, don’t make me sick!

Oh wait, one more… Star Wars or Star Trek?

Neither, I’m not a total nerd…

John Paul Uminga

Tell us a bit about your research and when you expect to finish.

Entitled ‘Social Networks for Social Entrepreneurship: How Social Entrepreneurs Use and Benefit from Social Capital’, the aim of the study is to elucidate how social entrepreneurs mobilise social capital (SC). Defined as the “ability of actors to obtain benefits by virtue of their membership in social networks or other social structures” (Portes, 1998, p. 6), social capital plays a critical role especially for resource-constrained social entrepreneurs. An empirical investigation will be carried out to explore the three dimensions of SC namely structural, relational, and cognitive to understand how social entrepreneurs access, use, and benefit from SC. The study will employ two parallel in-depth case studies using semi-structured interviews, document analysis, and field observations, and social network analysis (SNA). Cases will compare two social entrepreneurial networks from the Asia Pacific region – one in Australia and the other in the Philippines.

Who are your supervisors?

Dr Craig Furneaux and Dr Ruth Knight. They have been amazing supervisors, mentors and friends in this whole journey. Having scholar-practitioners supporting my work has been really valuable.

Give us an example of where you hope your research will have impact in the real-world.

The study will provide insights as to the real-life experiences of social entrepreneurs cultivating, using, and benefiting from social capital in their social entrepreneurial ventures. While anecdotal accounts of the importance of networking and cultivating relationships with others abounds, this systematic and documented approach hopes to provide deeper insights to this process. These first-hand accounts can then hopefully influence existing and future programming of governments and other support institutions advocating for social entrepreneurs, as well as those that facilitate networks for the bigger objective of enabling a thriving social impact ecosystem, both locally and internationally.

Tell us your origin story, what made you get into research?

I have been in the advocacy of entrepreneurship development and social innovation for about 15 years and was privileged to be surrounded by inspiring SMEs and social entrepreneurs who are all wanting to make a difference for people and planet. I’ve always thought that my lifelong calling is to help enable this space through programming, consulting and research. There are definitely a lot of opportunities to deepen our knowledge on the inner workings of social enterprises and social entrepreneurs and I would love to be able to continue contributing to that, and I think developing research skills and doing actual research are steps in the right direction.

So, how are things progressing? 

The PhD journey definitely has its ups and downs. I had to file for a leave of absence to attend to a medical emergency in the family. Being surrounded by a supportive community is really doing the magic from my supervisors and mentors, fellow research students and the larger university community and even beyond! I am learning so much including a research methodology I have never used before. Being in the sector that I am passionate about provides me the the needed push when things get uncertain, and just being open to challenges and learning new and unlearning and re-learning things.

Tell us something about yourself others may not know.

I used to be (or maybe I still am) a hoarder – from handwritten letters, flight tickets, bills from different countries, etc. It’s just nice to collect things especially with sentimental value. Also, I always thought if I had the money and the time in the world, I’d love to be a neurosurgeon.

And last but not least… Pineapple on a pizza?

Yep, for sure! 

Oh wait, one more… Star Wars or Star Trek?

Neither, I’m not a total nerd…

Ashesha Weerasinghe

Tell us a bit about your research and when you expect to finish.

My research investigates whether CEO & director benevolence influences corporate misconduct. CEO & director benevolence is proxied through their involvement in Not-For-Profit (NFP) leadership positions simultaneously with corporate leadership. Misconduct includes any unethical conduct by organizations generating adverse consequences for any stakeholders. I use upper echelon, enlightened shareholder, and moral licensing theories to inform the research design and results interpretation. The sample includes Australian listed firms for the period of 2010 to 2019 and data is hand-collected for both benevolence and misconduct variables. I will be doing my final seminar this month (February 2024).

Who are your supervisors?

Principal Supervisor: Professor Ellie Chapple, Associate Supervisor: Dr Alexandra Williamson. Both my supervisors are extremely supportive in all aspects: guidance, feedback, brainstorming ideas, frequent meetings, friendly, and talented. They are willing to support and have conversations with me whenever required. Also, their encouragement and guidance for research are exceptional and very helpful.

Give us an example of where you hope your research will have impact in the real-world.

