Early career researchers and their quest to find space amongst the Professoriate to facilitate research collaboration: A qualitative case study

Background: Using Hofstede's Power Distance Theory (1980), this article discusses the high power distance perceived by Early Career Researchers (ECRs) within the business school of a UK Higher Education Institution (HEI).The article examines ECR interactions with the Professoriate, and how a high power distance can play a significant part in inhibiting opportunities for developing networks for research collaboration.ECRs often discuss a belief that, early in their research career, there is an unwritten expectation that they will continue to conduct research projects with their supervisory team and Professoriate.This is undertaken with an understanding that it will be the senior researcher who will receive the main acknowledgements and benefits of the work produced, even if the ECR has undertaken the majority of the research.Methods: Following a series of interviews and focus groups with academic staff across a range of roles, disciplines, and levels of experience, data was analysed using inductive thematic analysis to identify patterns of meaning across the dataset, and structured through a framework approach.Findings: Four themes were identified through the analysis: (1) Benefits of collaborative research between ECRs and the Professoriate; (2) Limitations of collaborative research between ECRs and the Professoriate; (3) Facilitators of collaborative research between ECRs and the Professoriate; and (4) Barriers to collaborative research between ECRs and the Professoriate.Conclusions: It is recommended that HEIs foster a culture that values and supports collaborative research between ECRs and the Professoriate, through informal networking, effective communication, and mentorship.