The Doctor of Business Administration ( DBA ) or ( DrBA ) is a terminal degree in business administration . The DBA is classified as a research doctorate or professional doctorate depending on the granting university and country where the degree was awarded. Academically, the DBA is awarded based on advanced study, examinations, project work, and advanced research in the field of business administration.
71-483: DBA candidates are required to submit a significant project, commonly referred to as a thesis , capstone project, or dissertation . This project consists of an extensive body of original academic research that possesses the potential for publication in a peer-reviewed journal. Candidates must defend their work before a panel of expert examiners, known as a thesis, dissertation, or doctoral committee. In addition, most DBA programs have coursework requirements. Along with
142-459: A doctoral degree are called theses or dissertations . At French-language universities, for the fulfillment of a master's degree, students can present a " mémoire "' or a shorter " essai "' (the latter requires the student to take more courses). For the fulfillment of a doctoral degree, they may present a "thèse" or an "essai doctoral" (here too, the latter requires more courses). All these documents are usually synthetic monograph related to
213-540: A doctorate . This is the typical arrangement in American English . In other contexts, such as within most institutions of the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland , the reverse is true. The term graduate thesis is sometimes used to refer to both master's theses and doctoral dissertations. The required complexity or quality of research of a thesis or dissertation can vary by country, university, or program, and
284-420: A 4-year bachelor's degree is sometimes called a major paper . High-quality research papers presented as the empirical study of a "postgraduate" consecutive bachelor with Honours or Baccalaureatus Cum Honore degree are called thesis (Honours Seminar Thesis). Major papers presented as the final project for a master's degree are normally called thesis ; and major papers presenting the student's research towards
355-449: A candidate must write magistrsko delo (Master's thesis) that is longer and more detailed than the undergraduate thesis. The required submission for the doctorate is called doktorska disertacija (doctoral dissertation). In pre Bologna programmes students were able to skip the preparation and presentation of a Master's thesis and continue straightforward towards doctorate. Executive DBA Council The Executive DBA Council (Edbac)
426-669: A committee and gaining their approval. Most of the norms and rules of writing a thesis or a dissertation are influenced by the French higher education system. In Italy there are normally three types of thesis. In order of complexity: one for the Laurea (equivalent to the UK Bachelor's Degree), another one for the Laurea Magistrale (equivalent to the UK Master's Degree) and then a thesis to complete
497-462: A comprehensive collection of Canadian theses at Library and Archives Canada (LAC) through a partnership with Canadian universities who participate in the program. Most theses can also be found in the institutional repository of the university the student graduated from. At most university faculties in Croatia, a degree is obtained by defending a thesis after having passed all the classes specified in
568-445: A copy of the dissertation will become a permanent part of the library collection), paper size , order of components, and citation style, will be checked page by page by the accepting officer before the thesis is accepted and a receipt is issued. However, strict standards are not always required. Most Italian universities, for example, have only general requirements on the character size and the page formatting, and leave much freedom for
639-428: A curated collection of articles . An ordinary monograph has a title page , an abstract , a table of contents , comprising the various chapters like introduction, literature review, methodology, results, discussion, and bibliography or more usually a references section. They differ in their structure in accordance with the many different areas of study (arts, humanities, social sciences, technology, sciences, etc.) and
710-457: A dissertation defense. Furthermore, both doctorates enable holders to become faculty members at academic institutions. The DBA and PhD in business administration are terminal degrees, allowing the recipient to obtain a tenure-track position in the United States; other countries' requirements may differ. In some cases, the distinction is solely administrative. For example, Harvard Business School
781-473: A distinct discipline. The increasing demand for advanced business education, coupled with the growing importance of research in the field, led to the establishment of doctoral programs focused on business administration. One of the earliest instances of a doctorate in business can be found at the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration, now known as Harvard Business School , which introduced
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#1732877349957852-515: A doctoral degree paper ( doktorska disertacija ). In the Czech Republic, higher education is completed by passing all classes remaining to the educational compendium for given degree and defending a thesis. For bachelors programme the thesis is called bakalářská práce (bachelor's thesis), for master's degrees and also doctor of medicine or dentistry degrees it is the diplomová práce (master's thesis), and for Philosophiae doctor (PhD.) degree it
