DOCTORATE

IN BUSINESS
ADMINISTRATION
DOCTORATE IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

Overview of the Doctorate in Business Administration

What is a Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA)?

The Doctorate in Business Administration is a professional doctorate programme designed
to develop applied research for managers in business, public services and non-profit
organisations. The programme is aimed at senior managers and leaders currently employed
in an organisation that is committed to the continuing development of its employees.

The learning outcomes of the DBA Programme are set out below. Delegates will be
expected to demonstrate their ability to:

• undertake research, critical investigation and evaluation of an approved topic in

their professional area;
• integrate rigorous academic/critical analysis with practical relevance and
application;
• make meaningful links from the research findings in the thesis/portfolio to the
profession; and,
• clearly communicate their work and disseminate ideas to fellow professionals in
order to develop practice and enhance the professional generally.

How Does a DBA differ from a PhD?

The DBA blends theoretical learning with practical experience based on a business context to create a reflective practitioner. Rather than
working towards a single output, the DBA is assessed by combining continuous evaluation with a major research project focusing on the
participant’s workplace.

The DBA programme is equivalent to the PhD in terms of application, originality of work and contribution to business knowledge.

Benefit to Delegates and Employers

Successful completion of the DBA provides delegates with the opportunity to apply and develop the very latest business and management
theories to their own working environment. Delegates will be able to undertake rigorous research in the field of business and management
and develop their ability to appraise critically their own insight and impact as a manager. The programme will also give delegates the means
to develop their understanding of academic and professional managerial issues.

Through sponsoring a DBA delegate the employer will have access to the latest business developments from both a theoretical and a
practical prospective. The employer will be able to present scholarly research to both academic and non-academic audiences. The employer
will also have the ability to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of their organisation with the backing of their professional employee and
the support of Edinburgh Napier University Business School.

Structure of the programme

Delivered through regular week long sessions involving tuition, discussion, reflection, and development, the programme is assessed by a
combination of practical and written research-based assessments and project based work. Graduates of the DBA will be equipped with
research, problem solving and decision-making skills which will enable them to make key contributions to their organisation.

The Programme is divided into two stages. Stage 1 lasts two years and is based on structured learning with specified assessments. Each
unit will involve an assessment and successful completion will be confirmed by an Examination Board at the end of Stage 1. Stage 2 lasts a
minimum of one year and a maximum of two years. During the second stage participants complete the main phase of empirical research in
their organisation, under the guidance of their supervisory team. The structured units are:-

Unit 1. Researching Business

Unit 2. Research Philosophies in Business and Management
Unit 3. Locating Your Research in Practice and Theory
Unit 4. Research Design
Unit 5. Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
Unit 6. Thesis / Portfolio and Viva Preparation.

For their final research project, delegates have the opportunity to either:-

a) complete a doctoral thesis of 40,000 words; or

b) complete a portfolio of journal articles in the thematic area of study, of publishable quality (3 journal articles of up to 10,000 words
each, or their equivalent). The portfolio must include a report which outlines the nature of the theme that runs through the papers, the
business relevance, methodological approach and contribution to practice and knowledge (up to 10,000 words).

In both cases the thesis or portfolio will be examined in line with University regulations for doctoral examination and will include a viva voce
examination.

In addition, delegates must complete a Continuing Professional Development Portfolio to be submitted at the end of Stage 2. Unit 5 (CPD)
runs throughout the Programme.

Delegates must complete and pass all elements to gain the award of DBA.

Structure of the programme

STAGE 1 STAGE 2
Years 1 and 2 Year 3 Year 4
October- January- June- January- September-
December May December September
Programme Unit 2: Research Unit 3: Current Unit 4: Research Unit 6: Thesis/ Writing up of
induction & Unit 1: Philosophies in Issues in Business Philosophies in Portfolio and Viva thesis/portfolio if
Researching Business and & Management Design Preparation required
Business Management Research
Completion of
thesis/portfolio of
papers
Completion of
CPD portfolio
Progress Review Progress Review
(RD4) Progress Review
(RD5)
(RD6)
September

Progress Review
(RD6)
June
Unit 5: Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
Features of the programme

The DBA is an intensive and integrated programme of units and a thesis/portfolio. Delegates are normally expected to complete the DBA in
three to four years.

