Postdoctoral Researcher

The Institute of Technology Management and the Global Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation at the University of St. Gallen (Switzerland) are looking for a

Postdoctoral Researcher (m/f/d) to work on a basic research project funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF).

When a new market emerges, it is typically unclear which technologies, products, rules, and players will define it. Our project seeks to explain when and why some activities of nascent market work (business model innovation, landscape shaping, etc.) are perceived as more or less legitimate by relevant stakeholders, helping or hurting firm success. The project will study these issues in the context of the nascent market of metaverse applications (i.e., extended-reality-based programs that allow immersive, real-time interactions between users and virtual surroundings).
The project will run for 36 months starting in the first half of 2024.

The main tasks of the postdoctoral researcher filling the advertised position will include:

1. Support theorizing, data gathering, and analysis for qualitative and quantitative studies on nascent market work in the metaverse. The postdoc will take on a leading role in the quantitative part and is neither expected to have experience in qualitative research methods nor required to develop strong qualitative research skills.
2. Develop a theoretical account of the legitimacy implications of nascent market work.
3. Perform quantitative analyses of archival data (media publications and social media discussions) to test this theoretical account.
4. Co-author a manuscript featuring this theoretical account and empirical test for publication in a top-tier management journal (ABS AJG: 4 or 4*).
5. Initiate at least one further publication in a top-tier journal on a related topic.
6. Support the acquisition of follow-up funding.

The position is currently funded for 26 months. Depending on the acquisition of follow-up funding, the contract can be extended (even beyond the end of the focal project).
The postdoc filling the advertised position will work closely with Prof. Maximilian Palmié and Prof. Joakim Wincent.

Benefits:

• Work at a top-ranked business school. According to the Financial Times, for instance, the University of St. Gallen is among the top five European Business Schools and home of the leading master’s in management program globally.
• Join an environment of active and outstanding research. People at the Institute of Technology Management and the Global Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation regularly publish in leading academic journals. Examples from 2022 and 2023 include the Academy of Management Journal, Academy of Management Review, Entrepreneurship: Theory & Practice, Journal of Business Venturing, Journal of Management, and Organization Studies, among others.
• Enjoy living near the Swiss Alps and Lake Constance.

Expected qualifications:

• Applicants must have completed or be near completion of a Ph.D. in Management or a related discipline (e.g., Sociology).
• Applicants must have demonstrated their ability to produce top-level research by having either published in or received an invitation to Revise & Resubmit from a top-tier journal (ABS AJG: 4 or 4*).
• Applicants possess a research profile related to institutional work, legitimacy, the management of digital technologies, or related topics.

To apply, please submit a cover letter, CV, two or three references, and a sample research paper via e-mail to Prof. Maximilian Palmié (maximilian.palmie@unisg.ch).