Call for applications to the PHD course (3 ECTS) on “Values and decision-making. Social Theories and Methods for Research in Sustainable Organizations”

Venue: Inter-University Center Dubrovnik, Croatia

Dates: 10-13 September 2021

Course directors:

• Assist.-Prof. Dr. Kresimir Zazar, University of Zagreb, Croatia
• Prof. Dr. Dr. habil. Steffen Roth, La Rochelle Business School, France, and University of Turku, Finland
• Dr. Klaus Laursen, Aarhus University, Denmark

Course description:

This course is targeted to PhD students with disciplinary backgrounds in the social sciences broadly conceived to include, inter alia, sociology, management, economics, or anthropology.

The course aims to:

1. Impart knowledge on recent developments on social theories and research methods for organization studies, with a particular focus being on the role values play in decision-making in organizations of the 21st century,
2. Train skills that help participants with developing their research papers as well as a conducive publication strategy,
3. Facilitate durable research cooperations among the participants, as well as between participants and programme directors, also foster interinstitutional cooperation at the international level

By the end of the course, participants will have learned about and applied a set of innovatives organizational theories and research methods; have systematically explored the inevitable tensions between value communication and decision-making as well as their impact on the sustainability of organizations; and have further developed a current working paper as well as their skills to develop an original, collaborative research pipeling.

ECTS requirements:

Participants are required to attend all lectures, prepare and present their research papers, take a part in the discussions, as well as to comment their peers works.

Course lecturers:

1. Dr. Klaus Laursen, Aarhus University, Denmark
2. Prof. Dr. habil. Krunoslav Nikodem, University of Zagreb, Croatia
3. Prof. Dr. Dr. habil. Steffen Roth, La Rochelle Business School, France, and University of Turku, Finland
4. Prof. Dr. habil. Vladislav Valentinov, University of Halle-Wittenberg, Germany
5. Assist.-Prof. Dr. Kresimir Zazar, University of Zagreb, Croatia

Application: Please apply by email to Assist.-Prof. Dr. Kresimir Zazar. Applications must include a letter of motivation (300-500 words) as well as an extended abstract of a working paper (1500-3000 words) to be discussed, presented and improved during the paper development workshop sessions. The application deadline is 21. August 2021 at the latest. Acceptance decisions will be sent out on a rolling basis until all spots are filled.

The is no participation fee for presenting participants. Participants in the PHD course might also wish to consider participating in the Luhmann Conference 2021 on “Risks and pathologies. Observed with social systems theory” taking place at the same venue from 14 to 17 September 2021.

Preliminary schedule:

Friday, 10 September 2021

14.00 – 14.30: Introductory session

14.30 – 16.00: Session 1
Prof. Dr. Dr. habil. Steffen Roth: Values and data. Towards a digital transformation of management and organization theory (60 minutes lecture + 30 minutes discussion)

16.00 – 16.30: Break

16.30 – 18.00: Session 2
Dr. Klaus Laursen: Values and Virtues: organizational decision-making premises in a complex environment (60 minutes lecture + 30 minutes discussion)

Saturday, 11 September 2021

9.00-10.30: Session 3
Assist.-Prof. Dr. Kresimir Zazar: Linking Theory and Empirical Research – The Challenge of Establishing Epistemic Connection (60 minutes lecture + 30 minutes discussion)

10.30-11.00: Break

11.00-12.30: Session 4
Prof. Dr. Dr. habil. Steffen Roth: How to publish in a well-ranked journal?’ – (60 minutes lecture + 30 minutes discussion)

12.30-13.00: Break

13.00-14.30: Session 5
Prof. Dr. habil. Vladislav Valentinov: Management of sustainability and ethics in the functionally differentiated society (60 minutes lecture + 30 minutes discussion)

14.30-16.00: Lunch Break

16.00-17.30: Session 6
Paper development workshop

Sunday, 12 September 2021

Day off
17.00 Dubrovnik city tour
19.00 Workshop dinner

Monday, 13 September 2021

9.00-10.30 Session 7
Presentations of students’ papers (including discussion and comments on papers)

10.30-11.00: Break

11.00-12.30 Session 8
Presentations of students’ papers (including discussion and comments on papers)

12.30-13.00: Break

13.00-14.30: Session 9
Presentations of students’ papers (including discussion and comments on papers)

14.30-16.00: Lunch Break

16.00-17.30: Session 10
Concluding discussion and reflection on the values of science

17.30 Course evaluation