DrAnna Stephens

Anna Stephens is a Senior Lecturer at UTS Business School, specializing in organization studies, human resource management, and qualitative research methods. Her research investigates how organizations and professionals learn, innovate, and change. Working with theories of social practice,  Anna conducts largely ethnographic studies in settings including healthcare, biotechnology, consumer goods, architecture, engineering, and higher education. This approach allows her to collaborate closely with businesses, government agencies, and community organizations, translating her findings into actionable insights. Her work has been published in leading academic journals, including Human Relations, Journal of Management Studies and Regional Studies.  

Anna's current research has three key themes:

1. Learning and Change in Pluralistic Organizations: Large organizations like hospitals, universities, and multinationals are often referred to as ‘pluralistic’ because they are made up of mulitple groups with varied goals, interests, and power relations. How does learning and transformation take place in such complex environments?
2. The Future of Work: Innovative technologies and flexible work arrangements are transforming when, where, and how people work. What are the implications of these changes for individuals, organizations, and society as a whole?
3. Managerialism and the Professions: The rise of managerialism—organizing and controlling work through bureaucracy, standardization, and metrics—has increasingly impacted professional work. How do professionals experience this shift, and what are its implications for individuals and organisations?
   
   

In her teaching, Anna covers human resource management and management at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Her classes emphasize real-world relevance, encouraging students to connect theory with practice while considering the social and ethical dimensions of their work. She integrates industry engagement into her teaching materials and assessments; for instance, in HRM Capstone, student teams have partnered on industry projects with organizations including Commonwealth Bank, Accenture, and Yum! Brands, as well as charities and social enterprises. Her industry engaged approach led to a UTS Top Subject award in 2023.

Anna holds a Doctor of Philosophy from The University of Queensland, where her dissertation focused on the collective learning dynamics shaping the emergence of industry clusters in biotechnology. Originally trained as a scientist, Anna earned a Bachelor of Biotechnology Innovation with First Class Honours from Queensland University of Technology. Before entering academia, she worked in technology commercialization and business development in the biotechnology industry.