LSBU Business School
College of Society & Professions
Business School
PhD Scholarships – Tuition Fee Waiver
LSBU Business School is offering sixteen PhD Scholarships which cover tuition fees for up to four years. Applications are invited from candidates with a strong background in research methods and a keen interest in the relevant research topics.
Who Are We Looking For?
We are looking for excellent candidates who meet the following criteria:
- Open to both UK and international applicants. The programme starts in September 2025.
- The candidate must meet the minimum entry requirements for one of our PhD courses:
- Previous research experience in marketing, consumer behaviour, psychology, sociology, management, business, or accounting and finance, as relevant to the project topic.
- Knowledge of research methods relevant to the research project.
- IT skills: proficiency in Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel is essential.
- Communication skills: the candidate should be highly motivated, able to collaborate effectively, and possess strong visual, oral, and written communication skills, with the ability to present research outcomes to commercial, industrial, and academic audiences.
- Teamwork and collaboration: ability to work effectively with academic supervisors, research participants, and other students.
Training & Development Opportunities
Doctoral students at London South Bank University (LSBU), through the London Doctoral College (LDC), benefit from a rich and structured training environment designed to support academic excellence and professional development. All PhD candidates are offered a comprehensive programme of workshops and seminars covering essential research skills, including research design, data analysis, academic writing, ethics, and project management. These sessions aim to support students through every stage of their doctoral journey—from literature review and methodology to thesis completion and viva preparation. Postgraduate researchers can access advanced, discipline-specific training aligned with their research focus. LSBU’s doctoral training environment is designed to build deep expertise in a chosen research area and the broader skills necessary for successful careers in research, industry, and beyond.
LSBU Business School has a vibrant research environment and over 40 researchers in areas of business, management, account and finance, marketing and enterprise.
How to apply:
- Before you begin the application process, make sure you familiarise yourself with the requirements of the application process.
- Please identify a research project of your interest in the table below.
- To apply, please submit a 1,000-word Research Proposal which addresses the Project Description via the official LSBU application platform.
- In addition to the Research Proposal, you will need to submit your CV and additional documents as detailed in the course pages above.
- When you apply, please quote the full reference number of the relevant research project, for example CSP1/BUS PhD Business & Enterprise – the reference number is available in the first column of the table below.
- Selected candidates will be invited to an online interview.
- Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis until all places are filled, so early application is strongly encouraged to secure your spot. International applicants are responsible for their visa costs and CAS insurance.
- If you have questions, about specific projects, please email the indicated supervisors.
Reference number | Project title and supervisors | Project description and additional requirements |
CSP1/BUS PhD Business & Enterprise | Understanding the importance of digital platform-enabled capabilities for the internationalization of born-globals. | This project aims to investigate the different functions of digital platforms and how they enable dynamic capabilities to drive born-globals (BGs) internationalization which refers firms’ rapid international market entry within three years since start-up. It will focus on the scope and intensity of internationalization as outcomes of the digital platform-enabled capabilities. Little is known so far about how digital platforms enable firms to identify and address international opportunities or adapt and allocate their assets under asset parsimony (Cavusgil and Knight, 2015; Knight and Cavusgil, 2024). These are issues particularly important for advancing research of BGs, because cross-border e-commerce, commonly facilitated by platform-based transactions, represents approximately a third (31.2%) of all global online sales (Statista, 2024). Such issues can be understood through the dynamic capability view (DCV), which emphasizes the sensing and seizing of opportunities, and the reconfiguration of firm assets. Recent studies emphasize that DCV is suitable for studying the BG phenomenon because it underscores the importance of entrepreneurial decision-making, cross-border market co-creation, and co-specialization (i.e. Pitelis, Teece and Yang, 2024). This project will employ an exploratory multiple case studies methodology. The sample will include BGs that use different digital platforms for their international activities and conduct in-depth interviews with senior managers. In addition, online data will be obtained from various digital platforms used by the firms by employing web text mining techniques (i.e., customer comments, reviews, transaction records). Data will be triangulated with documents provided by the interviewees such as booklets, business proposals, and reports. Data analysis will involve multiple iterations between the empirical evidence and relevant theoretical underpinnings, which will enhance the current understanding of this phenomenon and help managers effectively utilize digital platform strategies in firms’ global expansion. |
