Research
Utrecht University School of Governance (USG) conducts research at the interface between public administration and organisation science and focuses on the management and organisation of public issues. These issues no longer increasingly occur only in public organisations, but also in private organisations, informal networks, collaborations and digital platforms. Moreover, they increasingly transcend boundaries between states, and between disciplines, organisations, sectors, and the physical and virtual domain.
How do organisations and professionals with a public task deal with complex social issues? How do they implement their public responsibilities and deliver public value? We are interested in these areas. Multidisciplinarity characterises our research. Our approach provides space for various disciplines, theoretical perspectives and research methods. Part of the Faculty of Law, Economics and Governance of Utrecht University, we aim to contribute to the shaping of a dynamic, resilient, and adaptive society.
A central ambition in our research strategy is to make societal impact through high-quality scientific research. We do this in collaboration with social partners, and with other disciplines linked to Utrecht University's strategic research themes.
USG research director dr. Stephan Grimmelikhuijsen is the research programme and research council leader.
Read more about:
- Research departments and chairs
- Research project examples
- Research strategy
- Reputation and quality
- Societal impact
Research departments and chairs
The USG research programme is divided into two research departments.
Public Governance and Management (PGM) encompasses the groups of Public Governance (including the chairs of Politics and Governance, Governance and Policy) and Public Management (including the chairs of Public Management and Behaviour, Public Management and Public Innovations).
Organisation and Management (OM) encompasses the groups of Organisation Studies (including the chairs of Organisational Development and Leadership for Transitions, Strategic HRM) and Management Studies (including the chairs of Work and Organising, Sport and Society).
Research project examples
Here are some examples of current research projects:
Politicians under Radical Uncertainty (RADIUNCE)
The RADIUNCE project examines how politicians - such as ministers, parliamentarians, and local politicians - respond to different types of uncertain phenomena.
Social value(s) in professional football
Sport & Society is working with the Eredivisie CV and Keuken Kampioen Divisie on the development, professionalisation and monitoring of the social policy of professional football clubs.
AndersUtrecht
AndersUtrecht bridges academic theory with grassroots practice in the pursuit of bottom-up sustainability transformations.
People management: too much of a good thing?
This project systematically investigates the downside of people management in the healthcare and education sector.
Authoritative reputations of regulators in turbulent times
In this project, we examine how public regulators can maintain and strengthen their authority in a complex, open society.
SPOT ON
The SPOT ON project investigates 28 examples of successful use of space in and around sports accomodations in the Netherlands.
Inclusive human resource management
Research into HRM for employees with a distance tot the labour market and appropriate personnel policy from the perspective of employee well-being, organisational effectiveness and social well-being.
Improvising security
This project examines how urban Western Europeans improvise their subsistence security through combinations of for example, working several jobs, cohabiting, or creating informal care arrangements.