FEKIS PhD Mini Conference

The PhD Mini Conference (doctoral colloquium) will be held at ��ý on October 22-23, 2024, alongside the main FEKIS conference. The PhD Mini Conference starts on October 22 after lunch (following the FEKIS PhD course in the morning), and will be held in a constructive, collaborative, inclusive and friendly environment.

The PhD Mini Conference will commence with a keynote of an internationally recognised research leader. During the afternoon, PhD students will have the opportunity to present and discuss their research in smaller groups. These groups will each be joined by senior academics in the field acting as mentors. Generating feedback around your research and creating networking opportunities with fellow PhD students and academics is central to this first day. To further enhance mingling, the afternoon session is followed by the main conference welcome reception.

The second day of the PhD Mini Conference restarts again after the lunch break of the main FEKIS conference. This offers all PhD students the opportunity to join the keynotes and opening sessions of the main conference during the morning on October 23. In the afternoon, there will then be two consecutive workshops for PhD students, one around (interdisciplinary) theorising and one around sustainable academic careers. These workshops will offer hands-on insights into academic life around scholarly thinking and scholarly being, with a long-term perspective to help you succeed in this industry.

The PhD Day requires a fee of 1250 SEK (incl VAT), which includes meals/fika and registration to both the PhD Day and the FEKIS conference. We are not able to provide any financial support or travel assistance.

We will accept applications until September 20, 2024, and space is limited.

Preliminary Timelines for PhD Mini Conference

Pre-Conference Activity, 22.10.2024:

10:00-12.15 FEKIS PhD Course
12.15-13.00 Lunch

Conference Activity, 22.10.2024:

13.00-14.00 Opening of The Mini-Conference and Keynote Speech by Prof Jodie Conduit
14.00-14.15 Break
14.15-15.15 Parallel Sessions of Student Presentations
15.15-15.30 Break
15.30-16.30 Parallel Sessions of Student Presentations

PhD students are then encouraged to join the social events of the main conference:

Drink at hotel Fratelli: 17:00
Visti to the Lerin museum: 18:00

Conference Activity, 23.10.2024

8.00-13.00 PhD Students Can Join the Opening, Keynote Speech, First Parallel Sessions and Lunch of The Main Conference
13.00-14.30 PhD Student Workshop on Interdisciplinary Theorising with Prof Ingo Karpen
14.30.15.00 Break
15.00-16.00 PhD Student Workshop on Sustainable Academic Careers with Prof Bo Edvardsson
16.00-16.30 Concluding Discussion

Keynote Speech by Prof Jodie Conduit:

In an era defined by unprecedented global challenges, the intersection of sustainable business practices and social values has never been more critical. Current business practices are fast depleting planetary resources and represent a significant challenge to the future of humanity. Environmental experts are calling for societies to go beyond regulatory obligations and participate in the development of more sustainable ecosystems.

Jodie’s research lies in understanding how consumers and other stakeholders collectively engage, design, and adopt more sustainable business and consumer practices, and ultimately develop more sustainable ecosystems. From her work with government and industry, she draws from practical examples to demonstrate both the societal challenges and best practice case studies that transform to more sustainable societies. There is a compelling need for more evidence-based academic research to enhance the movement towards a more sustainable economy. This session will outline various pathways for academic research, empowering the next generation of scholars to drive impactful, meaningful change in business and society.

Jodie Conduit is the Interim Executive Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Business, Law and Economics. Her research interests lie in understanding how to engage consumers and other stakeholders to work together to change ecosystems and achieve meaningful outcomes for society, particularly in context of a circular economy. This underpins her research agenda in the areas of customer engagement, market shaping, value co-creation, and more broadly in service research.

Her research has been widely published in leading journals including the Journal of Marketing, Journal of Service Research, Industrial Marketing Management, European Journal of Marketing, and Journal of Business Ethics, among others. Jodie is an Associate Editor for the Journal of Service Theory and Practice and an editorial board member for AMS Review. She is also a Board Member for Green Industries SA and KESAB Environmental Solutions.

