The Road Less Traveled: A Nontraditional Path to Teaching and Scholarship

This article is about the assessment of the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) degrees that were developed in the UK in the 1990s. The article is based on a content analysis of the 16 DBA programmes in the UK at the end of 1999. It evaluates the assessment methods found against: the assessment of students’ achievement on traditional Doctor of Philosophy degrees (PhDs); the guidelines on the assessment of DBA candidates produced by the Association of British Business Schools; and the espoused intended learning outcomes of the DBA programmes themselves. The main conclusion is that there is a tension in the assessment methods employed by DBAs through their relationship with the traditional PhD. The tension is captured in the question: should programme developers follow the assessment methods of the “gold standard” PhD or should they use assessment methods that assess the learning outcomes of the DBA that distinguish it from the traditional PhD?

PurposeTo explore the nature (component parts, degree structure) and purpose (intended outcomes) of the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) degree, identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the degree as they stand presently, using Australian experience.Design/methodology/approachA review of DBA programme offerings in Australia identified commonalities and differences in these offerings, and provided information necessary to propose strategic and theoretical implications of DBA education.FindingsThe paper demonstrates areas of confusion surrounding the purpose and nature of the DBA degree, especially as a research degree in comparison to the PhD. It concludes that quality controls are needed to ensure that this growing addition to management education adds to, and aids, the goal of strengthening management research, in ways that link theoretical insights with management practice.Research limitations/implicationsTheoretical and practical implications of the DBA degree are offered, as well as the extent to which the DBA addresses the educational needs of students and its benefits to the university.Practical implicationsThe paper provides data useful to administrators interested in establishing a DBA degree in their institution, for researchers wishing to further explore and contribute to the discourse regarding the calibre and content of DBA degrees, and for students wishing to learn more about the fundamental differences between the PhD and the DBA.Originality/valueThis paper provides new information about the way the DBA degree is developing in an Australian context, and offers advice on issues that need attention in order to further ground the DBA in a combined research and practitioner ethic.

This article is about the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) degrees that were developed in the UK during the 1990s. It looks at the range of programme structures, content and learning support used. The article is based on a content analysis of the 16 DBA programmes in the UK at the end of 1999. The main conclusion is that there is a tension in the form and function of DBAs through their relationship with the traditional PhD. The tension is captured in the question: To what extent do programme developers follow the design of the ’‘gold standard” PhD and to what extent do they design a programme aimed at meeting the learning outcomes of the DBA that distinguish it from a PhD?

ABSTRACTThe doctor of business administration (DBA) degree is widely considered as a professional doctorate or professional doctoral degree that is designed to prepare business practitioners. The doctor of philosophy (PhD) in business, by contrast, is thought to prepare research scholars and higher education faculty members. Prior research conducted by the authors comparing the curriculum of DBA and PhD programs, analyzing accreditation and regulation of the degree programs and examining the terminal degrees of business faculty, did not support the theoretical difference between the two degrees. This study consisted of an analysis of 147 DBA versus 151 PhD dissertations. The analysis indicated a significant group mean difference in the number of PhD versus DBA dissertations in institutions with an R1 classification by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education. However, no significant correlations nor group mean differences were found in methodology choice, sample size, or research type (applied vs. basic), based on the degree type (DBA vs. PhD).

This study explains how to apply the Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) from the project management discipline to quantify uncertainty for the research phase in a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) degree. Doctorate programs are expensive and time consuming yet unfortunately they have high attrition rates (failure to complete). Although course work is very structured, the unpredictable nature, complexity and variability of research activities make a DBA program risky for students, supervisors, funding sources, and the university (due to high expectations and accreditation criteria). As the US Navy successfully applied PERT on their complex Fleet Ballistic Missile and Polaris Submarine Weapon projects, it is argued that this methodology could help quantify uncertainty and reduce risk in the doctorate research phase. Statistical techniques are utilized to test the hypothesis that PERT is a reliable task duration estimation and planning method for DBA research (based on a sample).

