I am Professor of Management and senior member of the Department of Management (DoM) in the Faculty of Business & Social Sciences (FBSS) having worked at Kingston University since 2001. I conduct research with an international network of world leading scholars focused on issues of equality and diversity in global work. My research leadership is demonstrated by regular contributions to the wider research community at leading international conferences and as a journal editorial board editor and member and internally through long-standing contributions to PhD supervision, research groups and seminar series. Currently I complement my research profile with leadership in the domain in my role as Research Hub Lead (Future of Work and Organisations (FoWO)).
I have led on teaching and learning initiatives in DoM and the wider school including the Inclusive Curriculum Framework. The modules which I lead at postgraduate level focus on different aspects of globalisation to encourage awareness of and preparedness for the world of work in the 21st century. Together these experiences enable me to bring research-led learning into the classroom through innovative curriculum development and to embed strategic initiatives across my responsibilities.
Professor of Management
I have significant teaching experiences across all levels and varied programmes. Currently I deliver teaching on two programmes (MBA, Global HRM). I also supervise students as they undertake research and consultancy projects across a range of taught Masters programmes.
An Example of My Teaching Practice: Diverse Workforce Consulting Project
During 2021/22, I brought Scholastic Publishers, a large company, into BH7705 Leadership, Change and Consultancy, an elective on the MSc International Business Management (MIBM), to expose the 130 strong cohort of international students to the challenges of embedding diversity and inclusion practices in a new cultural context. In a cross-faculty initiative, the MA Publishing students will act as coaches to the MIBM consulting teams at points during this multi-week mini-consulting experience. For many of the international students in the MIBM cohort, this opportunity is their first exposure to work outside their home country. As a result, they are developing confidence in working in the UK environment, building inclusivity knowledge, expanding their global outlook, and enhancing employability prospects. In turn, Scholastic benefits from the insights provided by the University's student resource base and a close-up look at prospective future employees. We are planning to continue our collaboration with Scholastic.
An Example of My ICF Workstream Practice: Strengthening the Elevate Programme for KBS Students
The aims of this appointment are, in the first instance, to reduce the degree awarding gap and increase student engagement and satisfaction by supporting and upskilling teaching staff. Success should ultimately lead to increased enrolment and retention on KBS programmes and strengthened TEF, REF, and KEF metrics. Currently I am working with senior KBS colleagues and University Elevate Programme colleagues to support the building of skills among our Home fees Black students who are the target audience of the programme. We are bringing together business leaders, recent graduates and our current students to network and share best practice.
My research is located in the international management (IM) field and the organisational behaviour/human resource management (OB/HRM) discipline which I impact by leveraging international networks to disseminate internationally recognised and cited research.
My research comprises three interconnected themes:
1) Leadership of and status issues in global virtual teams (GVTs) - conducted together with collaborators located across the Nordic region.
2) Employability, sustainable careers and wellbeing - concerns the challenges that those with less status (migrants, ethnic minorities, women) experience in GVTs/the workplace more generally and carried out with collaborators located in the UK, the Netherlands and Belgium.
3) Mode of working (virtual, hybrid, face-to-face), wellbeing and performance - focused on those with less status in conjunction with collaborators located in northern/western Europe, North America and at KU.
I have supervised five PhD students to completion and currently supervise three students:
1) Derrer is researching agile project team leadership in hybrid contexts
2) Komolafe is studying the national and international staffing challenges in international oil companies in Nigeria
3) Winter-Dean is researching the challenges faced by foreign-born gay professionals working in London.
My work has been directly funded by the the British Academy, Innovate UK, Norwegian Research Council, the Finnish Foundation for Economic Education. It has also benefited indirectly from financial support provided by the Nordic Research Councils in the Humanities and Social Sciences and the Swedish Council for Working Life.
