Funding

Competition funded (UK/EU and international students)

Project code

SMI50740126

Start dates

October 2026

Application deadline

16 January 2026

Applications are invited for a fully-funded three year PhD to commence in October 2026.

The PhD will be based in the Faculty of Business and Law, and will be supervised by Professor Sercan Ozcan and . 

Candidates applying for this project may be eligible to compete for one of a small number of bursaries available. Successful applicants will receive a bursary to cover tuition fees for three years and a stipend in line with the UKRI rate (£20,780 for 2025/26). Bursary recipients will also receive a contribution of £2,000 towards fieldwork.

Costs for student visa and immigration health surcharge are not covered by this bursary. For further guidance and advice visit our international and EU students ‘Visa FAQs’ page.

This funded PhD is only open to new students who do not hold a previous doctoral level qualification.

 

The work on this project will:

  • Design a framework for organisation to assist organisation readiness for ai 
  • Develop AI adoption process for organisation 
  • Examine barrier and enablers for AI adoption process

 

Artificial intelligence is changing how organisations compete. Firms that embed AI in core processes report faster decisions, lower cost and new services. Others invest in pilots that never reach production because they misjudge readiness in data, skills, governance and regulation. The result is wasted budget, stalled projects and loss of position to quicker rivals.

This PhD will design and test an integrated framework that links AI readiness and AI adoption at organisation level. The project will answer three core questions. How do organisations move from early experiments to scaled use of AI. How can readiness be expressed as levels with clear conditions. Which combinations of conditions are needed to pass each adoption gate in different sectors.

The study uses a mixed method design with qualitative and quantitative phases. First, case studies and semi structured interviews with AI leaders in utilities, manufacturing, finance and public services, supported by a Delphi with experts, will build and refine the adoption path, readiness dimensions and gate criteria. Second, a cross sector survey using a structured questionnaire will test the model with PLS structure equation modelling (SEM) and identify alternative routes through gates with fsQCA.

 

Entry requirements

You'll need a good first degree from an internationally recognised university (minimum upper second class or equivalent, depending on your chosen course) or a Master’s degree in an appropriate subject. In exceptional cases, we may consider equivalent professional experience and/or qualifications. English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.5 with no component score below 6.0.

Experience with mixed methods research, including interview and questionnaire design, is required. Some familiarity with basic statistics or software such as SPSS or R will be an advantage, and it is desirable that the student knows SEM and has experience working with organisations on digital or AI projects.

 

How to apply

We’d encourage you to contact Professor Sercan Ozcan sercan.ozcan@port.ac.uk to discuss your interest before you apply, quoting the project code.

When you are ready to apply, you can use our . Make sure you submit a personal statement, proof of your degrees and grades, details of two referees, proof of your English language proficiency and an up-to-date CV.  Our ‘How to Apply’ page offers further guidance on the PhD application process.

Please also include a research proposal of 1,000 words outlining the main features of your proposed research design – including how it meets the stated objectives, the challenges this project may present, and how the work will build on or challenge existing research in the above field.

If you want to be considered for this funded PhD opportunity you must quote project code SMI50740126 when applying.