Publication Rights Reserved This paper is to be presented at the 39th Annual Fall Meeting to be held in Houston, Tex., on Oct. 11–14, 1964, and is considered property of the Society of Petroleum Engineers. Permission to publish is hereby restricted to an abstract of not more than 300 words, with no illustrations, unless the paper is specifically released to the press by the Editor of the Journal of Petroleum Engineers or the Executive Secretary. Such abstract should contain conspicuous acknowledgment of where and by whom the paper is presented. Publication elsewhere after publication in JOURNAL OF PETROLEUM TECHNOLOGY or SOCIETY OF PETROLEUM ENGINEERS JOURNAL is granted on request, providing proper credit is given that publication and the original presentation of the paper. Discussion of this paper is invited. Three copies of any discussion should be sent to the Society of Petroleum Engineers office. Such discussion may be presented at the above meeting and, with the paper, may be considered for publication in one of the two SPE magazines. Introduction Drexel Institute of Technology has recently been charged by its Trustees with entering into doctoral level education. To do so will require that the resources of Drexel be spread to include additions of new faculty, provide additional teaching and laboratory space, and the appropriate research equipment. This increase of research activity will also require the acquisition of additional funds to support graduate students and other associated staff personnel. Since in its current stage of planning and development Drexel is not greatly unlike many southwestern universities, it is hoped that this brief case history of our recent planning will be of some interest to this audience. It is perhaps pertinent to begin with some brief philosophical remarks, followed by a bit of background on our Institution. In recent years there has been increasing discussion concerning the special nature, if any, of engineering doctoral research as contrasted with research in the other areas of physical science. In general, the graduate research programs of academic institutions are under the administration, at least for policy guidance, of a graduate dean. He supervises all programs in which M. S., Ph. D. and other broad degrees are granted, but does not oversee professional degrees such as Doctor of Medicine and Doctor of Business Administration. This classical structure is not always in the best interests of engineering students, since the general degree requirements may not allow the inclusion of certain desirable features of modern engineering education. Drexel Institute of Technology awards baccalaureate and master's degrees in business administration: engineering; home economics; and the physical sciences, including chemistry, mathematics, and physics. It also grants the master of science degree in library science. All programs have students in a cooperative work-study program, with engineering and science being exclusively so. Drexel is a large engineering school, usually ranking about fifth or sixth in B. S. degree production. Furthermore, its engineering enrollment has been relatively stable during the recent period of national decline. Drexel also has a large Master's program (currently over 300 M.S. degrees per year) conducted largely as a part-time, night operation, although full time programs are available. In addition Drexel operates a sizeable (2,700 students) and highly successful evening college, administered by a separate Dean, which afterwards baccalaureate degrees in engineering, business and the sciences. DOCTORAL PROGRAM PLANNING Like many similar urban universities, Drexel's physical plant is already strained and expansion is costly and difficult.

Sol Fleischman Jr., a distinguished architect in Tampa Bay, has left a lasting mark on the city’s architectural landscape through his innovative designs and community-focused projects. In a series of interviews conducted by Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) students, Fleischman detailed his life story, from his formative years to his professional achievements. Fleischman’s upbringing was shaped by his father, a well-known Tampa Bay sportscaster, and his entrepreneurial mother. Their influence instilled in him a strong work ethic, creativity, and a commitment to community service. After graduating from the University of Florida with high honors, Fleischman co-founded FleischmanGarcia Architects with Cuban refugee Eduardo Garcia. Despite facing significant challenges, including his partner unexpectedly passing after 13 years together, Fleischman’s resilience helped the firm thrive, contributing to over 1,000 projects in the Tampa area. Engagement in sports and community activities was integral to Fleischman’s personal and professional development. These Active Engagements facilitated networking and relationship-building, essential components of social capital, which Fleischman harnessed to advance his career. His story underscores the importance of relationships and community involvement in achieving professional success and personal fulfillment. Fleischman’s dedication to mentorship and community service reflects his belief in giving back to the society that supported his growth. His approach to leadership, emphasizing collaboration and active engagement, has fostered a supportive environment for young architects. Through his narrative, Fleischman illustrates the critical role of social capital in building a successful and fulfilling life, highlighting how interconnected relationships and community involvement form the foundation of personal and professional achievements.

