Professor James Faulconbridge
ProfessorResearch Overview
I am Professor in the Department of Organisation, Work and Technology. I was Head of Department between 2016 and 2020, and I am currently Faculty Associate Dean (Resources) for Lancaster University Management School.
I am one of Editors of the Journal of Economic Geography and Co-Convenor of the Professions and Professionals in a global world Network at the Society for the Advancement of Socio-Economics .
My research focuses principally on the professions, professional service firms, and knowledge-intensive services. I have studied amongst others the accounting, advertising, architecture, executive search, and law professions.
Theoretically, my work draws on perspectives from economic geography, organisation studies, and sociology, with institutional and practice perspectives from these disciplines being of particular significance in my work.
In recent years, I have developed in three inter-related areas of research:
Knowledge, innovation and the digital transformation of professional work
My work examines knowledge and innovation practices in professional service firms. Most recently, I have been involved in work that examines how artificial intelligence and other digital technologies have begun to change the work of professionals and the organisation of professional service firms. Relevant projects include:
- A UKRI/ESRC project on technology in professional services (TiPS)
- An ESRC project on Artificial Intelligence in accounting and law professional service firms
- A Research Councils Energy Programme funded project, as part of the DEMAND Centre, examining innovation in commercial office design practices and implications for energy demand
- An ESRC funded project on professional training and education that analyses the local and global influences on education, training and learning in law firms
- A British Council funded Exchange programme exploring the way knowledge and practice relating to sustainable building design travels
Professional misconduct and wrongdoing
I have explored the causes of professional misconduct and how they relate to the organisational and wider societal context for professional work. This includes:
- A special issue of Human Relations ‘Inserting professionals and professional organizations in studies of wrongdoing’
- A funded project working with the Solicitors Regulation Authority to examine factors causing the overrepresentation of Black, Asian and minority ethnic solicitors in concerns raised with and then investigated by the regulator
Globalization and professional service firms
I am interested in theories of globalization and the way these can be used to understand the globalization of professional service firms. Recent work has, in particular, taken an institutional approach to studying the activities and effects of global law firms. Key projects in this area include:
- An ESRC funded project on the globalization executive search firms
- A British Academy funded project on the globalization architecture firms
- A Sloan foundation project on the work of global advertising agencies in US cities
Mobilities
Drawing on and contributing to work on the ‘mobilities turn’ in the social sciences, recent projects include:
- Research, funded by the Research Councils Energy Programme, examining the embeddedness of business travel in the work practices of engineering consultancy firms, as part of the DEMAND Centre
- A collaborative study with Claus Lassen at Aalborg University on business travel practices and the implications for the future of airports and aeromobility
- A European Research Council funded network exploring ‘The Future of Business Mobilities’
PhD Supervision Interests
Please contact me to discuss possible topics for PhD research. I would be particularly interested in hearing from people with proposals relating to the professions and professional services, the globalisation of work and organisations, and business mobilities
Selected Publications
Accommodating machine learning algorithms in professional service firms
Faulconbridge, J., Spring, M., Sarwar, A. 10/03/2024 In: Organization Studies.
Journal article
Professionalism in the age of artificial intelligence: Theoretical implications
Faulconbridge, J., Muzio, D. 14/12/2023 In: British Journal of Management. p. 3-23. 21 p.
Journal article
How professionals adapt to artificial intelligence: the role of intertwined boundary work
Faulconbridge, J., Spring, M., Sarwar, A. 31/05/2023 In: Journal of Management Studies.
Journal article
How information technology automates and augments processes: Insights from Artificial‐Intelligence‐based systems in professional service operations
Spring, M., Faulconbridge, J., Sarwar, A. 30/09/2022 In: Journal of Operations Management. 68, 6-7, p. 592-618. 27 p.
Journal article
Valuation devices and the dynamic legitimacy-performativity nexus: the case of PEP in the English legal profession
Faulconbridge, J., Muzio, D. 31/05/2021 In: Accounting, Organizations and Society. 91, 18 p.
Journal article
How Professional Actions Connect and Protect
Faulconbridge, J., Henriksen, L., Seabrooke, L. 31/07/2021 In: Journal of Professions and Organization. 8, 2, p. 214-227. 14 p.