Babarinde, Ibukunolu and Butler, Christina (2024) ‘This your strike is affecting our children’ : a story of a host community’s intervention on the front line of university–workers disputes in southwest Nigeria. Work, Employment and Society, ISSN (print) 0950-0170 (In Press)
Lauring, Jakob, Butler, Christina, Paunova, Minna, Uman, Timur and Zander, Lena (2024) Openness towards language differences and cultural differences in multicultural teams : how do they interact? European Journal of International Management, 24(1), pp. 1-24. ISSN (print) 1751-6757
Rodrigues, Ricardo, van Harten, Jasmijn, De Cuyper, Nele, Grosemans, Ilke and Butler, Christina (2024) On your marks, get set, go! Jumping the hurdles of employability development at an early career stage. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 151, p. 103999. ISSN (print) 0001-8791
Mockaitis, Audra I., Butler, Christina L. and Adegboyega, Ojo (2022) Covid-19 pandemic disruptions to working lives : a multilevel examination of impacts across career stages. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 138, p. 103768. ISSN (print) 0001-8791
Rodrigues, Ricardo, Butler, Christina L. and Guest, David (2020) Evaluating the employability paradox : when does organizational investment in human capital pay off? International Journal of Human Resource Management, 31(9), pp. 1134-1156. ISSN (print) 0958-5192
Rodrigues, Ricardo, Butler, Christina L. and Guest, David (2019) Antecedents of protean and boundaryless career orientations : the role of core self-evaluations, perceived employability and social capital. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 110(Part A), pp. 1-11. ISSN (print) 0001-8791
Butler, Christina L., Minbaeva, Dana, Makela, Kristiina, Maloney, Mary M., Nardon, Luciara, Paunova, Minna and Zimmerman, Angelika (2018) Towards a strategic understanding of global teams and their HR implications : an expert dialogue. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 29(14), pp. 2209-2229. ISSN (print) 0958-5192
Daskalaki, Maria, Butler, Christina and Petrovic, Jelena (2016) Somewhere in-between : narratives of place, identity and translocal work. Journal of Management Inquiry, 25(2), pp. 184-198. ISSN (print) 1056-4926
Soane, Emma, Butler, Christina and Stanton, Emma (2015) Followers’ personality, transformational leadership and performance. Sport, Business and Management: An International Journal, 5(1), pp. 65-78. ISSN (online) 2042-678X
Newman, Alexander and Butler, Christina (2014) The influence of follower cultural orientation on attitudinal responses towards transformational leadership: evidence from the Chinese hospitality industry. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 25(7), pp. 1024-1045. ISSN (print) 0958-5192
Jonsen, Karsten, Butler, Christina L., Mäkelä, Kristiina, Piekkari, Rebecca, Drogendijk, Rian, Lauring, Jakob, Lervik, Jon E., Pahlberg, Cecilia, Vodosek, Markus and Zander, Lena (2013) Processes of international collaboration in management research: a reflexive, autoethnographic approach. Journal of Management Inquiry, 22(4), pp. 394-413. ISSN (print) 1056-4926
Zander, Lena, Mockaitis, Audra I. and Butler, Christina (2012) Leading global teams. Journal of World Business, 47(4), pp. 592-603. ISSN (print) 1090-9516
Butler, Christina L., Zander, Lena, Mockaitis, Audra and Sutton, Ciara (2012) The global leader as boundary spanner, bridge maker, and blender. Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 5(2), pp. 240-243. ISSN (online) 1754-9434
Juanchich, Marie, Sirota, Miroslav and Butler, Christina Lea (2012) The perceived functions of linguistic risk quantifiers and their effect on risk, negativity perception and decision making. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 118(1), pp. 72-81. ISSN (print) 0749-5978
Zander, Lena and Butler, Christina L. (2010) Leadership modes: success strategies for multicultural teams. Scandinavian Journal of Management, 26(3), pp. 258-267. ISSN (print) 0956-5221
Butler, Christina and Zander, Lena (2008) The business of teaching and learning through multicultural teams. Journal of Teaching in International Business, 19(2), pp. 192-218. ISSN (print) 0897-5930
Bidualt, Francis, Despres, Charles and Butler, Christina (1998) The drivers of cooperation between buyers and suppliers for product innovation. Research Policy, 26(7-8), pp. 719-723. ISSN (print) 0048-7333
Butler, Christina, Paolillo, Anna and Scuderi, Vittorio Edoardo (2023) Migrant inclusion and wider workforce well-being : understanding the MNE challenges and solutions through the diversity climates lens. In: Mockaitis, Audra I., (ed.) The Palgrave Handbook of Global Migration in International Business. Cham : Springer. pp. 325-352. ISBN 9783031388859
