Stephen Frenkel is Emeritus Professor of Organization and Employment Relations. He is the author of over 80 journal articles and editor or author of 7 books. He is currently an editorial member of several journals including Industrial & Labor Relations Review, and Employment & Society. His current research interests include the comparative sociology of work, technology and management with a special interest in China and the impact of global supply chains on labour and environmental standards. Stephen’s expertise is in the sociology and social psychology of management and work.​

Stephen was born in South Africa and educated mainly in the UK. He worked initially in Swaziland after which he gained a Master’s degree at the University of Warwick and a Ph.D at Cambridge University. He subsequently emigrated to Australia having obtained a lectureship at UNSW where he was employed as a Professor until  Sept. 2019 and thereafter became an Emeritus Professor. He is married with two children.

Research Interests:

• New forms of work organization and work identity
• Human Resource Managers: their role, relationships and power
• Patterns of management-work relations especially in relation to new technology
• Knowledge work and designing for innovation
• Globalization and work

Research Grants:

• 2016-2019 Volkswagen Foundation with Wellcome Trust and Riksbanken Jubileumsfond, (co-leader with Elke Schuessler) Governance of Global Supply Chains in the Garment Industry after Rana Plaza (Euro 800,000) ($200,000 for UNSW)
• 2015 International Labour Organization Global Supply Chains in the Food Industry ($25,000)
• 2007: ARC Management and High Performance Work Organization in Call Centres (with M. Groth), $335,550
• 2004: ARC for Human Resource Managers (with Paul Gollan) $421,000.