Ha Trang Pham - PhD researcher - Work, Organisation and Management
Inspired by her experience as a lecturer in Vietnam, Ha Trang Pham is undertaking a PhD in the Work, Organisation and Management (WOM) department at ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ University Business School. Her research explores how Generation Z employees in Vietnam experience and interpret inclusive leadership in hybrid workplaces.
Having taught International Business and Cross-Cultural Management, Ha Trang witnessed first-hand how globalisation was bringing together people from different cultural backgrounds and reshaping the modern workplace.These experiences sparked a desire to explore how organisations can create more inclusive environments where employees feel valued and supported.
Why ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½?
For Ha Trang, choosing the ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ was about finding a university whose values aligned closely with her own research interests.
She said:
"I chose the ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ because it is a prestigious research-intensive institution, as well as for its engaged holistic commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, which aligns closely with my research interests regarding inclusive leadership."
Researching inclusive leadership in a changing world of work
Ha Trang's research, Vietnamese Gen Z Employees' Sensemaking of Inclusive Leadership in Hybrid Work, focuses on understanding how young employees interpret the actions of their leaders and what they consider to be inclusive leadership behaviours.
Through her research, she hopes to contribute not only to academic understanding of EDI but also to provide practical insights that organisations can use to build more inclusive workplaces.
She explained:
"This has motivated me to deepen my research not only to contribute theoretically to EDI but also to provide meaningful insights that can help create a more inclusive working environment in practice."
Addressing an important research gap
As her research has developed, Ha Trang has identified several important gaps in existing knowledge.
During her literature review, she found that while Vietnam's collectivist and hierarchical culture can create unique challenges and tensions for younger employees, little is known about how these experiences are shaped by hybrid working environments. She also found that much of the existing research on inclusive leadership focuses on organisational outcomes rather than employees' own perspectives and experiences.
Her research aims to address these gaps by bringing employees' voices to the forefront and providing a deeper understanding of how inclusive leadership is interpreted within the Vietnamese context, helping organisations better support younger generations in an evolving world of work.
Support from the business school community
Although she is only in the first year of her PhD, Ha Trang has already found the experience highly rewarding. She credits much of this to the support she has received from her supervisors and the wider Work, Organisation and Management department.
She said:
Although I have been on this PhD journey for only a year, I feel extremely motivated by the dedicated, abundant support from my supervisors and the WOM department.
Ha Trang has also appreciated the range of seminars and workshops organised by the business school, which have provided opportunities to learn from other researchers and develop her research knowledge.
One of the highlights of her experience so far has been attending the ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ University Business School Tri-Campus Conference, where she had the opportunity to connect with postgraduate researchers from across the university's international campuses.
She commented:
"I especially enjoyed the school’s tri-campus conference, where I had an opportunity to meet other PGRs to share knowledge and research experience together."
Looking ahead
After completing her PhD, Ha Trang plans to return to Vietnam and continue her career as a lecturer. She hopes to strengthen her contribution to the international research community while using her research to support more inclusive leadership practices in organisations. Looking ahead, she is keen to continue producing research that creates both academic and practical impact.
Reflecting on her future ambitions, she said:
"I hope that by that time I will be able to engage more significantly with the international research community, as well as provide more research contributions."
For Ha Trang, her PhD represents an opportunity not only to advance academic understanding of inclusive leadership, but also to create research that can help shape more inclusive workplaces for future generations.
Further information
Find out more about studying for an Phd at ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ University Business School by visiting our PhD webpage.