923-409: A document continuously from the first page, independent of any printed page numbers. They, therefore, avoid the traditional separate number sequence for front matter and require a single sequence of Arabic numerals starting with 1 for the first printed page (the recto of the title page). Presentation requirements, including pagination, layout, type and color of paper, use of acid-free paper (where
994-456: A few universities follow the United States model for theses and dissertations. Some public universities have both British and US style PhD programs. Branch campuses of British, Australian and Middle East universities in Malaysia use the respective models of the home campuses. In Pakistan, at undergraduate level the thesis is usually called final year project, as it is completed in the senior year of
1065-661: A full dissertation, they still qualify as full academic doctorates. Similar to the United Kingdom, the DBA in Canada can only be granted by Universities Canada , consisting of accredited institutions and holds equal standing with a PhD (management) . The dissertation required for a DBA program differs primarily in focus but maintains the same breadth of study and academic rigor. DBA programs in Canadian institutions necessitate an original contribution to knowledge, overseen by an accomplished researcher as
1136-414: A strong theoretical foundation, while the research component requires students to undertake original research that contributes to the advancement of knowledge in a specific area of business administration. DBA programs typically attract professionals from a wide range of industries, including business, government, and nonprofit sectors. The diversity of backgrounds and experiences among DBA candidates enhances
1207-554: A student is required to write a thesis and to then defend the work publicly. The length of this manuscript usually is given in page count and depends upon educational institution, its departments, faculties, and fields of study At universities in Slovenia, an academic thesis called diploma thesis is a prerequisite for completing undergraduate studies. The thesis used to be 40–60 pages long, but has been reduced to 20–30 pages in new Bologna process programmes. To complete Master's studies,
1278-447: A thesis of 9 credits, at least one publication is normally considered enough for the awarding of the degree with project and is considered mandatory for the awarding of a degree with thesis. A written report and a public thesis defense is mandatory, in the presence of a board of senior researchers, consisting of members from an outside organization or a university. A PhD candidate is supposed to accomplish extensive research work to fulfill
1349-407: A thesis. This project is mostly given as a prerequisite writing course to the actual thesis and is accomplished in the term period before; supervision is provided by one professor assigned to a class. This project is later to be presented in front of an academic panel, often the entire faculty of an academic department, with their recommendations contributing to the acceptance, revision, or rejection of
1420-413: A university (with a Masters or PhD degree) depending on the university's examination rules. Required word length, complexity, and contribution to scholarship varies widely across universities in the country. In Poland, a bachelor's degree usually requires a praca licencjacka (bachelor's thesis) or the similar level degree in engineering requires a praca inżynierska (engineer's thesis/bachelor's thesis),
1491-452: Is a statement or opinion that may or may not be true depending on the evidence and/or proof that is offered (152b32). The purpose of the dissertation is thus to outline the proofs of why the author disagrees with other philosophers or the general opinion. A thesis (or dissertation) may be arranged as a thesis by publication or a monograph , with or without appended papers, respectively, though many graduate programs allow candidates to submit
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#17328773499571562-416: Is accomplished in the last term alone and is defended once. In most universities, a thesis is required for the bestowment of a degree to a candidate alongside a number of units earned throughout their academic period of stay, though for practice and skills-based degrees a practicum and a written report can be achieved instead. The examination board often consists of three to five examiners, often professors in
1633-503: Is an advocacy group formed in June 2011 at an inaugural meeting at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, USA. Edbac was formed to foster excellence and innovation in executive doctoral degree programs worldwide with the aim to provide networking and educational opportunities for professionals who serve and participate in executive doctoral degree programs. It is considered to be
1704-418: Is an accepted version of this page A thesis ( pl. : theses ), or dissertation (abbreviated diss. ), is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings. In some contexts, the word thesis or a cognate is used for part of a bachelor's or master's course, while dissertation is normally applied to