CSP2/BUS PhD Business & Enterprise | How multi-stakeholder networks can drive decarbonisation for construction SMEs in the UK. | The UK construction sector is responsible for around 40% of the nation’s carbon emissions and over 60% of its waste. With 99.7% of UK construction firms classified as small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), their active involvement is essential to meet the UK’s 2050 net-zero target. However, SMEs often face significant barriers to sustainability, including limited environmental expertise, fragmented supply chains, and high perceived costs (Kumar et al., 2023). This project will investigate how multi-stakeholder networks—including principal contractors, clients, regulators, and academic institutions—can foster sustainability collaboration and help construction SMEs accelerate their decarbonisation journey. Instead of treating SMEs as isolated actors, the project will explore how collaborative partnerships can pool resources, transfer knowledge, and collectively solve environmental challenges (Airike et al., 2016). As sustainability increasingly becomes a contractual requirement in public and private procurement, SMEs that lack green credentials risk being excluded from major projects. By strengthening multi-stakeholder collaborations, this research will help smaller firms overcome the cost, knowledge, and capability barriers that hinder their environmental progress. Moreover, it aligns directly with the UK Government’s Net Zero Strategy and supports UN Sustainable Development Goal 13: Climate Action (Anika et al., 2022). Therefore, the project aims to develop a practical framework to guide construction SMEs toward low-carbon practices. The ideal candidate for this PhD will have a background in channel or trade marketing and an interest in qualitative research, particularly interviews and thematic analysis. The project involves semi-structured interviews with construction stakeholders, with data analysed to discover collaborative sustainability strategies. Experience with SME supply chains is helpful but not essential. |
CSP3/BUS PhD Management, Marketing and People | Patriotic buying and country-of-origin effects in multicultural marketplaces. | Patriotic buying (often described as consumer ethnocentrism) refers to consumers' preference for domestically produced goods based on national loyalty. In multicultural marketplaces, where diverse ethnic groups coexist and multiple reference groups affect consumer behaviour, the impact of patriotic buying and the effects of country-of-origin on consumer behavior becomes complex. This study aims to explore how patriotism/consumer ethnocentrism influences purchasing decisions in diverse consumer environments where there are multiple reference groups and whether cultural identity moderates these effects. Research objectives: 1. To examine the extent to which patriotism affects consumer preferences in multicultural marketplaces. 2. To assess how ethnic identity and the extent of cultural integration influence patriotic buying. 3. To determine whether domestic brands leverage patriotic appeals effectively among diverse consumer groups. Methodology A mixed-method approach may be employed. A survey (with choice-experiment) will be conducted among consumers from various ethnic backgrounds in multicultural cities, measuring their purchasing behavior and attitudes toward patriotic and non- patriotic buying. Follow-up semi-structured interviews will also be conducted. This study will provide actionable insights for businesses operating in multicultural markets, helping them tailor branding strategies that balance patriotic appeal/country-of-origin appeal in multicultural marketplaces. The findings will also contribute to consumer behavior literature by examining the intersection of consumer ethnocentrism and multiculturalism in purchasing decisions. Further contributions can be made towards intercultural training and cultural integration via consumption. |
CSP4/BUS PhD in Management, Marketing, and People | Advancing behavioural public policy: Social norms, individual-level and system-level solutions | Behavioural and psychological sciences have significantly contributed to understanding individual decision-making, providing insights that shape public policy. However, traditional policy interventions often place the responsibility on individuals, who may continue making suboptimal decisions. Moreover, despite the recent increasing interest in behavioural research, in the public administration and management literature, empirical findings still have not impacted the main policy discourse. This project aims to address the theoretical and methodological in policy design. Specifically, building on recent research highlighting the need for balancing individual-level (i-frame) and systemic-level (s-frame) approaches to policymaking (Chater and Loewenstein, 2023). Accordingly, this project seeks to investigate influences from contextual effects and social norms (e.g. Aldrovandi et al., 2015; Constantino et al. 2022) on behaviour at individual and system level in policymaking. A combination of multiple scientometrics methods will be employed to review and gauge the effectiveness of i-frame and s-frame interventions in policy design. Afterwards, experimental methods will be used to investigate effects from context and social norms on behaviour. Outcomes of this project will be capturing individual-level along system-level impact in policy solutions. Moreover, both descriptive norms (what we expect others to do) and injunctive social norms (what we believe others think we ought to do) will be explored in their roles not only to influence individual decision-making, but also how they drive policy support. Indeed, social norms define what is acceptable or desirable in collective decision-making; thus, examining how social norms influence policy agreements can help in further understand s-frame interventions, which depend on shifting social norms. The study is particularly timely given the growing emphasis on evidence-based policymaking. |
