Teaching
- Leadership and Collective Intelligence
- Operational Core Competencies in HRM
Qualifications
- PhD in Management Learning, University of Lancaster, UK 2001-2005
- MSc in Applied Linguistics, University of Leicester, UK 1993-4
- BA (hons) Comparative History University of Essex, UK 1984-87
Research interests
- Professional careers
- Wellbeing
- Leadership
- Management and organisation learning
Work Experience
Academic
- Executive Director of the CUT, Associate Dean for research (May 2024 – Present)
- Full Professor, Rennes School of Business (September 2022 – Present)
- Professor in Management and Organisation Studies, University of Glasgow (2019-2022)
- Reader in HR and OB, University of Glasgow (2016-2019)
- Senior Lecturer in Management, University of Leicester, (2011- 2015)
- Lecturer in Management, Open University (2007-2011)
- Research Associate, University of Lancaster (2004-2007)
Non Academic
- Assistant Country Director (Education Development) British Council, Ukraine (1998-2001)
- Project/Senior Project Manager (Education Development) British Council, China (1994-1998)
Service
Service to the Institution
- AACSB Accreditation Academic Lead, University of Glasgow (From January 2021)
- MSc IHRMD Programme Convener/Leader, University of Glasgow (September 2017- Dec 2021)
- HR/OB Research Cluster Leader, University of Glasgow (from September 2019)
Service to Profession
- Vice Chair, British Academy of Management (elected)(from January 2023)
- Member of Council, British Academy of Management (from January 2022)
- Editor in Chief, European Management Journal (from April 2021)
- Associate Editor, Management Learning (From January 2019)
- Editorial Review Board Member: Human Relations, (From 2021)
- Editorial Review Board Member Organisation, (From 2019)
- Editorial review Board Member Leadership, (from 2015)
- Editorial review Board Member HRDI (from 2014)
- Track Co-convener (CMS) British Academy of Management (from 2016)
Intellectual contributions
Refereed Articles – Basic or Discovery Scholarship
- Bergmann, R, Wall, T, Kjærgaard, A, Elliott, C, Callahan, J, Padan, T, Blasco, M and Robinson, S. (2023) Subtle activism: Heterotopic principles for unsettling contemporary academia from within. Organization, https://doi.org/10.1177/13505084231167702
- Kerr, R., Robinson, S., Sliwa, M.(2022) Organising populism: from symbolic power to symbolic violence. Human Relations https://doi.org/10.1177/00187267221129181
- Robinson, S. , Contu, A., Elliot, C. and Gagnon, S. (2022) In praise of holistic scholarship: a collective essay in memory of Mark Easterby-Smith. Management Learning, 53(2) pp362-385. (doi: 10.1177/13505076211032207)
- Bhukya, R., Paul, J., Kastanakis, M. and Robinson, S. (2022) Forty years of European Management Journal: a bibliometric overview. European Management Journal, 41 (2) pp10-28(doi: 10.1016/j.emj.2021.04.001)
- Robinson, S. (2021) Letter from the incoming Editor-in-Chief. European Management Journal, 39(2), pp. 169-170. (doi: 10.1016/j.emj.2021.02.007)
- Sliwa, M., Kerr, R. and Robinson, S. (2021) The implications of the political situation in the UK for firms: a Bourdieusian perspective. British Journal of Management, 32(2), pp. 363-368. (doi: 10.1111/1467-8551.12399)
- Rhew, N. D., Jones, D. R., Sama, L. M., Robinson, S. , Friedman, V. J. and Egan, M. (2021) Shedding light on restorative spaces and faculty well-being. Journal of Management Education, 45(1) pp43-64.
