Dr Christina Purcell
Senior Lecturer
My profile
Biography
I joined MMU as a lecturer in 2016. Prior to this I was a MMU doctoral student researching temporary agency workers in French car manufacturing. I currently teach on HRM and Business Psychology units and am a Personal Tutor for HRM UG students.
My research interests have been primarily around precarious forms of work. My original focus on temporary agency labour has moved to a focus on emerging forms of precarious employment commonly referred to as work in the gig economy. Building on my PhD research, I have been particularly interested in the playing out of consent, coercion and resistance within the gig economy labour process.
More recently my research agency has turned to work and climate change, specifically on how conditions of work and the organisation of work compromises moves towards a just transition to a more sustainable economy. The aim of this research is to propose new ways of working which are compatible with the need to enhance broad participation in debates, policies and practices around climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Interests and expertise
Teaching
I teach on the following undergraduate and postgraduate units:
- Fairness at Work
- Power, Politics and Conflict
- Designing a Research Project
- Undertaking a Research Project
- MSc Global Leadership Research Methods
Supervisions
I supervise UG and PG dissertations and am currently part of a doctoral supervisory team at the Royal Northern College of Music (gender stereotypes in brass playing)
I am interested in supervising doctoral research in the broad areas of labour process, digital platform work, unions and climate change, green HRM, green industrial relations, workplace democracy.
Research
I am a member of the Decent Work and Productivity Research Centre, researching within the Work and Working Lives theme.
Other Roles
Carbon Literacy Champion
Wellbeing and Voice Champion
Citizenship
Peer reviewer: Work, Employment and Society, Work and Occupations, International Journal of HRM, Social Media and Society
Teaching
Teaching
I teach on the following undergraduate and postgraduate units:
- Fairness at Work
- Power, Politics and Conflict
- Designing a Research Project
- Undertaking a Research Project
- MSc Global Leadership Research Methods
Supervision
Supervisions
I supervise UG and PG dissertations and am currently part of a doctoral supervisory team at the Royal Northern College of Music (gender stereotypes in brass playing)
I am interested in supervising doctoral research in the broad areas of labour process, digital platform work, unions and climate change, green HRM, green industrial relations, workplace democracy.
Research outputs
Journal Articles
Purcell, C. and Brook, P. (2022) ‘At Least I’m My Own Boss! Explaining Consent, Coercion and Resistance in Platform Work’. Work, Employment and Society, Vol., 36(3) 391-406
Brook, P. and Purcell, C. (2020) ‘The resistible rise of the temporary employment industry in France’. Economic and Industrial Democracy’. Vol 41(1) 121-144
Purcell, C., Brook, P. and Lucas, R. (2011) ‘Between keeping your head down and trying to get noticed: agency workers in French car assembly plants.’ Management Revue: The International Review of Management Studies, Vol. 22, No. 2, pp. 169-187.
Book chapters
Albertson, A, Purcell, C and Whittle, R (2021) ‘The history and future of work’. In Antoniadou, M, Christie, F, Albertson K and Crowder (eds) Decent Work: opportunities and challenges. Emerald
Purcell, C and Garcia, R (2021) ‘Indecent Work: The rise of digital platform work in France and the UK’. In Antoniadou, M, Christie, F, Albertson K and Crowder (eds) Decent Work: opportunities and challenges. Emerald.
Purcell (2013): Sage Sociology of Work Encyclopedia. Entry on Michael Burawoy (control and consent, concept of labour process)
Purcell, C., Flynn, M. and Chatrakul Na Ayudhya, U. (2011) ‘The effects of flexibilization on social division and career trajectories in the UK labour market.’ In: H. Blossfeld, S. Buchholz, D. Hofäcker and K. Kolb (eds), The Flexibilization of European Labour Markets: The Development of Social Inequalities in an Era of Globalization Palgrave Macmillan.
Kellock A., Lawthom R., Sixsmith J.A., Duggan K., Mountian I., Haworth J.T., Kagan C.M., Brown D.P., Griffiths J., Hawkins J., Worley C., Purcell C., Siddiquee A. (2011). ‘Using Technology and the Experience Sampling Method to Understand Real Life’. In: S. Hesse-Biber (eds) The Handbook of Emergent Technologies in Social Research . Oxford University Press. pp.542-562.
