Doctoral Researcher: MSCA Doctoral Network EMANAIRE, DC10: AI-Mediated Communication and Collaboration Norms at Work

ENGLISH VERSION:

MSCA Doctoral Network EMANAIRE, DC10: AI-Mediated Communication and Collaboration Norms at Work

Position details

Recruiting institution: Hanken School of Economics, Department of Management and Organisation

Work location: Helsinki, Finland · one position

Contract: four-year, full-time doctoral scholarship · 48 months

Expected start: 1 February 2027 or by agreement

Application deadline: by 11:59 p.m. on 29 October 2026

Doctoral programme: PhD in Management and Organisation

Apply: https://hanken.rekrytointi.com/paikat/index.php?o=A_LOJ&list=1&lang=en&rspvt=bx32qk756igw8ww08c0k4sgg0w8w48c

Hanken School of Economics, Department of Management and Organisation invites applications for this four-year doctoral scholarship in the EMANAIRE project, PhD project: AI-Mediated Communication and Collaboration Norms at Work.

About EMANAIRE

EMANAIRE is a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Network bringing together 15 doctoral candidates at nine European universities to study how AI is changing work. Its projects examine what happens when generative and agentic AI enters leadership, everyday workflows, team communication, professional learning and career decisions. Across the network, human agency means the practical ability to understand AI-supported decisions, exercise judgement, question outputs and shape how work is organised. Each researcher joins an international cohort, receives supervision across institutions and takes part in three residential schools, methods workshops, monthly research seminars and joint work with organisations beyond academia. Every project includes extensive engagement with industrial partner (e.g. in terms of data collection and development of practice).

The doctoral project

As AI becomes embedded in everyday work, employees increasingly interact with AI agents, but also encounter AI-mediated contributions from colleagues. Messages may be written, filtered or delivered with AI, while autonomous agents increasingly participate in work processes and collaboration.

This doctoral project examines how these developments shape relational aspects of work, (which may include authenticity, trust, social connection, and experiences of loneliness), as people negotiate emerging norms around AI use, disclosure, and appropriate forms of interaction. Through ethnographic research in AI-intensive settings, you will follow relational practices as they evolve over time and identify the mechanisms behind change.

The project will develop evidence-based guidance that supports transparency, social connection and responsible AI use in organisational life. Practitioner outputs include AI- aware communication norms, guidance on disclosure and authenticity in AI-assisted exchanges, and leadership practices that protect social connection and prevent relational deterioration. In addition, the doctoral project is expected to advance scientific knowledge in relation to the doctoral topic.

Your work

• Examine how interactions among people, AI agents and AI-mediated communication shape workplace relationships and collaboration.
• Conduct ethnographic research on how employees make sense of and negotiate AI use in workplace interactions, including norms of disclosure and transparency, and how these processes shape relational aspects of work.
• Identify the mechanisms through which AI-mediated contributions and autonomous agents reshape relational dynamics, and develop evidence-based guidance for responsible and socially sustainable AI use.
• Develop AI-aware communication norms and leadership guidance that protect social connection at work.
• Refine the research questions and design with the supervision team and prepare ethics, data-management and open-science materials.
• Complete a doctoral thesis and related research outputs under the host doctoral programme and EMANAIRE plan.
• Take part in local and network-wide training, cohort activities, reviews, dissemination and practitioner engagement.
• Participate in teaching related activities at the Department of Management and Organisation.
• Undertake collaboration with the industry partner and a separate academic mobility visit.
• Contribute to research integrity, equality, responsible AI, open science and FAIR data practices.

Supervision, training and mobility

Project contact: Emma Nordbäck (emma.nordback@hanken.fi).

Main supervisor: Associate Professor Emma Nordbäck (Hanken School of Economics).

Current DoA plan: The Doctoral researcher is expected to spend a period of time at an industrial partner conducting the ethnographic research and contributing to practice.

Academic mobility visit: At least three months at another partner institution of the EMANAIRE network.

The researcher will complete at least 60 ECTS of doctoral coursework, including at least 10 ECTS through network-wide provision. EMANAIRE combines local doctoral courses with three residential schools, monthly paper-development seminars, work-package workshops and network reviews. A Personal Career Development Plan will be agreed within the first three months and reviewed every six months.

About Hanken School of Economics

Hanken School of Economics is one of the leading business schools in the Nordic countries. It is located in Finland, with campuses in Helsinki and Vaasa. Hanken offers a range of B.Sc., M.Sc., EMBA, PhD, and Executive Development programmes taught mainly in English and Swedish. The School has close ties to the business community and an active alumni network with over 13 800 alumni working in more than 70 countries. The School is accredited by AACSB, AMBA, and EQUIS. The Hanken Masters in Management programme was ranked #56 by the Financial Times in 2026. Hanken is recognized for its research quality, its international orientation, and its focus on sustainability.

Hanken is part of the European ENGAGE.EU European university alliance, that collaborates in the area of doctoral education by creating common practices and offering courses across member universities. The Department of Management and Organisation is recognized for its outstanding research in areas such as organisation studies, human resource management, business ethics and strategic entrepreneurship. The doctoral programme at Hanken is designed as a four-year full-time education, consisting of coursework, thesis work and teaching. Hanken provides com