Project outline
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Katie Higgins was a Research Fellow at the University of Oxford who was studying international peer advisory groups and the senior business executives who use them. In previous research, she has carried out face-to-face and online interviews with over twenty senior executives who use peer advisory groups, and she has been able to develop trusting relationships where people feel comfortable sharing their experiences.
This research project expanded our knowledge about the historical development, international spread, and impact of peer advisory groups for senior executives, which have otherwise been rarely studied. Alongside these aims, the project wanted to learn how peer advisory groups support senior executives’ personal and professional development and how they foster collaboration. In doing so, it aimed to contribute to the fields of business studies, geography and sociology.
A total of 75 senior business executives in Britain, India and South Africa who are members of peer advisory groups, and 30 professionals who support the running of these groups, were interviewed for this project. The interviews were completely confidential, and elaborate practices were in place to protect confidentiality. The interviews lasted between one and two hours. Dr Higgins conducted the interviews in collaboration with Dr Ujithra Ponniah, a Senior Researcher at the University of Witwatersrand.
