​New Associate Dean for Research at JIBS

Ethel Brundin, Professor of Business Administration, will take over as the new Associate Dean for Research at Jönköping International Business School on 1 August.

Ethel Brundin started at JIBS as a PhD student in November 1996, and since then she has among other things worked as director of studies for the department Entrepreneurship, Marketing and Management and she has also been head of the department for Entrepreneurship, Strategy, Organization and Leadership.

Her own research is primarily about emotions and their role in different contexts; among strategic leaders, entrepreneurs, and in family businesses. She also studies social and psychological ownership and the role, meaning and significance of ownership.

In her new role as Associate Dean for Research there are many tasks ahead, for example to find alterntive sources for funding, review the process for promotions, and start preparations for a coming evaluation of the doctoral programmes.

But the most important thing is to create an environment where colleagues get opportunities to do research. Statistics in the form of publications and citations in databases, which are often the basis for how research funds are allocated, should not be the only thing in focus.

“There is much talk today about "research that counts," meaning research that is measurable in terms of how often they are cited by other researchers, and so on. But I'd rather talk about "Research that matters - and therefore counts". Research needs to be relevant outside of the academic world”, says Ethel Brundin.

Another thing that is close to her heart is JIBS’ project to support PhD education and research in East Africa within the EID agreement. She has in various ways been involved in Africa since 1998, and worked with women's entrepreneurship in South Africa.

“In South Africa, I followed the whole Mandela presidency and I've even had dinner with him, after he made his last speech in Parliament. I'm already involved in JIBS’ projects in Rwanda and Ethiopia, but now I can get even more involved. It is exciting to see how this grows and develops.”