Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences (INN University) is home to over 14,000 students and 1,000 employees, and has campuses in Lillehammer, Hamar, Elverum, Rena, Evenstad and Blæstad.
INN University aspires to build strong and enduring academic and research environments that will spearhead regionally, nationally and internationally. We are developing a new and better institution with high academic and pedagogical quality, aiming at achieving university accreditation by 2020.
Our vision is "Stronger Together".
The PhD programme Innovation in Services - Public and Private invites candidates to apply for PhD position in Sport Event and Innovation
The purpose of the PhD Research Fellowship for the admitted candidate is to undergo a research training programme that leads to the successful completion of a doctoral degree.
The successful candidate is required to submit a proposal of a doctoral research training programme that is approved and agreed upon no later than 3 months after the date commencement. The University will assist the selected candidate to formulate this agreement
Contact information:
Head of department Jens Petter Madsbu, phone number: +47 62 43 04 37, e-mail: jens.madsbu@inn.no
The project: PhD position in Sport Management & Innovation: Sport event, organizational identity and innovation
Recently, organizational researchers have identified organizational identity as a driver for innovation (Anthony & Tripsas, 2016). Organizational identity influences the direction of innovative activities in organizations. A strong organizational identity can facilitate some innovations, but also lead to an inward orientation where other innovations are overlooked. In general, a broader identity might allow a better adoption of innovations, like when a hotel company start to think of themselves as selling experiences instead of beds, and start to develop their services accordingly.
A major sport event can facilitate a broadening of an organizational identity, when the event offers a new image for the organization - like “the green game”, “the technology innovative game” or “the game for the protection of workers”.
A sport event might provide resources – values, positive image, increased attractiveness, recognition or other cultural resources –useful for identity construction.
Motivating radical innovation or at least incremental innovations in the organization. Sports events can be a driver for innovation processes in organizations through organizational identity enhancing, by strengthening and improving what they already do today.
Alternatively, through identity stretching and/or identity challenging, by moving existing products or services into new markets and/or questioning what they are doing today.
Consequently, the involvement of organizations in sport events might lead to a new strategic position for the organization.
The research fellow will be part of a research group examining which effects major sport events can have on the identity and branding of organizations involved in the event. Both positive and negative effects organizational identity has on innovation are of interests. The research fellow and the research group are expected to produce new knowledge on the dynamic between sport events, organizational identity formation, and innovation - a dynamic that has more or less been ignored in current innovation and sport management research (Anthony & Tripsas, 2016; Parent & Foreman, 2007).
Possible research focus could be:
− How are organizations utilizing major sport events in order to form organizational identity as driver for innovation, when:
• Creating new products, or
• Providing new services, or
• Developing human resources, or
• Entering new partnerships and networking, or a combination of the above.
− Positive and negative effects on innovation activities for organizations having an identity formed by a previous major sport event, such as Olympic Games or other sport events.
The organization(s) under scrutiny can be public organizations, private entities and/or voluntary organizations. Critical perspectives are welcome.
The candidate has to apply for admission to the PhD programme Innovation in services in the public and private sector (INSEPP), and participate actively in INSEPP’s research activities.
Qualifications and personal skills
The person to be appointed must have a relevant master's degree (e.g. innovation, sport management, sociolgy, organization and management, marketing), 120 ECTS, including a master's thesis of at least 30 ECTS (cf. NOKUT’s (the Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education’s) requirements for admission to PhD-education at Norwegian universities.
Applicants with a master’s degree from universities abroad, have to attach “Recognition of foreign higher education” from NOKUT. Instructions on how to get this master’s degree assessed and approved, are given by NOKUT, cf.
Expertise in relevant ICT software program
Language proficiency: Oral and written English is required. In addition, it may be an advantage to have command of a Scandinavian language.
Ability to work independently and purposefully but also have a command of co-operation on research tasks and publishing
The application and all attachments are to be submitted electronically and should include the following:
Application letter
Project description and progress plan (4-5 pages) for the work to be undertaken, where academic relevance and different challenges and possibilities within the project is being outlined.
CV (summarizing education, positions and academic work)
Copies of educational certificates
Letters of recommendation (if any)
A complete list of publications (if any)
If you have any questions about uploading an attachment or other technical matters regarding the application, Jobbnorge customer service can be contacted. Contact information is provided as a link in the application form.
Relevant applications will be considered by an expert committee. Comprehensive CVs, certified copies of diplomas and certificates, publication lists and documents/works to be considered must be submitted as electronic attachments or links to the application.
Qualified applicants will be invited to an interview.
Requests for exemptions from the public applicant list must be clearly justified and stated via the electronic application form. Applicants will be contacted if INN University cannot comply with the request (cf. § 25 of the Freedom of Information Act).
The state workforce should, as far as possible, reflect the diversity of the population. It is therefore a personnel policy goal at INN University to achieve a balanced age and gender composition and to recruit people with an immigrant background. If necessary, the working conditions are adapted for persons with disabilities. If applicants declare in their CV that they have a disability, this information may be used for registration purposes in connection with the target employment numbers.
We offer
An academically stimulating work environment with engaged colleagues and a growing institution
Good welfare benefits
Good pension benefits, under the Norwegian Public Service Pension Funds
The position’s salary follows position code 1017 PhD candidate in the state's wage regulations, a pay grade of 54 (NOK 482 200,- p.a). If 4 years with 25 % teaching duties is agreed upon, 25 % will be remunerated according to the appropriate level for a teaching position, on the basis of an evaluation of relevant qualifications.
For more information about INN University as an employer, please see here.
