David Barron

David Barron’s research is concerned with the sociology of organisations, quantitative research methods and social networks. His most recent work relates to the caring professions in the UK (including teaching, social work, nursing, medicine, child care, and nursing and care assistants). He has investigated issues that are of significant interest to the UK’s NHS, particularly in the wake of intense interest in the quality of nursing care; these include the impact of medical and nursing staffing levels on mortality rates and the impact of different methods of obtaining patient feedback on nursing behaviour. He has also investigated the earnings of caring professions and their relationship with professional or trade union organisations.

David’s research has resulted in a range of book chapters and articles, including ‘The Financial Costs of Caring in the British Labour Market: Is There a Wage Penalty for Workers in Caring Occupations?’ in the British Journal of Industrial Relations. He has served on the editorial board of the American Sociological Review, Industrial and Corporate Change and Organisation Studies.

Dr David Barron is a Reader in Organisational Sociology at the University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School, and Fellow and Tutor in Management Studies at Jesus College.

Academic Background

MA Cantab, MA, PhD Cornell

Dr Barron completed his undergraduate studies at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge University. He obtained a professional qualification (Diploma in Social Work) from the University of Edinburgh. After practising as a social worker for four years he returned to academic study and completed his MA and doctorate at Cornell University in the USA, and was Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology, McGill University from 1992-94.

Undergraduate Teaching

Dr Barron teaches courses in Economics and Management in the following areas: Introduction to Management; Introduction to Sociology; Sociological Theory; Statistical Methods for Social Scientists; Organisational Behaviour.

Postgraduate Teaching

Organisation Theory; Statistical Methods; Research Methods and Design.

Research Interests

Evolutionary and ecological theories of organizations; Organisational and workforce factors that affect outcomes in the NHS.