- Friedman, V. J., Robinson, S. , Egan, M., Jones, D. R., Rhew, N. D. and Sama, L. M. (2020) Meandering as method for conversational learning and collaborative inquiry. Journal of Management Education, 44(5) pp635-650 (doi: 10.1177/1052562920934151)
- Ratle, O., Robinson, S. , Bristow, A. and Kerr, R. (2020) Mechanisms of micro-terror? Early career CMS academics’ experiences of ‘targets and terror’ in contemporary business schools. Management Learning, 51(4), pp. 452-471. (doi: 10.1177/1350507620913050)
- Robinson, S. and Bristow, A. (2020) Riding populist storms: Brexit, Trumpism and beyond, special paper series editorial. Organization, 27(3) pp359-369 (doi: 10.1177/1350508420910576)
- Bristow, A., Robinson, S., and Ratle, O. (2019) Academic arrhythmia: disruption, dissonance and conflict in the early career rhythms of CMS academics. Academy of Management Learning and Education (AMLE) 18(2), pp. 241-260. (doi: 10.5465/amle.2017.0340)
- Bristow, A. and Robinson, S. (2018) Brexiting CMS. Organization, 25(5) pp636-648 (doi:10.1177/1350508418786057)
- Robinson, S., and Kerr, R. (2017) Women leaders in the political field in Scotland: a socio-historical approach to the emergence of leaders. Leadership 1-25 (doi:10.1177/1742715017710592)
- Robinson, S. Bristow, A., Ratle, O. (2017) Labour Pains: Starting a Career within the Neoliberal University, Ephemera 17(3), pp. 481-508.
- Bristow, A., Robinson, S. and Ratle, O., (2017) Being an early-career CMS academic in the context of insecurity and ‘excellence’: the dialectics of resistance and compliance. Organization Studies 38(9), pp. 1185-1207. (doi:10.1177/0170840616685361)
- Kerr, R., and Robinson, S ., Elliott, C. (2016) Modernism, Postmodernism and corporate power: historicising the architectural typology of the corporate campus. Management and Organization History 11(2), pp. 123-146.(doi:10.1080/17449359.2016.1141690)
- Kerr, R., and Robinson, S. (2016) Architecture, symbolic capital and elite mobilisations: the case of the Royal Bank of Scotland’s corporate campus. Organization, 23(5), pp. 699-721.(doi:10.1177/1350508415606988)
- Robinson, S. and Kerr, R., (2015) Reflexive conversations: constructing hermeneutic designs for qualitative management research. British Journal of Management Vol. 26 issue 4 pp 777-790
- Rose, M., Decter, M., Robinson, S., Jack, S., and Lockett, N. (2013) ‘Opportunities, contradictions and attitudes: The policy paradox of entrepreneurial education and university- business engagement since 1960’. Business History, vol. 55 no.2 pp.259-279.
- Kerr, R. and Robinson, S (2012) ‘From symbolic violence to economic violence: The globalizing of the Scottish banking elite’. Organization Studies, vol 33 no. 2pp.247-266.
- Elliott, C. and Robinson, S. (2012) ‘MBA Imaginaries – projections of internationalisation’. Management Learning, vol.43 no.2 pp.157-181.
- Kerr, R. and Robinson, S. (2011) ‘Leadership as an elite field: the role of the Scottish banks in the crisis of 2007-2009’, Leadership, vol. 7 no.2, pp.151-173.
- Johnston, L., Robinson, S.K., and Lockett, N. (2010) ‘Recognising ‘open innovation’ in HEI-Industry interaction for knowledge transfer and exchange’. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour and Research, vol.16 no.6, pp, 540-560.
- Robinson, S.K. and Kerr, R. (2009) ‘The symbolic violence of leadership: a critical hermeneutic study of leadership and succession in a British organization in the post-Soviet context’ Human Relations, vol. 62, no. 6, pp. 875-903.
- Robinson, S.K. and Kerr, R. (2009) ‘The hysteresis effect as creative adaptation of the habitus: dissent and transition to the ‘corporate’ in post-Soviet Ukraine’. Organization, vol. 16, no. 6, pp. 829-853.
- Lockett, N., Cave, F., Kerr, R. and Robinson, S.K. (2009) ‘The influence of co-location in higher education institutions on small firms – perspectives of knowledge transfer’. Entrepreneurship & Regional Development: an international Journal, vol. 21, no. 3, pp. 265-283.
- Lockett, N., Kerr, R. and Robinson, S.K. (2008) ‘Multiple perspectives on knowledge transfer between higher education institutions and industry’. International Small Business Journal, vol. 26, no. 6, pp. 661-681.