Mäkela, Kristiina, Lauring, Jakob, Butler, Christina L., Lee, Hyun-Jung, Lüecke, Gundual, Miska, Christof, Pahlberg, Cecilia, Stahl, Günter K. and (2020) Meeting the challenges of globalization in order to make a difference : implications for teams and team leadership. In: Zander, Lena, (ed.) Research handbook of global leadership : making a difference. Cheltenham, U.K. : Edward Elgar Publishing Limited. pp. 91-107. ISBN 9781782545347
Butler, Christina L., Sutton, Ciara, Mockaitis, Audra I. and Zander, Lena (2020) The new millennial global leaders : what a difference a generation makes! In: Zander, Lena, (ed.) Research handbook of global leadership : making a difference. Cheltenham, U.K. : Edward Elgar Publishing Limited. pp. 141-163. ISBN 9781782545347
Butler, Christina and Mador, Martha (2015) Kingston University London: using entrepreneurship programs to attract talent and to enhance educational impact. In: Foss, Lene and Gibson, David V., (eds.) The entrepreneurial university: context and institutional change. London, U.K. : Routledge. pp. 90-112. (Routledge Studies in Innovation, Organization and Technology, (37)) ISBN 9781138830776
Zander, Lena, Butler, Christina L., Mockaitis, Audra I., Herbert, Kendall, Lauring, Jakob, Makela, Kristiina, Paunova, Minna, Umans, Timurs and Zettinig, Peter (2015) Team-based global organizations : the future of global organizing. In: van Tulder, Rob , Verbeke, Alain and Drogendijk, Rian, (eds.) The future of global organizing. Bingley, U.K. : Emerald Group Publishing Limited. pp. 227-244. (Progress in international business research, (10)) ISSN (print) 1745-8862 ISBN 9781785604232
Zander, Lena, Butler, Christina L., Mockaitis, Audra I., Herbert, Kendall, Lauring, Jakob, Mäkelä, Kristiina, Paunova, Minna, Umans, Timurs and Zettinig, Peter (2015) Team-based global organizations : the future of global organizing. In: Van Tulder, Rob , Verbeke, Alain and Drogendijk, Rian, (eds.) The future of global organizing. Emerald Group Publishing Limited. pp. 227-243. (Progress in International Business Research, 10) ISSN (print) 1745-8862 ISBN 9781785604232
Butler, Christina L. and Earley, P. Christopher (2001) Multinational groups and the structuration of organizational culture: a sociological perspective. In: Cooper, Cary L. , Cartwright, Sue and Earley, P. Christopher, (eds.) The international handbook of organizational culture and climate. Chichester, U.K. : John Wiley & Sons. pp. 53-84. ISBN 9780471491262
Butler, Christina (2024) Managing the wellbeing of healthcare professionals : understanding HRM best practices through career turning points. In: British Academy of Management (BAM) Conference 2024 : Achieving transformation for greater good : Societal, organisational and personal barriers and enablers; 01-06 Sep 2024, Nottingham, U.K.. (In Press)
Rodrigues, Ricardo, Van Harten, Jasmijn, De Cuyper, Nele, Grosemans, Ilke and Butler, Christina (2024) An exploration of career barriers among graduates transitioning to the labor market. In: 84th Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management (AOM 2024); 09-13 Aug 2024, Chicago, U.S.. (Unpublished)
Butler, Christina and Spence, Sarah (2024) Towards a new understanding of individual career sustainability : the 'after-crisis' career turning points in hospital healthcare professionals' expert work. In: 40th EGOS Colloquium : Crossroads for organizations : Time, Space and People; 04-06 Jul 2024, Milan, Italy. (Unpublished)
Aleem, M., Butler, C., Koveshnikov, A. and Zettinig, P. (2023) Evaluating the potential of automated AI-based coaching technologies for developing global virtual team capabilities. In: 49th Conference of the European International Business Academy; 15-17 Dec 2023, Lisbon, Portugal.. (Unpublished)
Buhaymid, May, Yarker, Jo, Butler, Christina, Russell, Emma and Keightley, Sam (2023) The long-term impact of studying abroad on international students' change and self-development : a systematic literature review. In: British Academy of Management (BAM) Conference 2023: Towards Disruptive Sustainability: New Business Opportunities and Challenges; 01 Sep 2023; 05-06 Sep 2023, Held online; Brighton, U.K.. (Unpublished)
Kauppila, Olli-Pekka, Einola, Katja and Butler, Christina (2023) The role of political skill in advancing teamwork skill development in temporary teams. In: 83rd Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management (AOM 2023) : Putting the Worker Front and Center; 04-08 Aug 2023, Boston, U.S..
