The Centre for Research on Employment & Work at the University of Greenwich in London awards an annual prize for the best dissertation on employment and work produced by students reading for the Bachelor of Arts in Business Management and Bachelor of Arts in Human Resource Management at the university.

The latest academic year 2022/2023 saw nine nominations which were judged by IDR’s Ken Mulkearn, a member of the CREW Advisory Board. This year was slightly unusual in that following Ken’s recommendation, prizes were awarded to two winners.

The first was Morna Clarke (BA in Human Resource Management) whose research explored the lived experiences of those with ADHD in the workplace. Morna’s research provided positive insight into the added value that this neurodivergent group can provide to organisations. Her dissertation was both well-developed and well-written, providing clear and practical guidance to potential employers in this important area. The findings were ordered by theme and the extensive use of quotes meant that the voices of the participants came through clearly, producing a valuable contribution to research on this area.

The second winner was Amelia Cox (BA in Business Management) for her research on bonuses for part-time employees at a high-street jewellers during the busy Christmas period. Amelia skilfully used her research to address the existing literature on, and theories around, motivation and pay. Her treatment was thorough and nuanced and showed that she had read and fully understood the sources cited. Ken particularly liked the original aspects – looking at motivation over time and focusing on part-time employees. In addition, the focus on employees’ experiences, while also highlighting the relevance of the findings for employers, was a real strength.

Morna and Amelia will graduate from the University of Greenwich in July 2023. The photo shows Ken, Morna and Amelia at the recent meeting of the CREW Advisory Board, where the two prize-winners presented their findings.