Significance of Effective Dissertation Writing in DBA

A dissertation, also known as a doctoral thesis is a comprehensive piece of substantial research work submitted at the end of a doctoral programme.  Writing an effective doctoral in business administration dissertation is essential as it is not just a piece of writing but is also a cumulative and substantial documentation of a researcher's knowledge and potential to conduct research and thereby contribute significantly to the academic discourse and the business administration industry. 

Developing an effective dissertation takes hard work, consistency, discipline and adherence to the academic standard and structuring of a dissertation, apart from the research accumulated insights and findings. You must be in a doctoral candidate getting ready to take this significant move of writing an effective dissertation for your DBA research. It may feel overwhelming and challenging but with the right guidance and support, you're halfway there. Through this blog, let us prepare you to develop an effective doctoral dissertation for your Doctorate in Business Administration. 

Why is effective dissertation writing crucial? what role does it play in Research?

Writing an effective dissertation is crucial for many reasons. It not only serves as the medium through which the world learns about your knowledge and research strength, but it also opens up several other career opportunities. Effective communication of your research findings in a clear and impactful manner is crucial for your research journey. A few main reasons arise when we consider the importance and role of effective dissertation writing:

Proves Academic Milestone: Your dissertation is a concrete testament to the knowledge you have accumulated over the years of your academic journey. It is not just a research paper, it is an achievement that reflects years of hard work, intensive research and intellectual growth. Hence, you want to produce a work of quality that everyone can consume and understand. 

Reflects Subject Expertise: Writing a DBA dissertation effectively demonstrates the candidate's extensive research and expertise in business administration. Producing a nuanced paper that can be easily understood by others from a non-business background is essential and helps in the growth of the industry. A research work that is coherently presented in a strong thesis reflects the depth of the researcher's knowledge and hard work.

Enhance Independent Researching Skills: DBA candidates commit to extensive work during their dissertation writing stage. From referring to unlimited sources of literature to reviewing them, conducting experiments and evaluating the results, all of these lead to well-articulated work as they equally strengthen their research skills. 

Writing an Effective DBA Dissertation

As the DBA programme is primarily focused on enabling future business leaders to systematically navigate and analyze business challenges and develop and execute proper solutions, the doctoral candidates will be expected to contribute to the business administration academia and industry with a well-founded dissertation that includes both their theoretical competencies and practical experience. 

Adhering to the following process will facilitate an effective and impactful dissertation for your Doctorate of Business Administration:

Step 1- Identifying your Topic

Selecting a research topic is the most crucial part of doing research. It involves coming up with an original and unique topic which is of relevance to the discipline. The topic should not be only scientifically or academically relevant but it must resonate with your interest. Staying driven and motivated to produce long-form research writing requires genuine passion and interest in the topic. The topic must excite you and keep you motivated throughout the research. 

Step 2- Formulating the Research Question

A topic without a relevant research question and objective is indispensable. A research question pinpoints the researcher's intent about the paper and it effectively guides the dissertation. A candidate must therefore formulate a clear and focused research question and must ensure that the research question has certain traits, including feasibility, specificity, intricate, and scientific relevance. 

Step 3-  Supervision 

Finding the right supervisor who shares similar interests, who fits ideally with your style of working, professionally competent and equally committed to supervising you are the major factors for the success of your dissertation as well as the completion of your doctorate programme. A supervisor is going to be your research partner, your constant during your research who with their professional expertise will guide you throughout. From sharing insights, and giving advice for research plans and formulation, to pushing you forward, a good supervisor is crucial for your research journey.

Step 4- Research Plan

This involves preparing a detailed plan for your research work. This will include sourcing the resources, methodology selection, making a timetable, formulating objectives, etc. Having a well-thought-out plan gives structure to your actions, and keeps you focused on completing the dissertation within the stipulated time. 

Step 5- Research Work

This is where you carry out the most crucial part of your research work. By employing the selected research techniques and methodologies, you carry out research which includes experiments, fieldwork, data collection and theoretical analysis. 