My research recognizes the need and opportunity for viewing CEO/director personal characteristics through their moral conduct. Prior research predominantly examines CEO/director demographic and technical characteristics’ influence on corporate outcomes. Thus, the recognition of the potential to view their characteristics through moral conduct and its influence on corporate outcomes, provides a novel space for future research, as well as providing insights to regulators, investors, and corporate recruitment.

Tell us your origin story, what made you get into research?

This idea was raised when reviewing the corporate governance literature. Prior literature is dominated with linking CEO/director characteristics such as education, age, skills, experience, networks, & interlocks. However, corporate outcomes are a reflection of not only their technical & demographic features, but how they perceive their corporate and social responsibilities. Thus, my conjecture is that corporate leaders’ moral standing matters for strategic decision-making and ultimate corporate outcomes. So, this was the lightbulb moment where I realized the opportunity in this area.

So, how are things progressing? 

Things are progressing well. Obviously, I have had difficulties at certain stages to keep my momentum. However, I was able to understand that ups & downs are normal in this journey and perseverance is what matters. I did not have moments of giving up and rather it is just different periods of different productivity levels. For instance, in certain months, I was doing data collection quite slowly and in certain months, quite fast. I think the most productive part is my third year after I had all my data collected. I was very productive in the analyses, writing up and developing my research story through the Thesis.

Tell us something about yourself others may not know.

One thing that others do not know about me is that I was not a focused student when I was a teenager. Undoubtedly, I had the intelligent level to perform as a great student, however, there was a huge period of time in life where I did not have any dreams, goals, focus, or the willingness to take higher education. So, basically, a few years ago, I never thought I would even do a Bachelors degree. However, things changed and I finally ended up pursuing a Bachelors, Masters, & PhD. Interestingly, people I meet now may think I am a nerd, however, its just in the last 6 or 7 years.

And last but not least… Pineapple on a pizza?

Honestly, I could go either way.

Oh wait, one more… Star Wars or Star Trek?

Neither, I’m not a total nerd…

___________

Got a minute? 

Read this interesting article Ashesha wrote a little while ago, Are we closing the gap in corporate leadership? A closer look at Reconciliation Action Plans

Mehrzad Saeedikiya

Tell us a bit about your research and when you expect to finish.

My research is on digital transformation and innovation. In that, I take a dynamic capabilities approach toward understanding how digital transformation affects the firm overall performance and its innovation outcomes. The thesis has been structured as a thesis by publication in which three papers have been predicted. One systematic literature review, one qualitative paper and one quantitative. In the first paper, the current state of the knowledge on digital transformation and innovation is the focus of the study. The second paper considers how dynamic capabilities of the firm give rise to their digital transformation and how they affect innovation outcomes in the firms undergone digital transformation. The third paper is on the interplay of firm digital strategy, digital transformation, and performance outcomes. I expect to finish my thesis mid 2024.

Who are your supervisors?

My supervisors are Sandeep Salunke and Marek Kowalkiewicz. Both of them are approachable and have a deep knowledge of the topic. Sandeep is very knowledgeable and Marek is so cooperative.

Give us an example of where you hope your research will have impact in the real-world.

In the real word, due to their efficiency and productivity concerns, competitive pressures, pandemic crises, and sustainability needs, the firms undergo digital transformation. However, the existing research has not captured how the firms can be more innovative when they undergo digital transformation, what are the dynamic capabilities helping them to renew their resource base under resource fluctuations, intense technological innovations, and changing competitive landscape. Our research will figure out how capabilities emerge and facilitates digital transformation and innovation in the firms, specifically small firms.

Tell us your origin story, what made you get into research?

I started thinking of digital transformation during pandemics in which the firms had supply chain fluctuations and resource constraints. In that time, the topic of digital transformation was one of the biggest concepts that could help the firm stay resilient, survive, and ideally, thrive. This was the start of the journey. I was thinking of thriving even in the pandemic rather than surviving (the main research stream in the verge of pandemic). Having an entrepreneurial background and keen interest in digital technology research, led me to propose several research topics around digital entrepreneurship, digital technology or transformation. Attending CFE seminars and talking to my supervisors helped me to refine the ideas. Taking our background and shared interest into consideration helped me choose the right topic which I am today really happy with.

