Lord Ashcroft International Business School

Transcription

1 Lord Ashcroft International Business School

2 Lord Ashcroft International Business School Dean of School: Dr Trevor Bolton Pro Vice Chancellor and Dean of the Lord Ashcroft International Business School Telephone: Address: LAB322a (Cambridge) Cambridge Campus East Road CB1 1PT Deputy Dean Prof Gary Packham Deputy Dean (Research and Enterprise) Telephone: Address: LAB 322a Cambridge Campus East Road CB1 1PT Programme Leader: Dr Robert Willis LAIBS - Director of Research Degree Students Telephone: rob.willis@anglia.ac.uk Address: MAB211 (Chelmsford)/ LAB322 (Cambridge) Cambridge Campus East Road CB1 1PT Programme Administrator: Sandra Di Eleonora Telephone: sandra.di-eleonora@anglia.ac.uk Address: LAB 322, Lord Ashcroft Building Cambridge Campus East Road CB1 1PT 1

3 Table of Contents Foreword... 4 Administration and Programme Management... 5 Academic Team... 5 Lord Ashcroft International Business School Introduction Educational Philosophy of the Anglia Professional Doctorate Programme The Lord Ashcroft International Business School Doctor of Business Administration Programme The aims of the Lord Ashcroft International School DBA Programme Structure of the DBA Programme The Two-Stages DBA Structure Aims and Assessments Criteria for the Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Research, MProf and DBA Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Research (PGDipProf) Professional Masters (MProf) Professional Doctorate The DBA Submission of Work Period of Registration Research Student Training The Postgraduate Research Training Framework Three - Stage Generic Research Training Framework Research Training Programme Indicative Research Workshop Outlines A ssessment and Progression Assessment Requirements Assessment of Stage 1 (all candidates) Progression from Stage 1 to Stage 2 (MProf and DBA candidates only) Academic and Organisational Support Supervisors Internal mentors Faculty Monitoring Procedures Annual Monitoring Review Meeting Application for Ethics approval

4 10. ProgressPlatform Student Support Student Representation and student voice Research Student Charter and Research Degrees Handbook Indicative Reading Library and ICT facilities Library Provision Faculty contact list Appendix Appendix

5 Foreword Welcome to the Lord Ashcroft International Business School. The decision to embark on doctoral study represents a big step for everyone. It is never taken lightly, and it signifies a commitment to certain professional and academic values. The Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) has been designed to enable those who undertake the programme to: Increase their professional capabilities Make a positive contribution to their organisations Produce publishable level research This handbook has been written with the student in mind. It explains how the programme operates and how the academic and administrative aspects link together. We hope that you find this Handbook to be helpful in explaining how the DBA works. We wish you every success in your studies 4

6 Administration and Programme Management The DBA programme will be overseen by the Director of Research and student progress is monitored by the Faculty Research Degrees Sub-Committee. The Faculty Research Degrees Sub-Committee reports to both the University Research Degrees Committee and the Faculty Board. Candidate progress is also monitored by the Faculty and Research and Development Services through an Annual Monitoring Report. Candidates are required to identify if they have met their objectives for the year, review their progress and set objectives for the coming year. The process requires input from the supervisors and a signing off by both candidate and First Supervisor. Reports are discussed at the Faculty Annual Monitoring Panel for feedback to candidates, Faculty Research Degrees Sub-Committee and the University Research Degrees Committee. The administration for the DBA is handled by Sandra Di-Eleonora, based in the Research and Business Development Team. All course details, files and materials are held within the research support team. From time to time it is necessary to contact each candidate. Thus, it is important that our records are both correct and up-to-date. The course team share with Sandra the hope that candidates will inform them as soon as any significant alterations occur to their personal details (such as changes to personal and work addresses, phone numbers, fax numbers or addresses). However, you also need to update your e-vision account (please refer to the edit personal details link). All personal details are held in accordance with the current data protection regulations. No information will be issued to persons outside the University without permission of the candidate concerned. Academic Team The following tutors will be involved with the DBA programme: 1. Dr Robert Willis Director of Research Students and supervisory team member 2. Dr Andy Armitage Research Candidate Training and supervisory team member 3. Simon Evans Research methods and supervisory team member 4. Dr Swetketu Patnaik -- Senior Lecturer - International Business 5. Dr Hassaan Khan -- Lecturer in Finance and Assistant Director of Studies 6. Dr Nektarios Tzempelikos -- Senior lecturer in marketing 5