CSP5/BUS PhD Business & Enterprise | Carbon awareness as a Service (CAaaS) | This research project aims to establish a comprehensive framework for Carbon Awareness as a Service (CAaaS), integrating real-time carbon intensity monitoring, predictive analytics, and adaptive scheduling. It seeks to equip industries with the tools to minimise emissions without compromising productivity. The approach underscores continuous visibility into carbon usage, employing streamlined data pipelines and intuitive dashboards that capture, analyse, and display region-specific and process-specific emissions metrics. Additional costs to be covered by the student: Conferences and Journals publications (~£5,000); Intellectual Property application (~£3,000); Contingency and Miscellaneous (~£1000). |
CSP6/BUS PhD Management, Marketing, and People | Pro-Environmental Consumer Behaviour: Psychological Properties of Perspective-Taking Accessibility in Climate Change Scenarios. | There exists substantial evidence that the rise in global temperatures is, in part, a product of post-industrial human behaviours (IPCC, 2021). These behaviours include (but are not limited to) the consumption and disposal of mass-produced goods and services (CCC, 2019). Accordingly, it is essential that consumers reduce their negative environmental impact by making pro-environmental behaviour (PEB) changes (e.g., reducing their home energy and petroleum consumption). Whilst many individuals are aware that adopting PEB produces positive environmental outcomes, many do not want to adopt (and bear the effortful cost of) such behavioural changes (Klein et al., 2022). This non-engagement in the climate effort raises a social dilemma with real-world environmental consequences. However, recent (Martin et al., 2017, 2021a, 2021b) and ongoing (Martin & Kusev, 2024; Leverhulme RPG-2024-174) research reveals that adopting multiple perspectives (full perspective-taking [PT] accessibility) in climate change scenarios enhances consumers’ moral approval of PEBs and willingness to engage in them. Building on this work, the current project seeks to examine how and why the level of uptake in PEB differs between individuals. Specifically, in three experimental series, this project will explore how three psychological factors including climate change (i) beliefs (regarding reality and causes), (ii) emotions (associated with consequences), and (iii) experience (with natural disasters) moderate the relationship between PT accessibility and PEB. Furthermore, we will explore how these factors predict the gap between people’s willingness to engage in PEB and their expectations for others to do the same. The project will utilise experimental methods and data will be collected online. Contributing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 3, 11 and 13, it is anticipated that findings will inform policymakers and businesses with sustainability and pro-environmental agendas to promote and enhance PEB changes in their consumers. |
CSP7/BUS PhD Management, Marketing, and People | Sustainability-Driven Entrepreneurial Marketing in SMEs. | Entrepreneurial Marketing (EM) is a distinct discipline that focuses on the interface between entrepreneurship and marketing (Whalen et al., 2016). EM mainly explores proactive, innovative, risk-taking activities that entrepreneurs adopt to deliver superior value to customers anda wider range of stakeholders. EM orientation helps enhance SMEs’ performance such as opportunity creation, customer intimacy, innovative products, adaptive resource enhancement, and legitimacy (Mort et al., 2012). While EM is considered an effective marketing strategy for SMEs due to their unique challenges such as resource constraints and heightened competition, evolving consumer expectations for sustainable business has recently put more pressure on these firms. As such, SMEs must focus on sustainability to strengthen market positioning and enhance their competitiveness (Kotler et al., 2023). Integrating sustainable practices helps firms foster innovation and resilience while ensuring positive ethical and environmental impacts (Shibli et al., 2021). However, limited empirical evidence exists on how EM dimensions such as opportunity focus, proactiveness, calculated risk-taking, and customer intensity can contribute to sustainable business models and SME performance. This research seeks to bridge this gap by integrating EM and sustainability concepts such as the triple bottom line approach to provide SMEs a comprehensive framework for enhanced financial, social, and environmental outcomes. |
