Part-time PhD program RESORG Nijmegen School of Management First edition: start fall 2010 The Nijmegen School of Management (NSM) of the Radboud University Nijmegen will launch a dual PhD program entitled "The Responsible Organisation '(RESORG) in September 2010. This program will consist of a four-year course for people who work and simultaneously want to pursue a PhD. Its focus is on fundamental and applied research on changing responsibilities of organizations and enterprises in the light of the increasing importance of issues of sustainability, trust and transparency. The program will revolve around the idea of multiple value creation for different stakeholders simultaneously. This text presents the main components of the PhD Program RESORG. Motivation Society is changing rapidly. Complex social and organizational problems are leading to many transformations. The relationship between business and society is changing fundamentally. The challenge of running a sustainable and responsible business is high on most corporate agendas. As a result, new demands are made on companies. These demands translate into issues concerning reputation, identity, value chains, responsibilities and risks. Often, it is unclear how the roles, responsibilities and functions of a business must be defined and implemented within these developments and changing requirements. The search for answers to these new requirements and expectations provides a variety of fundamental questions. A singular approach from a traditional and dominantly business/economic perspective has proven insufficient to meet these challenges. Increasingly, it is becoming clear that companies need to find innovative ways for developing responses to this changing landscape. Nijmegen School of Management The Nijmegen School of Management (NSM) of the Radboud University Nijmegen presents itself as a center of scientific knowledge and research of organizational, management and design issues of contemporary organizations in the public and private sphere. The NSM conducts research, publishes books and articles, both scientific and popular, and is an active contributor to the public debate on sustainability and corporate social responsibility. Additionally, the NSM organizes conferences and research seminars to spread knowledge and promote discussion. It is the NSM s ambition to provide a valuable contribution to society.
Changing demands, change in value creation. The NSM operates from a human-oriented and integrated perspective on business. Its education and research are aimed at providing an innovative contribution to changing organizational responsibilities, both now and in the future. Its central focus is on how sustainability and organizational responsibility can be effectively realized while taking into account the varying, and sometimes conflicting, perspectives of different stakeholders. We call this multiple value creation. Multiple value creation goes beyond the three P's of People, Planet and Profit, to also include the actual realization and justification of this value creation. Many companies have already started to implement this, but struggle with creating multiple values in their organization in a sustainable and responsible manner. Not surprisingly, there is a growing need for new solutions and insights. The search for answers that matter, calls for the launch of new, fundamental and applied research. It is of great importance to society to meet the demand for more graduates educated in these issues. The NSM takes its responsibility in this matter and offers the dual PhD program under the heading of RESORG precisely for that reason. NSM and the RESORG research program Within the Nijmegen School of Management, a wide variety of researchers is actively working on questions regarding sustainability, corporate social responsibility (CSR), identity, transparency, accountability, gender, strategy and organizational structures. These themes and related studies are brought together in a central research program called 'The Responsible Organisation' (RESORG). The RESORG program focuses on four major research areas: Organizing and implementing multiple value creation; Relationships, alliances and institutional arrangements; Building accountability and reliability; Analysis and management of internal and external stakeholder configurations. These research areas provide a clear overview of the research (and teaching) issues the NSM stands for. Research as a whole is focused specifically on why and how organizations (both profit and non-profit) shape their responsibility simultaneously on an economic, social and ecological level, within their organization. Part-time PhD RESORG The Nijmegen School of Management (NSM) is looking for candidates working in either a profit or non-profit organization, who have the ambition to pursue a PhD in the field of 'The Responsible Organisation"(RESORG). The PhD program focuses on research into the changing and new demands of organizations around the broad themes of organizational responsibility and sustainability. Potential candidates will need to have a number of years of appropriate professional experience, affinity with corporate
responsibility and a degree at Master level (obtained at a Dutch or foreign university). During the intake, candidates will be evaluated on whether they have the (potential) qualities to conduct academic (PhD) research, sufficient time to conduct this, and the basic skills to write and publish about their findings. Candidates in the program will be asked to develop and pursue an individual research topic related to one of the four research areas of the RESORG program. A short overview of the advantages of the PhD program 1. Successfully completing the program will result in an internationally recognized academic title, enhancing the career prospects of the participant. 2. The support offered to each candidate will include scientific supervision and customized training, offered by Dutch lecturers and supervisors, with input from visiting professors. 3. The aim of the program is to make research and education relevant to the candidate s occupation. This will ensure that results and findings will not only emerge at the end of the research, but that the research has an added value, over the four years of doctoral research, relevant to the candidate. 4. Candidates will receive continuous supervision by their thesis supervisors to encourage the successful and timely execution of their research and dissertations. No costs will be charged for this supervision. 5. The program s design creates ample learning opportunities between candidates, academics and third parties, thus encouraging the emergence of vibrant learning communities around RESORG-issues. 6. Access to a variety of scientific disciplines and associated researchers of the NSM will ensure a unique, multidisciplinary approach. The purpose of the RESORG program as a whole is to create a (dual) training and supervising structure for external PhD students, such that a candidate can achieve a fully defensible dissertation in four years. However, promotion is not guaranteed. Procedure Intake of candidates The intake of potential candidates will consist of three steps, both written and oral, and will be conducted by the program director, assisted by a full or associate professor. This intake is aimed at ensuring that the entry level of participants is up to standard and will enable the creation of an academic level playing field. During the intake, attention will be paid to the (potential) qualities of the candidates to conduct research, academic writing skills, publish capabilities and to the idea for research that the candidates provide in their application form.
