graduate studies

School of Business & Economics

Research is a central element driving the success of the Cairnes School of Business & Economics. We have a growing international reputation in a number of research fields, where our research has already had a significant impact on regional, national and international policy and practice. Increasingly, academics at the Cairnes School of Business & Economics are active contributors to interdisciplinary research centres at NUI Galway, working with colleagues from the Colleges of Arts, Science, Engineering and Health Sciences in new and innovative research areas. Academics also engage in their own individual research: you can find the research interests of each academic in the Academic Staff section of the School's web site.

Research areas within the Cairnes School of Business & Economics include:

• Centre for Economic Development and Rural Economic Space (CEDRES)
• Centre for Innovation & Structural Change (CISC)
• Computable and Behavioural Economics Research Axis (COBERA)
• Economics of Social Policy Research Unit (ESPRU)
• Irish Centre for Social Gerontology (ICSG)

For further information on research in the School of Business & Economics click here

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Recent PhDs

Dr. Conor O'Kane
"The best aspect of my research degree was working with top management teams."
Thesis Title:  Top management leadership in the turnaround process
Summary:  This research study is concerned with the contributions of top management leaders throughout the turnaround process. Employing a process oriented mode of inquiry the research further developed our theoretical understanding of turnaround by finding that a purposeful period of strategic thinking by top management leaders 'bridges' inevitable phases of retrenchment and strategic adjustments in the recovery process. The research study concluded that the turnaround process can be segmented in greater detail, and extended to encapsulate how leaders sustain their company's momentum following the implementation of a strategic response. Finally a Turnaround-Leadership Process Model was developed offering in-depth details of the approaches adopetd, and nature of leadership demonstrated, by top management across five distinct stages of recovery namely 'Realisation'; 'Resuscitation'; 'Reparation'; 'Recuperation'; and 'Rejuvenation'.

Dr. Cathal Buckley
"I really enjoyed learning new skills and having the freedom to work independently. My PhD has opened new doors for me."
Thesis Title: Improving Public Access to the Irish Countryside for Walking – Investigation of Supply and Demand Factors
Summary: This thesis explores supply and demand side factors that influence public access provision to the Irish countryside for recreational walking. Contingent valuation is used to measure the willingness to pay of consumers for improved public access and trail improvements on commonage farmland on two case sites in the Connemara region. A national representative survey is used to explore the attitudes of landowners in Ireland to the wider provision of public access to recreational walking on farmland. Issues of opportunity costs, incentives and compensation are explored. The thesis argues that based on derivative welfare estimates, there is significant scope for policy interventions to improve public access to the countryside in Ireland.

Dr. Niall Cullinane
Thesis Title: Industrial Relations Unitarism and Employer Opposition to Trade Union Recognition in the Republic of Ireland
Summary: This thesis, supervised by Dr Tony Dundon examines the theoretical construct of ideological unitarism in the context of employer opposition to trade union recognition in the Republic of Ireland.

Dr.  Edel Walshe
Thesis Title: The Role of Trust in Inter-Organisational (Research and Development) Alliances
Summary: This thesis explored how trust develops in high-tech new product development alliances. It examined the impact of cooperation, commitment, opportunism, dependency and organisation size on relationship success. The study showed that the higher the level of trust achieved the greater the benefits for both parties even where opportunistic behaviour occurred.

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