Examining the impact of psychological capital on leadership effectiveness
Leadership effectiveness is critical for organisational success, especially in today's dynamic, often unpredictable business environment. Psychological capital (PsyCap) has been shown to enhance resilience, adaptability, and positive work attitudes, making it a potentially valuable asset for leaders. However, the specific ways in which leaders’ PsyCap influences their effectiveness, decision-making, and relationships with employees are not yet fully understood.
This PhD research project aims to investigate the role of psychological capital (PsyCap) in leadership, exploring how the dimensions of PsyCap—hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism—contribute to leadership effectiveness, team performance, and organisational outcomes.
Example research questions:
- How do the components of psychological capital (hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism) influence leadership effectiveness?
- What role does a leader’s PsyCap play in fostering employee engagement, trust, and job satisfaction within teams?
- How does psychological capital impact leaders’ ability to manage stress, overcome setbacks, and drive positive organisational change?
The ideal candidate should have a strong background in organisational psychology, leadership studies, or human resource management, with a focus on quantitative research methods. Proficiency in statistical analysis software (e.g., Stata, SPSS, R, or AMOS for SEM) and survey design would be highly beneficial.
How to apply
If you are interested in applying for the above PhD topic please follow the steps below:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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)
Ning Wu - Ning is a Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) in OB/HRM at Brunel Business School. Ning started her higher education career as a university lecturer in Economics in Peking University China, then conducted research in Labour Economics at Oxford University as a senior member. Before joining Brunel Business School, Ning held a lecturer post in HRM at Nottingham Business School.
Related Research Group(s)
Human Resource Management and Organization Behaviour - The group's five main themes of research include excellence in workplace innovation, diversity, team work, social inclusion, and employee selection.