Journal article
Work, ICT and travel in multinational corporations: the synthetic work mobility situation
Faulconbridge, J., Jones, I., Anable, J., Marsden, G. 28/07/2020 In: New Technology, Work and Employment. 35, 2, p. 195-214. 20 p.
Journal article
‘Business Code/Spaces’ in Digital Service Firms: The Case of Online Multinational Fashion Retailing
Wood, S., Faulconbridge, J., Watson, I., Teller, C. 1/06/2020 In: Geoforum. 112, p. 13-23. 11 p.
Journal article
Field partitioning: The emergence, development and consolidation of subfields
Faulconbridge, J., Muzio, D. 1/07/2021 In: Organization Studies. 42, 7, p. 1053-1083. 31 p.
Journal article
Business services and the financing of global production networks: the case of global law firms in Southeast Asia
Faulconbridge, J.R. 1/07/2019 In: Journal of Economic Geography. 19, 4, p. 897-919. 23 p.
Journal article
Critical Essay: Inserting professionals and professional organizations in studies of wrongdoing: The nature, antecedents, and consequences of professional misconduct.
Gabbioneta, C., Faulconbridge, J.R., Currie, G., Dinovitzer, R., Muzio, D. 1/11/2019 In: Human Relations. 72, 11, p. 72. 11 p.
Journal article
Professional service firms as agents of economic globalization: a political perspective
Boussebaa, M., Faulconbridge, J.R. 1/03/2019 In: Journal of Professions and Organization. 6, 1, p. 72-90. 19 p.
Journal article
The fearful and anxious professional: partner experiences of working in the financialised professional services firm
Allan, S., Faulconbridge, J.R., Thomas, P. 02/2019 In: Work, Employment and Society. 33, 1, p. 112-130. 19 p.
Journal article
Professional Misconduct in Healthcare: Setting Out a Research Agenda for Work Sociology
Currie, G., Faulconbridge, J.R., Gabbioneta, C., Muzio, D., Richmond, J. 02/2019 In: Work, Employment and Society. 33, 1, p. 149-161. 13 p.
Journal article
Karl Polanyi on strategy: the effects of culture, morality and double-movements on embedded strategy
Faulconbridge, J.R., Muzio, D. 1/12/2020 In: Critical Perspectives on Accounting. 73, December 2020, 13 p.
Journal article
Demanding business travel: the evolution of the timespaces of business practice
Jones, I., Faulconbridge, J.R., Marsden, G., Anable, J. 2018 In: Demanding energy. Cham : Palgrave Macmillan p. 257-277. 21 p. ISBN: 9783319619903. Electronic ISBN: 9783319619910.
Chapter
Sustaining Economic Geography?: Business and Management Schools and the UK’s Great Economic Geography Diaspora
James, A., Bradshaw, M., Coe, N., Faulconbridge, J.R. 1/09/2018 In: Environment and Planning A. 50, 6, p. 1355-1366. 12 p.
Journal article
Bad barrels and bad cellars: a ‘boundaries’ perspective on professional misconduct
Muzio, D., Faulconbridge, J.R., Gabbioneta, C., Greenwood, R. 21/07/2016 In: Organizational wrongdoing. Cambridge : Cambridge University Press p. 141-175. 35 p. ISBN: 9781107117716.
Chapter
Global professional service firms and the challenge of institutional complexity: ‘field relocation’ as a response strategy
Faulconbridge, J., Muzio, D. 01/2016 In: Journal of Management Studies. 53, 1, p. 89-124. 36 p.
Journal article
Transnational corporations shaping institutional change: the case of English law firms in Germany
Faulconbridge, J., Muzio, D. 2015 In: Journal of Economic Geography. 15, 6, p. 1195-1226. 32 p.
Journal article
The Global Professional Service Firm: ‘One Firm’ Models versus (Italian) Distant Institutionalized Practices
Muzio, D., Faulconbridge, J. 2013 In: Organization Studies. 34, 7, p. 897-925.
Journal article
Mobility and professional networks in academia: an exploration of the obligations of presence
Storme, T., Faulconbridge, J., Beaverstock, J.V., Derrudder, B., Witlox, F. 06/2017 In: Mobilities. 12, 3, p. 405-424.
Journal article
The globalization of advertising.
Faulconbridge, J.R., Beaverstock, J.V., Nativel, C., Taylor, P.J. 2011 London & New York : Routledge. 189 p. ISBN: 978-0-415-56716-9.
