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Professor Nelarine Cornelius

Nelarine

Professor of Organisation Studies

Email: n.cornelius@qmul.ac.uk

Profile

Roles:

Biography: 

Nelarine Cornelius is Professor of Organisation Studies. Between 2017 and 2023: the School’s Associate Dean People, Culture and Inclusion; Co-Chair of the School’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee and Member of the School’s Steering Group (Senior Management Team). At the College level, she is a Member of the QMUL Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Steering Group, Gender Equality Action Group, and Disability Inclusion Action Group, She is currently a member of the School’s PhD Committee.

Before joining Queen Mary, she was Professor of HRM and Organisation Studies, Associate Dean, Research and Knowledge Transfer and Director, Bradford Centre for Business in Society, at the University of Bradford. Professor Cornelius’ research is in the areas of social justice, business in society, the evolution of management practices in emerging, fragile economies, and international management.

Teaching

Postgraduate:

  • BUSM017: Managing Diversity

She is a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in recognition of her efforts relating to doctoral student learning and teaching at the Universities of Bradford, Lagos and the Eurasian Doctoral Summer School (hosted at Varna University). 

Research

Research Interests:

  • Equality, diversity and inclusion

  • Business in society

  • Management practices in emerging, fragile economies

  • Applications of Amartya Sen’s  capabilities approach

  • Business Ethics

  • Management and Business History

  • Social Enterprise

Nelarine Cornelius’ research is in two broad areas: inequality, fairness and social justice; and international management practices in emerging and fragile economies.

Equality and social justice issues continue to evolve, yet much of our understanding draws on ‘traditional’ interpretations. I am interested in the fresh challenges, weakly understood, facing the Global North and Global South, including the relationship between government, international companies, non-profits such as NGOs, and their impact on sustainable development  and societal inequalities.

Much of our understanding of management practices in the Global South is with reference to established norms from the Global North. She is interested in the historical antecedence of management practices in emerging and fragile economies and is working with colleagues in Nigeria, Lebanon and Pakistan. Additionally she is interested in how management practices differ across sectors in these countries.

Nelarine Cornelius’ conducts research with colleagues in the UK, France, Pakistan and Nigeria. Current projects focus on corporate social responsibility and social accountability, social justice and management, managerial relationships with society and democracy, and race, ethnicity and work. She is Deputy Editor of Business and Society Journal, and Associate Editor for Journal of Business Ethics.