So, how are things progressing? 

For me the most challenging part of my PhD was starting from my home country online without having any idea of how the academic procedures are in Australia and how I can achieve my maximum potential. The second was my concerns about how I can fit the research topic to the research and expertise of my supervisory team. I proposed several topics and it took time to came to agreement about the rigour and the relevance of my research and it’s expected contributions. In the academic life of PhD students there are too many ups and downs and I think, both supervisors and the research centres should be aware of. Like many others, I had some ups and downs. I think the most challenging part for me was the time that the cognitive loads and cognitive dissonance regarding research pressures and life stresses leading me to ask myself: are you built for academic research? Then four things helped me recover: seeing that this challenge is a normal routine of many students, my supervisory team’s approachability, CFE community’s seminar series that helped me to gain confidence on my research topic, and finally, my ambitions to become more efficient person in my life.

Tell us something about yourself others may not know.

I always had a dream of doing something related to the right side of my brain: music, art, handicrafts. The funniest thing about me was that in my childhood I wanted to be a DJ playing music for marriage celebrations 😋

And last but not least… Pineapple on a pizza?

Yep, for sure! 

Oh wait, one more… Star Wars or Star Trek?

Neither, I’m not a total nerd…

___________

Got a minute? 

Read Mehrzad’s latest paper, Toward a dynamic capability perspective of digital transformation in SMEs: A study of the mobility sector

Jennifer Kruwinnus

Tell us a bit about your research and when you expect to finish.

I am researching how women, as compared to men, make it to Chief Executive Officer positions in very large Australian nonprofit organisations. Despite having three in four employees in the nonprofit sector who are women, only one in five women make it to the Chief Executive Officer position of very large nonprofit organisations. While more enablers have been identified that help women become Chief Executive Officers in the for-profit sector, those factors specific to women in the nonprofit sector are limited. To identify individual and structural enablers and barriers to the nonprofit CEO position for women, I conducted focus groups and semi-structured interviews with male and female leaders of peak Australian nonprofit bodies, Chief Executive Officers of very large Australian charities and executive recruiters. I have analysed the findings using Pierre Bourdieu’s theoretical framework of capital, habitus, and field. I have extracted some women-specific enablers and barriers to the nonprofit CEO position. I plan to finish my dissertation by mid-March 2024.

Who are your supervisors?

I had some changes to my supervisory team. Until recently, Associate Professor Wendy Scaife was my primary supervisor. Due to her retirement, I have gained another primary supervisor, Professor Belinda Luke. Professor Michael Rosemann has been my associate supervisor since the beginning of my HDR journey. I also have an external supervisor from The University of Queensland, Associate Professor Terrance Fitzsimmons. I am grateful for the variety of perspectives and discipline knowledge all my supervisors bring to the team and for their continued support.

Give us an example of where you hope your research will have impact in the real-world.

I hope that my research helps to enhance the representation of women in nonprofit CEO positions. I also hope my findings will help women who want to become CEOs achieve their goal.

Tell us your origin story, what made you get into research?

Since my master’s studies, I have been passionate about leadership. I have always been fascinated by CEOs and how one could achieve this position. When I realised there are still significant gender imbalances in CEO positions, I came up with a research topic to contribute to reducing these imbalances. I hope my research will enable more women to become CEOs and help to enhance gender balance.

So, how are things progressing? 

The first year of my HDR journey was all about planning the project. It was a good plan and I passed confirmation. What I did not expect was the long time it takes to find participants for my research. It was not easy to get nonprofit sector leaders and CEOs of very large Australian charities. In the end, I have reached my target and conducted 50 interviews, besides holding two focus group. I am proud about this achievement, but I now know that research can take longer than expected.

Tell us something about yourself others may not know.

If I had to do it all over again, I would tell my younger self that despite many hurdles and obstacles along the way, the PhD is a rewarding learning process, not only intellectually but also personally. It is a challenge in many ways, but it has been a great experience and I learnt many things that I would have never learnt if I hadn’t started this journey.

And last but not least… Pineapple on a pizza?

Nope, don’t make me sick!

Oh wait, one more… Star Wars or Star Trek?

Neither, I’m not a total nerd…