Research & Impact in Strategy
Stephen Osborne discusses public services research and its positive impact in providing resources for citizens to build value in their own lives.
Giovanni Formilan discusses his research on the creative industries, particularly in the music field. He investigates artistic identity, market dynamics, and patterns of mobility.
Andrea Wessendorf discusses her research into the influence of organizational and occupational dynamics on crisis management, social inequality, and the impact of rapid societal change, including the effectiveness of healthcare professionals during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Strategy Group focuses on challenges at the nexus of organisation and society. In addition to work on organisational strategy, we also engage in research on, among others:
- Social enterprises and societal transformation
- Sustainability strategies
- Big data and digital workers
- Culture and creativity
- Service management across the public and private sector
Relying on qualitative case studies and quantitative databases, our research investigates a variety of empirical settings, including public services, creative industries, digital platforms, high-tech firms, charity and non-business entities, and multinational corporations. Our work draws on institutional theories, theories of work and identities, power and organisation, socio-materiality, technology and innovation studies, market and organisational governance, and socioeconomic theories.
Members of the group have partnerships with local, national, and international organisations, and engage in collaborations with other groups, schools, and university wide structures, such as the Edinburgh Futures Institute.
Group research
Strategic change and leadership
This strand includes themes of processes of strategic change, the development and practices of creative industries, and organisational and institutional change.
Strategic change researchOrganisations and society
Investigating areas such as accountability and trust, inequality and marginalisation, and the impact of globalisation and neoliberalism on organisations.
Organisations and society researchGlobal and international strategies
Researching the internationalisation of digital platforms, transnational entrepreneurship, and top-level approaches to strategy, finance,and accountability worldwide.
International strategies researchService management
Exploring accountability and leadership in service business, service management in the public and private sectors, and innovation and change in public services.
Service management researchResearch centres and networks
Subgroups of the Strategy Group are involved with two principal centres and networks.
Centre for Strategic Leadership (CSL)
The Strategy Group supports the Centre for Strategic Leadership, a research centre focused on fostering an interdisciplinary understanding of strategic leadership.
Visit the CSL WebsiteCentre for Service Excellence
CenSE’s mission is to co-produce and co-create innovative knowledge that will change profoundly how we understand and practice service management.
Visit the CenSE WebsiteScaling Business in Africa
SBIA is an interdisciplinary impact consortium made up of researchers and industry practitioners working to inform the scaling of Africa's private sector through high-quality research, teaching, and engagement.
Visit SBIAResearch projects
Details of past and present research projects involving strategy are detailed on the Edinburgh Research Explorer.
View projects on Edinburgh Research Explorer
Seminar series
The Strategy seminars provides a platform to share ideas and leading research into understanding major societal and organisational issues. Speakers include renowned scholars from top UK and international institutions as well as industry practitioners.