1775-505: Is called a soutenance . Since 2023, at the end of the admission process, the doctoral student takes an oath of commitment to the principles of scientific integrity In the presence of my peers. With the completion of my doctorate in [research field], in my quest for knowledge, I have carried out demanding research, demonstrated intellectual rigour, ethical reflection, and respect for the principles of research integrity. As I pursue my professional career, whatever my chosen field, I pledge, to
1846-574: Is dissertation dizertační práce . Thesis for so called Higher-Professional School (Vyšší odborná škola, VOŠ) is called absolventská práce . The following types of thesis are used in Finland (names in Finnish/Swedish): In France, the academic dissertation or thesis is called a thèse and it is reserved for the final work of doctoral candidates. The minimum page length is generally (and not formally) 100 pages (or about 400,000 characters), but
1917-412: Is mostly mandatory for the completion of a degree . Undergraduate students usually begin to write their final assignment in their third, fourth or fifth enrollment year, depends on the requirements of their respective disciplines and universities. In some universities, students are required to write a proposal skripsi or proposal tesis (thesis proposal) before they could write their final assignment. If
1988-465: Is often earned with multiple levels of a Latin honors remark for the thesis ranging from summa cum laude (best) to rite (duly). A thesis can also be rejected with a Latin remark ( non-rite , non-sufficit or worst as sub omni canone ). Bachelor's and master's theses receive numerical grades from 1.0 (best) to 5.0 (failed). In India the thesis defense is called a viva voce ( Latin for "by live voice") examination ( viva in short). Involved in
2059-460: Is often given in page count and depends upon departments, faculties, and fields of study. A bachelor's thesis is often 40–60 pages long, a diploma thesis and a master's thesis usually 60–100. The required submission for a doctorate is called a Dissertation or Doktorarbeit . The submission for a Habilitation , which is an academic qualification, not an academic degree, is called Habilitationsschrift , not Habilitationsarbeit . A doctoral degree
2130-410: Is usually several times longer (except for technical theses and for "exact sciences" such as physics and maths). To complete a master's degree in research, a student is required to write a mémoire , the French equivalent of a master's thesis in other higher education systems. The word dissertation in French is reserved for shorter (1,000–2,000 words), more generic academic treatises. The defense
2201-630: The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) and the European Quality Improvement System (EQUIS) provide accreditation to business schools and their programs, including the DBA. These accreditations assure prospective students and employers of the quality and relevance of the DBA degree. In Canada, the DBA is recognized as a terminal degree in business administration or management. While DBA programs in Canada incorporate aspects of professional practice in addition to
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2272-556: The Latin dissertātiō , meaning "discussion". Aristotle was the first philosopher to define the term thesis. A 'thesis' is a supposition of some eminent philosopher that conflicts with the general opinion...for to take notice when any ordinary person expresses views contrary to men's usual opinions would be silly. For Aristotle, a thesis would therefore be a supposition that is stated in contradiction with general opinion or express disagreement with other philosophers (104b33-35). A supposition
2343-674: The viva are two examiners, one guide (student guide) and the candidate. One examiner is an academic from the candidate's own university department (but not one of the candidate's supervisors) and the other is an external examiner from a different university. In India, PG Qualifications such as MSc Physics accompanies submission of dissertation in Part I and submission of a Project (a working model of an innovation) in Part II. Engineering and Designing qualifications such as BTech, B.E., B.Des, MTech, M.E. or M.Des also involves submission of dissertation. In all
2414-466: The Bachelor's Thesis is called TCC or Trabalho de Conclusão de Curso (Final Term / Undergraduate Thesis / Final Paper). In Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine an academic dissertation or thesis is called what can be literally translated as a "master's degree work" (thesis), whereas the word dissertation is reserved for doctoral theses ( Candidate of Sciences ). To complete both bachelor's and master's degree,
2485-671: The Doctor of Commercial Science (DCS) degree in 1920, and then, in 1953, the DBA. Beginning with the 2018-2019 academic year, the Harvard Business School DBA transitioned into an Interfaculty PhD in Business Administration. The longest running DBA program is the DBA program of Business School Lausanne (BSL), a private business school located in Lausanne, Switzerland, that was launched in 1987. The longest running DBA program in
2556-506: The Dottorato di Ricerca (PhD). Thesis requirements vary greatly between degrees and disciplines, ranging from as low as 3–4 ECTS credits to more than 30. Thesis work is mandatory for the completion of a degree. In Kazakhstan, a bachelor's degree typically requires a bachelor's diploma work (kz "бакалаврдың дипломдық жұмысы"), while the master's and PhD degree require a master's/doctoral dissertation (kz "магистрлік/докторлық диссертация"). All
