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The application deadline is January 15, 2026 (CET). 

House of Innovation (HOI) is a vibrant, cross-disciplinary, collegial research environment with a focus on excellence and impact. Applicants interested in working within HOI should apply for the PhD in Business Administration, specializing in Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Technology (DEIT).

The SSE PhD Program in Business Administration, specialization in Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Technology (DEIT), is a four to five year, full-time, residential program taught in English. We do not offer distance learning, or allow for part-time studies. All admitted PhD students receive a scholarship from the SSE, and are guaranteed funding throughout the PhD program, conditional upon satisfactory performance. SSE does not charge tuition fees for the PhD programs.

HOI/DEIT is located in the center of Stockholm, a worldwide top-ten environment for tech-based entrepreneurship and innovation. SSE is ranked as the top business school in the Nordics, with excellent access to the entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystem, as well as to many world-leading companies operating in and from Stockholm.

Our students are highly talented and motivated, and our programs are highly regarded (FT world rankings: Executive open programs #16, Master in Management #9, Master in Finance #26).

HOI/DEIT accepts applications in all areas of entrepreneurship, innovation, and technology. For our 2026 intake of PhD students, we particularly encourage applications for the following focus areas;

Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Family Enterprises and Family Offices

Most businesses are owned and controlled by families, and they contribute greatly to entrepreneurship and innovation. As a PhD candidate focusing on this topic, you can engage in research on how different types of family enterprises build innovative and entrepreneurial organizations and the role of family owners in this process. You can also engage in specific topics such as the impact of governance, business strategies, succession strategies and other core challenges as family enterprises seek to grow in a time of fast technological change. Further, we are interested in supporting research on the formation and growth of family offices and family investment companies. In particular, how family offices formulate, implement and change their strategies over time; both with regards to business and financial strategies, and their impact beyond financial performance, i.e., interpersonal relationships, family dynamics, sustainable business practices, legacy, family philanthropy, and impact investing. At House of Innovation, we conduct this research within the Center for Family Enterprise led by the SEB Chair in Entrepreneurship and Family Business.  For questions about the center and suitable projects, please contact Professor Mattias Nordqvist, SEB Chair. For questions about the application process, please contact the admissions team.

The Future of Work

Themes around the Future of Work and information systems are well suited for PhD studies of technology and innovation with specific impact on organizational behavior and firm strategy. For example, emerging infrastructure of algorithmic control changes the way employees can communicate in organizations ranging from financial services to pharmaceuticals or transportation. Information technology materializes rules and procedures that in turn shape practice. As one possible line of inquiry, we welcome applicants to explore how embodied expertise in sensory-based domains, such as art restoration, changes through the use of emerging digital technologies. The impact that information systems, notably generative AI and machine learning but also much more mundane tools, exerts on organizing and work stretches from professional conduct all the way to firm survival. Opportunities for PhD studies include ethnographies and qualitative studies of practices and organizations undergoing technological change and disruptions. Multi-method studies may tackle both large samples of behavioral traces and incidents as well as deep analyses of behavioral change and processes leading to successes or failures. For questions regarding these themes feel free to contact Professor Stefan Haefliger. For questions about the application process, please contact the admissions team.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Technologies in Organizational Contexts

Opportunities also exist for students who are passionate about exploring the development, adoption, and usage of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in organizational contexts, focusing on their influence on strategy, behavior, and governance. This encompasses a wide array of AI technologies, from machine learning (ML) technologies to Generative AI (GenAI), including large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT. The unprecedented development and widespread diffusion of these technologies present a plethora of challenges and opportunities, that need to be better understood to ensure that they contribute to both organizational and societal value creation.

As a PhD candidate, you will have the opportunity to work with leading researchers at SSE House of Innovation, along with international institutions and organizations. The research will center on critical questions such as the factors driving the adoption and effective utilization of AI in organizations, the evolving dynamics of AI usage, the creation of beneficial, human-centric AI, and the influence of AI on work and societal values.

A background or a keen interest in quantitative methods is beneficial, particularly in econometrics (e.g., panel regression, logistic regression) and/or machine learning (e.g., natural language processing, topic modeling). This role is ideal for candidates who are enthusiastic about contributing to our understanding of human-AI interaction, evolving organizational structures and business models, and exploring the wider societal repercussions through a blend of conceptual, theoretical, and empirical approaches.

For questions about the position and suitable projects, please contact Assistant Professor Sam Cao. For questions about the application process, please contact the admissions team.

Sustainable Transformation of Supply Chains

Supply chains across sectors have to transform due to significant change in society. To date supply chain research investigated mainly continuous and steady supply chains, neglecting the transient, transforming, adapting nature of many supply chains. We particularly seek PhD candidates that want to study those phenomena: these can focus on green transitions, geopolitical changes, advanced sustainability practices in supply chains, humanitarian and other adaptive supply chains, as well as technology.

Quantitative and qualitative empirical research projects are welcome. Strong emphasis is placed on combining theoretically and practically relevant studies that aim at pushing the boundaries of the discipline. Bold ideas and ambitious projects matter.

For questions about the position and suitable projects, please contact Professor Constantin Blome. For questions about the application process, please contact the admissions team.

Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Tech Ventures

Opportunities exist for prospective PhDs candidates interested in Entrepreneurship and/or Innovation topics. Potential research questions could address topics about entrepreneurial decision-making, organizational learning, entrepreneurial finance, innovation management, user-driven innovation, and growth strategy.  We are particularly interested in empirical contexts such as platform-based firms, digital firms, green start-ups, and firms in creative industries. PhD candidates who already have concrete ideas about research topics and empirical contexts are encouraged to include them in their cover letters. Creativity is valued!

The PhD candidate will be expected to conduct quantitative research, therefore experience with or a keen interest in quantitative methods is appreciated.

For questions about this position, please contact Associate Professors Roxana Turturea and Holmer Kok. For questions about the application process, please contact the admissions team.

About Stockholm School of Economics

The Stockholm School of Economics is an academic hub for ambitious students and researchers from all over the world. By working closely with corporate partners and society at large, SSE has been creating opportunities for its graduates for over 100 years. Please read more here www.hhs.se