PhD Stipend in Quantitative Analysis of Impact Investing and Social Entrepreneurship Scaling

PhD Stipend in Quantitative Analysis of Impact Investing and Social Entrepreneurship Scaling

At the Technical Faculty of IT and Design, Department of Planning, a PhD stipend is available within the general study programme Planning and Development. The stipend is open for appointment from 1 March 2025 or soon hereafter. The Department of Development and Planning conducts research and teaching on development and planning in a broad sense, including social science aspects as well as more technical aspects of development, and with a focus on environmental, international as well as administrative dimensions.

Jobbeskrivelse
The research project
The PhD project is part of a network of 15 doctoral theses that all contribute to the overall goal of understanding social entrepreneurship (SE) scaling. This particular PhD thesis is part of the work package on “Impact Investing for Social Entrepreneurship Scaling”. The position is focused on quantitatively assessing the impact of hybrid financing strategies, Schumpeterian 'creative destruction' logics, and impact fidelity on the scaling of social enterprises. This research will involve a systematic literature review of empirical papers on SE scaling and impact investing, followed by developing measures to quantitatively test these factors through a cross-sectional survey of impact investors. More specifically, the PhD candidate will explore the connection between business model aspects and impact investment decisions by looking into investors’ perceived success factors for social entrepreneurship. You will use structural equation modeling (SEM) and other quantitative research methods to probe the connections between these factors, offering new insights into how they shape the trajectory of SE scaling. The research predominantly attempts to contribute to the Social and Sustainable Entrepreneurship literature.

As required by the MSCA doctoral network funding guidelines, the PhD candidate will have both an academic secondment at one of the seizmic doctoral network members and a non-academic secondment providing a blend of academic and practical perspectives. The PhD candidate will be guided by a supervisory team with rich experience in sustainable entrepreneurship and innovation management.

Your profile
We are looking for a positive, highly dedicated researcher who is driven by curiosity and has/is:

• A Master's degree in Business Administration, Entrepreneurship, Innovation Management, Marketing, Industrial Engineering& Management, Sociology, or related fields;
• Close rapport with quantitative research and a proven set of skills;
• Highly motivated to conduct high-quality,‘engaged’ and impact-driven academic research resulting in scientific publications, which is reflected in study results, personal skills, and experience;
• Able to carry out independent research and collaborate with a wide set of actors from academia and practice;
• Outstanding team spirit and seeks to work in an interdisciplinary team;
• Excellent oral and written language skills in English and preferably Danish.

About the seizmic Doctoral NetworkThe seizmic Doctoral Network will develop an interdisciplinary theoretical framework explaining the factors influencing SE scaling through replication and imitation.

• It will evaluate the impact of social entrepreneurship business model design on scaling outcomes, combining quantitative and qualitative assessments. The focus is on identifying design competencies that facilitate scalability and examining how factors like social forecasting and impact measurement support scaling.
• Furthermore, the project will investigate the intentions and actual outcomes of impact investors in supporting SE scaling in Europe. This involves longitudinal case studies to understand how impact investments contribute to scaling, replication, and imitation of SE initiatives, as well as competencies needed by impact investors.
• Next, the seizmic doctoral network will develop an interdisciplinary model for professional learning and curriculum development to enhance SE scaling. This includes training SE educators, conducting longitudinal trials of SE education, and assessing the role of feedback in supporting learning among social entrepreneurs, ultimately contributing to entrepreneurship education.
• Finally, the network will propose and test a theoretical model on the role of digital ecosystems in SE scaling, exploring bottom-up creativity, digital data politics, and collaborative networks. This also involves training and implementing an AI model specialized in SE scaling.

About the Aurora European University Network

• An important advantage of the seizmic doctoral network is that many of its partners belong to the Aurora European University Alliance (https://aurora-universities.eu/about/), an alliance of research-intensive universities financed by the European Union through the Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme.

Please note that this job offer is pending on the signature of the MSCA seizmic DN grant agreement.

Additional MSCA Application Requirements
According to the mobility requirements of the MSCA guidelines candidates must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the host organization (i.e., Denmark in this case) for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately before the recruitment date.You may obtain further information from Associate Professor Dr. Svenja Damberg, [email protected] concerning the scientific aspects of the stipend.

PhD stipends are allocated to individuals who hold a Master's degree. PhD stipends are normally for a period of 3 years. It is a prerequisite for allocation of the stipend that the candidate will be enrolled as a PhD student at the Technical Doctoral School of IT and Design in accordance with the regulations of Ministerial Order No. 1039 of August 27, 2013 on the PhD Programme at the Universities and Certain Higher Artistic Educational Institutions. According to the Ministerial Order, the progress of the PhD student shall be assessed at regular points in time.

The assessment of candidates for the position will be carried out by qualified experts.
Shortlisting will be applied. This means that after the application deadline, the head of the department, with the assistance of the hiring committee, will select the applicants to be assessed. All applicants will be informed whether they have been shortlisted for assessment or not.
When the hiring process is completed, a final rejection will be sent to the applicants who are not considered for the position.

For further information about stipends and salary as well as practical issues concerning the application procedure contact Helle S. Thomsen, The Technical Faculty of IT and Design, email: [email protected]

For more information of The Technical Doctoral School of IT and Design: www.phd.tech.aau.dk

The application is only to be submitted online by using the "Apply online" button below.

AAU wishes to reflect the diversity of society and welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background or belief.

The hiring process at Aalborg University may include a risk assessment as a tool to identify potential risks associated with new hires, ensuring the safety, compliance, and integrity of the workplace.

Løn og ansættelsesvilkår
Appointment and salary as a PhD fellow are according to the Ministry of Finance Circular of 15 December 2021 on the Collective Agreement for Academics in Denmark, Appendix 5, regarding PhD fellows, and with the current Circular of 11 December 2019 on the employment structure at Danish universities.

Ansøgningsfrist
2025-02-07

Ref. nummer
20-25003

Afdeling
Department of Planning