A key feature of the programme is the learning and sharing of experience to be gained through being one of a group of participants moving
through the programme together. The units will equip delegates with the skills and the knowledge to undertake research at doctorate level.
The participants will be expected to take an active part in the programme by a scheme of critical reading and discussion with their fellow
delegates. This will contribute to their learning by offering the opportunity to share information, knowledge and experience, facilitating
networking and providing collaborative support.

Workshops

Delegates joining the Programme will be required to attend

workshops during the first and second years of the programme. The
attendance will be in the UK, and will be held over three weeks in
the first year and two weeks in the second year. Delegates may also
choose to attend the University more frequently or join other activities
or events by agreement with staff.

Admission

For admission to the DBA programme, applicants should be currently

employed in a senior management role and have:-

An MBA or a Masters qualification in a relevant area, coupled with

relevant work experience in a senior management role (usually 5 years).

Exceptionally, applicants who do not have a recognised formal qualification may be considered on the basis of extensive senior management
experience and evidence of appropriate academic ability.

Application Submission and Selection Procedure

Along with the application form which can be obtained from regional representative, Southpoint Education International (www.seidegrees.
com), potential candidates should include:

• a detailed curriculum vitae outlining their managerial experience

• an overview of the research area that the applicant wishes to explore (maximum length 1,000 words).

The overview should include:

a) a rationale and justification to investigate the research topic;

b) a brief review of key literature related to the research area;
c) a demonstration of the ability to critically analyse issues and problems.

Each applicant will be considered by a panel including the Programme Director and at least one subject expert. The decision-making
process will enable the University to assure itself that balanced and independent admissions decisions have been made, that support its
admissions policy. All candidates will be interviewed in person or by telephone.

Normally, successful applicants will be invited to join the next Programme cohort, subject to the availability of appropriate supervision
capacity.

The University policy on equal opportunities will be followed in the recruitment and admission process.
Period of study

The periods of study dating from first matriculation for the DBA degree are:

Minimum Period Maximum Period

DBA 36 months 48 months

Notional Study Time

Because the DBA is built on an assumption of the integration of participants’ study time and work within their organisation, it is not possible to
indicate specific hours of study. This will also vary significantly between delegates. The times below are therefore merely indicative.

Indicative time to be spent on DBA: 15 hours per week.

• 60 hours per month x 36 months = 2,160 hours

• 60 hours per month x 48 months = 2,880 hours

Supervisory arrangements

A research degree delegate will normally have no less than two and not more than three supervisors depending on the requirements of the
project. In line with University regulations, the team must include one experienced supervisor and be approved by the Faculty and University
Research Degrees Committees.

One supervisor will be the Director of Studies (first supervisor), with responsibility to supervise the delegate on a regular and frequent basis
(whenever meetings are required). The Director of Studies must be a member of Edinburgh Napier University staff, and will ensure that
administration is in place and will monitor delegate’s progress.

It is important that the supervisor(s) and delegate are fully aware of the extent of one another’s responsibilities. Delegates are also
encouraged to keep records of their supervision meetings in order to chart their personal development and progress throughout the
programme.

Supervisory teams will be allocated at the beginning of the Programme. Unit Leaders in the structured learning elements of Stage 1 will have
the main responsibility to facilitate each of their Units, with supervisory teams providing subject specific support and advice to delegates. The
Director of Studies (main supervisor) will act as second marker on Stage 1 assessments. Supervisory teams will take on prime responsibility
for guidance of the delegate throughout Stage 2 of the Programme.

Delegates will be encouraged to gain the support of a mentor/advisor from their own organisation. The workplace mentor will not have a
direct impact on assessments or the thesis/portfolio, but they will be invited to attend some social/networking events.

Annual review process

The progress of a DBA delegate will be reviewed on an annual basis. Support to the delegate for this process will be provided as a part of
the Continuing Professional Development Unit (Unit 5). The review panel will consist of the Programme Director (where possible), a member
of the supervisory team and a member of staff who has experience of research degree supervision, but who is independent of the supervisory
team. For each review the delegate must make a progress report on the work undertaken.

The main purpose of the annual review process is to provide overall support for the delegate to complete the research programme
successfully within an appropriate timescale. The purpose and frequency of review arrangements will be made clear from the outset. Should
 a delegate’s progress not be satisfactory, the Director of Studies and Programme Director will ensure that support is available for them to
make improvements.

