I am a member of the Strategy, Entrepreneurship and Management Department in Brunel Business School. My research interests focus on hybrid management and leadership development in organisations including healthcare and business education, intersectionality, ethnic minority micro-enterprises, and workplace well-being. I use qualitative research methods, interdisciplinary, and international perspectives. I welcome ideas for collaborations and proposals from organisations and prospective doctoral students whose interests align with my research areas in engaged scholarship to make a positive impact linked to UN SDGs 3, 5, 8, and 10 in particular. I have (co)led research projects on gender and medical leadership development with AIIMS, New Delhi; on workforce redesign in Airedale Hospital; and HRM in regional SMEs, including Chevening, NHS England, and EU Erasmus+ funding. I have published in journals such as the Academy of Management Learning & Education; Gender, Work & Organization; Journal of Business Research; Journal of Health Organization and Management; Stress and Health, and co-authored papers with plastic surgeons and ophthalmologists. For three years I served as an Associate Editor of Human Resource Development Review. I have conducted research, consultancy, and executive education in Australia, Cambodia, China, India, Kuwait, Mozambique, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore and Vietnam in airline, banking, energy, and healthcare organisations. I initiated and facilitated EFMD’s international development programme and AAPBS workshops for business school deans. I also have extensive distance learning teaching experience on the Open University’s MBA and have taught next level leadership and managing change at London Business School. I was the inaugural Director of the MBA Health programme in the Global Business School for Health at University College London. I am currently a trustee of Kirkwood Hospice where I chair the EDI subcommittee, a member of the editorial board of Long Range Planning, and I am an external examiner for the University of Manchester’s MSc Healthcare Leadership. I chair the research committee of the University Forum for Human Resource Development (UFHRD) and I am an academic advisory board member for the Centre for Business and Industry Transformation (CBIT) at Nottingham Business School. I am a member of EFMD’s MBA conference steering committee. I am a practitioner Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, Senior Fellow AdvanceHE, and UK Council for Graduate Education (UKCGE) recognised doctoral supervisor. I am also a qualified executive coach and psychometrics assessor. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/professor-julie-davies X: @juliedaviesUK ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6875-3100
Across global healthcare systems, professionals and managers are facing intense pressures.
Rapid technological change, rising administrative demands and the spread of AI‑driven tools are reshaping clinical environments just as burnout, attrition and mental health challenges reach critical levels. Yet within these complex systems, many people continue to build meaningful, resilient and sustainable careers. Understanding how they do this — the competences they draw on, how they navigate organisational tensions, and how they protect their well‑being — is essential if individuals and health systems are to flourish.
We’re inviting proposals that explore how healthcare professionals and managers develop and sustain their careers in evolving, AI‑enabled healthcare ecosystems. We’re interested in lived experiences, leadership journeys and the adaptive strategies that help people thrive in high‑pressure settings. Drawing on career ecosystems theory, the project should examine how individuals balance organisational expectations with personal agency, and how they build resilience, well‑being and leadership capacity over time.
The research will use qualitative methods with male and female healthcare professionals at different career stages. Life stories and narrative approaches are encouraged to help uncover the turning points, challenges and opportunities that shape long‑term career development.
Indicative research question
How do healthcare professionals and managers navigate career progression, well‑being and leadership development within AI‑enabled healthcare systems characterised by high stress and burnout risk?
Key objectives may include:
- Identifying the competences, capabilities and strategies individuals use to manage career transitions and leadership responsibilities
- Exploring how professionals negotiate tensions between organisational demands, personal values and well‑being
- Examining how AI‑driven changes in healthcare shape career opportunities, stressors and expectations
- Analysing life stories to understand career inflexions that support leadership emergence
- Comparing experiences across healthcare systems in developed and developing countries to inform global workforce policy
- Generating recommendations for leadership development, workforce retention and well‑being initiatives
Methodological approach
Students may adopt qualitative or mixed methods, potentially including:
- Semi‑structured interviews with healthcare professionals and managers
- Narrative and life‑story analysis
- Thematic analysis of social media
- Cross‑system comparison of workforce structures and career pathways
- Optional surveys to capture broader patterns of well‑being and career experience
Candidate requirements
Applicants should have:
- A strong academic background in business and management studies, organisational psychology, health management, sociology or a related field
- Experience or interest in qualitative research and narrative methods
- Curiosity about AI‑enabled healthcare environments and workforce well‑being
- A reflective, ethical and empathetic approach to working with participants
This project suits candidates who want to strengthen healthcare workforce sustainability and shape the future of leadership in complex, AI‑enabled systems.
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. 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%.