PhD Position in Textile Management, circular value chain

The University of Borås and the Sjuhärad region is a centre for design, development, and trade in the textile area. The Swedish School of Textiles is a part of the Faculty of Textiles, Engineering and Business, and is a centre for skills supply in the textile and fashion sector through education at all levels, ranging from first cycle (bachelor) to second cycle (master) and third cycle (doctoral) levels, in textile design, management and technology, and through research and close collaborations with the industry. Within the area of textile and fashion research at University of Borås through the Swedish School of Textiles, research in textile value chain management (TVCM) focuses primarily on the examination and development of ‘new’ structures, models and forms, and their underlying variables and antecedents that would enable sustainable value generation in textile and fashion enterprises, industry, and for the environment and society at large.

Project description and work profile

This PhD position is a part of a 4-year project “SCArCITY - Scaling Circular Business Models in Cascaded Systems: Paradoxes, Strategies and Metrics in Clothing and Textile Industry” funded by Swedish government research council for sustainable development (FORMAS).

Textile and clothing industry has gained attention for establishing circular business models recently. While the clothing sector, including second-hand, involves recycling and resale of clothes, the recent COVID-19 has in addition emphasized circularity in textile PPE sector. However, the current state of adoption is slow, and considerable sustainability impact can be achieved only by scaling-up these circular business models, which further demands more cascaded ways of operation. In addition, when operating different circular business models, e.g. recycling, resale, certain conflicts emerge in terms of goals, design and resource needs, giving rise to several organizational paradoxes/tensions which in turn hinder scaling. The purpose is to explore these strategic paradoxes in, and capabilities required for, integrating circular business models in cascaded textile and clothing systems, and propose relevant metrics to evaluate their performance. Grounded in the roots of paradox-, dynamic capabilities- and cascade chain theories, the project focus on scaling circular businesses in cascaded textile systems by finding the main organizational tensions, capabilities and business model innovation to overcome these, and key performance metrics for measuring effectiveness.

We are looking for a PhD student who can explore these strategic paradoxes in, and capabilities required for, integrating circular business models in cascaded textile and clothing systems, and propose relevant metrics to evaluate their performance. The results should be connected to Sustainable Development Goals.

The doctoral student is part of the research group Textile Value Chain Management (TVCM), led by Prof. Rudrajeet Pal, at the Department of Business Administration and Textile Management.

The study period corresponds to a maximum of four years. During this doctoral study period you will:


• Conduct research studies on circular business models and value chains in textiles and clothing,
• Develop and adopt suitable conceptual lens combining strategic management, organizational theories and business models in scientific work,
• Design and conduct empirical studies using mixed method approaches,
• Establish contact with relevant market players from textile and clothing sectors,
• Analyze empirical data using relevant tools and define both scientific and practical contributions,
• Produce scientific papers, reports and presentation both orally and in writing,
• Use innovative tools for communicating results to diverse target groups.

Read about life as a doctoral student at the University of Borås.

Contact

For more information about the project please contact Project Manager/Supervisor Professor Rudrajeet Pal by email rudrajeet.pal@hb.se. For information about the research education please contact Eva Gustavsson, director of studies, Research School for Textile and Fashion, eva.gustavsson@hb.se. For further employment-related information you can contact Tina Carlson Ingdahl, Head of Department, Department of Business Administration and Textile Management (tina.carlson_ingdahl@hb.se). 

The union representatives are Magnus Sirhed, OFR-ST and Matilda Johansson, Saco-S, they can be reached through the university switchboard at +46(0)33-435 40 00.

Form of Employment: Doctoral students are employed according to the regulations outlined in Chapter 5 of the Higher Education Ordinance. The study period corresponds to a maximum of four years of full-time study. The first employment period covers one year and is normally renewed by one year at a time. If departmental duties are included, the doctoral education period is extended to a maximum of five years.
Level of Employment: 100%
Location: Borås, Sweden
Beginning date: 1 May 2022
Reference Number: 2022/18
Access: By appointment

The deadline for your application to be submitted is 18 March 2022. After the last application day, no additions can be made electronically.

Information about the qualifications and how you apply, please see a more detailed ad at our webpage: hb.se/Job-vacancies