The review stages (and the associated Research Degree (RD) Forms) are part of Unit 5 (CPD) and are linked with assessments as follows:

Overview of DBA Programme – Units and Progress Reviews

Year Unit Assessment Review Stage
(subject to review)
1 1 • Individual presentation
• Individual discussion paper
2 • Case study presentation
and report
• Methodological report
3 • Group presentation
• Individual literature review
report
2 4 • Pilot study plan RD4 (Determination of Thesis)
• Pilot study research report
3 6 • Mock viva defence RD5 (Report of the Transfer
• Scoping study Panel) - September
RD6 (Annual Progress
Review) - June

3/4 5 • Submission of PDP

Portfolio
• Submissioin of thesis/Port- RD6 after 40 months if year 4
folio of Journal Articles required.
• Viva voce examination 36-48 months

The review stages

The first review takes place at the beginning of year 2. At this point delegates will complete the ‘Determination of Thesis and Programme
of Study Review’ (RD4). The aim of this review is to discuss and give feedback on progress in both the research project and the units
completed in the first year. Delegates should complete a 2 page summary of their progress in developing their own specific research project
and make their marked assessments available from the completed units. The review will be conducted by the Director of Studies and a
member of staff who has experience of research degree supervision, but who is independent of the supervisory team and who has no
regular direct contact with the delegate concerning their project. Other members of the supervision team may also attend where possible. If
necessary, the Programme Director may be in attendance.

After successful completion of the structured learning elements (Stage One – years 1 and 2), all DBA delegates will have a ‘Transfer Review’
to confirm that they may proceed to Stage Two of study. The review will be conducted as part of the assessment in Unit 6 through the ‘pilot
study mock viva’. The mock viva will be led by either the Unit 6 Leaders and/or one of the DBA Team who has no direct contact with the
delegate, and the supervision team will be required to be in attendance. The delegate will be required to answer questions based on their
Unit 4 Pilot Study and should be able to discuss their general development on the programme (inclusive of the structured learning element
and personal/professional learning). The panel will reach one of four judgements:

a) Proceed, target degree DBA

b) Refer, delegate has up to three months to satisfactorily complete all elements of assessment before they are re-reviewed;
c) Exit with the degree Master by Research in Business Administration
d) Unsatisfactory progress, recommend termination of registration for a Research Degree.
In years 3 (and year 4 if required) all delegates must complete an annual review (RD6) which is a general progress review focusing on the
progress with the thesis/portfolio element. Delegates should provide a two-page summary of their progress and where necessary a plan
of action for the next 6-12 months. The review will be conducted by the Director of Studies and a member of staff who has experience
of research degree supervision, but who is independent of the supervisory team and who has no regular direct contact with the delegate
concerning their project. Other members of the supervision team may also attend where possible. If necessary, the Programme Director may
be in attendance.

Examination arrangements

The assessments in Stage 1 of the programme are marked by the Unit Leader(s) and second marked by the delegate’s supervisor (additional
moderation of a sample of assessments is completed within the DBA Team for quality purposes). The focus on each assessment is on
the quality of feedback which delegates receive in order to assist them to develop their knowledge and skills within the programme. The
feedback is therefore developmental and formative across all units throughout the programme. There are two summary outcomes which may
be achieved by a delegate for any assessment:

• You are not required to undertake any further work on this assignment and should use the feedback above to assist you with further
development work for your thesis/portfolio.
• You are required to undertake further work on this assignment. The key area(s) which require more work are then detailed for the
delegate and a resubmission date is given.

Where an assignment has not reached the required standard, delegates may re-submit the assignment prior to the next review meeting. If
work is still not of the required standard, a further three months may be given to achieve the necessary standard. Successful completion will
be confirmed by a DBA Examination Board at the end of Stage 1.

Delegates will be able to exit the programme after Stage One (years 1 and 2 of the programme)
and obtain a Master by Research in Business Administration if they have passed units 1 – 4
(inclusive of full write-up of Unit 4 pilot study including the analysis of data and conclusions
from the study), successfully passed a viva voce examination and completed a satisfactory
Continuing Professional Development Portfolio (Unit 5) up to the date of exit.

Stage 2 of the programme will be examined in line with University regulations for doctoral
examination and will include a viva voce examination.

Delegates must complete and pass all elements in Stage One and Two in order to gain the
award of DBA.