7 Lord Ashcroft International Business School Lord Ashcroft International Business School (LAIBS) is one of the largest Business Schools in the east of England with over 70 full-time teaching staff, about 3500 students across Cambridge and Chelmsford campuses, and a range of awards suitable for undergraduate and postgraduate students who wish to follow their studies by full or part-time mode. The 21st century is a natural time to be more sharply focused on the future and the opportunities it presents. Here at LAIBS, we have planned exciting and flexible programmes which address the present and future needs of organisations. LAIBS has built an enviable reputation as a centre of excellence for business and management and is well known, not only within the region, but throughout the United Kingdom and in many other countries across the world. We have well established partnership agreements with higher education institutions across Europe, in North America, the Caribbean and Malaysia and these support the School's distinctive international mission. All our programmes of study have been designed to ensure flexibility, choice and relevance. Our business courses are structured to encourage you to develop your creativity, enterprise and problem-solving abilities as part of a wide range of relevant work skills that will make you attractive to potential employers. We place a high priority on the quality of our teaching and have an enviable reputation for preparing students for employment in an increasingly competitive, international environment. 6

8 LAIBS has a growing research reputation in practice-based research and international management practice. Some examples of our key areas of research are: Department of Accounting, Finance and information Managements (AFIM) Department of economic, International Business and Operation Management (EIBOM ) Department of Human Resource Management, Organisational Behaviour and Tourism (HOT) Institute for International Management Practice (IIMP) Department of Marketing, Strategy and Enterprise (MSE) Regulation, corporate governance, social responsibility and sustainability Management accounting and risk management Auditing and Tax Finance and reporting Corporate, public, and behaviour finance Economics, microeconomics and macroeconomics Heterodox economics Operations management Sustainability and management Land economy Innovation and technology management Philosophy of economics Organisation studies Sustainable tourism Leadership Corporate social/global responsibility Organisational Behaviour Human Resource Management Well-Being/Resilience Digital economy and innovation, big data Health-care technology Innovation in construction Economics of the Internet Entre-tainment (entrepreneurship and popular culture) Small business regulation and growth Open innovation Competition policy Marketing and consumer behaviour Enterprise and entrepreneurship Strategy and strategic management 7

9 1. Introduction In registering to undertake a DBA, you will be expected to carry out study on advanced research skills, leading to the submission of a research-based thesis. The thesis is the cumulative outcome of doctoral level study, which includes the implementation of a project that will make an original contribution to both academia and professional practice. In studying for a DBA, it is important that candidates feel part of the wider research community. In addition to your DBA colleagues, you will spend time in workshops with candidates on other research degree programmes within the Lord Ashcroft International Business School and you are encouraged to establish peer self-help groups. Additionally, you will meet candidates from disciplines across the University to expose you to opportunities for cross-disciplinary working and research solutions. The relationship between the candidate and their supervisory team is the most significant and important relationship during your programme of study. Built up over a number of years, this relationship is the key to successful completion of your research. Your supervisory team are your first port of call for both academic and pastoral support. At the Lord Ashcroft International Business School we see the completion of a DBA as being built upon a team approach between doctorate candidates and supervisory teams. In undertaking doctoral study, candidates and University each have certain responsibilities. Candidates should therefore ensure that they are familiar with the Research Degree Regulations. These documents provide all relevant information on, research degree processes from enquiry to graduation, research degree criteria and guidance on ethics procedures for the conduct of research. Along with this programme handbook, these provide information, guidance and advice on what is required from the candidate by the Faculty during the course of the programme, including the progression milestones. Please read these documents carefully as they are intended to answer many of the frequently asked questions from candidates and their employers. 8

10 2. Educational Philosophy of the Anglia Professional Doctorate Programme The underlying educational philosophy for the Professional Doctorate programme draws upon the following beliefs and values: Practitioner-based research demands an integral involvement by the researcher with intent to change the organisation. This intent may not succeed - no change may take place as a result of the intervention - and the change may not be as intended Practitioner-based research must have some implications beyond those required for action or generation of knowledge in the domain of the project. It must be possible to envisage talking about the theories developed in relation to other situations. Thus it must be clear that the results could inform other contexts, at least in the sense of suggesting areas for consideration As well as being usable in everyday life, practitioner-based research demands valuing theory, with theory elaboration and development as an explicit concern of the research process If the generality drawn out of the practitioner-based research is to be expressed through the design of tools, techniques, models and methods then this, alone, is not enough - the basis for their design must be explicit and shown to be related to the theories which inform the design and which, in turn, are supported or developed through practitioner-based research Practitioner-based research will often be concerned with a system of emergent theory. Here the theory develops from a synthesis of that which emerges from the data and that which emerges from the use, in practice, of the body of theory that informed the intervention and research intent Theory-building, as a result of practitioner-based research, will be incremental, moving through a cycle of developing theory-to-action-to-reflection-to-developing theory from the particular to the general in small steps What is important for practitioner-based research is not a (false) dichotomy between prescription and description, but recognition that descriptions will be prescription, even if implicitly so. Thus presenters of practitioner-based research should be clear about what they expect the reader to take from it and present it with a form and style appropriate to this aim For good quality practitioner-based research a high degree of systematic method and orderliness is required in reflecting about, and holding onto the research data and the emergent theoretical outcomes of each episode or cycle of involvement in the organisation For practitioner-based research, the processes of exploration of the data - rather than collection of the data - in the detecting of emergent theories and development of existing theories, must either be replicable or, at least, capable of being explained to others 9