CSP8/BUS PhD Management, Marketing, and People | Exploring effective strategies for district heating and heat network adoption in tackling energy poverty. | Energy poverty impacts millions in the UK (National Energy Action, 2024), exacerbates exacerbating social and economic inequality. Rising energy costs, inefficient housing and broader systemic injustices intensify this issue. At the same time, the UK government’s commitment to decarbonisation and net zero by 2050 necessitates significant renewable energy expansion. Despite councils and local governments having a high drive to provide affordable housing and achieving these objectives through targeted policies, incentives and community-led energy initiatives (e.g. Southwark 2030 Strategy, Lambeth Climate Action Plan), many well-intended strategies were ineffective. For example, the retrofitting programme implemented to explore how existing homes can be improved to use less energy, cut carbon emissions and save costs powered by the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund did not receive high community buy-in. Parallel with energy poverty, this research is interested in exploring the district heating and heat network initiatives and how they link to energy poverty across London, by asking the following questions: 1. What caused the low community buy-in that prevented successful retrofitting? 2. What are/can be effective market strategies adopted by local councils to encourage community buy-in? 3. Are district heating and heat networks going to have the same barrier to entry as retrofit? 4. Will the top-down policy for district heating and heat networks bring sufficient influence without community buy-in? 5. Is there any best practice from another infrastructural policy adoption at local levels that was successful that could be replicated for heat networks/district heating? 6. Can these then meet the targets and get to the people facing energy poverty? The outcomes of this research will benefit stakeholders by providing a greater understanding of the mechanisms that drive uptake/connection to heat networks and reducing fuel poverty at the household/community level. Furthermore, research understandings would inform policy at the national level, government grant/stimulus funding and programme design at the regional level and help local authorities to educate and build support for heat networks within communities. |
CSP9/BUS PhD Management, Marketing, and People | Rebranding Rebellion: When Consumers Resist New Brand Identity | Rebranding is a strategic imperative for companies adapting to shifting market conditions, evolving consumer preferences, and competitive landscapes. To remain relevant and avoid obsolescence, organisations must carefully evolve their brand identity, striking a delicate balance between maintaining familiarity and introducing novelty (Tevi & Otubanjo, 2012; Vastani et al., 2015). However, in today’s hyper-connected world, rebranding efforts face intense scrutiny, with negative reactions often amplified through social media. This underscores the importance of understanding and managing rebranding risks. |
CSP10/BUS PhD Management, Marketing, and People | Investigating the Influence of Speculation on Risk-Taking | Risky decision-making is a fundamental aspect of financial behaviour, yet the role of speculation in shaping risk-taking remains underexplored. While speculation is frequently mentioned in financial contexts, its psychological foundation and distinction from intuitive thinking and forecasting are unclear (e.g., Andreasson et al., 2016; Hazen et al., 1991; Huang et al., 2021; Kusev et al., 2018). For example, do individuals speculate as a deliberate decision-making strategy, or are their speculations based on intuitions? How do speculative and intuitive driven thinking influence risky financial behaviour? This research aims to investigate the influence of speculation on risk-taking by addressing the following objectives: 1. Differentiate speculation from forecasting and intuition - Develop a psychometric tool to assess whether individuals perceive speculation as distinct from forecasting (a data-driven approach) and intuitive thinking (a heuristic-based process). 2. Measure speculative tendencies - Create a scale to examine individuals’ attitudes toward speculation and their reliance on speculative thinking in risky decision-making. 3. Evaluate the impact of speculation on risk-taking - Assess whether individuals who engage in speculative thinking are more prone to high-risk financial behaviour compared to those who rely on intuition. By clarifying the psychological nature of speculation and its role in decision-making under risk, this study will provide empirical insights into the cognitive mechanisms that drive risk-taking. Findings will contribute to behavioural economics, decision science, and financial psychology by establishing speculation as a measurable construct in risk-based decision-making. |
CSP11/BUS PhD Management, Marketing, and People | Curating the future of sustainable consumption: Arts-based Interventions in enhancing consumer pro-environmental decision. | Individuals make decisions that have environmental consequences every day. In assisting consumers to make pro-environmental decision, brands have attempted to employ a range of sustainability-interventions in their marketing strategies and communications. While aiming at consumer behaviour changes, such sustainability-interventions are found to place excessive responsibility on consumers (Gonzalez-Arcos et al., 2021), which leads to their strong resistance towards this responsibilisation approach (Besharat, Nardini, and Mesler; 2024; Eckhardt and Dobscha, 2019). Studies suggested effective sustainability interventions require a shift away from responsibilising individual consumers and toward shaping the social elements (Spurling et al. 2013). This includes exploring new practices at an intra- and inter-personal level, assisting their understanding of new practices, accommodating the changes, enhancing positive practice-related emotionality, and stabilising the practices. This PhD project aims to adopt a social practice approach (Schatzki, 2002; Skard, Nysveen, and Pedersen, 2025) to: 1/ Reconfigure the sustainable products and practices with