Lille Economics and Management (LEM UMR CNRS 9221) and IÉSEG School of Management invite applications for a fully funded Ph.D. Position in People and Organizations at its Lille or Paris Campus.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

This research examines placardisation (or employee shelving), an underexplored form of workplace marginalization in which managers deliberately sideline employees from meaningful work without formally terminating them.

While related to constructs such as workplace incivility, stigma, or abusive supervision, placardisation differs in two key ways. First, it is a targeted managerial strategy rather than a diffuse or emergent pattern of mistreatment. Second, it is closely tied to institutional contexts characterized by strong employment protections, where dismissal is difficult and costly.

The project aims to:

• Conceptually define placardisation and distinguish it from related constructs.

• Identify its antecedents, forms, and underlying managerial motivations.

• Examine its consequences for employees, managers, and organizations.

• Understand how institutional environments shape the emergence of such practices.

By doing so, the research contributes to broader debates on power, marginalization, and unintended consequences of labor protections in organizations.

The PhD will adopt a mixed-method approach (qualitative and quantitative methods), combining inductive theory building with empirical testing.

The PhD student will be responsible for:
• Conducting a comprehensive literature review on workplace marginalization and related constructs.
• Designing and executing qualitative research (e.g., interviews, process analysis).
• Developing theoretical frameworks and hypotheses.
• Developing and validating a measurement instrument.
• Conducting quantitative studies (e.g., surveys).
• Publishing in academic journals and presenting at international conferences.

The Ph.D. student will be supervised by Dr. Lucas Amaral and Dr. Melvyn Hamstra and will be affiliated with the People and Organizations department.

ABOUT IÉSEG SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT

• IÉSEG is AACSB, EQUIS and AMBA accredited and is a member of the “Conférence des Grandes Écoles”.

• IÉSEG is a member of a CNRS (French National Center for Scientific Research) research lab: LEM.

• IÉSEG’s faculty is very diverse with 45 different nationalities represented.

ABOUT LILLE ECONOMICS AND MANAGEMENT (LEM)

• LEM is a research unit, that comprises the CNRS, associating the University of Lille and IÉSEG School of Management

• LEM comprises about 200 researchers and 100 doctoral students in economics and management.

• LEM is a young, internationally oriented, and dynamic laboratory with a strong scientific ambition.

QUALIFICATIONS

• MSc (or close to completion) in organizational behavior, human resource management, organizational psychology, or related fields.

• Strong training in qualitative and/or quantitative research methods (ideally both).

• Clear interest in topics such as workplace incivility, marginalization, or inequality.

• Strong analytical skills and commitment to academic research.

• Ability to work independently and collaboratively.

• Fluent in English with strong academic writing skills.

• Knowledge of French and/or prior industry experience is a plus.

WORKING CONDITIONS

The selected candidate is expected to begin the PhD student role in September 2026. Gross salary will be competitive with other European research and academic institutions (2300€ gross/month for Lille and 2450€ for Paris). The PhD will be based in Lille or Paris (IÉSEG campus) and enrolled in the PhD program at the University of Lille. The student will follow the LEM doctoral program.

The position includes:

• Full supervision and structured training.

• Funding for conferences (e.g., AOM, EGOS).

• Opportunities to publish in top-tier journals.

• Support for relocation, visa.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

Interested applicants must submit their application (consisting of a CV, motivation letter and statement of academic performance) through the recruitment platform, here. For any further question, please contact us by e-mail to or for general information about to process to phd.recruitment@ieseg.fr

APPLICATION DEADLINE

Early applications are encouraged, as candidates will be evaluated as applications are received. The final deadline for applications is Monday April 20, 2026.