Dr Margee Hume, a UQ Business School PhD graduate, won international recognition this week for her research in the 2006 Emerald/EFMD Outstanding Doctoral Research Awards.
Sponsored by the Belgium-based European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD) and Emerald Group Publishing, the annual awards recognise 12 key areas of excellence in international management research.
From 160 international service management applications, Dr Hume’s thesis was judged the winner.
Using operations management and marketing perspectives, Dr Hume’s research highlights the importance for performing arts organisations to provide economic value as well as creative value for their audience if they want people to keep coming back.
“I have a passion for the performing arts and I don’t think there is such a thing as a ‘bad’ performance. But I have seen poor service," she said.
“After interviewing 523 people it was obvious that for many average consumers spending $100-$150 to attend a performing arts event was difficult to justify.
“Many great shows are losing out to a free football match where money is spent on food and drink.
“It is essential for providers of performing arts events to offer excellent service as well as the show to ensure their patrons keep coming back. This may seem obvious but it has rarely been the focus in the artistic arena.”
Professor Peter Liesch, one of Dr Hume’s supervisors at UQ Business School, said the award acknowledged the significance of her research.
“Recognition from an international publishing house and EFMD, the parent organization of the EQUIS accreditation agency, is an outstanding acknowledgement of Margee’s hard-won PhD.
“And it was achieved under somewhat difficult circumstances while raising a young family and fulfilling the demands of a full-time academic career,” Professor Liesch said.
Dr Hume was awarded her doctorate in 2006, the first management student at UQ Business School to graduate with a PhD by publication.
The Emerald Award for International Service Management consists of a cash prize of €1500 and an offer to publish in the International Journal for Industry Services Management.
Demonstrating UQ Business School’s research quality, this is the second PhD to win an Emerald/EFMD Outstanding Doctoral Research Award.
Dr Tracey Dagger’s doctoral thesis won the inaugural 2005 award for International Service Management research excellence.
For more information contact Fiona Sutton on 3365 6748 or 0423 637 699