Publications

Journal articles

*n.b., only articles published after 2000 are listed

  • Umeh, C., Wallace, J. and Cornelius, N. (2023) A Bourdieusian Exploration of Ethnic Inequalities at Work: The Case of the Nigerian Banking Sector. Work, Employment and Society, in press
  • McPhail, K., Kafouros, M., McKiernan, P., and Cornelius, N. (2024) Editorial. Reimagining Business and Management as a Force for Good, Special Issue Editorial, British Journal of Management, In press
  • Cornelius, N. (2022) Inequality Re-examined: The influence of the capability approach on global and corporate governance Journal of Business Ethics, In:’ Ethics at the Centre of Global and Local Challenges: Thoughts on the Future of Business Ethics’ 40th Anniversary Issue, online first, DOI https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-022-05239-2
  • Cornelius, N. Ozturk,  M.O,  Pezet, E. (2022) Special Issue Editorial: The experience of work and experiential workers: mainline and critical perspectives on employee experience. Personnel Review, https://doi.org/10.1108/PR-03-2022-887
  • Umeh, C., Cornelius, N. and James Wallace, J (2022) Exploring equality, diversity, and inclusion in multiethnic settings: A context-sensitive approach, Human Resource Management Journal, https://doi.org/10.1111/1748-8583.12441
  • Cornelius, N. (2020) From slavery and colonialism to Black Lives Matter: new mood music or more fundamental change? Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, ISSN: 2040-7149 Early Cite
  • Cornelius, N, Amujo, O and Pezet, E (2019) British colonial governmentality: slave, forced and waged worker policies in colonial Nigeria 1896-1930, Management & Organizational History, 14(10), 10-32.3
  • George, O, Kolawole, M.Y. and Cornelius N (2017) The good, the bad and the ugly in the melting pot: the challenges of Nigerianisation of diversity management, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, 36 (3), 238-254.
  • Cornelius, N, Pullen, A, Vachhani, S, Ndaba, Z, Gagnon, S (2017) Critical diversity: philosophy and practice, Gender, Work and Organization, forthcoming
  • Jhatial, AA, Wallace, J, Cornelius, N (2014) Colonial and postcolonial influences on the evolution of management practices in Pakistan, Business History, 56 (3), 456-484
  • Cornelius, N and Wallace, J (2013) Capabilities, Urban Unrest and Social Enterprise: Limits of the Actions of Third Sector Organisations. International Journal of Public Sector Management 26(3), 232-249
  • Franks, TR, Lawler, J, Trueman, M. Cornelius, N (2013) Regeneration and Well-Being: Research into Practice, International Journal of Public Sector Management, 26(3), 180 – 189
  • Trueman, M, Cornelius, N and Wallace, J (2012) Building brand value online: Exploring relationships between company and city brands, European Journal of Marketing, 46 (7/8), 1013-1031
  • Cornelius, N and Martinez Lucio, M (2012) Representations, labour markets and minority ethnic workers: Networking, new forms of representation and politics in the multi-ethnic city, Urban Studies, 49 (3), 587-594
  • Cornelius, N. Martinez Lucio, M, Gagnon, S, Wilson, F and Pezet (2011), Mind the Gap: The Politics of Equality, Ethnicity and Ethical Turns in Organisations, Journal of Business Ethics, 94 (Supplement 1), 1-7
  • Cornelius, N and Wallace, J (2011), Cross-sector partnerships, city regeneration and social justice, Journal of Business Ethics, 94 (Supplement 1), 71-84,
  • Ituma, A, Simpson, R, Ovadje, F, Cornelius, N and Mordi, C  (2011), Four domains of career success: How managers in Nigeria evaluate career success, International Journal of Human Resource Management, 22(17) 3638-3660
