Doctoral student in Business Administration, specialisation marketing, within the project “Retailing and Artificial Intelligence”

Reference number PAR 2024/1149

The University of Gothenburg tackles society’s challenges with diverse knowledge. 56 000 students and 6 600 employees make the university a large and inspiring place to work and study. Strong research and attractive study programmes attract researchers and students from around the world. With new knowledge and new perspectives, the University contributes to a better future.

The School of Business, Economics and Law at the University of Gothenburg has about 8000 students, 500 employees, and more than 160 international partner universities. Its main areas are business administration, economics and law, giving the School a unique broadness. The School is also characterized by its close relation between research and education, internationalization, overall embeddedness of sustainability and its close engagement with business and society. The School is accredited by EQUIS, AACSB and AMBA – "Triple Crown". For further information see the School of Business, Economics and Law´s website.   

The Department of Business Administration is the largest department at the School of Business, Economics and Law. The department conducts extensive research and is responsible for education programmes at all levels in the subject areas of Business Administration and Economic Geography. The Department has more than 140 employees and is divided into four sections: Accounting, Industrial and Financial Management & Logistics (IFEL), Management & Organisation (including Economic Geography) and Marketing. More information about the Department of Business Administration is available here.

General information about being a doctoral student at the University of Gothenburg can be found on the university's doctoral student website here.

Duties   

The study programme includes coursework of 60 credits and a thesis of 180 credits, for a total of 240 credits. A general study plan for doctoral studies in Business Administration is available here. The appointed doctoral student shall be present at the Department of Business Administration and actively participate in research and educational activities.

Doctoral studies encompass four years of full-time study, and leads to a doctoral degree.    

As part of your employment as a doctoral student, you may have departmental duties of up to 20% of full-time, which results in a corresponding extension of the studies. Departmental duties usually involve teaching at bachelor’s and master’s levels but may also include research and administration.

This PhD-position is linked to a specific research initiative within the Centre for Retailing (CFR) at the Department of Business Administration. CFR is a prominent research environment that explores the ongoing transformation of retailing with a particular focus on issues related to digitalisation, sustainability and mobility.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is playing an increasingly important role in many areas, not least within retailing. The emergence of AI creates new opportunities for value creation and can contribute to innovation and efficiency. At the same time, it poses many challenges and raises questions about its current and future impact on consumers, businesses and employees. This PhD project will focus on the theme “Retailing and Artificial Intelligence”. Within this theme, the PhD student is expected to formulate and develop an independent research project that contributes to new knowledge and insights in the field.

Admission requirements

To be eligible for admission to doctoral studies in Business Administration, the applicant must meet both general and specific admission requirements.

General admission requirements
Applicants must meet the following admission requirements for doctoral studies:
1) Have a degree on advanced (master’s) level,
2) Have passed courses of at least 240 credits of which at least 60 credits are advanced level courses, or
3) Have acquired substantially equivalent knowledge in some other way, in Sweden or abroad.

Specific entry requirements
Admission to doctoral studies in business administration requires at least 90 credits in business administration. These credits must include a degree project of at least 15 credits or equivalent. An applicant who has acquired essentially equivalent knowledge in some other way in Sweden or abroad, also meets the specific entry requirements.

Admission and selection 

Selection among qualified applicants who meet the requirements for the general and specific entry requirements is based on their ability to benefit from the programme.

Applicants are assessed based on the following criteria:

- The applicant's documented subject knowledge relevant to the research field.
- The applicant's documented knowledge of scientific theory and method.
- The applicant's analytical ability, evidenced by a scientific report, thesis, degree project or equivalent work.
- The applicant's ability to take responsibility for and manage extensive projects, evidenced by a scientific report, thesis, degree project completed within given time frames, or otherwise.

An overall assessment is made of grades, thesis and research interest. Interviews and tests may be conducted.

Admission and selection will consider the department's supervisory resources in the doctoral student's research specialisation. Only applicants who can be offered supervision and acceptable study conditions as well as funding for the entire programme can be admitted.

Admission and employment   

Once you have been admitted to doctoral studies, you will be employed as a doctoral student at the University of Gothenburg.

Employment as a doctoral student is regulated in Högskoleförordningen (SFS 1993:100).

A doctoral student may be employed as a doctoral student for a maximum of eight years, but the total period of employment may not be longer than the equivalent of full-time education at doctoral level for four years.

Employment: Time limited employment (temporary), 4 years
Extent: 100%
Location: Department of Business Administration, Gothenburg
Starting date: 1 September 2025

The University applies a local agreement on salaries for doctoral students.

Please note, doctoral studies at the department of Business Administration require physical presence to conduct the studies. If the admitted applicant needs a residence permit for higher education to pursue studies in Sweden, the department has the right to revoke the admission decision if the applicant cannot present a valid residence permit no later than at the start of the studies.

Selection process   

Selected applicants can be called to an interview (preliminarily in April 2025). A written assignment may be arranged. The admission decisions are made by the Head of Department (preliminarilry in June 2025), upon recommendation from the Department’s Committee for Research and PhD Education (FFK).

Contact information 

Professor Johan Hagberg
E-mail: johan.hagberg@gu.se

Director of Postgraduate Studies
Associate professor Jan Marton
E-mail: jan.marton@handels.gu.se

Unions 

Union representatives at the University of Gothenburg can be found here:   
https://www.gu.se/om-universitetet/jobba-hos-oss/hjalp-for-sokande   

Application   

You apply to be admitted to doctoral education via the University of Gothenburg’s recruitment portal.   

It is your responsibility to ensure that the application is complete as per this notice, and that the University receives it by the final application deadline.   

The application must include:

1. Cover letter
2. CV 
3. A description of the research area that you are interested in, given the research topic described above (maximum five pages)
4. Certified copies of degree certificates and certificates of enrolment in completed university courses including grades
5. A copy of your degree thesis or corresponding work and potential other scientific papers
6. Two letters of recommendation including their contact details (title, name, email and phone number)

All attachments are to be named appropriately by their content. If your documents are not issued in Swedish or English they must be translated into English or Swedish by an authorised translator.

Applications must be received by: 1 March, 2025

Information for International Applicants 

Choosing a career in a foreign country is a big step. Therefore, to give you a general idea of what the University and Gothenburg have to offer in terms of benefits and life in general for you and your family/spouse/partner please visit:

https://www.gu.se/en/about-the-university/welcome-services
https://www.movetogothenburg.com/ 

The University works actively to achieve a working environment with equal conditions, and values the qualities that diversity brings to its operations.

Salaries are set individually at the University.

In accordance with the National Archives of Sweden’s regulations, the University must archive application documents for two years after the appointment is filled. If you request that your documents are returned, they will be returned to you once the two years have passed. Otherwise, they will be destroyed.

In connection to this recruitment, we have already decided which recruitment channels we should use. We therefore decline further contact with vendors, recruitment and staffing companies.