Step 6- Writing the Dissertation

This is the central part of your research work. You must be able to effectively communicate your research findings and ideas clearly and concisely. As a researcher, you must also be able to break down complex business concepts into a simple term which can be understood by people from non-business backgrounds. To enhance your writing skills you may practice scientific and academic writing by regularly taking part in writing workshops or reading up on academic and scientific writing literature. Communicating your research findings persuasively and effectively is crucial. 

Another crucial factor is to adhere to the writing format and structure of academic writing. Your dissertation must include certain sections and all the necessary components structured cohesively. Your goal must be to also produce a work of quality that meets the academic standard. A candidate must therefore ensure giving enough time to writing. You must consult with seniors and friends and your supervisor and leave a broad room for editing, proofreading, and correcting errors and inconsistencies. 

Consulting your supervisor and outside sources not only helps in identifying your research's weak points but also gives you fresh perspectives and insights which are highly vital to your thesis development. 

Step-7 Submission and Defense

DBA candidates must submit a complete dissertation in the right format and ensure compliance with academic as well as institutional guidelines. After the submission, they shall be required to defend their thesis by giving an oral presentation and discussion of their research in front of a doctoral research committee. 

Types of Methodology

Here are the common research methodologies that DBA research scholars can employ in their research:

Quantitative Research: It can be in varied forms

• Questionnaires and Surveys where researchers collect numerical data by using structured surveys or questionnaires for analyzing trends, patterns and correlations. 
• Experiments: This may be used for testing hypotheses and establishing casual relationships

Qualitative Research

• Interviews: Interviewing subjects and sample groups
• Focus Groups where group discussions are conducted
• Case Studies: In-depth study of specific real-world phenomena and cases

Mixed Method Research

• Combination of both Qualitative and quantitative methods

Action Research

• Problem- focused Inquiry where researchers get directly involved by working with practitioners and addressing real-world issues thereby enhancing organizational practices. 

Grounded Theory

• Inductive Approach: Where researchers move from data to theory meaning they begin with a specific set of observations and move to a more general observation
• Deductive Approach: Where researchers take a relevant theory and test the implication of the theory with the data they collect. Hence they move from general to specific.

Ethnography

•  Participant Observation: This method entails researchers actively participating and immersing themselves in the organizational setting and studying their subjects by closely observing and interacting with them.

Historical Research: This method involves evaluating past events by investigating historical records including events and documents which helps researchers gain an in-depth understanding of the evolution of business practices organizations and industries

Simulation and Computation: This involves computational modelling where researchers use models to analyze complex business issues and events like decision-making processes or organizational dynamics etc. 

Systematic Text Analysis: This method involves analyzing content, whether in a written or verbal format like speech, documents, or media to discover patterns, trends and themes. 

Network Analysis: This method is the examination of interconnectedness and relations between people and groups in the organization to gain an understanding of the communication pattern.

Delphi Method: This involves iterative rounds of panel discussions and surveys with experts to arrive at a consensus about a particular topic. 

Structure of a dissertation

A DBA researcher must ensure to furnish the following content in their dissertation and adhere to the structure to produce a work of quality:

• Title Page
• Acknowledgement/ Dedication or Preface
• Abstract
• Table of Contents
• List of Tables and Figures
• List of Abbreviations and Acronyms
• Glossary
• Introduction
• Literature Review
• Research Methodologies
• Findings and Results
• Discussion
• Conclusion
• Reference List
• Appendices 

Major Areas of Research in Business Administration

These are some of the major areas in business administration that DBA research candidates may consider working on: 

• Innovation and Technology Management
• Resource Management and Sustainable Development
• Social Entrepreneurship
• Corporate Responsibility and Accountability
• Accounting and Finance
• Business and Government
• Organizational Performance Measurement and Outcomes
• Finance
• Healthcare
• Globalization 
• Leadership and Organizational Success
• Executive Compensation and Corporate Governance
• Risk Taking and Management
• Leadership and Strategic decision-making
• International Human Resource Management
• Job Analysis and design
• Organizational Socialization 
• International Organization Behaviour
• Mergers and Acquisitions
• Operations, Logistics and Supply Chain Management
• Business Decision Analytics
• Global Supply Chain
• Sustainability

From making impactful contributions to the industry to improving their skills, effective dissertation writing is itself a journey that a researcher must master.