Butler, Christina, Paolillo, Anna and Scuderi, Vittorio (2022) The influence of migrants on MNC workforce well-being. In: 48th European International Business Academy (EIBA) Annual Conference: Walking the talk? Transitioning towards a sustainable world; 08–10 Dec 2022, Oslo, Norway. (Unpublished)
Butler, Christina (2021) COVID-19 pandemic disruptions to working lives : examining job satisfaction, stress and burnout across life stages. In: British Academy of Management (BAM) Conference 2021 : Recovering from Covid: Responsible Management and Reshaping the Economy; 31 Aug – 03 Sep 2021, Held online. (Unpublished)
Butler, Christina (2021) New ways of working and the illusion of flexibility : the impact of temporal schemata, role conflict and overload of global virtual team members. In: British Academy of Management (BAM) Conference 2021 : Recovering from Covid: Responsible Management and Reshaping the Economy; 31 Aug – 03 Sep 2021, Held online. (Unpublished)
Rodrigues, Ricardo and Butler, Christina (2019) Sustaining employability at an early career stage : the role of context and individual agency. In: 79th Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management; 09-13 Aug 2019, Boston, U.S.A.. (Unpublished)
Butler, Christina, Guest, David, Rodrigues, Ricardo and Van der Heijden, Beatrice (2019) Exploring key antecedents of self-perceived employability and employability competencies : the role of openness to experience, new career orientations and skill utilization. In: 19th European Association of Work and Organizational Psychology (EAWOP) Congress; 29 May - 01 Jun 2019, Turin, Italy.. (Unpublished)
Babarinde, David, Butler, Christina and Hannon, Enda (2018) Labour conflict resolution in Nigerian universities: a play in search of casts. In: 9th Annual Faculty of Business Research Conference: Contemporary Issues in Business; 04 June 2018, Kingston upon Thames, U.K.. (Unpublished)
Einola, Katja Maria, Zettinig, Peter, Mäkelä, Kristiina, Kauppila, Olli-Pekka and Butler, Christina Lea (2016) Multiple team membership – what drives employee commitment to competing demands? In: INGRoup Conference; 14-16 Jul 2016, Helsinki, Finland. (Unpublished)
Lauring, Jakob, Paunova, Minna and Butler, Christina (2015) Openness to language and value diversity fosters multicultural team creativity and performance. In: 2015 Academy of Management (AOM) Annual Meeting: Opening Governance; 7-11 Aug 2015, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Unpublished)
Butler, Christina (2015) Exploring learning through doing : developing entrepreneurial leadership in final year undergraduates. In: HEEG Annual Conference 2015; 11 - 12 Jun 2015, Southampton, U.K.. (Unpublished)
Butler, Christina (2015) New challenges for leading teams in global team-based organizations. In: 2015 Academy of Management (AOM) Annual Meeting: Opening Governance; 7-11 Aug 2015, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Unpublished)
Butler, Christina (2014) Global mobility challenges for HRM. In: Research in Practice Seminar Series: The Future of HR and Internationalisation; 11 Sep 2014, Kingston upon Thames, U.K.. (Unpublished)
Zander, Lena and Butler, Christina (2014) Globalisation and the diminishing influence of national culture on company culture. In: European Academy of Management (EURAM) Annual Conference 2014: Waves and Winds of Strategic Leadership for Sustainable Competitiveness; 4-7 Jun 2014, Valencia, Spain. (Unpublished)
Butler, Christina (2014) Implications of social capital and status cues on global team leader roles. In: 40th European International Business Academy (EIBA) Annual Conference: The Future of Global Organizing; 11-13 Dec 2014, Uppsala, Sweden. (Unpublished)