Programme management

Day to day management of the Programme will be the responsibility of the Programme Leader.

Within the Faculty research degrees are overseen by the Research Management Group. At
University level all student progression is formally ratified by the Research Degrees Assessment
Board.
OUTLINE OF UNITS1

Stage 1

Unit 1.
Researching Business

The function of this first unit is to introduce

the notion of using academic perspectives
to research business problems, providing a
basis for the programme’s intended outcomes
of both a well-researched, useful report and a
successful research degree thesis. This involves
consideration of the purposes of different modes
of enquiry and problem-solving approaches within
business, to enable delegates to identify a suitable
topic to research.

A broad range of alternative research philosophies within the social sciences will be reviewed, providing insight into the operationalisation
of business-related research questions. This promotes consideration of the relationship between the researcher’s own standpoint and their
values, their chosen methodology and their tools for data collection and analysis, and hence the kind of answers generated by their enquiries.
Issues of research ethics are also addressed.

This unit also introduces themes to be explored more fully in later units, such as research design, the literature review, and research
methods.

Assessment will comprise two parts:-

• a presentation on the research outline (30%);
• a discussion paper on the research outline (70%).

Unit 2.
Research Philosophies in Business and Management

This unit aims to develop a critical understanding of the main philosophical approaches underpinning advanced research in business and
management. Delegates will be introduced to key research philosophies such as positivism, post-positivism and constructivism and how
these inform specific business and management research projects. Delegates will also be able to distinguish between research methodology
and research method. By the end of this unit delegates will be equipped to identify and justify the philosophical approach underpinning their
research and to describe and assess their own methodological approach.

Assessment will be in two parts:-

• a critical assessment of the philosophical concepts and their application in a selected case study (50%);
• a report on the proposed approach to be taken in the topic of study (50%).

Unit 3.
Locating Your Research in Practice and Theory

The aims of the unit are to further consider issues for research in the context of organisations. The unit will provide delegates with the tools

1
In line with regular Unit evaluations, the detail of the assessments may be modified. Delegates will be given
specific guidance on each assessment prior to undertaking the Unit.

Please note that all weightings for assessments are indicative only.
to conduct literature searches and make links between theoretical and practical knowledge. Participants will be introduced to examples of live
research projects, considering the application and relevance of research to practice in management.

Assessment will be in two parts:-

• a group work exercise and presentation (20%);
• a report which explores and outlines the literature relevant to the theme of study; identifies key debates, issues or questions which
arise from the review of literature (80%).

Unit 4.
Research Design

This unit aims to enable delegates to develop and apply custom-made research methods that are geared towards the enhancement of
management and leadership practice. Delegates will gain an understanding of a variety of qualitative and quantitative methods appropriate
for use in business and organisational research, with assessment being by means of a group presentation and discussion on the
appropriateness of different qualitative and quantitative research methods for different research questions, followed by an individual pilot
study to test and develop the delegate’s chosen method.

Assessment will be in two parts:-

• a research plan (20%);
• a pilot study in the delegate’s chosen organisation(s) which should be written up in the form of a research report (80%);

Unit 5.
Continuing Professional Development

This unit focuses on maximising the impact of continuing professional

development (CPD) on your performance in the organisational context. Far
from being a mere paper exercise, this unit proves the central nature of CPD to
both individual and organisational success by viewing learning and development
in a more contemporary light. This unit will provide a range of opportunities to
discuss and practise techniques such as reflective learning, reflexivity, action
learning and critical storytelling in order to enhance your own performance and
that of others.
The assessment will take the form of a CPD portfolio, maintained throughout
your programme in order to record and evaluate your achievements and
prioritise future goals – to be submitted at the end of the programme (delegates
will be required to provide evidence of CPD activity at the end of Stage 1).

Stage 2

Unit 6.
Thesis /Portfolio and Viva Preparation

This unit is designed to prepare the delegate for thesis construction, submission and defence. Participants will have opportunity to consider
how to present conceptual material and analysis in an academic manner; how to produce a thesis or portfolio of work, which reflects an
investigation in to a set of aims and in which conclusions are drawn and recommendations made; and how to identify the specific contribution
to practical and theoretical knowledge from the research conducted.

Assessment will be in two parts:

• Participation in mock viva (based on Unit 4 pilot study) with feedback and delegate reflection (60%).
• Scoping study (40%).
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