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The paper presents empirical data concerning the utilisation of mixed method research in Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) research projects (theses). The Southern Cross University, Australia, DBA program was established in 1996 as a research degree and has successfully graduated over 250 graduates from a diverse range of countries across the globe. It is the largest DBA program in the Australasia. The research will present prevalence rates of mixed methods research utilised by doctoral candidates, data will be presented on the most frequently used data collection methods and research approaches within the field of business and management, with empirical data from a number of countries including Australia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia. Emergent issues with regard to the use of mixed methods research in business and management research and the teaching of mixed methods are discussed.

Doctoral education in the United States forms a huge and diverse enterprise. Seen from the outside, American graduate education is often hailed as the "gold standard" to which other nations and academic institutions aspire. From the inside, however, doctoral education faces many challenges. This article provides some basic information concerning doctoral education in the United States and will focus attention on the challenges facing doctoral education. While some U.S. analysts would disagree, my basic perspective is that American graduate education in general and doctoral education in particular is largely successful and effective. The system of doctoral education as it has evolved in the United States over the past century and a half serves both the academic system and society reasonably well. Indeed, many of the problems facing doctoral education are engendered by the system's success. Some of the challenges facing doctoral education relate to broader societal forces while others are internal to the academic system. Doctoral education needs to be viewed alongside broader trends in American higher education, and especially graduate education.The doctorate, especially the Ph.D., is the pinnacle of a large and complex higher education system. This essay focuses mainly on the Ph.D. degree, the research-oriented doctorate, and not on the increasingly important professional doctorates such as the doctor of business administration (DBA), the doctor of law (JD), the doctor of education (Ed.D.), and others, although some attention will be paid to these degrees. Doctoral study also is related to graduate education generally-master's degrees in many fields including the traditional arts and sciences and in numerous professional fields (Conrad, Haworth, and Millar 1993). Postdoctoral study is also not considered in detail in this discussion, although in many fields in the physical and biomedical sciences a postdoctoral research appointment is increasingly considered part of research training and is quite common. Doctoral education cannot be separated from cither the American academic research enterprise or the arrangements for teaching large numbers of undergraduates in the larger research-oriented universities (Graham and Diamond 1997). Doctoral students, especially in the sciences, are an integral part of the research system. They provide the personnel at relatively low cost who do much of the research under the supervision of senior professors. The research grants provided by government agencies such as the National Science Foundation and many others, by private philanthropic foundations, and increasingly by corporations are the sources of funding for graduate assistants who work on research while studying for their doctorates. In many cases, dissertation topics relate to the funded research. This system of financial support for doctoral study and basic research works well for American higher education. It ensures financial support for students as well as faculty mentorship and supervision for them, and it ensures a steady source of labor for research projects. These research funds are awarded on a competitive basis, and as a result the bulk of financial support for doctoral students in the sciences goes to the prestigious research-oriented universities. Doctoral students in all disciplines, but especially in the social sciences and humanities, serve as teaching assistants and sometimes as lecturers for undergraduate courses. In return for modest stipends and tuition scholarships, doctoral students provide much of the teaching in large undergraduate courses. Typically, they work under the supervision of a senior professor and conduct discussion sections for students as well as helping with grading and evaluation. In some cases, advanced doctoral students independently teach courses. In the sciences, doctoral students may help with laboratory supervision. Funds for teaching assistants generally come directly from the university. …

Policy priorities for gender and entrepreneurship Read here about policy suggestions from an academic-practitioner collaboration for gender and entrepreneurship. In this article, she has paired up with Ms Jessica Carlson, a policy professional and Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) student at the University of Calgary, to share a comprehensive set of queries currently salient to policy practitioners working at the intersection of gender and entrepreneurship. In doing so, Carlson and Jennings hope to stimulate future academic research at this nexus that is more likely to be “accessed, appreciated and acted upon by policy-practitioners” (2024: 1). They also hope to encourage others to form academic-practitioner collaborations as a means of researching the identified set of policy-oriented queries.

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