There are currently 17 students on the PhD programme, with 9 different nationalities supervised by our international faculty. Visiting PhD students also join our programme from around the world (Spain, Italy, China), increasing the rich exchanges and opportunities for collaboration.
Jiawei SUN
My Profile
I am Jiawei, a first year PhD student from the research center Financial Market & Corporate Outcomes (FMCO) of Rennes School of Business.
I obtained my MSc in Finance and Investment from the University of Nottingham (UK), and I earned my BSc in Finance from Northeast Normal University (China) and Rutgers University (USA). I have two years of work experience in the asset management field in Shanghai, primarily focusing on risk control for standardized investment operations, encompassing both the stock and bond markets.
My supervisor is Dr Bakr AL-GAMRH, Associate Professor in the department of Finance and Accounting.
Main themes of my research
My research interests primarily revolve around portfolio management, risk management, investment strategies, and their integration with corporate governance.
I use/I am interested in
I use Python for data analysis and am better in data processing and quantitative analysis. In the future, I hope to enhance my qualitative analysis skills. Additionally, I aspire to improve my academic writing abilities.
Abdelkader MECHAADA
Bio: I am a PhD student specializing in reconfigurable manufacturing systems. My research primarily focuses on production planning in these systems, where I utilize metaheuristics, mathematical modelling, and artificial intelligence techniques to address production planning problems in a reconfigurable context.
Thesis title: Production planning in reconfigurable manufacturing systems.
Abebaw Mulat ASHENAFI
Research Topic: Supply Chain Resilience/ A Network and/or MCDM Perspective in Supply Chain Risk Management
Abebaw Mulat ASHENAFI, a first-year Ph.D. student who embarked on his doctoral journey in September 2023, is affiliated with the G3D Research Center and the Department of Supply Chain Management and Information System at RSB. His academic background is adorned with a BSc degree in industrial engineering, which he earned from Bahir Dar University. Furthermore, he obtained MSc degree in Industrial Engineering, specializing in production engineering and management, from Bahir Dar Institute of Technology (BiT), Ethiopia. Moreover, Abebaw also holds a higher diploma from the School of Behavioral and Social Science, as a professional teacher and educator.
Top of Form
Professional Experience
He has 7+ years of experience in teaching, research, and community service. He also held the role of Chair Secretary for BiT Industrial Engineering program.
Research interests
His academic pursuits encompass a broad spectrum, ranging from supply chain resilience, resolving supply chain challenges through MADM/MCDM techniques, CNT optimization, to system dynamics and modeling in the domain of supply chains.
Abebaw is presently immersed in a research venture aimed at addressing the turbulent nature and vulnerabilities inherent in the maritime industry. He is under the guidance and mentorship of esteemed professors, namely Professor Ramzi HAMMAMI and Professor Jason BIAN
Main themes of his research
A. Investigating the dynamics of global supply chain networks during stable periods and contrasting these with the changes observed during unprecedented events and recovery phases.
B. Evaluating the resilience of supply chains in an environment where volatility has become the new normal.
Publication
1. Ashenafi, Abebaw Mulat, and Sisay Geremew. “A Combined Simulation-based Taguchi Robust Design Approach for Improved Parameter Design.” Industrial Engineering & Management Systems 19, no. 3 (2020): 644-656.
Bradley STONE
Profile:
Bradley Stone is a first year PhD student studying the processes of innovation and the effects of interactions between actors in innovation ecosystems.
Before beginning his PhD studies, Mr. Stone conducted research for over 20 years as an engineer and physicist in a number of fields including alternative energy, quantum physics, optical computing, beam steering and shaping, and orbital operations. He has four years of instructional experience teaching physics and engineering and another six years teaching project management, finance, and other management topics at both the undergraduate and graduate level. His principal passion is helping the current and future generations of business leaders to discover new ways of providing value to their communities, and this passion motivates and informs his research.
Research supervisor:
He is conducting his research at Rennes School of Business under the supervision of Dr. Dermot Breslin. He is simultaneously studying at the Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences under the co-supervision of, Dr. Rolf Gunnar Findstrud.
Research questions:
How can social network analysis tools be used to better understand the evolution of innovation ecosystems?
How can innovation be assessed in terms of its creation of value creation within the context of the ecosystems in which it occurs?
Bradley’s research is intended to apply evolutionary theory, rational choice theory, and complex systems theory. Over the course of his research, he expects to employ the tools of social network analysis, and complex systems analysis, and possibly ethnographic study.