- Robinson, S. (2006) ‘Reflecting on the “International Group Working Experience”: a study of two MBA programmes’. International Journal of Management Education, vol. 5 No. 2, pp3-14.
Refereed proceedings - Discipline-Based Scholarship
Presentations of Refereed Papers
- Sarah Robinson, Ron Kerr, Martyna Sliwa. Populism as campaigning, politics as court: the organising role of political consultants. Organization Studies Summer Workshop Organization, Organizing, and Politics: Disciplinary Traditions and Possible Futures. Mykonos, Greece, 23-25 May 2024
- Carole Elliott, Sarah Robinson, Annemette Kjægaard. Disruptive and creative dialogues for sustainable futures: developing collaborative methodologies for action orientated leadership development. International Studying Leadership Conference, Copenhagen, Denmark, 9-14 December 2023
- Sarah Robinson and Amanda Hay. Humanifying the Management Educator Role. Research into Management Learning and Education (RMLE) Conference, Organised by Bond University Australia, Banff, Canada, 26-30 June 2023
- Sarah Robinson, Ron Kerr and Martyna Sliwa. Prophet of racial dystopia: Enoch Powell and the ultra-right. 17th Organization Studies Workshop Utopias and dystopias: Organization studies in a brave new world? Cape Sounion, Athens, Greece, 17-20 May 2023
- Jette Ernst, Sarah Robinson. Nurses’ professional mobility struggles and micro strategies of power and control within a changing organisational context. 39th EGOS, Cagliari, Italy, 6-9 July 2023
Marjana Johansson, Sarah Robinson. Keeping the Camel Walking: Exploring understandings of wellbeing in academia. 39th EGOS, Cagliari, Italy, 6-9 July 2023 - Sarah Robinson, Ron Kerr and Martyna Sliwa. Prophetic Leadership: Enoch Powell, Brexit and the Ultra-Right. 20th International Studying Leadership Conference Conference theme: Leadership and the Future of Humanity, Brighton, UK, 11-12 December 2022
- Kerr, R., Robinson, S and Śliwa, M. (2021) The Discursive Work of Populist Politicians: An Historical Perspective on English Populism Academy of Management CMS Division 2nd August (online)
- Robinson, S and Kerr, R (2019) ‘A manifest absurdity’? The genesis and ethos of English wine as a field of cultural production.’ ANZAM conference, Cairns, Australia, 6th December 2019.
- Bristow, A., Ratle, O. and Robinson, S. (2019). ‘Academic arrhythmia: Disruption, dissonance and conflict in early academic rhythms’. Careers Stream Symposium, Academy of Management 2019 Annual Meeting, Boston, USA, 13 August 2019.
- Robinson, S., Kerr, R, Ratle, O. and Bristow, A (2019) Mechanisms of micro-terror? Early career CMS academics’ experiences of ‘targets and terror’ in contemporary business schools’ Critical Management Studies Conference, Milton Keynes, England. 28th June 2019.
- Kerr, R. and Robinson, S. (2019) ‘Remember Mackintosh!’: historical homology and symbolic power in the creation of the new Scottish parliament.’ Management and Organisation History Stream, EGOS Conference 2019, Edinburgh, Scotland, 5th July 2019 (unpublished).
- Kerr, R., Robinson, S and Śliwa, M. (2019) ‘Evoking Ghosts and Demons: a Hauntology of Brexit’ SCOS Conference, York, England, 9th July 2019 (unpublished).
- Robinson, S., Bristow, A. and Ratle, O. (2018) Academic Arrhythmia: Disruption, dissonance and conflict in early academic rhythms, British Academy of Management, Bristol, 4-6th September 2018
- Robinson, S., Bristow, A. and Ratle, O. (2018) Academic Arrhythmia: Disruption, dissonance and conflict in early academic rhythms, AoM Chicago 10-14th August 2018
- Robinson, S and Kerr, R (2018) Appropriating symbolic space, organising symbolic provocations: the Camp for Climate Action occupation of the Royal Bank of Scotland corporate campus, EGOS 2018 Tallinn 2-7th July 2018
- Robinson, S., Bristow, A, and Ratle, O (2018) Academic Arrhythmia: Disruption, dissonance and conflict in early academic rhythms, British Academy of Management EGOS 2018 Tallinn 2-7th July 2018
- Robinson, S and Bristow, A (2017) Brexit and Critical Reflexivity, British Academy of Management, Warwick 5-7th September 2017
- Robinson, S and Kerr, R (2017) Politics and the ‘good’ organisation: the Scottish parliament building as social, symbolic and physical space. 33nd EGOS colloquium, Copenhagen 7-10th July
- Robinson, S and Bristow, A (2017) Brexit-ing CMS, Critical Management Conference (CMS), Liverpool 4-6th July 2017.
