Research degrees Claude Littner Business School
Elevate your impact: Become a change-maker with a PhD at the Claude Littner Business School
The Claude Littner Business School (CLBS) at University of West London has a strong reputation for its teaching and engagement with industry through knowledge exchange and research. We are the top modern university* in London for accounting & finance and Business & Management in the Guardian University Guide 2025.
CLBS covers a wide spectrum of subject areas within business. Some PhD research specialties to highlight are:
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Transforming Finance & Accounting
- Charting the Future: Fintech and ESG
- The Pillars of Finance: Market Infrastructures and Investment
- Modernizing Management Accounting: Navigating New Norms
- Revolutionizing Financial Accounting: Embracing the Digital Age
- Ensuring Integrity: Innovations in Auditing
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Empowering Organisations & Leaders
- Unleashing Potential: Organizational Design, Leadership and Change
- Creating Harmonious Workplaces: Human Resource Management and Organizational Culture
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Navigating the Data Landscape
- Demystifying Data: Business Intelligence and Analytics
- Making Data-Driven Business Decision: Effective Visualisation and Storytelling Techniques
- Driving Change: Data-Driven Business Strategy for Competitive Business Advantage
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Engaging with Markets & Consumers
- Disruptive Marketing Strategies: Engaging with Consumers and Crafting Experiences
- Exploring Disparities: Economic Wellbeing and Inequalities
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Fostering Innovation & Sustainability
- Leveraging Technology: Digital Business and Innovation
- Driving Change: Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability
- Driving Future Business Education
Our faculty have a wealth of experience in research and industry. They are passionate about their subject and committed to leading the forefront of knowledge development in their field and developing doctoral researchers.
See below for particular expertise and PhD research interest of staff within the Claude Littner School of Business:
- Dr Emmanuel Mensah Asiedu - Lecturer in Marketing and Management
- Dr Amelia Au-Yeung - Associate Professor and Dean of The Claude Littner Business School
- Dr Simone Cortese - Senior Lecturer in Digital Enterprise
- Dr Yianni Doumenis - Senior Lecturer in Business Analytics and Risk Management
- Dr Ceren Erdem - Senior Lecturer in Leadership and Change Management
- Dr Colin Fu - Senior Lecturer in Business and Management
- Dr Malak Hamdan - Senior Lecturer in Innovation and Entrepreneurship
- Dr Lucie Ingram - Senior Lecturer in Business and Management
- Professor Javad Izadi - Professor in Accounting and Finance
- Dr Elham Javaherizadeh - Lecturer in Business and Management
- Dr Sukhmani Kaur - Senior Lecturer for Sustainability Risk Management
- Dr Washington Machokoto - Lecturer in Business and Management
- Dr Randall McFadden - Senior Lecturer in Finance and Risk Management
- Dr Gidraph Michuki - Senior Lecturer in Marketing and Digital Marketing
- Dr Michael Nimo - Senior Lecturer in Economics and International Business
- Dr Gemma Pybus - Senior Lecturer in Digital Marketing
- Dr Hannah Sam - Lecturer in Sustainability Risk Management
- Dr Chiamaka Francisca Umeh - Lecturer in Digital Enterprise
- Dr Dinusha Weerawardane - Subject Head for Accounting and Finance
PhD research degrees
The Claude Littner Business School offers a PhD in Business and a Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA).
Studying for a PhD or a DBA enables you to develop an area of specialism that will give you an edge, whether you are planning to work in industry or to develop expertise to teach in academia.
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PhD Business (West London Campus)
West London Campus
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DBA Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) (West London Campus)
West London Campus
Current PhD research degree projects
Below are the PhD research degree projects currently being studied by our postgraduate students.
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Moving beyond the Gender Pay Gap: An investigation of pension gender inequalities across European countries
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The impact of knowledge management and innovation implementation on manufacturing performance in Nigeria
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Relationship between entrepreneurial finance and success of UK high tech young entrepreneurial firms focusing on funding and ownership structures
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The complexities and challenges of leading business sustainability development in developing countries; exploring strategies, social impacts, policies and implementation
Research student
- Mamilian Hussain
Research supervisor/s
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How emerging market multinational retailers use innovation to develop competitive advantages in their internationalisation: A study of Chinese retailers competing in developed markets
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Consumers response to brand-related content on social media: the effect of influencers’ generated content type and motives
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An assessment of the Congolese financial system: focus on banks' performance, financial inclusion and efficiency
Research student
- Michel Kabeya Kasengulu Muyunga
Research supervisor/s
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A comparative analysis of wellbeing policies between two public healthcare organisations on the mental health of professional workers during COVID-19
Research student
- Ajay Sleeba Palakattil
Research supervisor/s
Dr Christieen George
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Empirical tests of leading earnings manipulation detection models to establish their effectiveness under IFRS reporting to develop their predictive power
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To what degree are leading False Accounting Fraud (FACF) detection models effective under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and how can their predictive power be developed?