Miram AMIN
Topic of Thesis
Comprehensive Analysis of Impact Investment “Uncovering Trajectory, Gaps, and Risks”
Miram Amin is a PhD student enrolled in the research center Financial Market & Corporate Outcomes (FMCO) in Sep. 2022 under the supervision of Dr. Taoufik Bouraoui and Dr. Christos ALEXAKISI.
Miram earned her master’s degree in Advanced Studies and Research in Finance from the IGR-IAE School of Management at the University of Rennes I in 2019. With an impressive 6-year career in the finance sector, she has served as a Senior Business Valuation analyst. Her professional journey has taken her through various industries, including Asset Management, Investment Banking, Automotive, Oil & Gas, and Information Technology. Miram has consistently demonstrated her expertise in developing financial models, budget management, and conducting thorough financial and investment analyses, establishing a strong and commendable track record.
Research Interests:
Miram, a Climate Fresk facilitator, has a strong passion for the subject of climate change and its implications in the realm of investment. She is actively engaged in a research project that explores the trajectory of Impact Investment. Her study delves into the existing gaps in this domain and evaluates the associated risks. She aims to determine whether Impact Investment is merely a passing trend or a more substantial transition, all the while examining its potential contribution to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Main themes of research:
Is impact investment a trend or a real transition?
Do SMEs polarize Impact investors through greenwashing activities?
Lalitha Shankari BALACHANDAR
My Profile
I am Lalitha Shankari, a PhD student at the Rennes School of Business. I completed my MSc in International Accounting Management Control and Auditing with a distinction, also at Rennes School of Business. My supervisor is Dr Akanksha JALAN, Associate Professor in the department of Finance and Accounting. My research focuses on gender diversity and corporate outcomes such as reporting behavior, tax payments and CSR policy.
Research Questions
- Where do Indian companies stand today, in terms of gender diversity? Despite mandatory gender quotas on Indian boards, is it merely a ‘check-the-box’ or have we witnessed any real change? This is a pertinent question to ask in the light of the highly patriarchal Indian business landscape, dominated by family businesses.
- Does the presence of women on boards and in companies in general affect corporate outcomes through better quality financial reporting, more generous CSR policies, lower carbon emissions and higher corporate tax payments?
- Can Indian women on corporate boards be used as a catalyst to improve audit quality?
Methodology
For research questions (2) and (3) above, I intend to use panel regression methodology based on secondary financial and governance data collected for listed Indian firms.
Skills that I look forward in developing in my PhD journey: A deeper understanding of gender literature and proficiency in the use of both quantitative and qualitative tools for research.
Ahmad JAFARIAN
I am a Ph.D. student in Supply Chain Management and Information Technology at Rennes school of business and a Ph.D. student in Infra Informatics at the Linköping University (LiU) of Sweden. I completed my MS in Industrial Management (Industrial Production) from the Allamah Tabataba’i University of Iran. My Ph.D. project is Mass evacuation planning in urban areas under the supervision of Professor Reza Farahani Zanjirani (Rennes SB/Chaire Rennes Métropole) and Professor Tobias Andersson Granberg (LiU).
Work Experience
I have about 9 years of professional experience working in the IT industry. I worked as a Planning manager or Chief Planning Officer in Banking IT service provider companies.
Research interests
My research interests are mainly related to Sustainable Supply chain management, Disaster management, Mass evacuation, Humanitarian logistics, Circular economy, and Closed-loop supply chain.
Articles in Peer Reviewed Journal
- Jafarian, A., Rabiee, M., Tavana, M. A novel multi-objective co-evolutionary approach for supply chain gap analysis with consideration of uncertainties. International Journal of Production Economics (IJPE). 2020. 228(1). pp: 107852.
- Jafarian, A., Asgari, N., Mohri, S., Fatemi, E. and Zanjirani Farahani, R. The inventory-routing problem subject to vehicle failure. Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review. 2019. 126(1). pp:254-294.
- Govindan, K., Jafarian, A., and Nourbakhsh, V. Designing a sustainable supply chain network integrated with vehicle routing: a comparison of hybrid swarm intelligence metaheuristics. Computers and Operation Research (C&OR). 2019, 110(1), pp: 220-235.
- Govindan, K., Jafarian, A., and Nourbakhsh, V. Bi-objective integrating sustainable order allocation and sustainable supply chain network strategic design with stochastic demand using a novel robust hybrid multi-objective metaheuristic, Computers and Operation Research (C&OR).2015. 62(1).112-130.
- Devika, K., Jafarian, A. and Nourbakhsh, V. Designing a sustainable closed-loop supply chain network based on triple bottom line approach: A comparison of metaheuristics hybridization techniques. European Journal of Operation Research (EJOR). 2014, 235(3), 594-615.