consumers' regular activities; 2/ Shed lights on the mechanism underpinning pro-environmental decisions; 3/ Explore new approaches to enhance consumers’ positive connections with sustainable practices (such as focusing on consumer wellbeing and subjective value). The project will employ curation method (Persohn, 2021), an arts-based research, to showcase and engage visitors with the multi-faceted nature of sustainability practices. Through a (series of) exhibition(s) and art-creation activities, participants are enabled to develop their sustainable behaviours and co-shape the future of sustainability. In keeping with the goals of the Marketing Science research group, we are looking for a dedicated student with a first class in the field of social science, arts, marketing, and/or consumer behaviour. Successful candidate will develop the project under the supervision of two supervisors and in collaboration with a group of young artist citizens. Previous experience with Arts based methods (e.g: drawing, illustration, creative workshops, visual ethnography, Installation arts) would be a distinct advantage. |
CSP12/BUS PhD Management, Marketing, and People | The cultural influence on the interplay of contractual and relational governance in Construction projects. | Project governance is widely recognised as a key factor influencing the success of projects achieving desired outcomes. Governance in construction projects is widely categorised under two camps namely contractual and relational. Contractual governance plays a crucial role in managing construction projects and is employed to govern the relationship among project actors and curb opportunistic behaviour. Relational governance is based on trust and social exchange among project actors, serving as an additional method to govern these relationships. |
CSP13/BUS PhD Business & Enterprise | Business as a Force for Social Good: Advancing Social Cohesion through CSR Initiatives. Dr Jingnan Li | The scale of global grand challenges such as climate change, unemployment, and poverty is increasing, while trust in traditional institutions continues to erode (Edelman, 2023; The World Bank, 2023). The private sector, particularly businesses, is increasingly called upon to address these issues, traditionally managed by governments and non-profit organisations (Ballesteros, Useem, & Wry, 2017). As key societal agents, firms are uniquely positioned to contribute to the restoration of social sustainability and the provision of public goods (Griffin & Prakash, 2014). Their abundant resources, including financial capital, expertise, and knowledge, offer significant potential to influence and solve some of the world’s most pressing challenges. In line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and sustainability reporting frameworks, it has become imperative for businesses to take a more proactive role in these efforts (Stahl et al., 2020; Aust et al., 2020). The current literature highlights a growing consensus that firms should engage more actively in resolving global challenges (Wang & Ahmed, 2007). However, research on the societal impacts of business practices, particularly in the realm of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), has primarily focused on firm-centric initiatives rather than considering the perspectives of local societies and residents (Janssens & Zanoni, 2021). Our research intends to address this gap by exploring the societal impact of CSR initiatives and examining how businesses’ engagement with local stakeholders can help enhance social cohesion and advance the common good. We argue that current CSR practices often overlook the involvement of local communities, resulting in an overly firm-focused approach (Carroll & Shabana, 2010). By investigating the lived experiences and perspectives of local societies, we seek to shift the discourse from a firm-centric to a public-good-focused view of CSR. In line with the current urgency for businesses to take an active role in societal issues, particularly in light of the socio-economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic (Edelman, 2023), our research adopts a mixed-methods approach to explore the effectiveness of businesses in advancing social cohesion and addressing societal needs. Our research will employ both qualitative and quantitative methods, engaging local stakeholders to understand the impact of business activities on social outcomes (Winter, 2003). Through this approach, we aim to contribute new insights to the sustainability and CSR literature by exploring how businesses can adopt strategies that benefit both the firm and society, fostering stronger, more inclusive communities (McWilliams & Sieg, 2011). This research also seeks to examine the underexplored role of businesses in enhancing social cohesion, a critical concept that has been largely absent from the CSR (Griffin & Prakash, 2014; Ferguson, 2024), HRM (Umeh et al., 2023) and economics (Mazzucato, 2024) literature. By focusing on the intersection of business practices and societal welfare, we aim to highlight how businesses’ engagement in social issues can help address global challenges, reduce polarisation, and rebuild public trust in institutions (Schiefer & Van der Noll, 2017). Ultimately, this research will provide a theoretical framework for understanding when and how businesses can successfully engage in CSR initiatives that generate positive societal outcomes, complementing the growing body of work on the common good agenda in HRM (Stahl et al., 2020; Aust et al., 2020), CSR (Ferguson, 2024) and economics (Mazzucato, 2024). |