11 The full process of practitioner-based research involves a series of interconnected cycles, where writing about research outcomes at the latter stages of a practitioner-based research project is an important aspect of theory exploration and development, combining the processes of explicating pre-understanding and methodical reflection to explore and develop theory formally Adhering to the ten characteristics above is a necessary but not sufficient condition for the validity of practitioner-based research It is difficult to justify the use of practitioner-based research when the same aims can be satisfied using approaches (such as controlled experimentation or surveys) that can demonstrate the link between data and outcomes more transparently. Thus in practitionerbased research, the reflection and data collection process - and hence the emergent theories - are most valuably focused on the aspects that cannot be captured by other approaches In practitioner-based research, the opportunities for triangulation that do not offer themselves with other methods should be exploited fully and reported. They should be used as a dialectical device which powerfully facilitates the incremental development of theory The history and context for the intervention must be taken as critical to the interpretation of the likely range of validity and applicability of the results of practitioner-based research Practitioner-based research requires that the theory development, which is of general value, is disseminated in such a way as to be of interest to an audience wider than those integrally involved with the action and/or with the research. 10

12 3. The Lord Ashcroft International Business School Doctor of Business Administration Programme The Lord Ashcroft International Business School DBA is a professional doctorate. As with DBAs in other British Universities they offer a route to a doctorate degree, and thereby the title of Doctor, that is different from the traditional Ph.D. The DBA programme gives particular attention to the development of candidates in their respective areas of professional practice. The development of this range of transferable competencies, relevant for today s business world, is achieved through the vehicle of a practitioner centred research investigation. The DBA therefore places a high value on the transferability of research findings to and from the workplace. Thus, a key characteristic of this award is that it recognises the workplace as both the field for, and the beneficiary of, high quality research. Rather than add to their traditional workload, candidates should seek to integrate and diffuse their doctoral studies within their job. The aim is that your work becomes your research, and your research becomes your work. These features were expressed by the Association of Business Schools in their Guidelines for the Doctor of Business Administration Degree report, 1997, paragraph 3.1 and 3.2: The DBA is primarily designed to enable a significant contribution to be made to the enhancement of professional practice in the business area through the application and development of theoretical frameworks. This may be contrasted with the PhD, which places more emphasis on the development of new knowledge and theoretical perspectives. The DBA is, therefore, about researching real business and managerial issues via the critical review and systematic application of appropriate theories and research to professional practice. These beliefs guided the design and development of the Lord Ashcroft International Business School DBA. Since all candidates on the programme are employed as full time managers or business leaders, their place of work is accepted as the arena in which they would normally undertake their research. The workplace of candidates should be seen as their laboratory for research and a unique fieldwork location for their various investigations. However, candidates have to recognise the consequential research issues that follow from such a close relationship to their field of investigation. Issues of reliability, rigour, validity, and demonstrating an appropriate balance between objectivity and subjectivity have particular significance for candidates as they undertake, and report on, their research. 11

13 There are a number of characteristics that are similar for the social science PhD and the DBA regarding their respective intellectual traditions. These are portrayed in Figure 1: Features of Doctoral Research. It should be noted that whilst all doctorates are required to make a contribution to knowledge there are additional features of doctorateness that are sought in doctoral level research and writing. The balance of importance between these variables will be explored at length during the programme. Advances knowledge Satisfies refereed criteria for publication Develops theory and builds models Receives moderation by peers Doctoral Research Demonstrates critical use of extensive literature Accords with expected academic standards Provides apprenticeship in Research methodology Displays rigorous methodology Figure 1: Features of Doctoral Research 12

