The University of Gothenburg tackles society’s challenges with diverse knowledge. 56 000 students and 6 600 employees make the university a large and inspiring place to work and study. Strong research and attractive study programmes attract scientists and students from around the world. With new knowledge and new perspectives, the University contributes to a better future.

The School of Business, Economics and Law offers a unique breadth, with over 3 700 full-time students, 470 staff members, 160 international partner universities, four departments and three main subject areas – business, economics and law. The uniqueness is also manifested in the School’s close collaboration with trade, industry and the public sector. The School of Business, Economics and Law is accredited by EQUIS, AACSB and AMBA and is thereby the only Triple Crown-accredited business school in Sweden.

The Department of Business Administration is the largest department at the School of Business, Economics and Law and offers comprehensive research and education at first-, second- and third-cycle levels in the subjects of business administration and economic geography. The Department has approximately 150 employees and is divided into four sections: Industrial and Financial Management & Logistics (IFEL), Management & Organisation, Marketing and Accounting.

This postdoctoral fellowship is situated at the Industrial and Financial Management & Logistics (IFEL) section, and is part of the Strategic Research Area Transport and in The transport purchasing panel. The transport purchasing panel is a bi-annual survey among transport purchasing companies, developed in cooperation with researchers at Gothenburg University, Chalmers University of Technology and IVL, Swedish Environmental Research Institute.

 

Subject description

Business administration specializing in purchasing of freight transport services

 

Purchasing of freight transport services has a large impact on companies’ costs and emissions, and thereby on society at large. It is therefore important to understand how purchasing strategies can improve the sustainability and efficiency of freight transport, including safety-related issues. This includes both horizontal collaborations among transport buying companies and among transport service companies/carriers. Horizontal collaboration can potentially improve capacity utilization and put pressure on transport service providers to offer more sustainable services as well as improve operations in other ways. Successful horizontal collaborations are significantly impacted by the purchasing process and demands of shippers.

 

Job assignments

The candidate is expected to engage in purchasing related research to investigate strategies and ways to improve sustainability and efficiency of freight transport, including safety-related issues. The focus should be on purchasing of freight transport services in general and specifically horizontal collaborations among transport buying companies and horizontal collaborations among transport service companies. The research shall be carried out in inter-disciplinary cooperation with other researchers and within the Transport Purchasing Panel. The research shall also be performed in close cooperation with industry and public sector organisations. A maximum of 20 % of working time can be devoted to teaching.

 

Eligibility

The candidate shall have completed a doctoral degree in an area relevant to the position by the closing date of the announcement of vacancy. Primarily candidates who have completed their doctoral degree no more than three years prior to the closing date will be considered. Eligibility for postdoctoral fellowship in accordance with university agreement Avtal om tidsbegränsad anställning som postdoktor (2022-02-01) and Appointments Procedure for Teachers at the University of Gothenburg.

 

Assessment

In the assessment of applicants, particular weight will be assigned to research potential in relation to the subject description. The following are requirements for the position:

- A high level of English communication and writing skills

- Familiarity with qualitative methods including the use of interviews, workshops and similar.

- Familiarity with research on purchasing and/or freight transport services.

 

 The following are considered important merits:

- Experience from working in applied projects with research institutes, municipalities and/or commercial actors.

- Experience in working with survey data.

- Proficiency in Swedish is not a requirement but is seen very positively as the Transport Purchasing Panel use Swedish as the working language.

 

Ability to cooperate and overall personal suitability will be given thorough attention.

 

Appointment

This position is a fixed term, 100 % employment for two years, in accordance with university agreement  Avtal om tidsbegränsad anställning som postdoktor (2022-02-01). The position may be extended on special grounds, i.e. sick leave, parental leave, clinical duties, elected positions in trade unions or other similar circumstances. The postdoctoral fellowship position, starting spring 2022 or as agreed, will be located at the Department of Business Administration, at Vasagatan 1 in central Gothenburg.

 

Closing date

Apply 28th March 2022 at the latest

 

How to apply

In order to apply for a position at the University of Gothenburg, you have to register an account in the university online recruitment system. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the application is complete in accordance with the instructions in the advertisement, and that it is submitted before the deadline.

The application should include:

  1. Cover letter
  2. CV
  3. Copies of degree certificates, grade transcripts or other certificates
  4. A letter of intent in which the applicant describes how he/she would approach the research assignment if hired for the position
  5. An account of scholarly/research qualifications, including a description of prior scholarly/research activities and contributions. The scholarly works should be attached under Other attachments (maximum 10 attachments)
  6. References (minimum 2), including their names, title, contact information and current position

 

Union representatives

For information regarding union representatives at the university: https://www.gu.se/en/work-at-the-university-of-gothenburg/how-to-apply

 

Contact information

Michael Browne, Professor, +46 31 786 6798, michael.browne@handels.gu.se

Jonas Flodén, Docent +46 31 786 5131, jonas.floden@handels.gu.se

Ted Lindblom, Professor, Head of section, +46 786 14 97, ted.lindblom@handels.gu.se

 

Further information

https://www.gu.se/en/school-business-economics-law/business-administration

 

https://www.chalmers.se/en/areas-of-advance/Transport/Pages/default.aspx

 

https://www.chalmers.se/en/centres/lead/TransportPurchasingPanel/Pages/default.aspx

 

 

The University works actively to achieve a working environment with equal conditions, and values the qualities that diversity brings to its operations.

Salaries are set individually at the University.

In accordance with the National Archives of Sweden’s regulations, the University must archive application documents for two years after the appointment is filled. If you request that your documents are returned, they will be returned to you once the two years have passed. Otherwise, they will be destroyed.

In connection to this recruitment, we have already decided which recruitment channels we should use. We therefore decline further contact with vendors, recruitment and staffing companies.