Mountian I., Lawthom R., Kellock A., Sixsmith J.A., Duggan K., Haworth J.T., Kagan C.M., Brown D.P., Griffiths J., Hawkins J., Worley C., Purcell C., Siddiquee A. (2009). ‘On Utilising a Visual Methodology: Shared Reflections and Tensions’. In: P.Reavey (eds) Visual Psychologies: Using and Interpreting Images in Qualitative Research. Routledge, London.
Purcell, C., Lewis, S., Smithson, J. and Caton, S. (2007) ‘Work-life balance, best practice and healthy organisations: a European Perspective’. In: Ronald J. Burke and Cary L. Cooper (eds), Building More Effective Organizations: HR Management and Performance in Practice. Cambridge University Press.
Lewis, S. and Purcell, C. (2007) ‘Well-being, paid work and personal life’. In: John Howarth and Graham Hart (eds), Well-Being: Individual, Community and Social Perspectives. Palgrave Macmillan.
Reports
Purcell, C. and Flynn, M. (2010) ‘The UK: Public Policy.’ Global Policy Brief, No, 7, January, 2010 (Sloan Centre for Ageing and Work).
Sixsmith, J. and Purcell, C. (2007) Context-Mapping the Situation of Older People for Manchester Partnerships for Older People Project. (Research Institute for Health and Social Change, MMU)
Purcell, C. and Kagan, C. (2007) Joy at Work: The Impact of Non-Professional Singing on Employee Well-Being (Research Institute for Health and Social Change, MMU).
Lewis, S. and Purcell, C. (2006) Socio-Economic Trends and Welfare Policies. UK National Report for the EU funded Quality Project.
Purcell, C., S, Lewis, S., Smithson, J. and Caton, S. (2005), Good Practice. Report for EU FP5 Study ‘Gender, Parenthood and the Changing European Workplace. (Research Institute for Health and Social Change, MMU).
Conference presentations
Can labour save the planet, Industrial Relations in Europe Conference, Helsinki, September 2022
Consent, Coercion and Resistance in the Gig Economy, Work Employment and Society, Belfast, September, 2018
Manufacturing precarity: Agency workers in French car plants, Industrial Relations in Europe Conference on Vulnerable Workersand Precarious Work, Toulouse, September 2013.
Temporary agency work and new forms of despotism within car manufacturing, 2013 Work Employment and Society Conference, September 2013
Coming in from the cold? Assessing the challenges of union organising of agency workers in the French car industry, 2012 International Labour Process Conference, Stockholm.
Shifting dynamics of consent, control and resistance: agency workers in the automobile sector, 2010 International Labour Process Conference, Rutgers, New York.
The effect of welfare regimes on the working conditions of agency workers in Europe, Manchester Metropolitan University Annual Postgraduate Research Student Conference, 2009.
Flexibility and its discontents: A comparison of UK and French temporary agency workers, Research Institute for Business and Management Symposium, 2008, Manchester, 2nd Prize for Best Paper.
Non-refereed article
Purcell, C. (2013) Institutionalising Agency Work, RMT News, January 2013.
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Chapters in books
Albertson, K., Purcell, C., Whittle, R. (2021) 'The History and Future of Work.' In Christie, F., Antoniadou, M., Albertson, K., Crowder, M. (ed.) Decent Work: Opportunities and challenges. Emerald Publishing,
Purcell, C., Garcia, R. (2021) 'Indecent Work? The Rise of Digital Platform Work in France and the United Kingdom.' Decent Work: Opportunities and Challenges. pp. 99-112.
Mountian, I., Lawthom, R., Kellock, A., Griffiths, J., Purcell, C. (2020) 'On Utilising a Visual Methodology: Shared Reflections and Tensions.' A Handbook of Visual Methods in Psychology Using and Interpreting Images in Qualitative Research. Routledge,
Purcell, C.M. (2013) 'Control and Consent, Concept of Labour Process.' Sage Sociology of Work Encyclopedia.
Kellock, A., Lawthom, R., Sixsmith, J.A., Duggan, K., Mountian, L., Haworth, J.T., Kagan, C.M., Brown, D.P., Griffiths, J., Hawkins, J., Worley, C., Siddiquee, A., Purcell, C.M. (2011) 'Using Technology and the Experience Sampling Method to Understand Real Life.' The Handbook of Emergent Technologies in Social Research. Oxford University Press, pp. 542-562.
Purcell, C.M., Flynn, M., Chatrakul Na Ayudhya, U. (2011) 'The Effects of Flexibilization on Social Division and Career Trajectories in the UK Labour Market.' The Flexibilization of European Labour Markets: The Development of Social Inequalities in an Era of Globalization.