Book
The globalization of executive search: professional services strategy and dynamics in the contemporary world
Faulconbridge, J., Beaverstock, J.V., Hall, S. 2015 London : Routledge. ISBN: 978041589667 . Electronic ISBN: 9781315771427.
Book
International business travel in the global economy
Beaverstock, J.V., Derudder, B., Faulconbridge, J., Witlox, F. 2010 Aldershot : Ashgate. 242 p. ISBN: 978-0-7546-7942-4.
Book
All Publications
Accelerating Innovation Adoption in Next Generation Professional Service Firms
01/05/2023 → 30/09/2025
Research
Accelerating Innovation Adoption in Next Generation Professional Service Firms
01/05/2023 → 30/09/2025
Research
Understanding the factors causing overrepresentation of Black, Asian and minority ethnic solicitors in concerns raised with and then investigated by the SRA
01/09/2022 → 21/10/2023
Research
Innovating Next Generation Services through Collaborative Design
01/12/2018 → 31/03/2021
Research
DEMAND: Dynamics of Energy, Mobility and Demand
01/05/2013 → 30/06/2019
Research
How migration reshapes labour markets: a study of professional service
01/01/2012 → 31/12/2014
Research
SANDPIT: Disruption: the raw material for low carbon Change
01/09/2011 → 31/08/2014
Research
The future of business mobilities
01/06/2011 → 30/09/2011
Research
KTP: Engery Efficiency
06/04/2010 → 31/12/2010
Research
Leveraging sustainability
01/09/2009 → 30/11/2009
Research
Conceptualising the professions in the 21st century
01/01/2009 → 30/04/2009
Research
Professional education, global professional service firms and the cultures of professional work in europe
01/12/2008 → 28/02/2010
Research
11th International Critical Management Studies Conference
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
35th EGOS Colloquium, Edinburgh, July.
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Invited panel presentation at AI for English law conference
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
EGOS Annual Conference
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
SASE Annual Conference
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Globalizing Norms conference
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Academy of Management Conference
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Professional Service Firm Conference
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Global Conference on Economic Geography
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Advisory Workshop
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Association of American Geographers Annual Conference
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Financialization in emerging economies conference
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Royal Geography Society Annual Conference
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Academy of Management Annual Conference
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
European Group for Organization Studies Annual Conference
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Anniversary Workshop of MIOIR
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Adam Smith Business School, Glasgow University
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Global higher education and/as professional services: an economic geography/organisation studies view
Invited talk
Legitimacy and the recurrent contest of valuation devices: the case of PEP in the English legal profession
Invited talk
Professions and professional service firms in China workshop
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Society for the Advancement of Socio-Economics Annual Conference
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Systems of mobility in the professions. Migration, Identity and State
Invited talk
European Group for Organization Studies Annual Conference
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
USERTec research workshop
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
EPSRC Workshop and Research Network Building Event
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Commuting practices and the fleximobility agenda.
Invited talk
Royal Geographical Society (with Institute of British Geographers) Annual conference 2016 London
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Global economic geography conference
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Centre for Professional Service firms Annual Conference
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
National University of Singapore
Business Engagement
Journal of Economic Geography (Journal)
Editorial activity
The globalization of the executive search ‘new’ profession: making markets through situated institutional work.
Invited talk
The globalization of the executive search ‘new’ profession: making markets through situated institutional work
Invited talk
Journal of Professions and Organization (Journal)
Editorial activity
Oxford Journals (Publisher)
Editorial activity
Monash University
Visiting an external academic institution
Cass Business School (External organisation)
Member of an organisation
Geography Compass (Journal)
Editorial activity
Dialogues in Human Geography (Journal)
Editorial activity
Geography Compass (Journal)
Editorial activity
34th EGOS Colloquium
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
University of Copenhagen
Visiting an external academic institution
ESRC (External organisation)
Membership of committee
Critical Perspectives on International Business (Journal)
Editorial activity
Emerald (Publisher)
Editorial activity
ESRC Centre for Research on Socio-Cultural Change (External organisation)
Member of an organisation
Best paper by early career academic in Progress in Human Geography 2012
Prize (including medals and awards)
- CeMoRe - Centre for Mobilities Research
- Centre for Technological Futures
- DEMAND - Dynamics of Energy, Mobility and Demand
- People, Work and Organisation