14 Due to the emphasis upon improving practice, one significant tendency differentiates the traditional PhD from the DBA. This particular feature occurs as candidates approach the task of designing their research and then undertaking their fieldwork. The origins of this difference are found in the proximity of candidates to their respective fields of research, the PhD researches away from home, whilst the professional doctorate researches on home ground. The conceptual implications of these two approaches are displayed in Figure 2: Iterations within doctoral programmes: Contribution to understanding practice, below. Starting point for designing and then undertaking research PHD Theory DBA Practice Practice Theory Theory Practice Findings and Conclusions Figure 2: Iterations within doctoral programmes: Contribution to understanding practice The Professional Doctorate also differs from the PhD in that it: Is interventionist in its relationship to the topic being investigated Adopts an applied, or problem focused, approach to research Recognises the role of clients as hosts for, and disseminators of, research findings Enhances the development of candidates (as managers) through the undertaking and use of their research These features may appear in any social science PhD, but they illustrate the uniqueness of the DBA because of their imperative to involve candidates in advancing professional learning in their own working situations. Their status and rigour, like the PhD, is reflected in the production of a researchbased thesis. The scholastic standard of all doctorates is moderated by the involvement of external examiners who judge the attainment of candidates against criteria that are universally accepted. It must be recognised that there is no universal model for the DBA. However, there are characteristics that, to a greater or lesser extent, appear in the philosophy and design of all such 13

15 awards. These have been incorporated into the Lord Ashcroft International Business School DBA programme. These characteristics are outlined in the following paragraphs. The DBA offers an opportunity for managers, as learner/researchers, to study in the company of likeminded colleagues who share relatively common professional experiences. The DBA, as research degree, recognise the importance of management experience and postgraduate study as prerequisites for entry. This combination gives a ready-made forum where the personal development of managers can evolve. It is accepted, within the DBA, that the employer-employee relationship is the forum where research findings can be valued, and mutual expectations will exist regarding the achievement of organisational goals. The context has a central role in the development of the learner/researcher, since it provides the source of research and it is where the findings from that research are disseminated and could be implemented. Learning and the development of professional capabilities for learner/researchers also occur at work. Thus the working environment represents an important influence upon the type of research that is undertaken for the DBA, and the setting where the professional development of candidates will be fostered. Research in most DBA s will be of an applied, or action, nature. These two research approaches reflect particular beliefs in the utility of social inquiry. This is an explicit social and personal value that is common to all Professional Doctorates. Therefore, the selection of research topics is likely to involve learner/researchers in discussion with their colleagues to ensure that their proposed research is relevant to the workplace. This process, however, must protect the integrity of the learner/researcher who, alone, is responsible for the submission of the thesis upon which the award of the doctorate is made. Findings from research undertaken on this programme are expected to benefit the employing organisation in which learner/researchers have undertaken their research. This places a premium upon the relevance of that research as judged by its utility and potential transferability into contemporary professional practice. Such judgements are made in addition to those of the academic merit of the research as contained in the thesis. Central to the philosophy of the programme is the place of professional development. More than anything else this distinguishes the DBA from the PhD. It represents the link through which each of the other characteristics ultimately provides benefit to learner/researchers and their host organisations. These philosophical views on management development and the role of research are reflected in the aims and objectives of this doctoral programme. The programme of study places considerable emphasis upon candidates taking responsibility for their own learning and for determining the relevance, and focus of their three research-based assignments and their thesis. 14

16 4. The aims of the Lord Ashcroft International School DBA Programme The aims of the DBA are to: 1. Prepare candidates to assume increasing professional responsibility in the areas of strategic planning and decision-making in which they would possess capabilities of designing, interpreting and conducting research projects 2. Provide opportunities for candidates to test theories of organisation and practice in their own workplace and so to advance professional and management practice by their findings 3. Develop those research skills appropriate to organisational and management development 4. Equip candidates with the ability to contribute at all levels of their professional activity through sponsoring and commissioning solution-orientated research 5. Develop in candidates a professional sympathy for, and a proven capability in, research as a vehicle for policy improvement, the sharing of ideas and the generation of explanatory tools grounded in theories that are relevant to contemporary management practice These aims will be addressed through objectives that build on earlier respective Masters studies, enabling candidates to: Recognise and develop their own professional capabilities through the interactive processes of self-reflection and critical analysis Become effective managers of research projects through the possession of appropriate skills, knowledge, abilities and direct personal experience Develop research-based models from their own research findings, which account for emerging strategies within their own type of organisation Fulfil a developmental role in the management of research with others, thereby making positive contributions to the cultural, professional and learning cultures of their respective organisations Undertake assignments which display a high level of rigour, and are capable of being accepted for publication in refereed journals Be equally at ease when discussing research within the industrial community and the academic community As a consequence of meeting these aims and objectives, candidates who are awarded the DBA will possess expert knowledge in their chosen field of research through acknowledged scholarly achievement. They will also have made an original contribution to the understanding and application of contemporary management practice through their research. 15