Butler, Christina and Chongarova, Irina (2014) Leading global teams. In: Kingston Business School Business Breakfast: Leading Global Teams; 11 Nov 2014, Kingston upon Thames, U.K.. (Unpublished)
Lauring, Jakob, Paunova, Minna, Umans, Timurs, Butler, Christina and Zander, Lena (2014) Openness to language and value diversity fosters multicultural team creativity and performance. In: 40th European International Business Academy (EIBA) Annual Conference: The Future of Global Organizing; 11-13 Dec 2014, Uppsala, Sweden. (Unpublished)
Butler, Christina, Juanchich, Marie and Sirota, Miroslav (2011) Uncertain of tactful? Effect of risk quantifiers' interpretation on risk perception and decision making. In: 16th EASP General Meeting; 12 - 16 July 2011, Stockholm, Sweden. (Unpublished)
Daskalaki, Maria, Butler, Christina and Petrovic, Jelena (2011) Narrating cosmopolis: 'in another place, not here'. In: The 2nd Annual Faculty of Business and Law Conference: Emerging Issues in Business and Law; 10 May 2011, Kingston upon Thames, U.K.. (Unpublished)
Juanchich, Marie, Sirota, Miroslav and Butler, Christina (2011) Functions of linguistic risk quantifiers and related risk perception. In: Experimental Psychology Society Meeting; 13 - 15 Apr 2011, Oxford, U.K.. (Unpublished)
Butler, Christina, Hatzidimitriadou, Eleni and Psoinos, Maria (2010) Managing equality and diversity in health care: the case of ethnic monitoring at St George's NHS trust. In: EAWOP Small Group Meeting - Managing diversity in organisations; 23-24 Sep 2010, Birmigham, U.K..
Mahieu, Christian, Nilles, Jean-Jacques, Butler, Christina, Gourlay, Stephen and Narendran, Sunitha (2010) Training for ethical discernment as a company policy : the eval'ethic experience. In: 9th Annual Colloquium of The European Academy of Business in Society (EABIS): Corporate Responsibility and Emerging Markets; 20-21 Sep 2010, St.Petersburg, Russia. (Unpublished)
Butler, Christina Lea (2010) The challenge of the 'in-between' multinational team: is a bicultural leader the answer? In: 2010 Academy of Management Annual Meeting: Dare to care: passion and compassion in management practice and research; 06 - 10 Aug 2010, Montreal, Canada.
Butler, Christina and Mahadeva, Meera (2010) At the crossroads of visible and invisible characteristics: signposts to virtue in multinational teams. In: Conference of the International Network of Business and Management Journals (INBAM): Creativity and Innovation in an International Context; 01 - 04 Jun 2010, Valencia, Spain.
Butler, Christina (2010) The interaction of surface- and deep-level national diversity: the case of global teams. In: European Academy of Management (EURAM) Annual Conference 2010: Back to the future; 19-22 May 2010, Rome, Italy.
Butler, Christina, Soane, Emma and Stanton, Emma (2009) All at sea : team conflict during the Clipper round the World Sailing Race 2005-2006. In: British Academy of Management (BAM) Conference 2009: The End of the Pier? Competing perspectives on the challenges facing business and management; 15-17 Sep 2009, Brighton, U.K..
Zander, Lena and Butler, Christina (2009) Team leadership models: modeling multicultural team success based on team composition. In: European Institute for Advanced Studies in Management (EIASM) 7th Workshop on International Strategy and Cross Cultural Management; 25-26 Sep 2009, Helsinki, Finland.
Zander, Lena and Butler, Christina (2008) Team leadership models: modelling multicultural team success. In: 22nd Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management (ANZAM) Annual Conference: Managing in the Pacific Century; 2-5 Dec 2008, Auckland, New Zealand.
Butler, Christina (2008) Cross-cultural leadership, teams and faultlines. In: 50th annual meeting of the Academy of International Business "Knowledge development and exchange in international business networks"; 30 June - 3 July 2008, Milan, Italy.
