Non-supervisory support for doctoral students in business and management: A critical friend

Abstract

Today's doctoral students will have a major role in educating tomorrow's students, so how do we want to shape their doctoral experience? Should this be a lone, unsupported journey as they try to find their way among institutional regulations, periodic supervisory inputs and milestones, or should Business Schools look for some way to integrate and support their doctoral students as is often done in science and technology Schools? This paper reviews available academic literature on doctoral completion, the impact of social isolation and the relevance of online and offline support communities on that completion. Business researchers are particularly diverse compared with other doctoral groups, employing a variety of soft and hard disciplines and methodologies and this makes it more difficult to connect meaningfully with their peers. International students may be particularly vulnerable. The research questions driving this study are: what kind of support needs arise at different stages of the doctoral journey for these students and what opportunities derive from facilitated or peer-led support communities to offer that support? A phased model is proposed to guide policy and initiatives in this area.