  • Wallace, J Cornelius, N (2010) Community development and social regeneration: how the third sector addresses the needs of BME communities in post-industrial cities. Journal of Business Ethics, 97(1), 43-54
  • Otubayo, O, Amujo, O and Cornelius, N (2010) The informal corporate identity communication process, Corporate Reputation Review, 13 (3) 157-171
  • Hussain, Z and Cornelius, N (2009) The use of domination and legitimation in information systems implementation, Information Systems Journal  19 (2) 197-224
  • Cornelius, N, Gleadle, P and Pezet, E (2008) Governmentality, new inequalities and resistances,  Organization 19 (3) 463-465
  • Gleadle, P, Cornelius, N, and Pezet, E  (2008) Enterprising Selves: When Governmentality meets Agency: Organization, 15 (3) 307-313
  • Gleadle, P and Cornelius, N (2008) The introduction of EVA: A move from productionist to coupon pool capitalism? Critical Perspectives on Accounting 19 (8) 1219-1238
  • Cornelius, N, Todres, M, Janjuha-Jivraj, S, Woods, A and Wallace, J (2008) The social enterprise and capacity, capabilities and quality of life, Journal of Business Ethics, 81 (2) 355-370
  • Hussain, Z, Wallace, J and Cornelius, N (2007) The use and impact of human resource information systems on HRM professionals’ Information and Management 44 (1) 74-89
  • Cornelius, N and Skinner, D (2008) The careers of senior men and women: a capabilities theory perspective, British Journal of Management 19 (s1) 141-149
  • Cornelius, N, Tassabehji, R and Wallace, J (2007) An analysis of corporate social responsibility, corporate identity and ethics teaching in business schools, Journal of Business Ethics 76 (1) 117-135
  • Gleadle, P, Cornelius, N Pezet, E and Salaman, G (2007) Change and continuity in writing about change and continuity, Special edition on Change, identity and employment: the role of knowledge, Journal of Organizational Change Management, 20 (4) 473-477
  • Bassett-Jones, N, Cornelius, N and Brown, R (2007) Delivering diversity management through workplace equality, Systems Research and Behavioural Science, 24(1) 59-67
  • Trueman M, Cornelius N and Killingbeck-Widdup A (2007) Urban Corridors and the Lost City: Overcoming negative perceptions, Journal of Brand Management,15(1) 20-31
  • Hussain, Z and Cornelius, N (2006) Metaphorical analysis of social factors during information systems development, International Journal of Business Information Systems 2(1) 21-42
  • Todres, M, Cornelius, N, Janjuha-Jivraj, S and Woods, A (2006) Developing emerging social enterprises through capacity building, Social Enterprise Journal, 1(2) 61-74
  • Cornelius, N and Skinner, D (2005) An alternative view through the glass ceiling: using capabilities theory to reflect the career journeys of senior women, Women in Management Review 20 (8) 595-602
  • Cornelius, N and Gagnon, S (2004) Still bearing the mark of Cain? Ethics, diversity and inequality measurement,  Business Ethics: A European Review 13(1) 27-40
  • Cornelius, N (2004) Explorations of knowledge and learning, Editorial  International Journal of Innovation and Learning, 1(4) 327-329 [Guest Editor]
  • Cornelius, N and Clapp, R (2004) Re-conceptualising organizational learning for equality action, International Journal of Innovation and Learning, 1(4) 378-391
  • Cornelius, N and Laurie, N (2003) Capable management: an interview with Martha Nussbaum, Philosophy of Management 3(1) 3-16
  • Rattue, R and Cornelius, N  and Smith, S.L. (2002) The emotional labour of police work, Soundings: Journal of Politics and Culture Issue 20 (Summer.) 190-201
  • Gagnon, S and Cornelius, N (2000) Re-examining workplace inequality: a capabilities approach, Human Resource Management Journal 10(4) 68-87
  • Cornelius, N and Gooch, L (2000) Managers leading diversity for business excellence,  Journal of General Management, 25(3) 67-79