- Govindan, K., Jafarian, A., Khodaverdi, R., and Devika, K. Two-echelon multiple-vehicle location–routing problem with time windows for optimization of sustainable supply chain network of perishable food. International Journal of Production Economics (IJPE). Special issue of “Sustainable Food Supply Chain Management: Strategy, Operations, and Technology”. 2014, 152(1), 9-28.
Karen RANKIN
Topic of thesis
Ethics and Legitimacy Perceptions of AI in Organisations
Karen has been an Adjunct Professor at Rennes School of Business since 2020, teaching Accounting, Finance, and Strategy to PGE and Masters students. A finance professional with a wide variety of international experience in finance, law, and regulation, Karen worked as a health care practitioner in Australia subsequent to obtaining her BSc.
After obtaining a First Class graduate Law degree in London, Karen qualified as a Chartered Accountant with PwC and spent 9 years working in London as a Financial Services auditor, and as a Regulator with the Financial Conduct Authority (UK Finance Regulator).
Karen’s areas of interest include the Ethics of AI, particularly in the context of financial services organisations. Her supervisor is Dr Dirk Schneckenberg
Research Questions
- How do organisations use ethics in the implementation of AI technology? and:
- Which aspects of (un)ethical organisational AI implementation influence stakeholder perceptions of legitimacy?
Mohamad Najib TARHINI
Topic of thesis: Ecosystems strategic actions in the age of digital technologies (AI)
LinkedIn
Short Biography:
Second-year Ph.D. student with Over seven years of professional work experience.
Interested in research related to coopetition between organisations, ecosystems “Business, Innovation, entrepreneurial”, and digital technologies “mainly AI”.
Holds a Bachelor’s in Finance (2014) and an MBA (2020)
Supervisor: Dr Andre NEMEH
Themes:
Coopetition Strategy.
Digital technologies (AI, IoT…)
Ecosystems and Platforms.
Theories
Interested in: Resource-based view, Resource dependency theory, and dynamic capabilities.
Fangyuan TENG
Topic of thesis
Corporate Social Responsibility and Firm Performance
I am a third year Ph.D. student in the Marketing Department and the research center G3D of Rennes Business School. (Enrolled in October 2021) My supervisor is Dr Mahabubur RAHMAN.
My current research interests revolve around the firm’s marketing capability, exploring the antecedents and consequences of corporate social responsibility structure, corporate social responsibility consistency, and their impact on firm financial outcomes. I mainly use secondary data at the firm level to conduct empirical studies.
- Publication In Peer-Reviewed Journals
Pizzetti, M., Chereau, P., Soscia, I., & Teng, F. (2023). Attitudes and intentions toward masstige strategies: A cross-cultural study of French and Chinese consumers. Journal of Business Research, 167, 114174. - In Progress Papers
[1] Teng, F., Rahman, M., & Jang, S. Title hidden for peer-review (Under review by Journal of Business Ethics)
[2] Teng, F., & Rahman, M. How Does Economic Policy Uncertainty Affect the Firm’s Financial Constraint? The Impact Of CSR Consistency and Country’s Institutional Factors. (Working paper)
[3] Teng, F., & Rahman, M. How Does Normative And Unique CSR Influence Firm Risks? (Working paper)
Lakshmi Narasimha Raju VUDDARAJU
Topic of thesis
I am Lakshmi Narasimha Raju PhD student affiliated with Artificial Intelligent-Driven Business research area of Rennes SB (Enrolled from February 2022). My supervisors are Professor Yi LIU and Professor Sarah HUDSON.
My research interests are ethics of AI, Algorithmic Management, Technology Mediated Control, and the study of employee resistance and workarounds, exploring their implications for organizations.
Main themes of my research/ Research questions
1. Ethics of Algorithmics monitoring
2. Employee reactions to Algorithmic Surveillance and Control
Theory used
Workaround Theory, Moral Foundation theory, sociomateriality
I am interested to develop my skills in qualitative research methods, experimental research design, and improve my skills in ML and text mining.
Miguel Angel CERVANTES
Miguel Angel Cervantes is an economist who has previously undertaken international research for a Canadian think tank. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Economics from the University of Texas at El Paso and has lectured at Vanier College, HEC Montreal Business School, and several business schools in Fr. He was the coordinator of the 2008/2009, 2009/2010, 2010/2011, 2011/2012, and 2013 editions of the Fraser Institute Annual Survey of Mining Companies; the 2009, 2010, 2011, 2102, and 2013 editions of the Fraser Institute Global Petroleum Survey; and of editions of Economic Freedom of the Arab World from 2010 to 2019. His work focused on free markets, with a particular attention to the incidend of economic Freedom on well-being indicators.
