Are you passionate about exploring the intersection of global value chains (GVCs), supply chain governance and illicit economies? Do you want to contribute to cutting-edge research on how licit and illicit activities intertwine in GVCs? If so, this postdoctoral researcher position at the Nijmegen School of Management/Radboud University offers a unique opportunity to engage in pioneering research on shadow supply chains. You will be part of a multidisciplinary research team investigating how illicit trade flows persist and integrate within legal markets, contributing to both academic debates and practical policy solutions.
In this project, you will work closely with a diverse and interdisciplinary research group, including:
- Dr Sarah Castaldi, Assistant Professor of International Business at Radboud University (Principal Investigator).
- Dr Robbert Maseland, Professor of International Economics at Radboud University.
- Dr Miriam Wilhelm, Professor of Sustainable Supply Chain Management at VU Vienna.
- Sander de Raad, independent CSR Consultant for South East Africa and Director of Social Enterprise at Blue Leaf BV.
Why this project matters: GVCs are often assumed to be structured around formalised legal and economic transactions. However, many industries operate in dual supply chains where legal and illegal trade flows coexist. These ’shadow supply chains’ emerge due to systemic vulnerabilities, regulatory gaps and economic incentives. This project seeks to understand:
What drives the persistence of illicit trade flows within GVCs? How do actors navigate, justify and embed illicit activities in global markets? What governance mechanisms could disrupt these illicit flows without exacerbating economic vulnerabilities?
What this project entails: This research combines insights from institutional theory, GVC analysis, supply chain management, and international economics. It explores how legal and illegal markets converge, evolve and sustain themselves through adaptive mechanisms. The project employs a mixed-methods approach, integrating qualitative case studies and interviews with quantitative data analysis based on secondary sources, to examine illicit trade flows across various industries (e.g. minerals, pharmaceuticals, agriculture).
Your role: As a postdoctoral researcher, you will take the lead in conducting empirical research on illicit trade flows and shadow supply chains, with a particular focus on fieldwork in developing countries, mainly in Africa. You will develop theoretical insights on the intersection of institutionalisation, governance and informality in GVCs. Additionally, you will publish your findings in high-impact journals and present them at international conferences, collaborate with researchers and stakeholders to bridge academic and practical perspectives, and supervise Bachelor’s and Master’s students working on their theses on related topics.
Why this is a unique opportunity: This position offers a rare chance to work on a pioneering project at the crossroads of international business, institutional economics and supply chain governance. You will collaborate with leading experts and gain exposure to both academic and policy-oriented research. Whether you are interested in advancing theoretical knowledge or developing practical solutions for addressing illicit trade, this project provides a dynamic platform for impactful research.