Doctoral research in business and management

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1 From the SelectedWorks of Peter Miller January 1, 2009 Doctoral research in business and management Peter Miller, Southern Cross University Available at:

2 Chapter 11 Doctoral Research in Organisational Management Peter Miller Overview This chapter overviews the research undertaken in the widely defined field of organisational management. It then identifies the dominant type of sub-disciplinary research undertaken in the DBA program since its establishment in Examining the programs outputs over the last five years, the chapter identifies likely trends for future research in this broadly defined discipline area. The majority of research projects relate to organisational development and behaviour. Human resource issues and sales and marketing issues also dominate the research projects. Introduction This chapter aims to overview the research undertaken in the widely defined field of organisational management through the Southern Cross University Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) program. DBA programs offered by Australian Universities are diverse in terms of both curriculum and structure. The SCU DBA is classified by the Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) as a doctoral research degree. Accordingly, candidates undertake a major and rigorous research project that culminates in a significant thesis similar to that completed for a PhD. The chapter describes the result of research undertaken into disciplinary and topic areas for over 250 successfully completed theses in the program since its establishment. It also identifies current trends in research in the program over the last five years. Nature of Research and Research Topics The research undertaken in the SCU DBA program is methodologically diverse ranging from ethnography and grounded theory to traditional surveys and structural equation modelling. 171

3 172 TRANSNATIONAL DOCTORAL EDUCATION AND RESEARCH: AN ASIAN FOCUS The topics under study are equally diverse. Research undertaken on over 250 completed theses from the SCU DBA program is discussed here. For convenience, the areas of study have been combined and categorised into 13 sub-disciplinary areas. The percentage of theses undertaken in each sub-disciplinary area is shown in Table Table 11.1: Topic Areas and Percentage of Candidates Researching in the Area Sub-disciplinary area Percentage of candidates undertaking projects in this area Organisational development and behaviour 17.0 Human resources and employment relations 13.0 Sales and marketing 12.0 Entrepreneurship, innovation and new venture creation 10.0 Strategic management 9.0 Small business management 7.0 MIS and ecommerce 7.0 Quality management 6.0 International and comparative management 5.0 Knowledge management 5.0 Accounting and finance 5.0 Technology management 3.0 Project management 1.0 As can be seen from Table 11.1, the areas of research are diverse but dominated by projects in the related fields of human resources and organisational development and behaviour. Sales and marketing is the next significant area of research followed by entrepreneurship, innovation and new venture creation. One can only speculate why the fields of human resources and organisational development and behaviour are in such demand. Perhaps it is due to the candidate s own experience related to people and organisational issues. Typically, mid-level executives spend most of their time on people issues or bringing about needed change and are therefore interested in progressing their understanding of complex management issues around change and leadership.

4 CHAPTER 11 DOCTORAL RESEARCH IN ORGANISATIONAL MANAGEMENT 173 Trends and Possible Future Research Directions An analysis of theses completed over the last five years in the SCU program was undertaken to identify the sub-disciplines where the majority of research was being pursued and to indicate any possible trends in contemporary research efforts. The sub-disciplines dominating the research agenda over this period included: Human resources and employment relations International and comparative management MIS and ecommerce Strategic management. Topics that might be considered as hot research areas were: Leadership Change in organisations. While this chapter concentrates on the SCU DBA program, it is worth mentioning that there appears to be a significant change in the direction Australian universities are heading in regard to offering doctoral programs generally. For example, there is an increasing number and variety of professional doctorates being offered by universities and traditional PhDs are being re-branded to include speciality research areas designated on testamurs in the title of the award, with one example being the Doctor of Philosophy (Agriculture). Generalist nomenclature at the doctoral level, particularly for the PhD, is being overtaken by specifically named PhD awards, bringing about confusion as to what both PhD and professional doctorates are and claim to be. As discussed in this chapter, the issue is further confused by many professional doctorates including the SCU DBA having been classified by the federal government in Australia as research degrees. The need for universities to drive the government s Research Training Scheme (RTS) is at the core of the change in direction as universities endeavour to include professional doctorate completions (where the degree is classified by the government as a research degree) and attract candidates to specific PhD programs, as an input into their RTS formula for performance reasons. Conclusion In the business and management discipline, much of the purported distinction between the DBA and PhD has been lost (if it ever was really there) as the nature of applicants for these awards and the nature of research projects undertaken converge. The research undertaken in the SCU DBA program is methodologically diverse and the range of the topics under study is equally varied. Analysis of over 230 completed theses from the SCU DBA program found that research in the areas of human resources and organisational development and behaviour, sales and marketing and innovation and new venture creation dominate the research agenda.

5 174 TRANSNATIONAL DOCTORAL EDUCATION AND RESEARCH: AN ASIAN FOCUS References Erwee, R Professional doctorates and DBAs in Australia: dilemmas and opportunities to innovate. International Journal of Organisational Behaviour. vol 7, no 3. pp Good Universities Guide Postgraduate Guide. Melbourne: Hobsons Press Graduate Careers Australia Postgraduate Research Experience Questionnaire (PREQ). Melbourne Harvard University Doctoral programs. dbavsphd.html. Accessed 23/02/09 Miller, P & Marchant, T (Eds) Professional Doctorate Research in Australia: Commentary and Case Studies from Business, Education and Indigenous Studies. Lismore: SCU Press Perry, C & Cavaye, A Examining DBA dissertations: developing appropriate examination criteria. 4th International Biennial Conference on Professional Doctorates. Brisbane: University of Queensland November Sarros, J, Willis, R & Hardie, T The DBA in Australia and the Asia Pacific: opportunities and challenges. International Journal of Organisational Behaviour. vol 7, no 8. pp

PROFESSIONAL DOCTORATES AND DBAS IN AUSTRALIA: DILEMMAS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO INNOVATE

PROFESSIONAL DOCTORATES AND DBAS IN AUSTRALIA: DILEMMAS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO INNOVATE ABSTRACT Ronel Erwee The aims of this paper are to a) share information about the focus, aims, structure and examination