- Robinson, S. and Kerr, R. (2016) “Women leaders in the political field in Scotland: a socio-historical approach to leadership studies” International Studying Leadership Conference in Edinburgh 11-13th Dec.
- Robinson, S and Kerr, R (2016) Women leaders in the political field in Scotland: extending the ‘historical turn’ to leadership studies, 32nd EGOS colloquium, Naples 7-9th July
- Robinson, S., Smith, A., and Fischbacher-Smith, M. (2016) Towards an understanding of the role of identity work in readiness for or resistance to organisational change: the case a Community Health Partnership. 32nd EGOS colloquium, Naples 7-9th July
- Elliott, C. and Robinson, S. (2016) Analysing ‘green’ corporate web identities: claims for sustainability in relation to green imaginaries. OLKC, St Andrews, April.
- Robinson, S and Kerr, R (2015) The feminization of political leadership? Women as political leaders in post-devolution Scotland: a socio-historical approach. 14th International Studying Leadership, Lancaster 13-15 December 2015
- Robinson, S., Bristow, A. and Ratle, O. (2015) Critical Learning: An exploration of the roles and development of early career CMS academics, Academy of Management Annual Meeting, Vancouver (Critical Management Studies SIG Best Paper award)
- Elliott, C., Robinson, S. & Antunes, E.(2015) Multimodality and Green Web Identity. Multimodality: Methodological Explorations conference, 15-16 January, London
- Kerr, R., Robinson, S., and Wiek, E. (2015) Towards a Theoretical Understanding of the Role of Social Agents in Long Term Institutional Development: a historically situated study of the genesis and growth of the subfield of English Wine. In: 31st EGOS Colloquium, Athens, Greece, 2-4 Jul 2015
- Elliott, C., Kerr, R. and Robinson, S. (2014) Corporate Historical Web Identity: researching the representation of history in the light of the visual/digital turn. EGOS colloquium, 3-5 July, Rotterdam.
- Kerr, R., Elliott, C. and Robinson, S. (2014) Spectacle, distance and détournement: the International Union of Food workers’ campaign against Mondelēz International. Latin American and European Meeting on Organization Studies, 2-5 April, Havana, Cuba
- Robinson, S. Elliott, C., and Kerr, R. (2013) Towards an organizational-historiographical methodology: A historical study of corporate power and architecture – the case of the ‘corporate campus. EGOS Colloquium, July, Montreal
- Kerr, R. and Robinson, S. (2012) Designing and contesting material and symbolic spaces for corporate elite reproduction: the case of RBS business School, EGOS, July, Helsinki
- Kerr, R and Robinson, S (2012) Organizing through social and material spaces: fields and flows of transnational elites SCOS, July, Barcelona
- Elliott, C. and Robinson, S. (2010) International imaginaries: a visual study of four MBA programmes’ international representation. SCOS, Lille, 9-11 July
- Robinson, S. and Kerr, R. (2010) Mediatisation and the role of the visual: The case of the elite Scottish bankers. SCOS, Lille, July
- Kerr, R and Robinson, S. (2010) ‘Scottish banks in globalising fields: tracking the contribution of the Scottish bankers to the banking crisis of 2008-2009’, EGOS, Lisbon, July
- Elliott, C and Robinson, S. (2010) International Imaginaries – a study of four MBA programmes., OLKC Conference, Boston MA, 3-6 June
- Robinson, S.K., and Kerr, R. (2009)’Elite leadership as a social field: the contribution of the Scottish bankers to the banking ,crisis of 2008-2009, 8th International Conference Studying Leadership ‘Leadership in Crisis’ Birmingham, December
- Robinson, S.K., Johnston, L., and Lockett, N. (2009) In pursuit of open innovation: Evolving Knowledge Transfer, Exchange and Sharing Practices between HEIs, Industry and Policy makers ISBE, Liverpool, October
- Robinson, S.K. (2009) Multiple Perspectives: constructing a hermeneutic research design, BAM, Brighton September
