Professor Pervez Ghauri was conferred to the Academy’s Fellowship in autumn 2024. He is Professor of International Business and Chair at the University of Birmingham, and his research focuses on multinational enterprise (MNE) strategies on emerging market firms and society.
Professor Pervez GhauriFAcSS
Pervez graduated from Uppsala University, Sweden, with a Master and PhD and worked there as Assistant and Associate Professor for several years, before working as Professor and Chair at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, Manchester Business School and King’s College London. He has published more than 30 books and 160+ journal articles in top level journals, and has supervised more than 22 PhD candidates to completion.
Throughout his career, Pervez has had an exciting portfolio of research projects funded by a variety of funders including FP7- EU, ESRC and UKRI, which have focused on MNEs and their impacts on local societies in emerging markets, for example on poverty reduction and sustainable development. Currently, Pervez is working on three major research projects which look at the role of MNEs on a variety of factors in emerging markets including empowering youth and women, serving marginalised communities in Latin America, and how ethical behaviour can contribute to creating competitive positions in emerging markets.
Why do the social sciences matter?
Social sciences are crucial for understanding and solving the challenges we constantly face in our everyday life. Considering the volatile and complex nature of our ecology, we live in everchanging realities and ecosystems. It is through social science research that we can comprehend the impact of new realities on our lives and tackle new challenges. Due to recent developments in geopolitics, climate conditions and increasing inequalities, we need to explore how sectoral collaborations between governments, businesses and civil society can be organised to tackle new challenges. Natural sciences (STEM) can find solutions for different problems but without understanding the impact of these solutions on society, these cannot be properly implemented. It is therefore imperative that natural and social sciences work together to tackle new realities.
What inspires you about your work?
I consider myself fortunate that I can do useful research that can reduce inequalities and improve living conditions for disadvantaged communities at a global level. I also find it inspiring that I am encouraged to do so through funding and collaborations with other colleagues, younger scholars and PhD students. Working with younger colleagues is the most rewarding and stimulating part of my work.
What is the most important issue for social science to tackle?
Finding ways to improve the lives of millions of disadvantaged communities and to reduce inequalities all over the world are perhaps the most important issues at present. However, this requires disruptive knowledge production and exploratory research, instead of confirmatory research, and more interdisciplinary research within the social sciences. Improving the lives of all should be the purpose of social science research.
What does being a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences mean to you?
I feel honoured and stimulated to do work within the social sciences. To join this prestigious group of Fellows makes me feel appreciated and encouraged. I am truly excited for being recognised.