About
Dr David Cross is a Lecturer in Organisational Behaviour and Human Resource Management within Southampton Business School at the University of Southampton.
David investigates the relationship between work, organisations, and self-employed individuals. This is primarily the context of independent professionals such as consultants and using theoretical lenses such as commitment, liminality, professional work, and intellectual capital (human and social capital).
He has published in journals such as the Human Resource Management Journal and Organization Studies and presented papers at international conferences, including the Academy of Management (AoM) Annual Meeting where he won a best paper award, European Group for Organizational Studies (EGOS) Colloquiums, and smaller workshops on HRM and OB. He has won awards for his public engagement work and appeared on local radio and ITV as a specialist on self-employment. He is an academic member of the Centre for Research on Self-Employment (CRSE) based in London.
Research
Research interests
- Self-employment
- Commitment
- Liminality
- Professional work
- Human resource management
Current research
I am currently investigating the relationship between the HR Profession and self-employment. This is the focus of two projects - a CIPD Marchington Memorial grant, and an SBS Small Grant.
Research projects
Active projects
Publications
Supervision
Current PhD Students
Teaching
I currently lead two large undergraduate modules.
- MANG1003 Introduction to Management - This is the largest module in the University. It is an introductory module that takes in the key areas of management and organisational behaviour. It aims to give all students a solid foundation before progressing within the Business School and beyond.
- MANG1049 - Ideas that shape the contemporary world 2: Work, change and organisations. This module covers topics such as globalisation, modernity, work, consumption, technology, professional work and more. It aims to give students a deeper understanding of the key ideas that underpin modern society and business. Students are encouraged to develop a more intellectual basis for their subsequent study of business and management.
I also teach philosophy and approaches to research to Postgraduate Research Students and I supervise both BSc and MSc Dissertations.
In 2023/24 I will lead a new module that I have developed on Management Consulting.
Biography
David holds a PhD in Management from the University of Bath School of Management where he also gained an MSc in Management. As an undergraduate, he read History and Sociology at the University of Warwick. Before joining Southampton he was a Research Associate and Teaching Fellow at the University of Bath.
Prior to academia he served as a commissioned officer in the Pilot Branch of the Royal Air Force and has worked in both civilian and uniformed roles for Avon and Somerset Police.