Konstantinos Kakavelakis

I am a lecturer in HRM/OB with a background in organisational sociology. My research has touched upon the areas of workplace learning and organisational change and more recently I have become interested in leadership, critical HRM and the creative industries. My involvement with teaching at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels has covered a broad range of topics in the areas of organizational analysis and HRM. I am an ad hoc reviewer for several academic journals whilst consultancy activity has included evaluation of a governmental initiative as well as a change management programme aimed at the Milton Keynes Community health service.

Research:

My PhD research drew on relational sociology to examine situated learning in the context of change. It aimed to address limitations pertaining to a narrow conception of agency as habitual action whilst acknowledging the role of institutional context and temporality of practice and their impact on the enactment of communal knowledge.

A relational perspective also informed my post-doctoral work as part of a multidisciplinary research project entitled “Learning as Work” hosted by Cardiff University. Drawing on insights from political economy and educational research, the project aimed to provide a multi-layered perspective of workplace learning and its potential impact on organisational performance.

My current research continues to apply insights from relational perspectives (including relational realism) to the following areas:

-          Leader-follower relations as shaped by structural conditioning and corporate ideology.

-          Critical HRM with a particular interest in the relationship between HRM practices and knowledge sharing as well as devolvement of HRM to the line.

Area of Expertise:

Relational sociology, workplace learning, leadership, critical HRM.

Leader-follower relationships,leadership and corporate ideology, HRM and knowledge sharing, line management discretion, production of culture.