2627-1011: The PhD or DPhil, the DBA represents the highest academic qualification in the field of business administration. Both the United States Department of Education and the National Science Foundation recognize the DBA as equivalent to the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree. Doctor of Business Administration programs have a dual purpose: contribute to business theory and further develop the professional practice (e.g. contribute to professional knowledge in business). Universities generally require candidates to have significant experience in business, particularly in roles with leadership or other strategic responsibilities. DBA candidates specialize in areas such as management science, information technology management, organizational behavior, economics, finance, and
2698-471: The USA is the DBA program of Weatherhead School of Management , a private business school of Case Western Reserve University , that was launched in 1995. During the mid-20th century, the DBA degree gained recognition as a professional doctorate that emphasized the practical application of knowledge in the business context. Many universities and business schools around the world began offering DBA programs to cater to
2769-509: The actual typographic details. The thesis committee (or dissertation committee ) is a committee that supervises a student's dissertation. In the US, these committees usually consist of a primary supervisor or advisor and two or more committee members, who supervise the progress of the dissertation and may also act as the examining committee, or jury, at the oral examination of the thesis ( see § Thesis examinations ). At most universities,
2840-545: The advisor) or other experts with a PhD degree (generally at least half of them must be external to the university where the candidate defends the thesis, but it may depend on the university). Each university / faculty defines the length of these documents, and it can vary also in respect to the domains (a thesis in fields like philosophy, history, geography, etc., usually has more pages than a thesis in mathematics, computer science, statistics, etc.) but typical numbers of pages are around 60–80 for MSc and 150–250 for PhD. In Brazil
2911-480: The body of the thesis . Correspondingly to the academic degree, the last phase of an academic thesis is called in Spanish a defensa de grado , defensa magistral or defensa doctoral in cases in which the university candidate is finalizing their licentiate , master's , or PhD program , respectively. According to a committee resolution, the dissertation can be approved or rejected by an academic committee consisting of
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2982-427: The cases, the dissertation can be extended for summer internship at certain research and development organizations or also as PhD synopsis. In Indonesia , the term thesis is used specifically to refer to master's theses. The undergraduate thesis is called skripsi , while the doctoral dissertation is called disertasi . In general, those three terms are usually called as tugas akhir (final assignment), which
3053-437: The chair, and defended orally (viva) before internal and external examiners. In the United States, the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in business administration are equivalent degrees. Also, both doctorates are viewed as research doctorates representing the highest academic qualification in business. As such, both DBA and PhD programs require students to develop original research leading to
3124-416: The committee is chosen by the student in conjunction with their primary adviser, usually after completion of the comprehensive examinations or prospectus meeting, and may consist of members of the comps committee. The committee members are doctors in their field (whether a PhD or other designation) and have the task of reading the dissertation, making suggestions for changes and improvements, and sitting in on
3195-450: The defense. Sometimes, at least one member of the committee must be a professor in a department that is different from that of the student. The role of the thesis supervisor is to assist and support a student in their studies, and to determine whether a thesis is ready for examination. The thesis is authored by the student, not the supervisor. The duties of the thesis supervisor also include checking for copyright compliance and ensuring that
3266-457: The degree programme. In the Bologna system, the bachelor's thesis, called završni rad (literally "final work" or "concluding work") is defended after 3 years of study and is about 30 pages long. Most students with bachelor's degrees continue onto master's programmes which end with a master's thesis called diplomski rad (literally "diploma work" or "graduate work"). The term dissertation is used for
3337-451: The degree, the name project usually implies that the work carried out is less extensive than a thesis and bears lesser credit hours too. The undergraduate level project is presented through an elaborate written report and a presentation to the advisor, a board of faculty members and students. At graduate level however, i.e. in MS, some universities allow students to accomplish a project of 6 credits or
3408-406: The differences between them. In a thesis by publication, the chapters constitute an introductory and comprehensive review of the appended published and unpublished article documents. Dissertations normally report on a research project or study, or an extended analysis of a topic. The structure of a thesis or dissertation explains the purpose, the previous research literature impinging on the topic of
