Gordon Cooke

Co-Investigator

“I was delighted to be able to join this research initiative because working conditions in Canada can be highly polarized, and public policy intervention is often necessary to help disadvantaged workers find and retain meaningful employment.  Unfortunately, persons with disabilities often face among the largest barriers to employment, and thus deserve public policy attention.”

Key Appointments

  • Associate Professor, Industrial Relations, Faculty of Business Administration, Memorial University of Newfoundland

Education

  • Ph.D., Human Resources & Management Dept, MGD School of Business, McMaster University (2005)
  • B. Arts (General), University of Waterloo (1998)
  • M.B.A., Wilfrid Laurier University (1992)
  • Canadian Securities Course (1991)
  • B. Math (Honours, Co op), University of Waterloo, Business Administration option (1989)

Areas of expertise

Dr. Cooke's primary research interest is on the prevalence of various non-standard work arrangements (NSWAs), the effects on worker sub-groups of interest, and why and how employers utilize them. As an undergrad, Dr. Cooke was a co-op student and spent two work terms in Ottawa/Hull working for the Public Service Commission, and four work terms in Toronto with Ontario Hydro. After graduation, he worked for many years at Union Gas in Chatham Ontario, as well as Union Energy in Toronto in a number of financial, administrative, and regulatory positions.

Research Activities

Dr. Cooke has examined a range of non-standard work arrangements within Canada and beyond. His current research explores comparisons of employment conditions in rural Newfoundland and other island jurisdictions. He is also interested in the employment quality and quantity available to sub-groups of workers in Canada sorted by age, skills, and location.

Relevant Publications:

Cooke, G.B., Donaghey, J. & Zeytinoglu, I.U. 2013.  The nuanced nature of work quality: evidence from rural Newfoundland and Ireland.  Human Relations, 66(4), 503-527.

Zeytinoglu, I.U., Cooke, G.B. & Mann, S.L.  2009.  Flexibility: whose choice is it anyway?  Relations Industrielles/Industrial Relations, 64(4), 555-574.  

Cooke, G.B. 2007.  Alternative work schedules and related issues among Atlantic Canadians.  The Workplace Review, 4(2), 8-15. Sobey School of Business at Saint Mary’s University.

Relevant Grants:

2010-2013 Ontario Ministry for Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs (Omafra) Research Programs/University of Guelph Agreement.  Young Workers in Ontario’s Rural Labour Market.  Principal Investigator: S. L. Mann, Co-Investigators:

G.B. Cooke, I.U. Zeytinoglu.  Awarded: May/10.  Amount: $79,125 over three years.  Status: Ongoing.

2008-2011 Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC); Research Grant under special call for Management, Business and Finance.

Comparative analysis of the employee effects of non-standard work schedules.  Principal Investigator: G.B. Cooke, Co-Investigators: S. L. Mann, I.U.

Zeytinoglu.  Collaborator: J. Donaghey.  Awarded: May/08.  Amount: $93,000 over three years.  Status: Completed, although papers still under preparation.

For contact and additional information, please visit: Dr. Gordon Cooke