17 4.1 Structure of the DBA Programme The structure and timeline for the overall DBA programme is given in Figure 3: A timeline of the DBA structure. Registration for DBA Enter Stage 1 of Programme: 3x7000 word Papers Duration: Months Submit RD1 proposal to FRDSC and RDC approval Exit with PG Diploma IN Professional; Practice Enter Stage 2: Research Implementation Viva Voce Examination months Submit to FRDSC for Confirmation of Candidature Exit Professional Masters (Mprof) RDC Approval of Confirmation of Candidature Submit Thesis Viva Voce Examination months Award of DBA Figure 3: a timeline of the DBA structure 16

18 4.2 The Two-Stages DBA Structure Stage 1 of the programme involves workshops and seminars on problem definitions, critically analysing the literature, research methodology and research design and leads to the preparation of three papers totalling a maximum of 21,000 words. The role of Stage 1 is developmental in that it builds up the candidates ability to critically reflect on business practice at an advanced level, develops an understanding of the techniques and methodologies applicable to practitioner research, deepens the candidates understanding of their own professional practice and enables the candidate to design a research project that is capable of generating new knowledge relating to professional practice. Upon successful completion of Stage 1, candidates may progress to Stage 2 of the programme or be awarded the Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Research In Stage 2, candidates undertake original research culminating in the production of a thesis, which is examined in a viva voce. Candidates continue to attend workshops and seminars throughout Stage 2 of their programme. Candidates are also required to keep a log of all their supervisory meetings and a record of all supervisory logs is required to be attached to the Annual Monitoring Form. For the Professional Masters, candidates will be expected to display academic rigour and the capacity to produce publishable work. In advancing their understanding and practice within their profession, candidates will demonstrate an awareness of research as a mechanism for integrating theory and practice. Some originality in the application of knowledge or methodology to business practice is a prerequisite at this level. DBA candidates are required to have conducted original research or other advanced scholarship that satisfies peer review and extends the forefront of the discipline. Within the thesis, and at the viva voce examination, candidates will demonstrate a critical and contextually appropriate application of techniques for original research, effective communication, critical and independent reasoning appropriate to doctorate level enquiry. 17

19 5. Aims and Assessments Criteria for the Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Research, MProf and DBA The DBA is therefore a doctoral-level programme that has two intermediary awards the Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Research and the Professional Masters. As illustrated in Figure 3, candidates may exit at the appropriate level with the appropriate award. Each of these awards has specific aims: 5.1 Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Research (PGDipProf) AIMS 1. To advance knowledge within a specific profession. 2. To provide participants with opportunities to deepen understanding of their professional and/or voluntary practice. 3. To enable candidates to develop research skills relevant to professional practice. 4. To enable candidates to display academic rigour. 5. To assist in the personal development of professionals and their ability to reflect on and examine critically their own professional activity. 6. To develop research skills and understanding to enable the design of a research project capable of generating new knowledge and understanding of professional practice. 7. To develop awareness of research as a vehicle to integrate theory and professional practice. ASSESSMENT CRITERIA Successful candidates for the award of Professional Diploma will be expected to demonstrate: 1. A systematic acquisition and critical understanding of knowledge, that is mostly at the forefront of the academic discipline and area of professional practice. 2. The ability to reflect on and examine critically their own professional activity. 3. The ability to conduct research in accordance with academic and professional ethical standards 18

20 4. A critical evaluation of techniques and/or methodologies applicable to practitioner research, and, critical and independent reasoning appropriate to advanced academic enquiry. 5. The ability to design a research project that is capable of generating new knowledge and understanding of professional practice. 6. The ability to conceptualise understanding so as to evaluate critically current research in the discipline and/or area of professional practice. 7. The qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment requiring the exercise of personal responsibility and, where appropriate, autonomous initiative in planning tasks at a professional or equivalent level. 8. The ability to communicate findings clearly and effectively. 5.2 Professional Masters (MProf) AIMS 1. To advance knowledge and practice within a specific profession. 2. To provide participants with an increased range of opportunities to deepen knowledge and understanding of their professional and/or voluntary practice. 3. To enable candidates to develop comprehensive research skills especially relevant to professional practice. 4. To enable candidates to display academic rigour and the capacity to produce publishable work. 5. To assist in the continuing personal and professional development of reflective practitioners across a range of contexts and institutions and contribute to the development of competencies in a range of professional occupations. 6. To develop research skills that enable participants to critically evaluate different research designs and select the most appropriate, on the basis of relevance to professional context and area of application. 7. To develop awareness of research as a vehicle to integrate theory and professional practice. 19

