The Doctorate is very different from Master or Bachelor-level studies. It is very different from any other kind of education. There is often no clear pathway or process support to tell doctoral students what to do next and how to do it. Doctoral students find few control points or mean to evaluate and understand if one is on track and where one is in the research journey.
Consequently, benchmarking oneself with others is extremely difficult. And as the saying goes: “You can´t manage what you can´t measure”.
We therefore put together this brief check list for aspiring practitioner doctoral scholars about what to consider once looking for a suitable Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) Programme. Having said that, the ten key points are perhaps equally valis for any doctoral programme…
Here are the ten key points to consider:
- Structuredness of the Programme: Theoretical coursework versus applied learning approaches versus self-directed learning.
- Research Scoping: Finding the sweet spot between freedom of choice and getting overwhelmed and stuck.
- Mastering the Trio: Understanding and navigating the research-problem / research question / outcome expectation trio.
- Supportive Network: The research topic and the role of the supervisor and who else is supporting the development.
- Research Methods: Why the research method will lend itself to you, and how related studies are your greatest friend.
- Benchmarking Opportunities: Learning together and learning from how others do.
- Progress Measurement: Availability of regular control points and tracking progress.
- The Element of Time: What happens if I can’t keep up the pace? And how to stay connected to your peers?
- Viva Preparation: Why it all boils down to the Viva – and how to prepare for that day well ahead of time.
- The Aftermath of the Doctorate: What to expect from a reconfigured version of you (and how to handle yourself).
- Structuredness of the programme: Theoretical coursework versus applied learning approaches versus self-directed learning.
The first provides the theoretical base, applied learning as the second trains the skills that are needed, while self-directed learning as the third will develop your independent scientific research capabilities.
Therefore, it is critical to understand what is developed when, where and how within your doctoral programme of choice.
Most of the programmes provide some sort of theoretical coursework, but how do they support you in your applied learning once you are undertaking the research?
And equally important, how do they nurture the uptake of the applied learning into self-directed independent learning and progression?
- Research scoping: the thin line between freedom of choice and getting overwhelmed and stuck.
Students are often given the freedom to explore and formulate their own research topics.
This very same freedom is however often constituting a strong factor why students get overwhelmed and stuck.
It is sort of allowing children the freedom of choice of what to eat and do, and which very well results in sweets and gaming.
And as much as children benefit from parental guidance, so do doctoral students as they scope the topic of their research.
So, if you are interested in undertaking research on productivity, then the scoping of the research might very well focus on ineffectiveness of the production process, or on matters related to something that appears at first to be rather very far away from the subject of choice.
It, therefore, is important to understand how your programme of choice is supporting you in the research scoping process, initially and through the remaining research journey.
- Understanding and navigating the research-problem / research question / outcome expectation trio.
If the outcome expectation of the research is “our organisation must be more innovative”, then students often put forward research questions, such as “how could our organisation be more innovative?”
Unfortunately, this question is however not framed in a way that it explores any research problem, but just asks for a solution.
And while we do want a solution, it is the problem end over which the scientific research process is working.
So how do you then assure, that there is a match in between the desired outcome expectation that is motivating you, and the underlying, and often still unknown, research problem? And how can you derive a question from a problem that is still not known to you?
Fortunately, navigating this trio is something that can be learnt and trained. And, therefore, you might want to assure that your programme of choice is getting you covered on that end.
- The research topic and the role of the supervisor and who else is supporting the development.
You have an excellent supervisor who’s well published in organisational culture and intelligence.
However, your research increasingly suggests the actual research problem concerns financial resource management. Or in other words, the area of research excellence of your supervisor turned out not to be the area of excellence that your research is going to cover.
The question then is, how to resolve this apparent dilemma?
Moreover, for many doctoral research projects the understanding of what the research problem actual is, is the final outcome of the research. And if the topic is not clear until the very end, what type of support would you then be needing?
It is for exactly those reasons that doctoral programmes need to be prepared to support the student through the entire journey and step by step into developing their research project further and having access to just the right subject expertise, and whatever that expertise might be.