Books

  • Cornelius, N (Ed) (2002) Building workplace equality: ethics, diversity and inclusion, London: Thomson Publishing
  • Fisher, J and Cornelius, N. (2000) Challenging the boundaries: Personal construct psychology for the new millennium, Cornelius, N and Fisher, J (Eds.), Lostock Hall, ECPA Publication
  • Cornelius, N (ed) (2000) Human Resource Management, London: Thomson

Book chapters and edited volumes

  • Umeh, C and Cornelius, N (2023). Financial Wellbeing and Ethnicity, In: Cynthia Forson, Geraldine Healy, Mustafa Özturk and  Ahu Tatli (Eds.) Research Handbook on Inequality and Work, Cheltenham, Edward Elgar
  • Cornelius, N. and Pezet, E. (2023). The City of London: Genealogy of a Contemporary Heterotopia. In . In: Stephanie Decker, Bill Foster and Elena Giovannoni (Eds.). Handbook of Historical Methods. London: Sage
  • Cornelius, N. (2023). Capability procedure. In: Wilkinson, A et al., The Sage Handbook of Human Resource Management (in press)
  • Cornelius, N. and Wallace, J., ((2023) John Gerard Ruggie and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. In Idowu, S.O., Schmidpeter, R., Abreu, R., Capaldi, N., Del Baldo, M., Zu, L. (Editors), Encyclopedia of Sustainable Management, Cheltenham, Edward Elgar (In press)
  • Wallace, J., and Cornelius, N., (2023) Social Licence to Operate. In Idowu, S.O., Schmidpeter, R., Abreu, R., Capaldi, N., Del Baldo, M., Zu, L. (Editors), Encyclopedia of Sustainable Management, Cheltenham, Edward Elgar (In press)
  • Wallace, J. and Cornelius, N. (2023). The United Nations Human Rights Committee. In Idowu, S.O., Schmidpeter, R., Abreu, R., Capaldi, N., Del Baldo, M., Zu, L. (Editors), Encyclopedia of Sustainable Management, Cheltenham, Edward Elgar (In press)
  • Cornelius, N and Pezet, E (2019). The commercial practices of the crown and the state: locating British Trade and commercial imperialism in Africa in the geopolitics of Europe. In: Bruce, K. (ed) Handbook of research on management and organisational history. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar
  • Overall, J, Wallace, J and Cornelius N. CSR, rational behaviour and limitations facing firms and society. In: Lindgreen, A. et al (2017) New horizons in CSR. Ashgate Publishing
  • Pezet, N. and Cornelius, N (2017) ‘The heterotopic behaviour of the firm’. In: McKinley, A and Pezet, P (2017) Governmentality and management: Rethinking the management of populations, organizations and individuals. London: Routledge
  • Ng, E, Cornelius, N, Metz, I, Hoobler, J and Nkomo, S (2015) Multiculturalism in the USA, South Africa, Australia, Canada and the UK. In: Klarsfeld, A and Ng E, International thematic perspectives on equality, diversity and inclusion, Edward Elgar
  • Cornelius, N (2014) Business applications of personal construct psychology; In: Winter, D, Reed, N and Fransella, F. (eds.) International handbook of personal construct psychology, London: Wiley
  • Jhatial, A, Cornelius, N and Wallace, J (2014) CSR and community development in Pakistan In Fukukawa, K (2014) CSR and Community Development in Asia, London Routledge
  • Cornelius, N and Pezet, E (2014) Monitory democracy and governmentality. In McKinley, A. New perspectives on governmentality, London, Springer
  • Cornelius, N and Wallace, J (2014) CSR and non-profits, In: Idowu, S et al., Springer Dictionary of Corporate Social Responsibility, forthcoming
  • Cornelius, N and Wallace, J (2012) The view on the ground : CSR from a capabilities approach, In : Idowu, S (Ed) Springer encyclopedia of corporate social responsibility, in press
  • Trueman, M,  Cornelius, N  and Liddle, J  (2010) Doing good in a post-industrial city: Public policy, communications and regeneration, In Ashworth, G and Karavatsis, M (eds) Branding and Cities, London : Edward Elgar
  • Wallace, J., Cornelius, N. (2010). Alignment of Strategy - Managerial Characteristics and Performance at Functional Level in Dubai Local Government. In Tatticci, P., (Ed.), Business Performance, Measurement and Management: New Context, Themes and Challenge. Springer: London, UK
  • Gleadle, P and Cornelius, N (2007) La conduit de soi et les sujets entreprenants: les cas Midco et Labco. Pezet, E (ed) Management et Conduite de Soi, Paris, Vuibert
  • Cornelius, N, Smith, SL et al (2007) Making a drama out of a crisis: learning and front-line performance, In: Reynolds, M and Vince, R (2007) Management and experiential learning. Oxford: Oxford University Press
  • Clapp, R and Cornelius, N (2003) New views on equality action in organization, In: Psychological constructivism and the social world, Chiari, G and Nuzzo, ML (Eds.)   Milan and Rome, Pequod
  • Cornelius, N (2002) The struggles of organizational transitions, In: International handbook of personal construct psychology, Fransella, F (ed), London: Wiley. [Also Membership of the prestigious International Advisory Panel for this book]
  • Cornelius, N (2000) Seeking personal and collective meanings for health and happiness at work, In: Challenging the boundaries: Personal construct psychology for the new millennium, Cornelius, N and Fisher, J (eds), Lostock Hall, ECPA Publications
  • Cornelius, N, Gooch, L and Todd, S (2000) HR policy and strategy and diversity management, In: Equality and diversity in employment, Noon, M and Ogbonna, E (Eds.). London: Palgrave
  • Cornelius, N (2000) Re-locating the use of personal construct psychology in the fields of business, management and the study of organizations, In The person in society: Challenges to constructivist thinking, Scheer, J (ed), Giessen, Germany Psychozocial Verlag
  • Cornelius, N (2005) Charting Organizational Change and Learning In: Fransella, F (2005) The essential handbook of personal construct psychology London: Wiley
  • Cornelius, N (2004). E-management and workforce diversity, In: Critical perspectives in e-business, Budd, L and Harris, L (eds) London: Routledge  
  • Harris, L and Cornelius, N (2003) Organizational considerations for e-business, In: The management of e-business, Harris, L and Jackson, P (Eds.), London: Routledge