- Kerr, R. and Robinson, S.K. (2009) The metaphor of the journey: beyond the MBA and back to Bildung, EGOS Barcelona, July
- Robinson, S.K., Johnston, L., and Lockett, N. (2009) Recognising ‘open innovation’ in HEI-Industry Interaction for Knowledge Transfer and Exchange’, ENGAGE, May, Birmingham
- Robinson, SK and Elliott, C (2008) Visual learning – second sight in organisational learning, OLKC, Copenhagen, April
- Robinson, S.K., Johnston, L. and Lockett, N. (2008) The role of social processes in knowledge transfer; creating communities of practice between universities and business, British Academy of Management, Harrogate, September
- Robinson, S.K. and Elliott, C. (2008) Imaging the MBA: exploring visual and textual projections and their implications for work and learning, EURAM, 1st Workshop on Imagining Business, Oxford, June
- Elliott, C. and Robinson, S. (2008) Thinking about Management Education in a Global World, BAM Conference, 9-11 September, Harrogate
- Elliott, C and Robinson, S. (2007) Living in a managerial world: social imaginaries and the politics of knowledge and social space, EGOS Colloquium, July, Vienna
- Robinson, S. (2007) Exploring demand led SME leadership development: revisiting the ‘negotiated syllabus’, Paper presented at BAM, Warwick, September
- Robinson, S. (2007) Relational learning: towards a model of owner management development, International HRD Conference, Oxford, June
- Robinson, S. and Elliot, C. (2007) Educating for a globalised world: a socio-political exploration of the MBA, BMAF annual conference Birmingham May
- Robinson, S. (2006) Learning to LEAD: developing SME leadership support for business development, ISBE Cardiff, November
- Robinson, S. (2006) ‘I’ve learned that I’m a leader’: An exploration of SME leadership learning, paper presented at BAM, Belfast, September
- Robinson, S. (2006) Building international communities through collaboration in Management Education? – The case of the MBA. Paper presented at BAM, Belfast, September
- Robinson, S, and Luxon, T. (2006) Embedding Study Support for Chinese Students in Content Courses: MNGT 121 a case study, Chinese Learners Conference, Portsmouth, July
- Kerr, R., Robinson, S. (2005) Habitus and Charisma: using Weber and Bourdieu to study British leadership in the post-soviet context, 4th Annual Conference on Leadership Research, Lancaster, December
- Kerr, R., Robinson, S. (2005) Charisma revisited: disciples, dissenters and the problem of succession, Academy of Management, Honolulu, Hawaii, August
- Robinson, S. (2005) Becoming International? Internationalisation and the MBA: an exploration of students’ experiences from four MBA programmes. Paper presented at CMS, Cambridge, July
- Elliot, C., Robinson, S. (2005) Science or craft – A critical exploration of two forms of MBA Education. Paper presented at CMS, Cambridge July
- Robinson, S. (2005) Evaluating Leadership Development Programmes: reflections on process and product. Re-thinking Leadership Research Conference, Lancaster, June
- Robinson, S. (2004) Exploring the role of Social and Cultural Capital in MBA education: stories of expectations and lived experience, BAM, St. Andrews, September
- Robinson, S. (2004) Social Capital and the Internationalising MBA – bonding, bridging and belonging, Academy of Management, New Orleans, August
- Robinson, S. (2004) Reflecting on the ‘International Group Working Experience’: a study of two MBA programmes, BEST Edinburgh, April
- Robinson, S. (2003) Reflecting on the ‘International Learning Experience’: a critical analysis of the internationalisation of MBA education. BAM, Harrogate, August
Book chapters
- Racz, M., Robinson S., Parker, M. (In Press) On the emotions and politics of autoethnographic supervision in Twinley, R and Letherby, G. The Doctoral Journey as an Emotional, Embodied, Political Experience: Stories from the Field.