- Why the research method will lend itself to you, and how related studies are your greatest friend.
It’s not uncommon for students to dedicate great effort deciding on the most appropriate research method(s).
What is often less well considered, is that research evolves over time. Frequently, time is needed to develop deeper understanding of the nature of the subject matter being researched, known as ontology, so as to fully appreciate how it may be examined best, known as epistemology.
Prior studies and related research will assist. in developing the correct skill. And as a result of this, it is the method that is lending itself to you gradually and automatically, and in a very structured manner.
Actually, there is not much need for students to actively ‘imagine’ what methods they would ‘want’ to use in their research.
Consequently, doctoral programmes should provide active training and guidance to prepare students on identifying prior and related studies, and how to derive fitting methodologies.
- Encountering benchmarking opportunities: Learning together and learning from how others do.
Benchmarking is a great way to learn from and with others and to orientate and compare oneself.
Learning from others is important. Hence, scientific conferences and other methods of meeting other researchers working in your discipline is an essential element of academia. Continual benchmarking throughout your doctorate is highly recommended.
However, knowing where to go and who to meet may be daunting.
Therefore, well designed doctoral programmes provide structured means for benchmarking with those at the same development stages, and with those already further ahead. So do not forget to check out what your prospective programme is offering to you in this regard.
- Measurement of progress and availability of regular control points.
Being a doctor or not being a doctor comes typically down to passing the Viva Voce that is, however, taking place at the end of the journey only.
But how do you measure your progress in the meantime? And how reliable and robust are such measures?
Knowing how to measure progress is really helpful to seeing what you’ve achieved and what still needs to be done.
In selecting a doctoral programme, a crucial question therefore is: What are the regular control points I’ll encounter and how will I be assisted to take corrective action?
- The element of time: what happens if I can’t keep up the pace? And how to stay connected?
Time is finite. Completing your doctorate within a reasonable time period is important.
Many students, for a variety of reasons, run unfortunately out of time when studying for a doctorate. This is even more likely for those studying for a practitioner doctorate such as the DBA.
Students must learn to balance work and studying as well as all other competing pressures including family. And while this is important, it is usually not the most critical element of time.
Being disconnected and falling behind, without knowing on how to catch up again are the real critical elements that make students quit and fail.
Well-designed doctoral programmes provide dynamic support systems at which each research stage can be adjusted to the exact time requirements of the respective student. This provides students with the exact time that they need, and it keeps them connected to peers, by taking away stress and anxiety at the same time.
- Why it all boils down to the Viva – and how to prepare for that day well ahead of time.
You are either a doctor or you are not. It is all about the passing of the Viva.
However, well prepared students are actually those that don’t need that much time for Viva preparation. The reason for such is that they’ve learnt what it takes to survive the doctoral journey and understand what’s ahead in order to reach the end point.
Well prepared students will have discussed, presented, defended, and adjusted their research continuously through their research journey.
Well prepared students will have a clear understanding about what worked well and what did not, and how things have progressed and changed over time.
Therefore, it is important that doctoral programmes provide both: structured means that allow students to get prepared through their research journey, as well as a supportive learning environment that keeps a record of the personal developments.
- The aftermaths of the doctorate: What to expect from a reconfigured version of you (and how to handle yourself).
This tenth and last question is frequently overlooked. To many it is likely even entirely unknown. What are the aftermaths of the doctorate?
Bear in mind that the doctoral journey is transformational; probably more so than any other journey you undertake. You will think differently, see things differently, will start to naturally work over evidence and logic, will have abilities that most of those around you won’t have, and many other matters that impact professional and private life alike.
Have you ever asked yourself, what do you believe you want to do in the future and how can attaining a doctorate help you to achieve your aspirations? It is such type of questions and more that should be nurtured as part of a healthy discussion on how to react to a changing you and what are the possible next steps once the Viva Voce has been passed.
That’s it. Now you are ready to go and find yourself a suitable DBA programme!
Having said that, you are also very much welcome to check out our fully supported DBA Programme.
And for those that already started their doctoral journey, be welcome to check out our Research Support Programme.