21 ASSESSMENT CRITERIA Successful candidates for the award of MProf will be expected to demonstrate: 1. A systematic acquisition and critical understanding of knowledge, that is mostly at the forefront of the academic discipline and area of professional practice. 2. The ability to reflect on and examine critically their own professional activity. 3. The ability to conduct research in accordance with academic and professional ethical standards. 4. A comprehensive and critical understanding of techniques and/or methodologies applicable to practitioner research. 5. A critical and contextually appropriate application of techniques for original research, and, critical and independent reasoning appropriate to advanced academic enquiry. 6. Originality in the application of knowledge or methodology in the discipline and/or area of professional practice. 7. The ability to conceptualise understanding so as to evaluate critically current research in the discipline and area of professional practice. 8. The qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment requiring the exercise of personal responsibility and, where appropriate, autonomous initiative in planning and implementing tasks at a professional or equivalent level. 9. The ability to communicate findings clearly and effectively. 5.3 Professional Doctorate The DBA AIMS 1. To advance new knowledge and practice within a specific profession, through original research or other advanced scholarship. 2. To provide participants with opportunities to deepen knowledge and critical understanding of their professional and/or voluntary practice. 3. To enable candidates to develop comprehensive research skills including those relevant to professional practice. 4. To enable candidates to display a high level of academic rigour and the capability to produce publishable work in appropriate peer-reviewed journals and conferences. 5. To assist in the continuing personal and professional development of reflective practitioners across a range of contexts and institutions and contribute to the development of competencies in a range of professional occupations. 20

22 6. To develop a holistic awareness of the research process including its value as a tool for integrating theory and professional practice. ASSESSMENT CRITERIA Successful candidates for the award of DBA will be expected to demonstrate: 1. The systematic acquisition and critical understanding of a substantial body of knowledge that is at the forefront of the academic discipline and area of professional practice. 2. The ability to reflect on and examine critically their own professional activity. 3. The ability to conduct research in accordance with academic and professional ethical standards. 4. The ability to create and interpret new knowledge, through original research or other advanced scholarship that is of a quality to satisfy peer review, extend the forefront of the discipline, and merit publication. 5. The ability to integrate theoretical and professional-practical perspectives, knowledge and understanding in such a way as to generate mutual critique, and reformulation of theory and of professional practice. 6. The ability to conceptualise, design and implement a project for the generation of new knowledge, applications or understanding which are at the forefront of the discipline or area of professional practice. 7. A critical and contextually appropriate application of techniques for original research, effective communication, critical and independent reasoning appropriate to advanced academic enquiry. 8. The qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment requiring the exercise of personal responsibility and, where appropriate, autonomous initiative in complex and unpredictable situations, and in professional/institutional or equivalent environments. 9. The ability to communicate findings clearly and effectively. 5.4 Submission of Work You will submit all your written work through the Turnitin/Grademark software, which allows for your work to be checked for originality (i.e., the avoidance of poor academic practice/plagiarism) and to provide electronic feedback on your work. You can find more information about Turnitin/Grademark on 21

23 5.5 Period of Registration The standard periods of registration are normally: Minimum Maximum Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Research 16 months 30 months Professional Masters 30 months 48 months DBA 36 months 72 months Shortening the Period of Registration Where there is evidence that a candidate is making exceptional progress, the Research Degrees Committee may approve a shorter minimum period of registration. Extending the Period of Registration The Faculty Research Degrees Sub Committee may consider requests from candidates to extend their period of registration. Periods of extension shall not normally be approved for more than six months at a time. Change of Programme Registration Candidates may request to change the programme on which they are registered, subject to the approval of the relevant Programme Director. 22