CSP14/BUS PhD Business & Enterprise | The Impact of Lean Waste on Higher Education and Sustainability. | Lean management principles, originating from manufacturing, are increasingly applied in service sectors, including higher education. However, inefficiencies in processes, resource allocation, and time management persist, negatively impacting academic quality, student experience, and sustainability. This research examines the implications of lean waste in higher education, exploring its effects on institutional efficiency, cost management, and environmental sustainability. Research Objectives * Identify Forms of Waste: Analyse inefficiencies in administrative processes, academic operations, and resource utilisation. * Assess Stakeholder Impact: Evaluate how waste affects students, faculty, and administrative staff regarding workload, service delivery, and overall experience. * Develop Lean Strategies: Propose tailored lean management solutions to enhance efficiency and sustainability in higher education. * Investigate Implementation Challenges: Examine barriers to adopting lean principles and propose strategies to facilitate integration. * Sustainability Integration: Assess how reducing lean waste contributes to environmental sustainability, including energy efficiency and waste minimisation. Methodology * Literature Review: Examine existing research on lean waste and sustainability in higher education. * Case Studies: Analyse universities that have implemented lean strategies and sustainable practices. * Surveys & Interviews: Collect qualitative and quantitative data on inefficiencies and sustainability challenges from students, faculty, and administrators. * Data Analysis: Use statistical and thematic methods to evaluate the impact of lean waste reduction. Expected Outcomes * A framework for reducing waste while promoting institutional efficiency and sustainability. * Policy recommendations for integrating lean management into higher education. * Improved academic and administrative processes, reducing costs and environmental impact. This study aims to foster cost-effective, sustainable, and student-focused higher education institutions by addressing lean waste and promoting environmentally responsible practices. |
CSP15/BUS PhD Business & Enterprise | Evaluating ESG-Related Textual Features in EDGAR 10-K Reports Using Econometrics and NLP Techniques. | This study examines how ESG disclosures in EDGAR 10-K filings relate to corporate financial performance. The goal is to assess linguistic attributes in ESG related sections and their predictive power for stock returns, earnings, and volatility. Objectives:
Methodology: Data includes 10-K reports from the SEC’s EDGAR database, focusing on ESG sections. Financial metrics (e.g., ROA, EPS, volatility) and unstructured ESG text are analyzed. Econometric methods include panel regressions and volatility models (GARCH). NLP techniques apply sentiment analysis, readability metrics (Flesch-Kincaid, Fog Index), and topic modeling (LDA) to detect ESG themes. Expected Outcomes:
Implications: This study bridges econometrics and NLP, offering insights for investors, analysts, and regulators on the financial relevance of ESG disclosures in corporate reports. Additional consideration: access to GPU powered machines (virtual or physical). |
CSP16/BUS PhD Business & Enterprise | A Data-Driven and Project Management Approach to Sustainable Energy implementation. | The decarbonisation of heat represents a critical challenge in the UK's journey towards net-zero emissions. For example, the Government's Heat and Buildings Strategy made a £65 million investment in green heating projects. One technology recognised as promising for decarbonising heating in the UK is the reuse of waste heat. The advent of 4th and 5th generations of district heating and cooling (DHC) have unlocked the potential for integrating cooling systems to DHC networks with different temperature levels, paving the way for large-scale decarbonisation of urban areas. Although some case studies have been implemented to date, such as London underground, data centres, sewage systems and underground railways (e.g. Department for Energy Security and Net Zero et al., 2023; Lagoeiro, 2024; City of Vancouver, n.d), heat recovery projects often face implementation challenges. Specifically, study aims to bridge the gap between recent technological developments in waste heat recovery and business implementation through three key objectives: identifying and, developing an adaptive project management framework, specifically for waste heat recovery projects, and validating this framework in the real world. The Heating and Cooling Research Group at LSBU’s School of Engineering is a national leader in district heating and cooling research, having collected extensive data on the location and thermal outputs of different types of waste heat sources. This helped in building a knowledge base around technical aspects of waste heat recovery and reuse. However, as with any emerging technology, the question of how to establish effective commercial structures to secure practical development and further exploitation (i.e. waste heat offtake from different sources) still remains unanswered. Therefore, this project addresses the pressing need for adopting data (Multi-Criteria Decision-Making) and project management approaches such as Life Cycle Assessment, Life Cycle Cost, Circular Economy (Ali, 2024) in waste heat recovery initiatives. This interdisciplinary approach ensures comprehensive coverage of both technical and management aspects of waste heat recovery projects. The findings will contribute to improving project success rates and accelerating the adoption of waste heat recovery solutions, ultimately supporting the UK's net-zero ambitions. |