Research and faculty
Academic and applied business research.
A focus on real business and policy
Our business-focused research is often developed in close collaboration with corporate partners. Previous clients include global firms like Microsoft and Shell, the UK and foreign governments, and non-governmental organisations such as the United Nations.
Henley's associates and partnerships span over 20 countries, providing an international dimension to its research activities, impact case studies and outputs.
We host and play an active role in a wide range of research led events, including international conferences, research seminars and workshops, reinforcing our global reputation.
Academic areas
Henley Business School's research strengths, activities and offerings span six academic areas, and a uniquely broad range of fields.
Digitalisation, Marketing and Entrepreneurship
Creating value and innovation through interdisciplinary expertise in digitalisation, marketing and entrepreneurship.
Finance and Accounting
Our Finance and Accounting department advances research in governance, sustainability, and financial practices, blending academic excellence with real-world impact.
International Business & Strategy
Home to two of the world's premier research centres, we continue to help define the research agenda in the fields of human resource management and international business history.
Leadership, Organisations, Behaviour and Reputation
Leadership, Organisations, Behaviour and Reputation, led by Professor Yelena Kalyuzhnova, is one of five academic departments within Henley Business School at the University of Reading.
Real Estate and Planning
Established in 1968 and renowned for its teaching and research excellence, the Real Estate and Planning department is the largest of its kind in the world.
Leading Impact
We are proud to introduce the first issue of Leading Impact, showcasing some of the fantastic work happening across Henley in our 80th anniversary year – from community-led planning to AI, and social robots to boardroom relationships.
Our faculty are out there influencing and shaping businesses and helping society thrive. Henley’s aim is to champion engaged and solution-driven research.
Our work is built on strong links with senior public policymakers and with leaders in commercial and not-for-profit organisations, giving our research real-world relevance.
Research centres
Research at Henley Business School is driven by our leading research centres. Our research aims to help practising managers, corporate partners, programme members and students like you manage more effectively so that you can impact on the organisations you work in. Our research outputs include leading-edge management tools and techniques, case studies illustrating best practise, as well as a wide range of research papers, publications and reports.
Centre for Business Ethics and Sustainability
CBES was created in 2020 to bring together existing streams of research with relevance to business ethics as well as sustainability research agenda drawing from and expanding upon the United Nations' SDGs & Global Compact. The Centre promotes multidisciplinary research on ethics and sustainability, integrating climate, social, economic, and humanistic concerns.
Henley Centre for Entrepreneurship
Henley Centre for Entrepreneurship (HCfE) is a research centre within the Henley Business School. HCfE's purpose is to conduct high quality research in the field of entrepreneurship and start-up businesses.
Henley Centre for Leadership
The Henley Centre for Leadership is a hub for developing leaders at all levels through innovative research, transformative conversations and impactful learning.
Informatics Research Centre
The Informatics Research Centre (IRC) at Henley Business School provides a centre of gravity for interdisciplinary research in informatics and digital transformation in business.
The Centre for Euro-Asian Studies
Established in 1996, the Centre for Euro-Asian Studies (CEAS) has earned a worldwide reputation for its unique expertise and leading research into Euro-Asian countries.
The Centre for Economic Institutions and Business History
Established in 2000, the Centre for Economic Institutions and Business History promotes innovative inter-disciplinary research on economic institutions, business history and economic history. As a research centre that sits across an economics department and business school, we are interested historical perspectives on topical issues related to business, society and economics broadly speaking.
The Dunning Centre for International Business
The Dunning Centre studies how global businesses operate worldwide, examining leadership, processes, and performance. We research international trade, economic geography, and the impact of international business on development, creating practical policy recommendations for sustainable growth and reducing inequality. Our work also explores how innovation shapes business decisions and location choices, while also considering the historical context that influences today's business strategies. The Dunning Centre for International Business is pleased to announce the 10th Reading IB Conference, taking place from 17–18 April 2026.Further information, including the conference theme, call for papers, and registration details, will be available soon.
The John Madejski Centre for Reputation
The John Madejski Centre for Reputation is a research centre that sees itself as a catalyst for positive change: working with and inspiring business, government and not-for-profit organisations to deeply explore the value of reputation, drive sustainable behaviours and business models and communicate for positive impact.
Academic faculty
Henley has a unique blend of expertise. Our faculty consists of around 150 academics, many of whom are internationally-renowned and widely published experts in their field.
Papers and publications
Explore our hundreds of published research articles, books, reports, papers and more published by Henley experts.