24 6. Research Student Training Attendance at Workshops Candidates are normally expected to attend all workshops designed for the Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Research/Professional Masters/DBA programme. Candidates are also required to attend the Three-Stage University-wide Research Training, unless the Faculty Director of Research grants exemption from all or part of this training. Candidates are strongly encouraged to attend the annual Research Student Conference. Candidates are encouraged to take advantage of the further training offered through Research, Development and Commercial Services (RDCS), Human Resources and the faculties. In addition, candidates are advised to take advantage of national training events and training opportunities external to our University. 6.1 The Postgraduate Research Training Framework Research students are offered a range of training at Anglia Ruskin University; attendance at the three-stage generic training and, for those who teach, training for teaching, is compulsory. The key elements of the Postgraduate Research Training Framework are: The Skills Diagnostic - is a tool for students to assess themselves against the Research Council s skills template, which is a range of competencies and techniques that it is recommended doctoral candidates should have acquired by the end of their programme of study. From the Skills Diagnostic, the student and his/her supervisor should identify any additional skills they feel that he/she needs to develop and subsequently find relevant training to attend in order to address this. It should be recorded in the student s Personal Development Plan, which forms part of the Research Student s Annual Monitoring Report. University-wide Generic Skills Three Stage Training this is compulsory for all students unless the Faculty Director of Research/Faculty Research Degrees Coordinator has provided an exemption from any element of the programme. The training, which is run through Research, Development and Commercial Services (RDCS), provides central guidance and support to all research students during the course of their research studies. 6.2 Three - Stage Generic Research Training Framework These programmes are held on the Cambridge and Chelmsford campuses and normally consist of workshop-style sessions tutored by RDCS members of staff working with colleagues with research degree expertise. The Generic programme is comprised of a compulsory three-stage programme, 23

25 delivered by the University s Research and Development Services. Delivery is spaced over the duration of study, and, as indicated below, is aligned with the formal progression points: Stage 1 (Year 1, 17 hours): Early phases of study Induction; What is a doctorate? How to survive as a research student Relationships with supervisors Student training awareness and Personal Development Plans (PDP) Planning the initial stages of research The research proposal Personal responsibilities of research students Stage 2 (Year 2/3, 12 hours): Mid-phases of study; Writing and presenting a research paper Developing effective presentation skills Issues and problems in academic writing Preparing for Confirmation of Candidature approval Stage 3 (Final year, 6 hours): Later phases of study; Preparing for the Viva Voce examination The thesis Roles of supervisors, examiners and independent chairs In addition, Research, Development and Commercial Services provide introductory sessions on ethics and training for research candidates who teach. Whilst these are optional, attendance at the latter may be expected if you do take on a teaching role. You will also receive an invitation to attend the Annual Student Conference, which brings all University research students together. The annual Research Student Conference is primarily aimed at postgraduate research students, supervisors and research administrators. The day comprises poster and paper presentations from research students, presentations from guest speakers and parallel workshops Research students can also attend different training and workshop organised by the faculty and University: - LAIBS Faculty runs training that is subject-specific and complements the three-stage generic training provided by Research and Development Services. - The University-wide Additional Skills Training Programme this is provided by the Human Resources Department for both staff and students and includes sessions such as Interview Skills, Assertiveness and Information Technology. - Training for postgraduate students who teach that meets the requirements of Level 1 of the National Framework for lecturing in Higher Education. 24

26 Other training has been provided in response to an identified need, for example, RefWorks, research ethics, statistics, SPSS, careers training. All the information related to the Research Students training (i.e. calendar, programmes) is available at Research Training Programme It is a requirement that candidate s undertake and complete the DBA specific workshops for the awards. The main programme consists of six two-day seminar/workshops scheduled over the Stage 1 period. This programme runs continuously. These sessions may be Master class tutorials that encourage informal discussion, or sessions based specifically on presentations of the candidates own work. 6.4 Indicative Research Workshop Outlines The following illustrates the indicative content of the research workshops to be held. The content of these workshops can be adapted depending on the requirements of the specific cohort and market needs. Stage 1 Workshops 1. Induction An induction workshop will be held for each cohort. During this induction, candidates will be introduced to the DBA academic team. During this workshop, candidates will: Be introduced to the connection between theory and practice and the nature of research questions Examine the nature of doctorate level study Analyse the requirements of the DBA programme Undertake an initial examination of areas for research 25

