DOCTORATE IN BUSINESS

ADMINISTRATION (DBA)
Supervision and Examination
Criteria

Presented by: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nik Maheran Nik Muhammad

Faculty of Business Management
UiTM Kelantan.
DBA and PhD supervision and
examination criteria:
1. What are the issues?

2. What are the differences between DBA and PhD

• DBA vs PhD

3. DBA program structure in Malaysian University

4. Supervision and Examination criteria

• Issues of ‘Contribution’
• Content/report presentation
• Supervisors expectation

5. Proposed framework.
ISSUES / PROBLEM
IDENTIFICATION

• Given that the DBA dissertation could be different from a

PhD thesis, how should it be supervised and examined?

• In many circumstances, the criteria used to examine DBA

dissertation and PhD thesis are the same although focus
of both program are different

• the criteria used by examiners for DBA dissertation are

not standardized and there is no clear, agreed definition
of that which constitutes a ‘contribution’—a major criterion
for some research theses
ISSUES

• Lack of consistency across institutions regarding

the nature of examining and qualifying DBA
program particularly on the dissertation reports.
DBA vs. PhD

GENERAL DIFFERENCE :
• DBA (Professional doctorate program) requires a
portfolio of course work, seminar presentations, and
industry-relevant research reports. Encourages the
candidate for more applied outcomes.

• PhD (Traditional doctorate) focus on single PhD thesis.

Expected to contribute to new body of knowledge.

• DBA is a professional doctorate for managers and the

PhD is a professional doctorate for academics.
DBA vs. PhD
MAJOR DIFFERENCES:

1. Qualifications and knowledge on entry into the

program;

2. Focus of the program (learning outcome); and

3. The nature of the doctoral report

1. DBA dissertation is only partial requirement and the PhD is full.
2. Duration to do research for DBA is shorter and the PhD is over
a longer time period of time.
3. the thesis requirement is heavier for PhD than DBA

(Association of Business Schools, 1997; Bourner, Bowden & Laing

2001 ;Perry and Cavage, 2002).
(1) Qualifications and
knowledge on entry into the
program

DBA PhD
1. DBA usually requires an MBA degree PhD program requires at least a
or the equivalent, two-semester masters/honours
award
2. significant executive or
management/professional experience
in the public or private sector

(Bourner, Bowden & Laing 2001;

USM, 2008)
(2) The focus of the program
(Learning Outcome)
DBA
1. Research Capabilities:
• The DBA is a professional doctorate
for managers or management
professionals,
• To carry out research project in
terms of management practice
within organization.
• DBA program’s focus on
managerial outcomes and
implications
PhD
Research Capabilities:
• focuses on a contribution to
academic literature and prepares
usually younger students for a
career in academic research.
• ability to make original
contribution to knowledge in
chosen field of study

2. Professional Development:
• Capacity to plan and manage own
learning and continuing
professional development

3. Knowledge of Business Management:

• Understanding theories and practice in
Business and Management.

(Bourner et al. 2001, Lockhart & Stablein 2002)

(3) DBA and a PhD is the
doctoral report
DBA PhD
1. • DBA focuses on the management problem – • Research problem with regards to gap in
delimited to the context of a particular the literature
industry and/or country.
• PhD focuses on how to develop
• ‘implications for management’ section of the new body of knowledge
final chapter could highlight issues for
management practice and so should be a • Emphasize on application of theory and
major part of the DBA dissertation further research
2. • Action-related research. • Basic research
• Contribution to knowledge of practice, • Contribute to academic theory
• DBA candidates are expected to be able to
show that their research has had an impact
on their professional practice
3. DBA theses/dissertations were required to be at PhD thesis is normally about 60,000 words to
least 45,000 words in length and maximum of 100,000 word (Phillips & Pugh, 1994).
60,000 words
4. the literature and methodology chapters in a Rigor and extensive
DBA dissertation may be less extensive than
the equivalent chapters in a PhD thesis

(Association of Business Schools 1997, Bourner et al. 2001).

DBA PROGRAMS IN MALAYSIA
Table 1

DBA program structure at different university.

Compre-
Institution

Consultation/ Total Duration

Course work Dissertation hensive
training Units (years)
exam
Units % Units % Units % Units
Group 1 – Malaysia Public University (Mode 2)
UKM 38 60% - - Partial 40% 2 3½-5
UiTM 36 70% - - Partial 30% 1 48 3½-5
Group 2 – Malaysia Public University (Mixed mode)
USM 18 22% 21 26% 42 52% none 81 3½-5
UUM 33 50% 6 10% 27 40% none 66 3 ½ -5
Group 3- Malaysian Private University
MMU 42 56% - - 32 43% none 74 3-7
Group 4 – Australian Affiliated
SEGI 80 40% - - 20 60% none 240** 3-9
(UoN)
MIM 34% 66% none
(RMIT)
ITD 34% 66% none
(UNISA)

* Training in Research methodology capabilities.

* *MBA + DBA ( 80 units + 160)
SUPERVISION THE DBA
dissertation

1. CONTRIBUTION

2. CONTENT / REPORT PRESENTATION

3. EXPECTATION OUTCOME
SUPERVISION THE DBA
dissertation

1. Issues of “Contribution”
“ something nobody has said before and/or
carrying out empirical work that has not been
done before”

• DBA award is aimed at making a contribution to

practice…
• PhD ‘‘is principally intended to develop
academic..…
SUPERVISION THE DBA
dissertation……cont.

