Call for Applications for the Doctoral Programme in Business Administration

For the Fall 2023 semester, the University of Nicosia announces the opening of eleven (11) positions for admission to the Doctoral Programme (PhD) in Business Administration.

Five (5) positions in:

DIGITAL INNOVATION

1. One (1) position in Decentralized Finance (DeFi)
   The third wave of crypto (after the invention of digital money & Bitcoin in 2009 and the creation of programmable smart contracts & Etheruem in 2015) is centered around the creation of open, algorithmic, censorship-resistant applications that enable all financial services (banking, lending, exchanges, insurance, etc) to be implemented without intermediaries. Research proposals in DeFi will focus on studying business model innovation, user adoption, economic and societal implications, and similar aspects of the DeFi phenomenon. The ideal PhD candidate will have a background in Computer Science, Finance/Economics, Business Administration or similar and will already have gained practical experience in using and understanding the prospects and limitations of existing DeFi applications and protocols.
   Research Advisor: George Giaglis, Professor, [email protected]
2. One (1) position in Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and asset tokenization
   Digital collectibles have emerged as a distinct class of crypto tokens, enabling users to mint, acquire, trade and own unique pieces of digital art or other artifacts. However, the applications of so-called non-fungible tokens (NFTs) extend beyond art to include proof of ownership of real-world assets (e.g. real estate), assets held in metaverses (e.g. virtual worlds) and new types of rights (e.g. right to a share of someone’s future income streams). Research proposals will focus on studying NFT-enabled disruption of the real world and/or new virtual worlds, business model innovation, economic and societal implications, and similar aspects of the NFT phenomenon. The ideal PhD candidate will have a background in Computer Science, Finance/Economics, Business Administration or similar and will already have gained practical experience in using and understanding the prospects and limitations of existing NFT and asset tokenization applications.
   Research Advisor: George Giaglis, Professor, [email protected]
3. One (1) position in Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs)
   DAOs enable the creation of new forms of organization, sometimes consisting entirely of computer code and being algorithmically governed based on rules by their creators. DAOs represent a departure of the industrial-era paradigm of corporations, enabling ad-hoc organizational arrangements that are based on programmable trust. Research proposals in the DAO space will focus on studying this emerging form of organizational design and understanding its future potential, application areas, but also limitations. The ideal PhD candidate will have a background in Business Administration, Finance/Economics, Social Sciences or similar as well as existing know-how in what DAOs are and how they operate.
   Research Advisor: George Giaglis, Professor, [email protected]
4. One (1) position in Metaverse
   We are seeking a highly motivated and innovative individual to join our research team as a PhD candidate in the exciting field of the Metaverse. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge research, develop innovative solutions, and shape the future of virtual worlds and digital economies. This position offers a unique opportunity to investigate an interesting topic within Metaverse including but not limited to the following:
   • Metaverse technologies and applications
   • Metaverse impact on business
   • Metaverse business models
   • Decentralized Identity and Authentication Systems for Metaverse Users
   • Digital Asset Management and Tokenization in the Metaverse
   • Social Interactions and Communication Tools in the Metaverse
   • Virtual Economies and Cryptocurrencies in the Metaverse
   • Governance and Community Management in Decentralized Metaverse Platforms

   Research Advisor: Marinos Themistocleous, Professor, [email protected]

5. One (1) position in Blockchain technologyUNIC is delighted to invite applications from highly motivated and talented individuals for a PhD position in the field of blockchain technology. This unique opportunity offers aspiring researchers the chance to delve into the exciting realm of blockchain and contribute to its transformative impact on various sectors. The successful candidate will join our esteemed team of researchers and will have the opportunity to select a topic within blockchain technology, including but not limited to:
   • Blockchain and Non Fungible Tokens
   • Blockchain and scalability
   • Smart contracts and decentralized applications
   • Interoperability and cross-chain communication
   • Blockchain for supply chain management, finance, healthcare, or other relevant domains
   • Governance models in blockchain
   • Central Bank Digital Currency

   Research Advisor: Marinos Themistocleous, Professor, [email protected]

One (1) position in:

FINANCE

Position in the area of Finance, and specifically one (or a combination) of the following areas:

• Corporate Governance and the Board of Directors
• Blockchain and Governance
• Blockchain and Accounting and Controls
• Decentralized Autonomous Organisations (from a governance point of view)
• Market-based Empirical Research on one of the following topics:
• Corporate Social Responsibility and Reporting
• Socially Conscious Investing
• Market Behaviour of Cryptocurrencies/Cryptoassets

For this post, the candidate should have a strong background in quantitative methods (Econometrics or Statistics) proven by previous quantitative research or work experience or by having successfully completed advanced courses in Econometrics or Statistics. Moreover, the candidate should have a background in either Finance, or Accounting, or Economics, or Financial Mathematics, or Financial Econometrics or similar discipline (Bachelor or Masters degree).

Research Advisor: Dr. Ifigenia Georgiou, [email protected]

Four (4) positions in:

MARKETING

1. One (1) Post in Slow Fashion: The growing awareness of environmental and social concerns about sustainability has initiated a slow fashion movement against fast fashion. Sustainability involves the capacity to meet today’s needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs s (The World Commission on the Environment and Development, 1987). Slow fashion brings environmental and social responsibilities to the fashion industry and its stakeholders. Research that examines consumer attitudes towards slow fashion suggests that slow fashion is still in the developmental stage. The PhD proposal should focus on the concept of ‘Slow Fashion’ and suggest areas or/and issues that are critical and worth exploring.
2. One (1) Post in Sustainable Luxury: What was once a niche market with a specific target audience is now fragmented. Sustainable luxury is a new and evolving requirement of brands driven by the luxury consumer. What is the relationship between luxury and sustainability? Friends or foe? Is this relationship a paradox or is it becoming the new norm?  Has the luxury sector been affected by the ‘slow fashion’ movement? Do luxury fashion brands use sustainable practices? The topic can be explored  from either a business or a consumer perspective or both.
3. One (1) Post in New Technologies, Service Quality & Customer Satisfaction: The role new technologies play in terms of service quality and customer satisfaction especially in the context of heightened competition, economic instability, and consumer changing consumer behaviour. The study should focus among others on how new technologies (for example, Artificial Intelligence, Virtual Reality, etc) are challenging companies today, how new technologies have helped businesses to cope with the challenges created by the pandemic, as well as how the pandemic has shaped the marketing and corporate communications fields.  Is the service experience enhanced or decreased and are customers today seeking a more personalised service and customization in an era where companies prioritise fast, efficient, and standardised service provision. How new technologies have transformed the service encounter, and impacted service quality and customer satisfaction?
4. One (1) Post in Internal Marketing: the notion of ‘internal marketing’ has received attention from both academics and practitioners and its importance has gown over the last decades. The study can focus on internal marketing from multiple perspectives such as innovation, competitive advantage, external marketing, market orientation, and explore one or multiple business sectors.Research Advisor for the above 4 positions: Professor Ioanna Papasolomou.

One (1) position in

TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY

Technology Diffusion in Tourism and Hospitality

The ongoing digitization of service interactive work calls for an investigation of how technologies effect and affect organizational form. Organization can no longer be thought without socio-technical mediation. Emerging technologies like robots, social media, analytics, artificial intelligence, platforms and disruptive innovations such as blockchain, could easily be explored as part of a ‘digital shift’, reconfiguring the ways in which management and control, innovation and entrepreneurship take place. The appointed PhD student will have the opportunity to advance our understanding on technology diffusion and its impact on different stakeholder groups.

Research Advisor: Leonidas Efthymiou, Assistant Professor, [email protected]