- Ratle, O., Bristow, A and Robinson, S. (2022). Management Education and Early Career Academics: Challenges and Opportunities. In: Fellenz, Martin; Brady, Mairead and Hoidn, Sabine eds. The Future of Management Education. Advances in Management Learning and Education Routledge: London ISBN : 9780367559717
- Racz, M., Robinson S., Parker, M. (2022) On the emotions and politics of autoethnographic supervision in Twinley, R and Letherby, G. The Doctoral Journey as an Emotional, Embodied, Political Experience: Stories from the Field. Routledge: London ISBN 9780367352851
- Larsen, K., Ernst, J., Thomassen, O. J. and Robinson, S. (2022) In the midst of a storm: forging future paths for Bourdieu inspired Organizational and Management Studies. In: Robinson, S., Ernst, J., Larsen, K. and Thomassen, O. J. (eds.) Pierre Bourdieu in Studies of Organization and Management: Societal Change and Transforming Fields. Routledge: London ISBN 9780367893354
- Robinson, S. , Ernst, J., Thomassen, O. J. and Larsen, K. (2022) Introduction: Taking Bourdieu further into studies of Organizations and Management. In: Robinson, S., Ernst, J., Larsen, K. and Thomassen, O. J. (eds.) Pierre Bourdieu in Studies of Organization and Management: Societal Change and Transforming Fields. Routledge: London ISBN 9780367893354
- Kerr, R. and Robinson, S (2022) Appropriating Symbolic Space: The Camp for Climate Action Occupation of the Royal Bank of Scotland Corporate Campus In: Robinson, S., Ernst, J., Larsen, K. and Thomassen, O. J. (eds.) Pierre Bourdieu in Studies of Organization and Management: Societal Change and Transforming Fields. Routledge: London ISBN 9780367893354
- Wall, T., Robinson, S., Callahan, J., Elliott, Padan, T., Kjærgaard, A., Blasco, M and Bergmann, R. (2021) Micro-activism and wellbeing: 1,000s of snowflakes and the potential avalanche. The SAGE Handbook of Organisational Wellbeing. London: Sage
- Kerr, R. and Robinson, S. (2021) ‘Remember Mackintosh!’: historical homology and historical affinity in the design of the Scottish parliament building. Historical Organization Studies: Theory and Applications, London: Routledge
- Kerr, R. and Robinson, S. (2016) ‘Gentlemen, players and remoralisation of banking: solution or diversion?’ In N. Dorn (Ed.), Controlling Capital: public and private regulation of financial markets. London: Routledge
- Kerr, R. and Robinson, S., Elliott, C. (2016) ‘Developing metaphors in light of the visual and digital turns in organization studies: towards a methodological framework’, In A. Örtenblad, K. Trehan and L. Putnam (Eds) Applying Morgan’s Metaphors: Theory, Research, and Practice in Organizational Studies, London: Sage
- Robinson, S. (2015) ‘In search of an international experience: Towards a ‘Bildung’ understanding of MBA learning’. Routledge Companion to Cross-Cultural Management. London: Routledge.
- Elliott, C. and Robinson, S. (2014) ‘Towards an Understanding of Corporate Web Identity’, in E. Bell, S. Warren, J Schroeder (Eds) The Routledge Companion to Visual Organization. London: Routledge, pp 273-288.
- Reid, K., Robinson, S. and Quintas, P. (2013) ‘Perspectives and Practice: Facilitating the Learning of the Twenty-First Century Manager’. In Van den Bossche, P., Gijselaers, W, Milter, W. Facilitating Learning in the 21st Century: Leading through Technology, Diversity and Authenticity. London: Springer
Books
- Doing Academic Careers Differently Portraits of Academic Life. Edited By Sarah Robinson, Alexandra Bristow, Olivier Ratle, Routledge, London, 54 chapters, ISBN 9781032212616, 458 Pages
- Robinson, S. , Ernst, J., Larsen, K. and Thomassen, O. J. (Eds.) (2022) Pierre Bourdieu in Studies of Organization and Management: Societal Change and Transforming Fields. Routledge. ISBN 9780367893354