PhD Student Workshop on Interdisciplinary Theorising with Prof Ingo Karpen

This seminar on Interdisciplinary Theorising offers PhD students an opportunity to explore how integrating theories and methods from different fields can enrich research and address complex problems. Through real-world examples and practical strategies, participants will learn to understand and navigate potential challenges such as theoretical conflicts and communication barriers across disciplines. The session encourages collaboration and innovative thinking, providing avenues to approach research from a more integrative perspective. It’s a chance to reflect on the value of interdisciplinary work and to develop skills that are increasingly relevant in both academic and real-world contexts. Welcome!

Ingo O. Karpen is a Full Professor at CTF Service Research Center at ��ý, Sweden and The University of Adelaide Business School, Australia. Focusing on the nexus of business and design, Ingo’s interdisciplinary research revolves around designerly ways of thinking, working and being, and how this enables organisations to better serve people and their ecosystems alike. His research and education have been internationally awarded, and his publications have appeared in leading academic journals. For his ongoing work on service innovation, Ingo has won prestigious research council and industry funding, while he also collaborates with organisations as a Strategic Designer.

PhD Student Workshop on Sustainable Academic Careers with Prof Bo Edvardsson

This seminar on Sustainable Academic Careers is designed to help PhD students navigate the challenges of building a long-term, fulfilling career in academia. It covers key aspects such as balancing research, teaching, and personal well-being, while also addressing the realities of funding, publication pressure, and career transitions. Participants will explore strategies for maintaining motivation, managing demands effectively, and fostering professional networks. The session aims to provide practical guidance for sustaining both academic productivity and personal wellbeing, helping students build a meaningful career path in an academic landscape that is evolving and evermore demanding. There will also be time to discuss questions of the participants.

Bo Edvardsson is Professor and Founder, CTF Service Research Centre and former Vice Rector, ��ý. Bo is also former editor of the Journal of Service Management and on the review board of nine scientific journals. He has published more than 200 scientific articles in journals such as Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Journal of Business Research and Journal of Service Research. Bo’s Google scholar citations count 29.106 on September 1st, 2024. According to Research.com, a leading academic platform for researchers, in the 2023 edition of top 1000 Scientists in the field of Business and Management, Bo is ranked #191 in the world and #2 in Sweden. He is also member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences and of several scientific advisory boards. He has received many scientific awards, including the 2004 Career Contributions to the Services Discipline Award by the American Marketing Association.

Information for PhD Students

PhD students in any year of study are welcome to submit their research. We are keen to provide you with the maximum opportunity for discussion and to receive focused, detailed and constructive feedback on your research from mentors and fellow group members. For this reason, please consider how you would benefit most in terms of feedback. More specifically:

Students in the early stages of their PhD may benefit most from feedback on their critical review of the literature, conceptual framing of their study and the development of their research question(s).
Students in the mid-stages of their PhD may benefit most from feedback on their justification for their research design and methodology and how this aligns with their research question(s) and aims.
Finally, students in the final stages of their PhD may value feedback on their preliminary analysis of findings and their articulation of the proposed theoretical contribution of their study.

Please include the following information as part of your submission document:

Title of thesis
Student’s name and surname
University affiliation
Contact details: university email address
Supervisor’s names and university affiliations
Main research summary of 3000 words (excluding references)
Keywords: 4-6 keywords about your research
Motivation statement: Discuss why you want to attend the mini-conference and what you would like to get out of it (no more than 200 words). Please be as specific as you can.

The purpose of the research summary document, preferably in research paper format, is to provide group members/mentors with a reasonable overview of your work, and for you to highlight two or three aspects of your research on which you would like feedback and discussion. PhD students will present their research in their group, followed by a group discussion.

Key Dates:

Deadline for PhD research summary submission: September 20 (earlier submissions are appreciated). E-mail it to ingo.karpen@kau.se
Author notification regarding who will be admitted: September 25 (those accepted will receive further information)
Deadline for conference registration: September 27.
FEKIS PhD mini-conference: October 22-23

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