Ivey’s PhD Program in Business Administration is a full-time research-based program designed to develop scholars and to place graduates at high-quality research universities around the world. Our PhD candidates are showcased at conferences around the world, and regularly featured in top-tier academic and industry publications.
To help you get to know them, we’ve asked them about their academic and personal interests.
Q&A with Sara Murphy, PhD candidate
What is your background?
I grew up in Binbrook, a small farming town on the edge of Hamilton, Ontario. I attended Queen’s University for their Bachelor of Commerce program, graduating in 2014. I worked for about seven years in sales and marketing for a manufacturing company in Southern Ontario. Like many people, I got the urge for a change during the pandemic. I completed the Accelerated MBA program at Queen’s in 2021 and decided to take an administrative job there afterwards. I eventually left my role as Assistant Director of Recruitment and Admissions of Professional Graduate Programs to begin a PhD in Strategy at Ivey.
What attracted you to Ivey’s program?
Of course, Ivey enjoys an excellent reputation as one of the best business schools in the country. But beyond that, I was fortunate to work with former faculty colleagues at Queen’s who were Ivey PhD graduates and spoke highly of their experiences here. To quote one of them, “There are two things you want to consider for a PhD program. First, the overall reputation of the school and second, the mentorship and direction offered by your supervisor(s).”
During the application process, I was able to meet with Dusya Vera and Seemantini Pathak, who are now my supervisors. I was drawn to their research in the areas of strategic agility, improvisation, and leader character, as well as the work they were doing for the Ian O. Ihnatowycz Institute for Leadership. From day one they have been kind, supportive, and motivating.
What is your research focus?
I have three areas of focus. First, how organizations innovate and adapt to resource constraint, such as public institutions like Ontario’s public universities. A second area of research is the influence of leader character on board governance effectiveness in public institutions and not-for-profits. A related area of research is the impact of top management team character on strategic decision-making, such as the hiring of neurodivergent candidates.
Why is that area appealing to you? What big problems/issues need to be addressed?
Organizations are too often led by people who are unbalanced in character. This can lead to poorer business performance as their judgment in making strategic decisions is often compromised. There remains a need to show organizations that character is not only important to avoid ethical scandal but to also improve daily performance. Shifting organizations to embrace character also requires change to conventional systems of recruitment and performance management.
The public sector is fascinating to me given its importance to society. Public institutions deliver critical resources and services and need to work well, and yet the importance of innovation in this area is often overlooked and even sometimes disparaged. I’d like to better understand how we can help our public sector organizations perform effectively.
How do you see your research making an impact?
I want to be a practical researcher who can demonstrate how leader character impacts organizations at the strategic level. I also want to give public policy makers, public institution leaders, and governance boards practical, research-informed tactics to improve performance and drive better outcomes in the public and not-for-profit sectors.
How do you see research as an aid to business improvement?
Research improves business through empirical findings that provide evidence for or against using particular courses of strategic action. It also shapes the business leaders of today and tomorrow through its incorporation into educational degree programs and executive education.
What previous experience prepared you for this?
My work and life experience shaped me and made me curious. For a period of time, I worked as an administrator in higher education and got to know the system well from several perspectives. It helped me to see that my skills and abilities could make a bigger impact as a faculty member than as a staff member. I’m also at the age where I have had enough life and other professional work experience that I am perhaps able to see my studies and research in a more holistic way than I could when I was younger.
I’ve always been curious and not afraid to ask difficult questions. Also, I’ve always been a very driven and motivated student who enjoys learning and being in an educational environment.
Where did you grow up and what was it like there?
I grew up in a very small, quiet and peaceful town – under 1,000 people! I was shaped by always being around nature and a community of people that were all connected to one another. I also had parents that were very supportive of me and my interests from a young age.
Who have been your strongest influences in life?
My mom and dad. My dad is a business owner and the hardest working person I know. He has a physically demanding job in transportation and manufacturing. He taught me how to act selflessly and support those around me without looking for personal credit or kudos. I learned that success does not come overnight but comes from doing the small things correctly, consistently over time.
My mom is my number one fan. I’ve been very fortunate to have someone in my life who is always so proud of me and everything that I do.
What might someone be surprised to know about you?
My career has taken different turns. In university, I was convinced I wanted to either work in the not-for-profit sector or as a therapist because I found I had a gift and passion for connecting with people.
What is the most played song on your playlist as of now?
Does it Make You Rain? by Justin Rutledge. He’s one of my favourite Canadian singer-songwriters and I highly recommend checking him out for anyone who doesn’t know his music. He’s Canadiana, alt-country, and folk.
What is your best podcast recommendation?
The Michelle Chalfant Show. It is in the self-help genre and was recommended to me. Lots of great conversations about how to be a healthier, well-rounded person and show up better in your relationships with others and with yourself.
What book would you recommend to others? Why?
Purple Cow by Seth Godin. A phenomenal and easy-to-read marketing book. It was one of the first business books I ever read back in high school. Its message about needing to be remarkable to stand out (like a purple cow in a field) is very relevant to work, life and academia.
