Manifestations of Dark Leadership under Digital Transformation

This PhD project explores how Dark Leadership (DL) traits emerge or are amplified within the context of Digital Transformation (DT) within organisational settings.

Traditional leadership research has largely focused on positive aspects, leaving a "heroic bias" that overlooks the impact of negative leadership behaviours (Alvesson, 2020; Tourish, 2013). Yet, DL—manifesting through toxic, narcissistic, and exploitative traits - can obstruct organisational progress, undermine ethical considerations, and harm employee engagement, particularly in DT settings where technology decisions directly impact societal well-being (Solberg et al., 2020; Ozdemir & Hekim, 2018).

To explore this complex dynamic, the study will employ a qualitative research approach, starting with in-depth, semi-structured interviews across various organisational contexts. These interviews will capture DL's varied experiences in DT and provide insights into how negative leadership traits manifest and affect DT processes. Following this phase, the research will expand with an open-ended survey distributed through an anonymous response platform like Qualtrics or Prolific, ensuring respondent confidentiality while encouraging candid insights into DL’s influence in the age of digitalisation and on DT initiatives.

This study presents an opportunity for pure, exploratory research to build foundational knowledge about DL in DT. Collaboration with industry stakeholders, particularly technology-focused organisations, will provide rich case studies and support the practical relevance of the findings. Candidates suited for this PhD will ideally have experience in leadership studies, organisational behaviour, and qualitative research methods. A background in critical analysis and an interest in the ethical and societal implications of digital transformation will support the project’s exploratory goals.

How to apply

If you are interested in applying for the above PhD topic please follow the steps below:

1. Contact the supervisor by email or phone to discuss your interest and find out if you would be suitable. Supervisor details can be found on this topic page. The supervisor will guide you in developing the topic-specific research proposal, which will form part of your application.
2. Click on the 'Apply here' button on this page and you will be taken to the relevant PhD course page, where you can apply using an online application.
3. Complete the online application indicating your selected supervisor and include the research proposal for the topic you have selected.

Good luck!

This is a self funded topic

Brunel offers a number of funding options to research students that help cover the cost of their tuition fees, contribute to living expenses or both. See more information here: https://www.brunel.ac.uk/research/Research-degrees/Research-degree-funding. The UK Government is also offering Doctoral Student Loans for eligible students, and there is some funding available through the Research Councils. Many of our international students benefit from funding provided by their governments or employers. Brunel alumni enjoy tuition fee discounts of 15%.

Meet the Supervisor(s)

Ozlem Ayaz - Ozlem Ayaz Arda received her PhD in Management and Organisations in 2016 from Bahcesehir University Istanbul. She joined Brunel Business School in February 2020. Dr Ayaz-Arda has several years of management experience in strategic management, working at big companies in Turkey. Her research is embedded in the strategic management field specifically interested in the integration of management systems with different operational aims. Her interest also resides in the role of leadership, social and business value creation ethical organisations during the digital era started with Industry 4.0. Dr Ayaz-Arda has published widely in internationally well-regarded academic journals such as Journal of Business Research, Decision Support Systems, Business Strategy, and the Environment. She has presented her research output at international conferences such as Academy of Management Conference in 2016, 2018, and 2020. 

Related Research Group(s)

Strategy Entrepreneurship and International Business - Our themes of research range from entrepreneurial and internationalisation strategies of small-to-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to inward and outward investment by large enterprises and supra-national governance.