Applicants are sought for the following studentships:
A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO UNDERSTANDING AND ADDRESSING SUSTAINABLE CONSUMPTION
2 Studentships are available via a co-tutelle between Coventry University (UK) and Deakin University (Australia)
Eligibility: UK/EU/International
Award Details: £15,000 Bursary plus tuition fees - UK/EU only for CU based award
Duration: Full time - 3 years 6 months Fixed Term
Application deadline: 10th January 2018
Interview date: 13th February 2018
THE PROJECT
The earth has finite resources to support human consumption, making sustainability a critical issue for organisations seeking to deliver goods and services. Sustainability is also a critical issue for governments, seeking to ensure that there are increases in countries’ economic and societal wellbeing. Within the free market economic systems of Western economies it is however, ultimately the consumer who decides what to purchase and how to consume, thereby addressing their underlying wants and needs.
It is an individual’s aggregate consumption that determines their environmental impact, with some consumption behaviours creating a greater environmental impact than others. However, given that consumers make multiple purchases and consumption decisions, and these generate their own interactions, it is important to focus on the aggregate impact of an individuals’ set of consumption decisions. This is especially important, because researchers have found consumers are inconsistent in their behaviour in regards to the environmental impacts (i.e. acting sustainably in one area but not another). Furthermore, in some cases, they consume more green goods than non-green, escalating overall consumption rates (i.e. a boomerang effect). This highlights the need to focus on aggregate consumption rather than focusing on specific individual behaviours.
The two theses will address this issue, using qualitative and quantitative methods to examine how attitudes, knowledge and intentions shape overall behaviour, as assessed though a holistic measure of consumers’ environmental impact (e.g., carbon-foot printing). The research will examine how consumers consider their overall environmental impact and whether the undertaking of a systematic assessment of their consumption shapes attitudes, intentions and behaviours.
Successful applicants will have:
• A minimum of a 2:1 first degree (second class honours upper division) in a relevant discipline/subject area with a minimum 70% mark in the project element or equivalent with a minimum 70% overall module average, and/or
• A Masters Degree in a relevant subject area will be considered as an equivalent. The Masters must have been attained with overall marks at 70%. In addition, the dissertation or equivalent element in the Masters must also have been attained with a mark at 70%.
• The potential to engage in innovative research and to complete the PhD within a prescribed period of study
• Language proficiency (IELTS overall minimum score of 7.0 with a minimum of 6.5 in each component).
Additionally:
• Preferences will be given to applicants with an H1 Honours or Master’s thesis.
For further information, to request further information and to apply see:
https://www.findaphd.com/search/projectdetails.aspx?PJID=89633
https://www.findaphd.com/search/projectdetails.aspx?PJID=89637
For further information on the co-tutelle arrangement see: http://www.coventry.ac.uk/research/research-students/cotutelle-phd-programmes/
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