Awarded PhD research degrees
Below are the PhD research projects and degrees awarded each year.
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Research degrees awarded in 2021/2022
A comparative study of effects of ethical screening on equity portfolio performance: Evidence from Germany, USA, China, Brazil, Saudi Arabia
- PhD awarded to Ann-Kathrin Itzenga
- Principle supervisor/s: Professor Chin-Bun Tse and Dr Amelia Au-Yeung
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Research degrees awarded in 2020/2021
An investigation into master’s postgraduate employability in small and micro enterprises in west London
- PhD awarded to Clive Potts, October 2020
- Principal supervisor: Dr Tony Olden
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Research degrees awarded in 2019/2020
The impact of board of directors characteristics on firms intellectual assets, investments and financial performance
- PhD awarded to Elham Javaherizadeh
- Principal supervisor/s: Professor Chin-Bun Tse and Dr Amelia Au-Yeung
The effect of multimodal metaphors on social media platforms and impact on consumer purchase decisions
- PhD awarded to Nazish Riaz, September 2019
- Principal supervisor: Professor Dimitrios Rigas
Interactive multimodal branding in e-commerce: An empirical investigation
- PhD awarded to Hammad Hussain, October 2019
- Principal supervisor: Professor Dimitrios Rigas
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Research degrees awarded in 2017/2018
Multimodal social media product reviews and ratings in e-Commerce: An empirical approach
- PhD awarded to Rajab Ghandour, March 2018
- Principal supervisor: Professor Dimitrious Rigas
A qualitative exploration of the impact of postgraduate enterprise and entrepreneurship education in modern UK universities on Russian graduates
- PhD awarded to Yuliana Topazly, August 2018
- Principal supervisor: Dr Anthony Olden
Antecedents of servitisation strategies in manufacturing firms and servitisation’s impact on firm performance: A theoretical and empirical analysis
- PhD awarded to Mohamad Abou-Foul, August 2018
- Principal supervisor: Professor Chin-Bun Tse
Customer orientation of service employees in private banking: Antecedents and consequences
- PhD awarded to Javier Morales Mediano, August 2018
- Principal supervisor: Professor Chin-Bun Tse
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Research degrees awarded in 2016/2017
The knowledge, skills and competencies for effective public affairs practice: A UK study
- PhD awarded to Sarah Bowman, August 2017
- Principal supervisor: Dr Tony Olden
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Research degrees awarded in 2014/2015
Ethics at work: The discourse of business ethics
- PhD awarded to Roger Cook, October 2014
- Principal supervisor: Dr Stephen Roberts
Public relations practice in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates: Western theory, local culture
- PhD awarded to Nawaf Abdelhay, February 2015
- Principal supervisor: Dr Stephen Roberts
Impact of cultural factors on people management strategies of Pakistani-owned SMEs in the UK
- PhD awarded to Iftikhar Ahmed Butt, February 2015
- Principal supervisor: Dr Alastair Evans
Public communication and social security delivery in Tanzania
- PhD awarded to Frank Maduga, June 2015
- Principal supervisor: Dr Tony Olden
Applying for a PhD
If you are considering applying for a PhD, the first step is to contact a supervisor in a relevant research area - contact emails are listed against projects above.
Find out more about the funding we offer, the application process and other frequently asked questions.
If you have any questions please contact us by email: postgraduate.admissions@uwl.ac.uk
Find out more
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Research Centres and Groups
Find out about our multi-disciplinary areas of expertise, PhD research, and teaching.
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Research impact
Learn how our PhD research has helped communities locally, nationally and internationally.
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The Graduate School
If you are interested in studying for a PhD or Professional Doctorate, the Graduate School is here to support your research.
Disclaimer
* Modern universities are defined as higher education institutions that were granted university status in, and subsequent to, 1992. UWL received the rankings listed above when compared to all other modern universities ranked in the guides / surveys cited.