2. CONTENT – emphasize
• research-coursework for DBAs should be more
flexible than research-only PhDs.
• Less rigorous
• Less exhaustive - literature reviews
• Less extensive - methodology
• Focus on managerial problem (instead of bridging the
gap of the literature/theory) example
• Emphasized on managerial/practical implication
(theoretical implication)
Table 4: Structure of DBA – Research Portfolio (Australian University)
Research Words
Component Content (Approx.)
Research or a review of the literature on a topic of interest to
candidates, that contribute to background of the study; motivation of 10,000 words
Stage 1
the study (problem statement); objectives; research questions;
significant of the study.
Research or a review of the literature on a topic of interest to
candidates, and which may not necessarily be related to the key research 10,000 words
topic in Stage 3.
Stage 2 AND
Research methodology
OR
An exploratory case study
Discrete Research Report - Findings and data analysis (including tables 40,000
and figures but excluding references and appendices)
words and no
AND
Building on research from stages 1 & 2, to provided discussion and more than
Stage 3 conclusion but not a overlap work in work completed in stages 1 & 2 50,000
Examiners are reminded that a professional doctorate such as the DBA is
both theoretically -and practically-focused, and should include implications
for practice for both the profession generally and the workplace specifically.

Therefore, examiners should expect to see considerable discussion of the

practical implications of the study findings in the final chapter.
SUPERVISION THE DBA
dissertation……cont.
3. The question remains as to the level of
specialization of a DBA supervisor, or
differences in supervising DBA versus PhD
candidates – supervisor’s expectation:

• In many cases these supervisors of DBAs have graduated from

research-based PhDs and are often skeptical about the DBA
program.
– Unless if they were part of the design-, accreditation- or program advisory teams
(Kemp 2002).

– Therefore, the supervisors need to have a good understanding of the objectives

of DBAs (researching professional vs. researching academicians)
EXAMINING THE DBA
dissertation AND PhD Theses
IMPORTA
CRITERIA NT
DBA PHD
RANK

Research apprenticeship 1 capacity to conceive, plan and conduct

research; capable of working independently.
Aims to develop academic
aims to develop researching professionals researchers

Report Presentation: 2
1. Length 1. 40,000 – 60,000 words 1. 60,000 to 100,000
2. Rigorousness words
2. Moderate and flexible 2. Exhaustive
3. Focus
literature/methodolo
4. Theory
3. the applied nature of the DBA research gy
report(s) in terms of strategic
implications and outcomes- focused than 3. Basic/Fundamental
methodology research

4. application of appropriate theories and 4. a gap in the literature

research to professional practice
EXAMINING THE DBA dissertation
AND PhD Theses…Cont.
IMPORTA
CRITERIA NT
DBA PHD
RANK
Contribution: 3  implication to managerial practice.  new theory and
carried out  greater emphasis should be tied to new body of
original/significant the implications for managers and knowledge
research in the field; major
professional practice  Academic
advancement;
contribution
contribution to knowledge
in the field

Literature: 4  less extensive  Very extensive

relevant to thesis, showing
understanding of the field
of research
Analysis of
information/data
Research question:
 gap of the theory
5 Less extensive Extensive
6 justification and delimitation to Highly focus on
managerial objective achieving theoretical
objective
EXAMINING THE DBA dissertation AND
PhD Theses…Cont
IMPORTA
CRITERIA NT
DBA PHD
RANK
Methodology: 7  appropriate choice Required extensive
DBA is targeted at individuals who wish to methodology
study their field in depth in order to improve
their professional practice, but who do not
wish to do this using the methodology of a
single research topic as required for a PhD

Research output: 8 1. suitable for publication 1. Must be publishable

1. Publishable 2. Applicable to business/managerial (original and new
2. Practical application context. contribution)

Conclusions: soundly 9  Research has had an impact on their a PhD thesis focuses much
based, showing professional practice. more on implications for
implications  ‘implications for management’ section theory and for further
of the final chapter could highlight issues research
for management practice and so should
be a major part of the DBA dissertation.
PROPOSED FRAMEWORK
for supervising and examining DBA dissertation
Theoretical and Practical - focused

CONTRIBUTION New knowledge for

managerial/professional practice

Impact to managerial practice

Length – 40,000 to 60,000 words

Problem statement
REPORT - practically-focused -
PRESENTATION
Literature review and Methodology
- Less extensive -
Discussion
- implication for management -
Capacity to conceive, plan and conduct
research independently
EXPECTATION
Practical application and suitable for journal
publication
CONCLUSION

• The DBA is designed to make a significant contribution to the enhancement

of professional practice in business administration (public and private sectors,
education, hospital, professional, and general management) through the
application and development of theoretical frameworks.

• In comparison, the PhD places more emphasis on the development of new

knowledge and innovative theoretical perspectives

• the DBA has different goals from a PhD, for the DBA is a professional
doctorate for managers rather than for academics.

• Research for DBA is partial requirement but full for PhD; duration to take the
research for DBA is shorter than PhD; requirements for DBA and Phd are
different…

• Criteria to examine DBA dissertation and PhD thesis should be different.

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