Management Research Seminar Series: Inspiring collaboration

Established in 2019, the Management Research Seminar Series (MRSS) provides an open forum for staff and postgraduate researchers to discuss ongoing research and ideas for future research projects.

About twice per month, all members of the Management Division are invited to come together to find out about research conducted by colleagues and share ideas and…pizza!

Founded and run by early career researchers, postgraduate researchers (PGRs) and divisional administrators, the lunchtime seminar series contributes to a vibrant research environment. At each lunchtime seminar, one member of academic staff and one PGR (PhD student) present a research project they are working on. In contrast to other research seminars, MRSS has adopted an inclusive and informal approach, encouraging presenters to talk about research ideas and challenges rather than perfect findings and solutions. For example, Dr Emilee Simmons (Centre for Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Studies) used the session to create a dialogue between the attendees on the possible uses of data she collected for an impact project. This was both stimulating for the audience, and useful for Emilee!

Sam Appleton, a first year PGR, practised a conference presentation, obtaining helpful advice on how to draw an audience in to academic theory. Mingchu Wang, also first year PGR and co-organiser of the MRSS, has taken great personal value from presenting on his research on leadership in start-ups. Some PGRs hesitated to sign up but for those who did (or were asked to present by their respective supervisors) all reported that they found the experience very helpful for their further academic development.

After the presentation, I had meetings with interested colleagues to talk about my research and received emails with their constructive ideas and journal article recommendations in the related research areas

Mingchu Wang

MRSS seeks to foster a community of academics, PGRs, and professional staff who support each other’s academic endeavours. Due to the size and diversity of the Division, housing experts on areas from organisational psychology to innovation management and data analytics, naming only a few, it can be difficult to keep track on who is working on what. Great opportunities for collaboration and potential synergies can go unnoticed. Similarly, PhD students often only know about research undertaken by their supervisors and within their subject group, which can limit their horizon. MRSS now gives everyone the opportunity to tap into the vast pool of expertise of the Management Division and become inspired by research undertaken in the many subject groups and research centres that constitute the Division.

Ultimately, the MRSS sessions are a small part of divisional life. But they embody key values the Management Division aspires to: world class research, communication and impact, and, perhaps most importantly, community.

After a brief summer break, MRSS will relaunch in September 2019. Members of the Division (staff or PGR) who would like to present at one of the upcoming sessions are encouraged to email Mingchu (M.Wang1@leeds.ac.uk) or Anna (A.Viragos@leeds.ac.uk).