3479-551: The dissertation requirements with international publications being a mandatory requirement. The defense of the research work is done publicly. In the Philippines, an academic thesis is named by the degree, such as bachelor/undergraduate thesis or masteral thesis. However, in Philippine English , the term doctorate is typically replaced with doctoral (as in the case of "doctoral dissertation"), though in official documentation
3550-431: The former is still used. The terms thesis and dissertation are commonly used interchangeably in everyday language yet it is generally understood that a thesis refers to bachelor/undergraduate and master academic work while a dissertation is named for doctorate work. The Philippine system is influenced by American collegiate system, in that it requires a research project to be submitted before being allowed to write
3621-478: The given degree. Examinations for PhD and Habilitation degrees are public. In Portugal and Brazil, a dissertation ( dissertação ) is required for completion of a master's degree. The defense is done in a public presentation in which teachers, students, and the general public can participate. For the PhD, a thesis ( tese ) is presented for defense in a public exam. The exam typically extends over 3 hours. The examination board typically involves 5 to 6 scholars (including
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#17328773499573692-485: The greatest of my ability, to continue to maintain integrity in my relationship to knowledge, in my methods and in my results. In Germany, an academic thesis is called Abschlussarbeit or, more specifically, the basic name of the degree complemented by -arbeit (rough translation: -work ; e.g., Diplomarbeit , Masterarbeit , Doktorarbeit ). For bachelor's and master's degrees, the name can alternatively be complemented by -thesis instead (e.g., Bachelorthesis ). Length
3763-439: The initial topic. In addition, the presentation of the research project will help the candidate choose their primary thesis adviser. An undergraduate thesis is completed in the final year of the degree alongside existing seminar (lecture) or laboratory courses, and is often divided into two presentations: proposal and thesis presentations (though this varies across universities), whereas a master thesis or doctorate dissertation
3834-490: The learning environment and promotes interdisciplinary collaboration. The DBA has gained recognition and accreditation from reputable academic and professional bodies such as the Executive DBA Council founded in 2011. Accreditation ensures that DBA programs meet specific standards of quality and rigor, and graduates of accredited programs are conferred with a reputable academic qualification. Accrediting bodies such as
3905-545: The like. As with other doctorate programs, curricula may be offered on a full-time or part-time basis. According to the European higher education standards set by the Bologna Process , the normal duration of research doctorate programs like the DBA and PhD is usually 3 to 4 years of full-time study. The responsibility for the structure of doctoral programs resides within the graduate research committees or their equivalent within
3976-464: The master's degree requires a praca magisterska (master's thesis). The academic dissertation for a PhD is called a dysertacja or praca doktorska . The submission for the Habilitation is called praca habilitacyjna or dysertacja habilitacyjna . Thus the term dysertacja is reserved for PhD and Habilitation degrees. All the theses need to be "defended" by the author during a special examination for
4047-585: The needs of senior executives and experienced professionals seeking to enhance their skills and contribute to the advancement of business knowledge. In recent years, the DBA has experienced significant growth and evolution, especially due to an increase in online courses. Business schools worldwide have recognized the demand for doctoral programs that combine rigorous academic research with practical relevance to address complex business challenges. Contemporary DBA programs often integrate coursework, research, and professional development components. The coursework provides
4118-605: The presentation of theses, for instance ISO 7144 . Other applicable international standards include ISO 2145 on section numbers, ISO 690 on bibliographic references, and ISO 31 or its revision ISO 80000 on quantities or units. Some older house styles specify that front matter (title page, abstract, table of content, etc.) must use a separate page number sequence from the main text, using Roman numerals . The relevant international standard and many newer style guides recognize that this book design practice can cause confusion where electronic document viewers number all pages of
4189-452: The proposal stage. DBA candidates then go through numerous internal moderations of the dissertation before submitting to external examinations (usually at least two). Finally, candidates usually revise their dissertations numerous times before final approval is granted from the doctoral committee. The origins of the Doctor of Business Administration can be traced back to the early 20th century when business education began to gain recognition as
