Join a world-class research team to investigate one of the most pressing challenges in modern organizations: why some GenAI initiatives fail and what factors help to make them succeed.
We are seeking two outstanding PhD candidates for two fully funded joint doctoral projects exploring how organizations can effectively implement GenAI-enabled technologies (e.g., chatbots) in customer service. While firms are investing heavily in AI, up to 95% of GenAI pilots fail—not due to technological limitations, but because of organizational barriers. This project tackles this critical “AI implementation gap.”
Further, as organizations adopt AI at scale, they face critical strategic choices: replace human labour or augment it. By 2030, it is estimated that nearly 60% of employees will require reskilling due to technological change. Yet, we still lack robust evidence on how these transformations affect performance and value creation. This project explores the consequences of those decisions for employees, customers, and firm performance.
About Project 1: Understanding and Managing the AI Implementation Gap
This research will examine how firms can successfully deploy GenAI in customer service by identifying:
- The organizational capabilities required for successful AI implementation
- The most common capability gaps driving failure
- Strategies to develop and measure these capabilities
About the Project 2: The Role of Human Employees
This research investigates how GenAI is redefining human work in service contexts, with a focus on:
- The impact of GenAI adoption on firm value under different strategies (substitution vs. augmentation)
- The emergence of new employee roles, skills, and capabilities in AI-enabled service environments
- The effectiveness of reskilling and upskilling initiatives for employees and organizations
Successful candidates will contribute to cutting-edge research at the intersection of service marketing, technology adoption, and organizational design, with strong potential for high-impact academic publication and industry relevance.
Research Environment
This is a joint PhD between two international leading institutions:
- University of Melbourne (Australia) and KU Leuven (Belgium) with a minimum of 12-month research stay (up to 2 years) at the alternative institution.
Supervision is provided by internationally recognised service scholars:
- Prof. Liliana Bove (University of Melbourne)
- Prof. Yves Van Vaerenbergh (KU Leuven)
- Prof. Bart Lariviere (KU Leuven)
What is on Offer
- A PhD recognised by two testamurs
- Fully funded tax-free PhD scholarship for four years
- Tuition fee waiver
- Health and travel insurance
- Relocation allowance
- International joint PhD cohort experience across two top universities
- Access to leading marketing and management scholars and AI research hubs
- Opportunity to work on a high-impact, industry-relevant research problem
Candidate Profile
We are looking for two highly motivated candidates with:
- Minimum eligibility requirements of both universities e.g., minimum weighted average mark (WAM) of 80.
- Strong academic background in marketing
- Interest in AI, service technologies, and organizational strategy
- Excellent analytical and research skills
- Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines, as thesis must be completed in four years
- Ambition to publish in leading academic journals
Key Details
- Start date: October 2026 – March 2027, preferably January 4
- Application deadline: 31 August 2026 (applications reviewed on a rolling basis; early submission strongly encouraged)
- Submit your expression of interest, CV and academic transcripts to Liliana Bove
