Entrepreneurship and Technology Management (ETM) section,
High-tech Business & Entrepreneurship Department (HBE),
Faculty of Behavioural Management and Social Sciences,
University of Twente, Netherlands
PhD Position
Application deadline: 20 November 2023.
Are you highly motivated and inquisitive to research the interface of (people) experience, technology, and service (design). Are you passionate about how people experience technology-infused services? Are you interested in how technology can be designed for enhanced service experiences? Consider applying for this PhD position!
The proliferation of technology has transformed societies and modern service landscapes at lightning speed. Technology profoundly shapes how people interact and positively and negatively affects people’s well-being. While centering lived experience has reaped its fruits in the service realm, a glaring gap exists in the knowledge of and the interplay between the understanding of people’s situated experience and the creation of compelling technology-infused service. To unravel this relationship, it is essential to involve a human-centered approach. This can prevent risks of mass-entrusted technology in service, especially given the increasingly rapid evolution of technology such as artificial intelligence.
Central research questions are: How do people experience technology-infused service? How does technology shape service experience?
The research may draw on philosophical concepts related to (embodied) experience, technology, desire, anxiety, and meaning. Philosophies of, for example, Martin Heidegger, Maurice Merleau-Ponty, and Jacques Lacan can be considered. Qualitative research methods are central to acquiring data across multiple technological service contexts, such as healthcare or high-tech retail, involving numerous actors: businesses, customers, and consumers.
The research predominantly attempts to contribute to Organization Theory and Service Research. The research aspires to:
– Deepen the knowledge about the concepts and the relationship between experience and technology-intense service;
– Offer insights to service designers, managers, business leaders, and policymakers to craft, optimize, and deliver technology-supported service in tune with users’ experiences;
– Address and surmount the challenge of mass-customized high-tech service that ignores human experience;
– Design organization and service strategies based on a deep awareness of the position and significance of technology in people’s lives.
The PhD candidate will be guided by a multidisciplinary supervisory team with rich experience in various domains. Dr. Yasin Sahhar is the daily supervisor, Dr. Michel Ehrenhard fulfills the role of promotor and Dr. Suzanne Janssen co-supervisor.
The successful applicant will join the Entrepreneurship and Technology Management (ETM) section of the High-tech Business & Entrepreneurship Department (HBE) at the Faculty of Behavioural Management and Social Sciences.
Read the full job offer and application procedure here.
Deadline: 20 Nov. 2023.