4260-631: The regular publication of EMR, the Executive DBA Council publishes research related to the DBA. Most recently it published a survey in cooperation with the European Foundation for Management Development in 2023 exploring the question "What are the perceptions of business schools worldwide concerning the future of the Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) Market?". Since 2011 the Executive DBA Council or one of its member institutions host
4331-493: The required minimum study period may thus vary significantly in duration. The word dissertation can at times be used to describe a treatise without relation to obtaining an academic degree. The term thesis is also used to refer to the general claim of an essay or similar work. The term thesis comes from the Greek word θέσις , meaning "something put forth", and refers to an intellectual proposition . Dissertation comes from
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#17328773499574402-520: The student has included in/with the thesis a statement attesting that he/she is the sole author of the thesis. In the Latin American docta , the academic dissertation can be referred to as different stages inside the academic program that the student is seeking to achieve into a recognized Argentine University , in all the cases the students must develop original contribution in the chosen fields by means of several paper work and essays that comprehend
4473-504: The student's research work. A typical undergraduate paper or essay might be forty pages. Master's theses are approximately one hundred pages. PhD theses are usually over two hundred pages. This may vary greatly by discipline, program, college, or university. A study published in 2021 found that in Québec universities , between 2000 and 2020, master's and PhD theses averaged 127.4 and 245.6 pages respectively. Theses Canada acquires and preserves
4544-402: The study, the methods used, and the findings of the project. Most world universities use a multiple chapter format: Degree-awarding institutions often define their own house style that candidates have to follow when preparing a thesis document. In addition to institution-specific house styles, there exist a number of field-specific, national, and international standards and recommendations for
4615-406: The thesis director and at least one evaluator. All the dissertation referees must already have achieved at least the academic degree that the candidate is trying to reach. At English-speaking Canadian universities , writings presented in fulfillment of undergraduate coursework requirements are normally called papers , term papers or essays . A longer paper or essay presented for completion of
4686-412: The thesis proposal is considered to fulfill the qualification by the academic examiners, students then may proceed to write their final assignment. In Iran , usually students are required to present a thesis ( Persian : پایاننامه pāyān-nāmeh ) in their master's degree and a dissertation ( رساله resāleh ) in their Doctorate degree, both of which requiring the students to defend their research before
4757-511: The university. As such, DBA programs have a specific set of university regulations and are subject to quality approval processes. Regulations include references to protocols for treating ethical issues in research. These regulations are widely used in Australian universities. For instance, a DBA student cannot embark on the research phase before passing the coursework phase. Students must clear ethics-related issues with an ethics committee upon passing
4828-472: The works are publicly presented to the special council at the end of the training, which thoroughly examines the work. PhD candidates may be allowed to present their work without a written thesis, if they provide enough publications in leading journals of the field, and one of which should be a review article specifically. Malaysian universities often follow the British model for dissertations and degrees. However,
4899-610: The world's only collaborative council focused on DBA degree programs and their issues. Inaugural president of Edbac was Lars Mathiassen from Georgia State University ’s Robinson college of business. The current Executive DBA Council President is Dr. Ekin Pellegrini, Associate Dean for Graduate Business Programs at the University of Missouri–St. Louis . As of October 2024, the Executive DBA Council has 72 Executive DBA Member Schools from 17 different countries. The Executive DBA Council
4970-535: Was co-founded by Kalle Lyytinen and Lars Mathiassen in 2011. Founding members are Case Western Reserve University , Cranfield University , Georgia State University , Hong Kong Polytechnic University , Paris Dauphine University , and the University of Western Australia . Through Case Western Reserve University ’s Weatherhead School of Management the Executive DBA Council publishes Engaged Management ReView (EMR), an open-access journal of problem-driven management scholarship ( ISSN 2375-8643 ). In addition to
5041-605: Was not authorized to issue a PhD until 2018. In other cases, the distinction is one of orientation and intended outcomes. The PhD is highly focused on developing original academic knowledge, while the DBA emphasizes applied research. Upon completion, graduates of PhD programs generally migrate to full-time faculty positions in academia, while those of DBA programs re-emerge in industry as applied researchers or executives. If working full-time in industry, graduates of DBA and PhD programs often become adjunct professors in top undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Thesis This
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