Hello! I'm Minjie
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I'm a Ph.D. Fellow at Cass Business School's Management Faculty. My research interests centre on exploring individual and organizational issues triggered by change and their consequence for business and entrepreneurship. This is anchored in a commitment towards phenomenon-driven qualitative analysis, based on an appreciation for classical organization theory. For my Ph.D. dissertation, I conducted a two-year ethnography at an English hospital, investigating issues triggered by digital innovation.
My longstanding research interests are also reflected in my teaching experiences. During my graduate training at Cass, I have coordinated course design and engaged in lecturing and tutoring activities in a variety of courses at undergraduate master’s and MBA levels. Some of these courses include: Strategy, Organisational Behaviour, System Thinking, Technology and Innovation Management. I have also worked as visiting and guest lecturers, independently designed and delivered courses such as Management of Innovation Process and sessions on digital strategy and digital leadership.
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Minjie Gao
Ph.D Candidate in Management
Cass Business School,
City, University of London
Email:
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RESEARCH
Overview
My research broadly falls into two interrelated streams. The first spans the fields of organization studies and innovation through a focus on change and its implication on individuals, organizations and organizing. This is manifested in my Ph.D. research, which investigates the digitalization process in hospitals and its implications. In a second stream, I study the evolution of informal forms of organization and its actors. Empirically, I look at the running industry and how individual runners as entrepreneurs and running groups as communities of practice are affected by societal changes.
Ph.D. Research
For my Ph.D. dissertation, I conducted a two-year ethnography at an English hospital, investigating issues triggered by digital innovation. My job market paper focuses on the application of aspects of narrative to the study of organizational change and employee engagement. My second paper looks at organizational and individual implications of digital innovation in the workplace by engaging with literature on organization change-fatigue and emotion.
The last paper of my dissertation looks at how work and organizing is changed by innovation by empirically examine the critical care bed management process.
Beyond Ph.D.
I am profoundly intrigued by the evolution of the running industry, in particular on issues related to individual runners as entrepreneurs and running groups as communities of practice. Taking a sociological approach, I have developed a research project examining the evolution of the running industry. This project aims to uncover the historical evolution of the running industry, how running, as a hobby, creates a new wave of entrepreneurs, running communities as informal types of organizations and the sociology of runners, to name but a few. I have negotiated with and obtained access for data collection from running crews in London, New York and Los Angeles.
ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE
2017-2020
Cass Business School, London
VISITING & GUEST LECTURER
​Critical Thinking for Business (UG)
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Coordinated course design, taught and evaluated full module
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Student evaluations: 4.4/5 (2018); 4.3/5 (2019)
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Advanced Strategic Management (UG)
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Independently designed and taught two sessions on digital strategy and digital leadership
2017-2018
Vives University College, Belgium
VISITING LECTURER
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Management of Innovation Process (UG)
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Designed and taught full module, prepared course materials such as lectures, case studies and practice problems
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Developed exams and paper topics; provided feedback on students’ communication skills and graded assignments
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Student evaluations: 4.6 (2017 Bruges); 4.5/5 (2017 Kortrijk); 4.6 (2018 Kortrijk)
2016-2020
Cass Business School, London
TEACHING ASSISTANT
Coordinated course design and management, prepared course material, led weekly tutorial, supervised and graded assignment for different modules ranging in size from 20 – 250 students. Topics included:​
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Organisational Behaviour (MBA)
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Leadership (Exec MBA)
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Business & Society (UG)
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Strategy (MSC & MBA)
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Strategy for Business (UG)
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System Thinking (UG)
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Coporate Social Responsibility (UG)
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Technology and Innovation Management (UG)
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EDUCATION
2015-2020
Cass Business School
Doctor of Philosophy in Management
Expected completion: Winter 2020
Awarded City University Doctoral Studentship (£85,000)
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2017-2019
City, University of London
Postgraduate Certifacte in Academic Practice
Grade: Distinction
Awarded Fellowship of the British Academy of Higher Education
2013-2014
Durham University Business School
Master of Science in Management
Grade: Distinction
2009-2013
Beijing University of Chemical Technology
Bachelor of Art in English
GPA: 88.81/100, top 2%
Awarded National Scholarship of China
SKILLS
Microsoft Office - Advanced
Nvivo - Advanced
Mandarin - Native
English - Fluent