Araz Zirar

Araz Zirar is a Lecturer in Management at the School of Business, Education and Law, University of Huddersfield, where he has been serving since 2020. He previously worked as an Associate Lecturer at Loughborough University's School of Business and has taught in the Middle East. His professional experience includes roles as HR Business Partner and Director of HR, providing practical grounding to his academic work.

Research Interests: Dr. Zirar’s research focuses on strategic HRM, lean service operations, and the impact of emerging technologies—especially artificial intelligence—on workplaces and educational institutions. He explores how AI tools such as ChatGPT are adopted across countries, emotional responses to AI in HRM, and the integration of HR practices into lean service models. His work aligns with several UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those related to decent work, economic growth, and quality education.

Recent Research Trends: His recent publications reflect a strong trend toward digital transformation, with studies on smart contracts for SME resilience, AI-human coexistence in the workplace, and generative AI adoption in higher education. These works highlight interdisciplinary engagement across management, information systems, and educational technology.

• Worker and workplace Artificial Intelligence (AI) coexistence: Emerging themes and research agenda (2023)
• ChatGPT adoption and anxiety: a cross-country analysis (2024)
• Smart contract challenges and drawbacks for SME digital resilience (2024)
• Exploring lean team development from the Tuckman’s model perspective (2025)

Scientific Contributions and Recognition: Dr. Zirar has published 11 research outputs with over 100 citations (Scopus h-index of 6 as of April 2024). His research has been featured in prominent journals such as Technovation, Studies in Higher Education, and Production Planning and Control. He has also contributed to media discussions on AI in education and the workplace, with coverage in news outlets and policy references.

Advising and Engagement: He is actively involved in PhD supervision and welcomes new doctoral candidates. His academic activities include 23 recorded events such as oral presentations and invited talks, including upcoming contributions at international conferences in 2025 on topics like AI in HRM and emotional reflexivity. He also engages in public scholarship through media contributions discussing the implications of AI in higher education and lean operations.

Laboratories and Research Teams: While no formal lab is mentioned, Dr. Zirar collaborates extensively with researchers across institutions on projects involving AI, HRM, and digital resilience. He is part of a vibrant research network focused on technological transformation in business and education.