Do you have a passion for research and the ambition to obtain your PhD in the field of platforms and their business models? Do you have the right academic background, and are you ready to start this 4-year journey in our open, international, and collegial environment? Let's talk!

PhD Researcher – Platforms and Business Models

Vlerick Business School is a triple-accredited, top-ranked international business school at the heart of Europe - with a solid scientific foundation that provides the backbone for knowledge with lasting impact. We strive to make coming to Vlerick feel like a transformative experience that ignites the entrepreneurial leadership fire. In doing so, we help form positive change-makers ready to challenge the status quo and make things happen. Vlerick is a school, but we run it as a company, aligned with the high standards we foster in our different programmes. We are looking for an enthusiastic and motivated PhD Researcher in Platforms and Business Models.

Platforms are increasingly gaining relevance in all industries, some being ahead of others. This PhD project is funded through a prestigious NWO grant and is part of a consortium. It will generate insights important for designing sustainable platforms in freight management by learning from other platforms relevant to the focal context.

Your Mission

As a PhD researcher in the field of Platforms and Business Models, you will:

• Identify the (partial) disintermediation patterns: What happened with the intermediaries and other actors after the disrupting platform scaled up?
• Identify the factors of competition on which platforms compete and the effects of competitive positioning of platforms in relevant markets.

• Assess firms' dependence on stakeholders (e.g., customers) in a B2B setting due to disintermediation and the impact thereof (e.g., financial, societal, trust, and fairness).
• Disseminate knowledge by writing academic papers, reports, and articles and attending conferences and workshops.
• Work as part of a large interdisciplinary project with 11 universities and multiple organizations.

• You have an interest in how platforms’ business models work
• A (Research) master's degree in Management, Strategy, Entrepreneurship, Organization Studies, or a related discipline; alternatively, a master's degree in Computational Social Science or a master’s degree in Data Science or AI with a strong management and/or strategy focus on the application side.
• You are outstanding in either quantitative or qualitative research methods (or both)
• You have a high GPA in your master’s degree
• You want to conduct relevant research both for the academic and the business world
• You want to provide limited teaching support to your supervisors
• You are fluent in English, Dutch would be a plus
• You can work autonomously yet are a good team player
• You have a proactive attitude
• You have good writing skills
• Located in either campus Ghent or Brussels

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#ProudtobeVlerick

• Autonomy and responsibility in a dynamic, open, and international culture.
• Opportunities for professional and personal growth.
• A team of enthusiastic, driven colleagues, passionate about learning.
• Opportunities to build your network, both in academics and in business.
• The chance to have a real impact and inspire people to live, learn, and leap!

At Vlerick, openness to the world is part of our DNA. We are continuously working towards being a truly diverse, equitable, and inclusive place to work and learn. So, no matter who you are, where you come from, or what your dreams are, we look forward to receiving your application.