Segun SHOGBANMU
I am Segun Shogbanmu, a first year PhD student in Management with specialization in Marketing. My research interest sits in the intersection of judgement and decision, moral reasoning, and consumer-brand relationship breakdown. My supervisors are Dr. Claire-Lise Ackermannand Professor Dildar Hussain.
I have a BA in English (LASU); MBA (LBS); and MPhil (LBS). My MPhil dissertation is titled “moral coupling: how self-relevance and transgression relevance influence consumer opposition” under the supervision of Prof. Tayo Otubanjo.
Prior to joining Rennes School of Business, I have had tripartite experience in teaching, consulting, and research. My most recent role before joining RSB was as the Chief Strategy Officer of a technology solution and servicing company, Prunedge.
Main themes of my research/ Research questions: I am currently investigating how customers apportion their loyalty to each side of co-brands post relationship breakdown.
Theory used: Cognitive Dissonance Theory and Signaling Theory
I use/I am interested in: I am very keen about a mix of experimental design and qualitative research methods.
Phuong Thao Quynh LE
Le Phuong Thao Quynh is currently pursuing her Ph.D at the Rethinking Tomorrow Organization, jointly supervised by Dr. Laurent Scaringella at Rennes School of Business and Prof. Bard Tronvoll at Inland University (Norway).
Her academic background lies in economics and finance. She got her master’s in business with a specialization in Banking and Finance from Monash University in Australia. Additionally, she completed the Leadership in International Security course at Geneva Centre of International Security from 2018 to 2019. Her Ph.D project centers on “Multilevel ambidexterity towards sustainable performance in SMEs: an innovation perspective (with a focus on the Vietnam’s agricultural SMEs)”.
Work experience:
She had 1 year working in industry in a project department of a technology company in Hanoi. Subsequently, she transitioned to the academia, working as a Macroeconomics Lecturer at Foreign Trade University in Vietnam for 10 years.
Research questions:
How is the relationship between multi-level ambidexterity with green innovation?
In what way do ambidexterity and green innovation influence the performance of the agricultural SMEs at organization and ecosystem levels in Vietnam?
I use/I am interested in
Quynh’s main interest is to develop her skills in both quantitative and qualitative methodologies to enhance their application in her research.
Rachida BENFEDEL
Bio: I am a Ph.D. student specializing in Production Routing Problem. My research primarily focuses on production and distribution planning, where I use metaheuristics, mathematical modeling, and artificial intelligence techniques to address production-distribution planning problems. My work aims to optimize the production process and minimize costs while ensuring timely delivery of goods.
Title of my thesis: Metaheuristic for joint optimization of production routing problem.
Suzhen LIANG
My name is Susan Liang. I have obtained my degree of Master of Engineering from University of Science and Technology of China. I am currently a PhD candidate at Rennes School of Business, working on my research projects in sustainable consumption, product distribution and sales channels.
Tina NARTNIK
Tina Nartnik is a first-year PhD student at Rennes SB, writing her Double Degree in pair with the School of Economics and Business at the University of Ljubljana. Her research interests are the effect of technology and Artificial Intelligence on Trust in the context of Business Intelligence and Analytics. She is also a Teaching Assistant at SEB LU, with over 5 years of experience in IT, Data engineering, BI Development, and Visualisation. She also holds Microsoft Azure certifications for Azure fundamentals (AZ-900), Azure data fundamentals (DP-900), and Azure data engineer associate (DP-203).
Topic of thesis
Trust Ambivalence in AI-Augmented Analytics
Main themes of research
Business intelligence, Artificial intelligence, Trust ambivalence, Continuous use
Luyang HOU
Profile
Luyang Hou is a PhD student at the Department of Supply Chain Management and Information Systems. She joined Rennes School of Business in 2024. Her supervisor is Dr Maher AGI, an associate professor at the Department of Supply Chain Management and Information Systems.
She held an academic background in business but in finance and accounting disciplines with studying experiences in China, Malaysia, and the UK. After obtaining her master’s degree from the UK, she worked as a consultant at Big Four in Mainland China in information risk management and at an HK advisory firm for ESG consulting. While engaged with clients in e-commerce, logistics, and financial industries, she developed her research interests in management integrated with digital technology and sustainability. Her research focuses on sustainable supply chain and operation management issues.
She is also passionate about teaching and has some experience working online and on-site as a tutor and teaching assistant.