27 At the completion of this workshop, candidates should understand: The nature of doctorate level work The requirements of the DBA programme How to undertake an analysis of their organisation The relationship between management theory and practice How to develop research questions 2. Management Research Paradigms and Implications for Management Practice This workshop will begin to analyse the context within which the research will take place. The key focus is on exploring the generic and specific issues that the organisation(s) face. It will involve group activity based on emerging themes highlighted by participants and form the basis of a discussion of paper 1. Within this workshop, candidates will produce a poster of the initial area they will be examining and present this poster for discussion. During this workshop, candidates will: Clarify the area they will be researching Discuss the main issues facing their organisation Create a poster of their overarching research area Present and discuss their poster to their peers for group discussion At the completion of this workshop, candidates should understand: The relationship between the context of their research and the main issues they will be focusing on The importance of strategy and strategic change and its impact on management practice How to present their research area in a concise poster format How to defend their area of research 3. Undertaking a Structured Literature Review During this workshop, candidates will be introduced to the structured approach to undertaking a literature review. This will involve both a theoretical and practical application of this process. Depending on the requirements of the cohort, a specific area of management practice will be used to apply this approach to existing literature. This workshop will form the basis of paper 2, which will explore the extant literature in the candidates area. During this workshop, candidates will: Undertake an identification and justification of a research topic Explain why the topic is important to investigate Formulation research aims, objectives and questions that relates to a specific area Develop a conceptual map of the topic area and issues At the completion of this workshop, candidates will understand: 26

28 How to use existing academic literature relating to a specific research topic The process of undertaking a structured literature review using key words and strings and Boolean operators to create article selection list The use Refworks (or any other referencing tool) as an aid to referencing 4. Conceptualisation During this workshop, candidates will undertake a conceptualisation of their research area. This will build on the work undertaken in workshop 3 and allow the candidate to explore, in detail, the key relationships they wish to explore. This workshop provides a precursor for paper 3, which will focus on which are the appropriate methodologies to explore the relationships highlighted in the conceptualisation. During this workshop, candidates will: Use the literature to create a general conceptualisation of their area of research Discuss this initial conceptualisation with their peers Refine their conceptualisation in relation to the key themes they wish to explore Re-conceptualise their area of research At the completion of this workshop, candidates will be able to: Provide a justification for the area they will be researching Create a focused conceptual framework for their area of research Articulate the key connections they will be exploring during their research Provide an initial discussion of the approach they will be taking to their research 5. Research Methodology During this workshop, candidates will be introduced to the approaches to undertaking a piece of practice-based research. It will focus on the research process itself, in terms of specific research methods, data gathering and analysis. During this workshop, candidates will: Examine various methodological issues and techniques Examine how to design and manage a thesis Undertake a case study of a participant observation/action learning project Formulate a research proposal At the completion of this workshop, candidates will be able to: Provide a justification for the methodological approach they will adopt Discuss the limitation of various methodological techniques Identify the relevance of specific techniques for practice based research Structure a research proposal 27

29 6. Preparing a Research Proposal and gaining Ethical approval During this workshop, candidates will: Explore what makes a good research proposal Outline the key parts of their research proposal Discuss the ethical implications of their research Undertake activities relating to preparing a research proposal Undertake an activity relating to their ethics application At the completion of this workshop, candidates will be able to: Create a draft ethics proposal Understand the key ethical issues relating to their area of research Complete the ethics application form For home-based candidates, workshops will be supplemented my monthly meetings, were specialist members of academic staff will provide targeted input in relation to both methodological and subject area issues. For international candidates, a block delivery system will be put in place, which will provide additional input and ensure that parity of treatment is observed. Stage 2 Workshops 1. Writing a DBA These workshops will explore the process of writing specific chapters of the thesis, including: Writing styles Writing an abstract Chapter layout Focusing on core themes Connecting your chapters Examining and assessing thesis content 2. Writing a Practice-based research paper for publication During this workshop, candidates will structure a research paper from their chosen area. This will involve analysing research papers in terms of their structure, content and contribution to management practice. At the completion of this workshop, candidates will be able to: Structure their work in an appropriate fashion for publication Understand the protocol of publishing Understand an editor s perspective on publishing 28

30 3. Peer presentation and colloquia Candidates will be invited to submit an abstract of their research for discussion by their cohort. During the workshops, the abstracts will be used to identify issues that could from the research in the examination of the thesis. The thesis submission process and the viva voce examination explained. 4. Mock viva All candidates will be offered a mock viva, in preparation for their final submission. Electronic Resources In addition to workshops and seminars, candidates and supervisors will form part of an on-line research community through the Virtual Environment learning. The aims of this on-line community are to: Foster a buddy system between candidates Provide candidates and supervisors with a learning resource linked to specific topics Provide self-help discussion rooms Provide a forum for constant interaction Provide access to wider internet and research resources All candidates and supervisors will be registered users of this site. This will form a central component in the delivery of the programme, and include: On-line publication of candidate working papers Candidate-led discussion areas Virtual writings groups Specialised research methodology discussion areas Research training package 29