Mountian, I., Lawthom, R., Kellock, A., Sixsmith, J.A., Duggan, K., Haworth, J.T., Kagan, C.M., Brown, D.P., Griffiths, J., Hawkins, J., Worley, C., Siddiquee, A., Purcell, C.M. (2009) 'Utilising a Visual Methodology: Shared Reflections and Tensions.' Visual Psychologies: Using and Interpreting Images in Qualitative Research.
Caton, S.J., Smithson, J., Lewis, S., Purcell, C. (2008) 'Work-Life Balance, Best Practices and Healthy Organisations: A European Perspective.' In Burke, R.J., Cooper, C.L. (ed.) Building More Effective Organizations.
Purcell, C.M., Lewis, S., Smithson, J., Caton, S. (2007) 'Work-Life Balance, Best Practice and Healthy Organisations: A European Perspective.' Building More Effective Organizations HR Management and Performance in Practice. Cambridge University Press,
Kagan, C., Kilroy, A. (2007) 'Psychology in the community.' Well-Being: Individual, Community and Social Perspectives. pp. 93-109.
Lewis, S., Purcell, C. (2007) 'Well-being, paid work and personal life.' Well-Being: Individual, Community and Social Perspectives. pp. 225-240.
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Reports
Purcell, C.M. (2011) Old Workers in the North West.
Purcell, C.M. (2011) Intergenerational Transfers.
Purcell, C.M. (2010) The United Kingdom: Public Policy.
Purcell, C.M. (2008) United Kingdom Public Policy Report.
Sixsmith, J., Purcell, C. (2007) Context mapping the situation of older people for the Manchester Partnerships for Older People project. RIHSC: Research Institute for Health and Social Change, Manchester Metropolitan University.
Purcell, C., Kagan, C. (2007) Joy at work: the impact of non-professional singing workshops on employee well-being. RIHSC: Research Institute for Health and Social Change, Manchester Metropolitan University.
Purcell, C.M., Lewis, S. (2007) Well Being, Paid Work and Personal Life, Well Being: Individual, Community and Social Perspectives.
Purcell, C.M., Lewis, S. (2006) Socio-Economic Trends and Welfare Policies.
Purcell, C.M., Lewis, S., Smithson, J., Caton, S. (2005) Gender, Parenthood and the Changing European Workplace.
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Journal articles
Purcell, C., Brook, P. (2022) 'At least I’m my own boss! Explaining consent, coercion and resistance in platform work.' Work, Employment and Society, 36(3) pp. 391-406.
Brook, P., Purcell, C.M. (2017) 'The resistible rise of the temporary employment industry in France.' Economic and Industrial Democracy, 41(1) pp. 121-144.
Mountian, I., Lawthom, R., Kellock, A., Duggan, K., Sixsmith, J., Kagan, C., Hawkins, J., Haworth, J., Siddiquee, A., Worley, C., Brown, D., Griffiths, J., Purcell, C. (2012) 'On utilising a visual methodology: Shared reflections and tensions.' pp. 346-360.
Purcell, C., Brook, P., Lucas, R. (2011) 'Between Keeping Your Head Down and Trying to Get Noticed: Agency Workers in French Car Assembly Plants.' Management Revue - The international Review of Management Studies, 22(2) pp. 169-187.
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Conference papers
Purcell, C. (2018) 'Hegemony and Despotism in the 21st Century Labour Process.' In Work, Employment and Society. Belfast, United Kingdom, 1/1/2018 - 1/1/2018.
Purcell, C.M. (2012) 'Assessing the Challenges of Union Organising of Agency Workers in the French Car Industry.' In International Labour Process Conference "Coming in From the Cold?. Stockholm, 1/1/2012 - 1/1/2012.
Purcell, C.M. (2010) 'Shifting Dynamics of Consent, Control and Resistance: Agency Workers in the Automobile Sector.' In International Labour Process Conference. Rutgers, New York, USA, 1/1/2010 - 1/1/2010.
Purcell, C.M. (2009) 'The Effect of Welfare Regimes on the Working Conditions of Agency Workers in Europe.' In Manchester Metropolitan University Annual Postgraduate Research Student Conference. Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, United Kingdom, 1/1/2009 - 1/1/2009.
Purcell, C.M. (2008) 'Flexibility and its Discontents: A Comparison of UK and French Agency Workers.' In Research Institute for Business and Management Symposium. Manchester, United Kingdom, 1/1/2008 - 1/1/2008.