The intake procedure: After applying through the application form, a candidate s application will be checked on whether he or she can be formally admitted to the program. If the candidate can be admitted, he or she will receive an invitation for an introductory appointment. Based on the introductory meeting and the first idea that the candidate has for his or her doctoral research, the candidate will be prompted to write a brief pre-proposal within a limited time span. This pre-proposal will form the primary subject for a second interview in the presence of the program director and one or more professors involved in the RESORG PhD Program. On the basis of this interview, a decision will be made as to the potential admission of the candidate. Time Investment In the RESORG PhD program, a candidate will be expected to conduct his or her research for two to three days a week. Following admission, the candidate s first year in the program will primarily be devoted to education and, simultaneously, developing the candidate s own research idea. The candidate will be individually supervised in this process by potential (co-) thesis supervisors and supported by a series of multi-day seminars on the university campus in Nijmegen. The program will mainly be focused on issues such as academic writing skills, doing a literature review, research methodology and methods and theory of science. Additionally, state-of-the-art developments around RESORG issues will be taught and discussed. Education will be provided by lectures and professors from the NSM and other internal and external guest speakers (from the Netherlands and abroad). The RESORG program will be conducted entirely in English. Duration Ideally, the overall PhD program will last four years and end with a full academic dissertation-defense ceremony at the Radboud University Nijmegen. During the four years of this PhD program, the candidate will receive no compensation. For those candidates starting in the academic year 2010-2011, there will be no costs associated with the educational program of the first year. The university will provide free, individual supervision throughout the PhD program in the subsequent three years. Given the intensity of the program, the aim is to start with a diverse group of, at maximum, 12 candidates, from the Netherlands or abroad.
Program The first year program is mainly devoted to education, in the form of a series of seminars, and the development of the candidate s individual research proposal. In specific cases, writing and submitting a funding application will also be part of this year. The research proposal will be developed through attending several seminars and the personal supervision of each participant. During the first year, the candidate will have to conduct an individual review of literature and possibly some exploratory research. Additionally, the candidate will be asked to write at least one article in this first year and submit this for publication, with close involvement of the participant s primary thesis supervisor. The end product of the first year program will be a research proposal and the defense of this proposal before a committee. The NSM will provide a (flex) workspace, supervision, 0- hour contract and access to facilities (Library, Internet, etc.). Seminars The first year course consists of eight to ten multi-day seminars, conducted in English. Participation in these seminars is mandatory. Topics covered in the seminars will be, among others, scientific theories, methodology and the practicalities of doing research. Further, theories, perspectives, approaches and concepts regarding RESORG issues will be examined and discussed. Lecturers will come from the Radboud University Nijmegen, as well as other universities, in order to rapidly process "state of the art knowledge and insights. Participants can then use this knowledge in developing their research proposal. The content of each seminar will be prepared by one or more lecturers, in agreement with the program manager. Where necessary, a dedicated educational committee within the NSM will also be consulted to guarantee an optimal combination of knowledge, experience and cultural and academic diversity. The lecturers involved are professors and associate professors and come partly from the Radboud University. Other lecturers will come from the network of universities associated with the NSM. Barring exceptions, all seminars will be held on the campus of the Radboud University Nijmegen. After the first year, three or four topical seminars will be organized each year to maintain and strengthen the bond between the candidates themselves and the NSM. The candidates research and related publications will contribute to the further development of the theme RESORG within the NSM. Through this contribution, candidates will help in creating a cohesive research community around the theme of corporate social responsibility. The entire RESORG program, literature and dissertation will be in English. Presentation of the research design The first year will be concluded with an individual presentation of the candidate s research proposal before the scientific committee. In this presentation, the research proposal will primarily be assessed on its theoretical foundation, adequate methodological choices and feasibility of the research. Additionally, the candidate s article and, if relevant, the status of the funding application will be examined. Passing this interim review is an expression of the committee s confidence in the realization of the research proposal within a period of three years. The candidate will then spend the
