Doctoral student in post-growth business and sufficiency

The International Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics (IIIEE) at Lund University was founded in 1994 and has since developed genuine interdisciplinary education and research focusing on strategies for sustainable development. The Institute facilitates many external research and development projects and two international master programs. More information is available on the Institute's website, www.iiiee.lu.se. The Institute's working language is English.

 Subject description

The doctoral student will work in a multi- and transdisciplinary team on research projects related to sufficiency, post-growth businesses and sustainable consumption. Specific focus will be exploring the role of for-profit and not-for-profit businesses in a post-growth economy. In a post-growth economy, acceptable levels of well-being are achieved and maintained within planetary boundaries, regardless of whether GDP grows or not. As many industrialised economies have already experienced a slowdown of economic growth with adverse consequences for well-being, there is a growing consensus that we need to prepare for a reduction in the pace of growth. The post-growth research community calls for an understanding of how societies can “slow down by design, not disaster”. Post-growth perspectives question the modus operandi of businesses whose purpose has traditionally been to maximise wealth for owners and investors. However, the role of business in a growth-independent economy has not been systematically explored.

The research to which the doctoral student will contribute aims to explore three research questions:

1. How has the post-growth economy and the role of business in the post-growth economy been conceptualised?
2. How can post-growth business models be operationalised and their sustainability potential assessed?
3. What institutional changes may catalyse a business transformation towards a post-growth economy?

The doctoral student will contribute to developing a new transdisciplinary research agenda on post-growth business models, advancing conceptual and empirical understanding of their architectures, sustainability potential, and institutional prerequisites. Specifically, it will contribute to developing and operationalising the principles of a post-growth economy in the context of business models, developing a catalogue of post-growth business models from Sweden, the WEGo countries including Wales, Finland, New Zealand, Scotland, Iceland and Canada, and the European Union, and devising a typology of institutional prerequisites supporting business transformation to a post-growth economy. The doctoral researcher will also contribute to impact and communication activities throughout the project.

We offer

Lund University is a public authority which means that employees get particular benefits, generous annual leave and an advantageous occupational pension scheme. 

Read more on the University website about being a Lund University employee: Work at Lund university

Work duties

The main duties of doctoral students are to devote themselves to their research studies which includes participating in research projects and third cycle courses. The work duties can also include teaching and other departmental duties (no more than 20%).

The position includes conducting high-quality interdisciplinary research, publishing in international scientific journals, providing recommendations to societal actors, supporting the development of user-oriented outputs, and organising and participating in project-related events. Specific tasks of the doctoral student include:

• conducting literature reviews related to post-growth and sufficiency topics 
• developing a novel framework to operationalise post-growth principles in the context of business models, an assessment tool to discern the sustainability potential of post-growth business models and/or typology of institutional prerequisites supporting business transformation to a post-growth economy;
• conducting snapshot and nested case studies of post-growth and sufficiency-oriented business models in the case countries (including field data collection and creating material for the database);
• contributing to the planning and execution of the expert Delphi study, stakeholder workshops, policy analysis and visioning and backcasting work; 
• participating in Mobile Research Labs involving analysis of empirical data collected through interviews, visits, participant observation, and stakeholder engagement processes; 
• contributing to an edited volume on post-growth business models and institutional changes;
• supporting the development of user-oriented outputs, including the database of post-growth business models, policy recommendations, and social media channels;
• contributing to disseminating research results worldwide with curated materials suitable for an open online course.

The position envisions active collaboration and knowledge co-creation with various stakeholders and organisations within and outside the project, including knowledge institutes, international networks, businesses, policymakers, and non-governmental organisations.

Admission requirements

A person meets the general admission requirements for third-cycle courses and study programmes if the applicant:

• has been awarded a second-cycle qualification, or
• has satisfied the requirements for courses comprising at least 240 credits of which at least 60 credits were awarded in the second cycle, or
• has acquired substantially equivalent knowledge in some other way in Sweden or abroad.

A person meets additional admission requirements for the doctoral degree in Postgrowth Business and Sufficiency if the applicant:

• has very good oral and written proficiency in English and Swedish.
• holds a Master’s degree in a relevant, preferably multi-disciplinary, field (e.g., sustainability studies closely linked to governance, management, innovation, institutional, and/or organisational studies).
• has a degree or has passed a course in sustainability or environmental management/policy.

Assessment criteria

Selection for third-cycle studies is based on the student’s potential to profit from such studies. The assessment of potential is made primarily on the basis of academic results from the first and second cycle. Special attention is paid to the following:

1. Knowledge and skills relevant to the thesis project and the subject of study.
2. An assessment of the ability to work independently and to formulate and tackle research problems.
3. Written and oral communication skills in English and Swedish.
4. Other experience relevant to the third-cycle studies, e.g., professional experience.

Other assessment criteria:

• documented ability to identify and justify research gaps, formulate a research problem, research aims and research questions;
• documented experience in analysing post-growth and sufficiency-oriented business models and/or other forms of (sustainable) innovations in business and/or policy contexts related to post-growth and sufficiency, based on theories and methods from social sciences;
• documented evidence of experience with relevant research methods, e.g. policy analysis, systems mapping, future studies methodologies, Delphi expert studies, systematic literature reviews, interviews, stakeholder engagement methods and skills, etc.
• documented experience of studying or working internationally;
• documented experience of studying or working in interdisciplinary settings;
• documented experience of collaborating with others (including societal actors);
• strong communication and cross-cultural skills;
• documented experience of organising workshops, conferences, field trips or other events;
• documented experience of (co-)authoring academic publications is a merit.
• documented experience in publications and media for communication of research results (including materials for MOOCs) is a merit

Consideration will also be given to good collaborative skills, drive and independence, and how the applicant, through his or her experience and skills, is deemed to have the abilities necessary for successfully completing the third cycle programme.

Terms of employment

Only those admitted to third cycle studies may be appointed to a doctoral studentship. Third cycle studies at LTH consist of full-time studies for 4 years. A doctoral studentship is a fixed-term employment of a maximum of 5 years (including 20% departmental duties). Doctoral studentships are regulated in the Higher Education Ordinance (1993:100), chapter 5, 1-7 §§.

Instructions on how to apply

Applications must be written in English. The application must include the following:

• a cover letter stating the reasons why you are interested in the position and in what way the research project corresponds to your interests, educational background and experience (maximum 2 pages).
• a research proposal (maximum 2-3 pages) focusing on post-growth and sufficiency-oriented business models should contain a formulation of a research problem, research aim and questions, and a brief overview of research design and methods.
• CV (maximum 2 pages). a relevant thesis (master and/or bachelor thesis).
• MSc degree certificate, including grade transcripts or equivalent.
• contact information of three referees.