Research Community
Current Theses
An overview of doctoral research currently underway at Brenkley Doctoral College. All researchers listed have consented to their work being featured here. Details are accurate as of June 2026.
AI Governance and Accountability Frameworks in UK Retail Banking: A Mixed Methods Study
This research examines the governance mechanisms that major UK retail banks are developing to provide accountable oversight of AI-driven decision systems, with particular focus on credit assessment, fraud detection, and customer communication tools. Using a mixed methods design combining document analysis and semi-structured executive interviews, the study aims to develop a grounded framework for AI accountability governance in regulated financial institutions.
The Experience of Multi-Academy Trust Leadership: Navigating Tension Between Autonomy and Accountability
This narrative inquiry study explores the lived experience of Executive Headteachers and Chief Executive Officers leading Multi-Academy Trusts in England. Drawing on in-depth interviews with twelve MAT leaders, the research examines how leaders make sense of the tension between the autonomy promised by academy status and the accountability demands imposed by the Department for Education, Ofsted, and academy trust boards.
Tacit Knowledge Retention in Departing Partner Transitions: Evidence from UK Legal Services
This research investigates the mechanisms through which law firms attempt to capture and transfer the tacit knowledge — including client relationships, sector expertise, and institutional memory — held by senior partners approaching retirement or departure. Using a case study approach across four mid-tier UK law firms, the study combines observation, interviews, and document analysis to examine what works, what fails, and why in partner knowledge transition processes.
Burnout Among NHS Nursing Leaders: Antecedents, Manifestations, and Structural Enablers of Recovery
This qualitative study examines the experience of burnout among Band 8 and above nursing leaders in NHS acute trusts. Using interpretive phenomenological analysis, the research aims to develop a nuanced understanding of how burnout is experienced, how it is managed (and mismanaged) at both individual and organisational levels, and what structural conditions enable genuine recovery rather than temporary symptom management.
Digital Transformation Leadership in English Local Government: A Comparative Case Study
This comparative case study examines digital transformation leadership in three English local authorities, exploring how council leaders and digital directors navigate the specific challenges of transformation in a public sector context — including political accountability, democratic scrutiny, constrained resources, and a workforce culture shaped by decades of public service norms. The study contributes to both digital transformation and public sector management literatures.
Responsible Innovation in UK Agri-Tech SMEs: Governance, Stakeholder Engagement, and Ethical Deliberation
This research examines how small and medium-sized enterprises in the UK agricultural technology sector approach the governance of responsible innovation — balancing the pressure for rapid product development with the ethical obligations that arise from operating in the food system. Using a multiple case study design with embedded qualitative methods, the study aims to produce a framework for responsible innovation governance appropriate to resource-constrained SME contexts.
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