Butler, Christina Lea and Price, Stephen Michael (2006) Local time global change: differences between Kenyan and British perceptions. In: 2006 Academy of Management Annual Meeting : Knowledge, action and the public concern; 11 - 16 Aug 2006, Atlanta, U.S.. (Unpublished)
Butler, Christina Lea (2006) The influence of status cues on collective identity in teams of different national composition. In: 2006 Academy of Management Annual Meeting : Knowledge, action and the public concern; 11 - 16 Aug 2006, Atlanta, U.S.. (Unpublished)
Butler, Christina Lea (2005) Differences between mutlinational & nationally homogeneous groups: the influence of status cues. In: 65th Academy of Marketing Annual Meeting: A New Vision of Management in the 21st Century; 05 - 10 Aug 2005, Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.. (Unpublished)
Butler, C. and Price, S. (2004) Kenyan and British perceptions of time: the importance of understanding differences for change programmes. In: British Academy of Management Annual Conference : Management Futures; 30 Aug - 01 Sep 2004, St Andrews, U.K..
Psoinos, Maria, Hatzidimitriadou, Eleni, Butler, Christina and Barn, Ravinder (2011) Ethnic monitoring in healthcare services in the UK as a mechanism to address health disparities: a narrative review. (Other) London : SWan IPI. 35 p. ISBN 9780955832987
RESEARCH
Currently I lead the Future of Work (FOW) Research Hub. I am developing a programme of events with colleagues for 2021/22.
In 2015, I initiated (with Rodrigues, now King's College London) a university-wide longitudinal strategic project, underpinned by conversations with the VC's Office, LTEC (formerly CHERP) and Senior Faculty Staff, to understand the career success of Kingston graduates. We supported this initiative with a University-wide preliminary findings workshop for academic and administrative staff. Prof David Guest (King's College London) was guest speaker at this event. An accompanying report was circulated to attendees and other interested University parties. Two papers have already been published from this project with more in the pipeline.
As Chair of the Kingston Business School Research Seminar Series, I organised 40 lunchtime seminars over six years. Recent annual themes include "Creating Impact" and "Writing for Different Audiences". Sessions were regularly attended by early career researchers and PhD students, among others, providing a forum for mentoring and the dissemination of expertise within KBS.
TEACHING & LEARNING
I disseminate my experiences of research-led and innovative teaching practices at external and internal events contributing to my own development as a reflective and influential practitioner. At AoM, I shared the challenges of teaching cross-cultural management to internationally diverse students and returned with an idea for using student videos in the classroom. I stimulated a lively debate among University academics by guest presenting at "research-informed" teaching CPD workshop and gained insights into the very different perceptions held by colleagues. I collaborated on a case teaching workshop attended by 24 permanent and HPL staff. Subsequently, I mentored a colleague by co-teaching using the case method. These experiences build on a history of presenting at T&L events and a publication in the Journal of Teaching in International Business. Currently I act as Inclusive Curriculuum Framework Workstream Lead for KBS. A first programme of activity is being rolled out across KBS during the academic year 2021/22.
In 2014 I was invited to serve on the re-validation panel of University College Cork's Post-graduate Certificate in Management. This opportunity built on prior validation and other QA experiences. I served as an internal member of the validation team for the National School of Government's in-company PG Certificates in HRM and Organisational Learning & Development for the European Commission. Subsequently I sat on the staff/student programme liaison board in Brussels. I complemented these HE experiences by serving as Interview Advisor to A-level students at Ibstock Place School.
I acted as External Examiner at London Business School (2015-2020) where I oversaw all teaching provision offered by the Organisational Behaviour Area Group and held lead responsibility for the institution's Executive MBA. I also acted as External Examiner for the Irish Management Institute's suits of PG Diplomas (2016-2020). From expertise developed as DoM QC Lead, I was able to disseminate good practice (e.g., student feedback). In return I was also disseminate good practice back at Kingston (e.g., membership of exam boards). Earlier I was DeMontfort University External Examiner for HRM UG programmes.
Kingston University, Holmwood House, Grove Crescent, Kingston upon Thames KT1 2EE. Tel: +44 (0)20 8417 9000
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