following three years of the program conducting his or her proposed research. Should the committee not be convinced by the research proposal during the interim review, the candidate might be advised to discontinue their participation in the RESORG PhD program. Consequently, admission to the first year of the program does not automatically guarantee admission to the full three year PhD program or a doctoral promotion! After the first year Following a positive advice by the scientific committee, each candidate will be assigned two thesis supervisors who will guide the candidate for the subsequent three years in developing and conducting his or her proposed research. This process should result in a doctoral dissertation that will be defended during a public ceremony at the Radboud University Nijmegen. The supervisors will be selected based on their expertise in the area of research, their availability and the candidate s personal preference. Aside from contact during the seminars and in regular correspondence, candidates and their supervisors will meet several times a year, at moments arranged in mutual agreements with the candidate. Guarantee of dedication, not promotion The aim of the RESORG PhD program is for candidates to complete the program in four years, with the actual defense ceremony taking place in the fifth year. Nomination for a promotion and appraisal of the dissertation will be conducted according to standard procedures of the Radboud University (http://www.ru.nl/phd/phd/doctoral_regulations/). The education, supervision and lectures are all structured towards realizing this goal. However, promotion is not guaranteed. Research Community After the first year, several seminars on topical issues will be for the candidates to attend. The goal of these seminars will be to create and shape an active Research Community. To this end, participants in the RESORG program will be invited to join the RESORG PhD Association. This association has the goal of organizing support activities by, for and with program participants. Supervisors Every supervisor is employed either as professor or associate professor at the Radboud University Nijmegen. Aside from their activities in research, teaching and supervision, all supervisors are directly or indirectly involved in some aspect of responsible and sustainable business practices, both within and outside organizations. Each thesis supervisor is willing to supervise at least one candidate during the first year and actively participate in educational activities during the seminars. This construction is aimed at realizing a close interaction between candidates, subjects and advisors. Lecturers and supervisors involved in the program are (in alphabetical order): Prof.Dr. Y. Benschop, Prof.Dr. E. de Gier, Prof.Dr. B. van der Heijden, Prof.Dr.P. Hendriks, Dr. J. Jonker (Program Director), Prof.Dr. H. van Kranenburg, Prof.Dr. F. Pot, Prof.Dr. Allard van Riel, Prof.Dr.M. Schoemaker, Prof.Dr. J. Vennix and Prof.Dr. E. Vosselman.
Planning The first edition of the part-time PhD RESORG program will start September 1, 2010. The presentation and defense of the individual research proposals will take place within the academic year 2010-2011. The actual presentations before the science committee are expected to be held late June 2011. All meetings are held on the campus of the Radboud University in Nijmegen, barring exceptions. Budget There are no costs involved for those candidates applying for the first edition of the program in academic year 2010-2011. Still, a decent fee will be charged (annually) for the RESORG PhD Association. In academic year 2011-2012, candidates starting their first year will have to pay a contribution to participate in the program. This contribution will be announced at the beginning of 2011. No payment is involved for participation in the remaining three years, provided candidates have been accepted for this part of the program. Candidates will receive no payment during the promotion process. Application Should you want to apply for the intake of the RESORG PhD program, please fill out the application form at: www.ru.nl/fm/resorg/intakeform For more information, please contact: Dr. J. (Jan) Jonker Program Director PhD School RESORG Nijmegen School of Management - Radboud University Nijmegen Phone number: +31 (24) 361.20.28 or (m) +31 (24) 3611860 Fax: +31 (24) 3611933 E-mail: j.jonker@fm.ru.nl Postal address: P.O. Box 9108, 6500 HK NIJMEGEN - The Netherlands