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Dr Arron Phillips

Positions held:
  • Lecturer, Birkbeck Business School
Address

Room 301, Clore Management Centre

Email
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  • Overview

    Overview

    Biography

    Arron Phillips Joined Birkbeck in January 2019. Before joining Birkbeck, Arron was an Hourly Paid Lecturer at Greenwich while undertaking the formative stages of his PhD. Arron was awarded his PhD in early 2022. Arron has a bachelor's degree in Law and a master's in Employment Law. 

    He was introduced to Whistleblowing as a phenomenon and Corporate Governance through his Law studies. These interests have been developed over the years. Arron's research interests are predominantly in the area of Whistleblowing focusing on external agents such as trade unions which was the focus of his PhD, and understanding how these groups engage in understanding, support, and engage in the whistleblowing sphere. Arron's research generally takes a pragmatic philosophy with a leaning towards qualitative methods.

    From a teaching perspective, Arron teaches international business ethics where he is able to draw on his research experiences. He explores with his students how MNCs are constrained and deal with ethical issues such as forced labour or artificial intelligence. From a governance perspective, Arron teaches Legal perspectives on Governance which takes a fresh approach in looking at how many voluntary aspects of governance are underpinned by soft and hard law mechanisms. Arron also enjoys supervising Undergraduate research projects, Master's dissertations and Doctoral candidates.

    Qualifications

    • PhD, Greenwich University, 2022
    • PGCHE, Greenwich University, 2016
    • LLM, Middlesex University, 2013
    • LL.B (Hons), Middlesex University, 2010

    Administrative responsibilities

    • Birkbeck Business School Academic Integrity and Misconduct Lead
    • Birkbeck Business School Deputy Lead for Postgraduate Education

    Honours and awards

    • Fellow, Higher Education Academy, November 2016
    • Vice Chancellor's Award for Teaching and Learning (Team Award), Birkbeck, May 2024
    • Doctoral Vice chancellors scholarship, Greenwich University,

    ORCID

    0000-0002-4696-5196
  • Research

    Research

    Research interests

    • Whistleblowing
    • Corporate Governance
    • Employment Law
    • Business Ethics
    • Corporate Social Resposibility
    • Employment Relations
    • Trade Unionism

    Research overview

    Arron's research interests are predominantly in the area of Whistleblowing focusing on external agents such as trade unions which was the focus of his PhD, and understanding how these groups engage in understanding, support, and engage in the whistleblowing sphere. Arron's research generally takes a pragmatic philosophy with a leaning towards qualitative methods

    Research Centres and Institutes

  • Supervision and teaching

    Supervision and teaching

    Supervision

    Supervisions within Birkbeck:
    7

    I welcome enquiries from prospective PhD students who are looking to research Whistleblowing. 

    I am not currently taking PhD students in other areas of my expertise. 

    Current doctoral researchers

    • MARTIN WOODFORD
      Nature of supervision:
      Joint Principal Supervisor, onwards
      Title of thesis:
      Corporate Purpose and the Responsible Allocation of Discretionary Corporate Funds.
      Description:

      The objective of the project will be to understand how company directors approach decisions about allocating available funds between uses over which they have discretion: those not already accounted for by obligations to lenders, employees, suppliers, tax authorities, and other stakeholders with contractual or regulatory claims. These comprise returns to shareholders; investment in capital, innovation, or brand; the rectification of negative social and environmental consequences of trade; and support to good causes.

      Decisions about how available corporate funds are so allocated are both important and difficult. They are important because the existence of the company and the welfare of third parties may depend upon them. They are difficult because they involve judgement about risk and uncertainty, and those called on to make them are subject to the contrasting demands of shareholder and stakeholder capitalism, for which they must have concurrent regard. Historical instances of avoidable corporate insolvency and poor conduct indicate that those decisions are often not made well.

      For this research project, those discretionary uses will be grouped into three non-exclusive categories, each with existential consequences: pursuing purpose, safeguarding a company’s future, and providing a return to shareholders. The first of these is concerned with the company’s reason to exist, the second is concerned with providing sufficient resilience to maintain its existence, and the third is concerned with providing compensation for the investment that brought its existence about. The project will address the research gap in how such discretionary resources are allocated in practice, having consequences of existential importance, whether for the company, the environment, or those caught in the crossfire of commercial endeavour.

    Doctoral alumni since 2013-14

    • JACINTH BOUDIER
      Nature of supervision:
      Joint Principal Supervisor, to
      Title of thesis:
      Corporate Community Engagement and Competitive Advantage
      Awarded:
      2024
    • JACINTH BOUDIER
      Nature of supervision:
      Principal Supervisor, to
      Title of thesis:
      Corporate Community Engagement and Competitive Advantage
      Awarded:
      2024
    • JACINTH BOUDIER
      Nature of supervision:
      Joint Principal Supervisor,
      Title of thesis:
      Corporate Community Engagement and Competitive Advantage
      Awarded:
      2024
    • LOUISE REDMOND
      Nature of supervision:
      Joint Principal Supervisor,
      Title of thesis:
      Governing Corporate Culture: A New Board Task
      Awarded:
      2023

    Teaching

    From a teaching perspective, Arron teaches international business ethics where he is able to draw on his research experiences. He explores with his students how MNCs are constrained and deal with ethical issues such as forced labour or artificial intelligence. From a governance perspective, Arron teaches Legal perspectives on Governance which takes a fresh approach in looking at how many voluntary aspects of governance are underpinned by soft and hard law mechanisms. Arron also co-teaches the module Contemporary Perspectives in Employment Relations Which addresses aspects of the employment relationship such as the main actors the state, employers and trade unions.

    Arron also enjoys supervising Undergraduate research projects, Master's dissertations and Doctoral candidates.

    Teaching modules

    • Legal Perspectives on Governance (BUMN173H7)
    • Employment Law (BUOB078H7)
    • Perspectives on Political Economy (LALW064S7)
    • International Business Ethics (MOMN032H7)
  • Publications

    Publications

    Article

    Book Section

    External Repositories