Research projects

Invited talks - selected

  • Cornelius, N (2016) Career journeys of BAME women academics: a personal story: Chartered Association of Business Schools, York
  • Cornelius, N, and Martinez Lucio, M (2012) Deliberation, participation and the politics of migrant and ethnic minority groups. UNESCO, Philolab Philosophy and Management Conference, Paris,
  • Cornelius, N (2014) Criticism and the firm .UNESCO, Philolab Philosophy and Management Conference, Paris
  • Equality and Human Rights Commission (2011), the evaluation of social inclusion projects and the teaching of diversity in business schools, Lambeth Palace, London
  • Cornelius, N (2013) A capabilities approach to equality and fairness. Fairness at work research group, Manchester University Business School
  • Cornelius, N (2012) Colonial and postcolonial influences on the evolution of management practices in Pakistan. University of York  to Management School
  • Royal Canadian Mounted Police (2005)– Exploring major case management, RCMP, Ottawa, Canada
  • Institute of Public Policy Research (IPPR) (2004) Keynote speaker, women and work-life balance, IPPR London
  • Cornelius, N (2003) Diversity under globalisation: capabilities, emotion and conflict resolution. ESRC Seminar (Brunel/Cranfield Universities), Diversity under globalization: Ideas into action; Identity and Change Seminar Series
  • Cornelius, N (2000)’Towards a Kellyian framework for organizational psychology’. Symposium: ‘Personal Construct Psychology in Action’. Symposium on the contributions of George Kelly (Convener, Fay Fransella) Proceedings of the British Psychological Society Centenary Conference, Glasgow.

Research-based consultancy/policy advice

  • 2024-2025 – Race and supply chains, Business in the Community
  • 2022-2024 Social mobility project review, funded by Santander, UK (employee and school students) in association with LEAD Curriculum
  • 2023- 2025 Senior academic advisor, Anti-Racism implementation plan, Government of Wales

Supervision

Areas of Supervision Expertise:

Professor Cornelius welcomes expressions of interest in the areas of equality, diversity and inclusion, business ethics (business and society issues), management practices in emerging, fragile economies, and business history research and methods.

Current Doctoral Students:

1st Supervisor

  • Luayo Bao, 'How do managers who work at western OR Chinese multinational subsidiaries operating in mainland China make sense for CSR and its contextual influences?'
  • Cécilia Brundu, Corporate socio-political activism (CSA) and employees’ social identities: Exploring employees’ experiences of CSA in the IT/High-Tech industries ‘   
  • Matthew Cook, ‘A sociocultural analysis of learning and adaptation within a critical public service: A case study of London Fire Brigade 
  • Benish Khan, 'Muted voices: hermeneutic phenomenology study of lived experiences of Pakistani working mothers.'
  • Chisom Okafor, ‘Rehumanisation of CSR: A critical ethnography of Nigerian corporate apprenticeship and indigenous Igbo apprenticeship systems
  • Shiyu Tang, ‘Corporate Social Responsibility and Executive Compensation in China’

PhD Supervision Completions:

(whilst at the School of Business and Management, QMUL)

  • Sarah Louise Marks, 'Does entrepreneurship pay for women? Investigating women entrepreneurs’ well-being through an intersectional, life course perspective.' Awarded 2023
  • Rym Mouelhi, ‘A Multi-disciplinary Approach to Political Corporate Social Responsibility in the Global South: Evidence from Post-Revolution Tunisian Extractive, Primary and Textile Industries’, Awarded 2024 
  • Samaila Tenebe, 'Leadership behaviour in public organisations in Nigeria', Queen Mary University of London, Awarded 2019
  • Chidozie Umeh, 'National and regional cultures and employee commitment in Nigeria', Queen Mary University of London, Awarded 2019
  • Solomon Akpotozor, 'Social and environmental accounting in Nigeria: cement industry and community ‘subaltern’ perspectives', Queen Mary University of London, Awarded 2019

Public Engagement

Professor Cornelius is Visiting Professor, University of Paris 10 and Distinguished Visiting Professor at the University of Lagos. She was previously Visiting Professor at McGill University and Visiting Fellow at the École Nationale Supérieure des Mines (Paris) and Kings College Dental Institute, London. She was previously on the Research Ethics Committee for the Institute of Psychiatry, Maudsley and South London hospitals.

She is Deputy Editor of Business and Society Journal, and Associate Editor for Journal of Business Ethics.

She is a Fellow, and Member of the Fellows College, of the British Academy of Management (BAM) and has served twice as a member of BAM Council (as Co-Vice Chair, Research and Publications). She is also a Chartered Companion of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences, Royal Society of Arts, and Chartered Management Institute, and Associate Fellow and Chartered Psychologist, the British Psychological Society.

Professor Cornelius has held many external board-level positions, including member of the trustee board of the Youth Hostel Association (England and Wales) and the prison, probation and youth justice services charity, The Butler Trust.

Currently, Nelarine Cornelius holds several external posts. These include: 

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