PhD position on the drivers of green capital accumulation in global value chains – GreenWorlds ERC Advanced project

Copenhagen Business School (CBS) invites applications for one PhD position on the drivers of green capital accumulation in global value chains, located at the Department of Management, Society and Communication (MSC).

The selected candidate will contribute to the ERC Advanced research project GreenWorlds: The material and normative drivers of green capital accumulation in global value chains Cbs professor receives prestigious erc grant explore paradox green economy, led by Professor Stefano Ponte.

Overall Project Focus

The GreenWorlds project investigates a core tension in the global economy: how capitalism adapts to ecological pressures and normatively legitimizes itself while maintaining its core logic of capital accumulation alongside the carbon economy. To explore this, the project examines how a variety of ‘green worlds’ of value and valuation emerge, consolidate and decline. Green worlds are different sets of internally coherent principles that are drawn upon by value chain actors to deal with challenges and critiques. They are flexibly assembled by a variety of actors in different value chains and situations to enact justifications related to framing products and/or operations as ‘green’.

The research project asks: What counts as green and for whom? What kinds of practices underpin different green worlds – and how do they shape value chain governance? What are the main features of the green regime of accumulation that crystallizes around these worlds? How does this regime in turn support or disrupt dominant green worlds in particular locations and value chains, and in time—reinforcing, adjusting or breaking a green cycle of capital accumulation?

By comparing selected agro-food value chains (avocados, biodiesel, coffee and wine) in five countries (Argentina, Colombia, Indonesia, Italy and South Africa), the project seeks to explain the contradictory entanglement of ecological concern and capital accumulation, and the limits and possibilities of green transformations.

The PhD application should reflect an independently formulated research project that addresses some of these questions. For this position, we are looking for a candidate who would work empirically on two agro-food value chains (biodiesel and coffee), especially in Indonesia but also globally.

About the PhD programme

The three-year PhD programme at CBS gives you the opportunity to conduct research under the supervision of CBS’s associate professors and professors, supported by research-related PhD courses. The programme is highly international, and you are expected to participate in international research conferences and to spend time at another research institution as a visiting PhD student. See the CBS homepage for more information about the PhD programme: Phd cbs.

CBS PhD graduates are held in high esteem not only in academia and research institutions but also in government and business where their research qualifications are in high demand.

CBS is committed to ensuring excellence, transformative and relevant teaching and research. Candidates who wish to join us must be interested in working in an organisation of this type and it is expected that the applicant shows an interest in joining the department's research environments. You can read more about the department's research here: Department management society and communication.

Application and admission requirements

The department will give priority to applicants with high grades from their universities.

To be considered the applicant must:

• have an education at master's level (corresponding to the 3 + 2 Bologna process)
• have received the grade of 10 (or equivalent) for the master's thesis according to the Danish 7-point grading scale
• have a weighted grade point average of at least 8.2 on the Danish 7-point grading scale for the bachelor's and master's degree combined or alternatively a weighted grade point average must be at least 9.5 for the master's degree alone. If the grade point average is not met, documentation for being in the top 40% of the class is also accepted. In rare cases, the grade requirement can be waived
• have a relevant educational background in the social sciences
• have completed the master's programme before the application deadline
• be in command of academic English at a high level in writing and speaking
• ability to conduct fieldwork in Bahasa Indonesia is desirable

The application must include an independently written and original (this means no generative AI usage) PhD project description (max 5 pages / 2,000 words excluding references) related to the research objectives of GreenWorlds. The project description must include:

• a presentation of a research question
• a description of the initial theoretical framework and methods
• a presentation of the proposed empirical focus
• a work plan for the three years

In addition to the project description, copies of the following must be included:

• diploma for bachelor's and master's degree or other certificates at an equivalent level as well as the grade transcripts
• documentation for being in the top 40% of the class (if grade requirements are not met)
• a concise academic curriculum vitae (CV)
• if relevant, a list of articles and publications
• one example of a selected written work (e.g. master's thesis)
• documentation of English language skills is not required for the application but may be requested if the applicant is shortlisted for interviews.

The PhD student is enrolled in the CBS PhD School. Further information about the PhD programme can be found at Phd cbs.

Employment and salary

A PhD scholarship runs for a period of three years and includes teaching obligations corresponding to 416 work hours. The scholarships are fully salaried positions, according to the national Danish collective agreement. The scholarship includes tuition fees, office space, course and travel costs (according to the current CBS agreement).

Salary level and employment take place in accordance with the Ministry of Finance's agreement with the Academics' Central Organization.

Recruitment procedure

The Recruitment Committee shortlists at least two applicants to be assessed by the Assessment Committee. Applicants are informed whether their application has proceeded for assessment.

Applicants selected for assessment will be notified about the composition of the Assessment Committee and will receive their personal assessment later.

Selected applicants will be invited for an interview. Please note that a positive assessment does not automatically result in an interview. Once the recruitment process is completed each applicant will be notified of the outcome of their application.

We expect to conduct interviews in late January/February 2027.

For further information please contact:

• Academic Contact: Professor Stefano Ponte, spo.msc@cbs.dk
• HR and hiring process contact:jobcall.msc@cbs.dk

The application must be sent via the electronic recruitment system, using the link.
Application due: Friday, 6 November 2026. No applications will be accepted beyond the deadline.
Expected starting date: March/April 2027 or soon thereafter

Apply now