Organisation, Work and Leadership
The research and teaching of the Department of Organisation, Work and Leadership (OWL) is helping create equitable and inclusive workplaces, craft fairer employment regulations, and develop ethical and effective leaders. In our research, we work with a range of stakeholders: small and medium enterprises, non-governmental organisations, charities, trade unions, HR professionals, public sector entities, and global enterprises.
We provide excellent research-led teaching to undergraduates, postgraduates and working professionals. Our MSc in Human Resource Management programme is fully accredited by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). The programme provides the necessary knowledge and understanding to be awarded professional membership of the CIPD at Associate level.
- Head of Department of Organisation, Work and Leadership (OWL): Dr Heike Schroder
- MSc Human Resource Management Programme Director: Dr Ruth Reaney
Our supportive research environment fosters meaningful engagement with the non-academic world and facilitates the pursuit of high-quality publications. Research from the Department of OWL has appeared in leading peer-reviewed scholarly journals including the Journal of Management, Journal of Organizational Behaviour, Human Relations, Work, Employment & Society, and Human Resource Management, Entrepreneurship Theory & Practice.
In the Department of OWL, an active community of doctoral students are researching best practices to create equitable, healthy and inclusive workplaces. PhD students benefit from attending courses and tailor-made reading groups, and have access to the School's seminar series, which attracts leading global academics.
Faisal Saleh Alsabaan is a third year PhD student conducting research investigating the impact of shared leadership on employees’ desirable attitudes and behaviours in Saudi Arabia.
The Good Business podcast, hosted by our Director of Ethics, Responsibility and Sustainability, Dr Laura Steele, goes beyond the bottom line and examines the ethical, social and environment responsibilities of businesses. Throughout the series, Laura is joined by a number of expert guests, from academic experts to ethical business professionals, to discuss issues pressing on the business world today.
Latest Publications
Scarring and selection in the Great Irish Famine
- Matthias Blum
- Chris Colvin
- Eoin McLaughlin
Construction of compromise values for cooperative games
7 March 2025Efficient public good provision between and within groups
- Chowdhury Mohammad Sakib Anwar
- Jorge Bruno
- Renaud Foucart
- Sonali Sen Gupta
NI Productivity 2040: Addressing Northern Ireland’s productivity gap for greater prosperity
31 January 2025Financing innovation: the role of patent examination
- Stephen D. Billington
- Chris Colvin
- Christopher Coyle
OWL Research Project Spotlight
Dr Conor McCabe was commissioned by Mandate Trade Union to research retail workers’ incomes in Ireland, in order to understand the current picture and to plan for the future. His report, 'Smoke and Mirrors', found that nearly two-thirds of retail workers earn less than €451 per week. The report calls for the introduction of a Cost-of-Living wage, a reduction in childcare costs, and reformed legislatation to allow workers to increase their working hours where hours are available.
The sixth and final phase of a UK-wide study exploring the impact of providing health and social care throughout the pandemic has revealed more social workers are reporting being overwhelmed than any other related profession (68.4%). Dr Denise Currie and Dr Heike Schroder form part of the research team undertaking a study of the wellbeing of health and social care workers, working with more than 10,000 participants across the UK.
Full results and findings relating to the data have been published at hscworkforcestudy.co.uk and the sixth phase can be learned about here.