Posted by Polina on 08/07/15 8:26am

• Posted by Thomas Graf on 08/07/15 8:33pm

  Hi Polina,

  I never heard of the possibility to do a DBA "in co-authorship". And to be honest, I don't understand how this should work. A professional doctorate in management - such as the DBA - typically includes a coursework phase where the respective student is trained in scientific research. After this period, he or she begins with developing a research question, collects data, and works on the theory and analyses. In other words: A typical DBA is not "just writing a thesis".

  Also, are you sure that you and cour colleague have the capabilities to write a scientific thesis including theory, literature review, statistical analyses, scientific writing style, etc.? If you are able to do that, then the coursework period would be in vain for you, of course. In that case, I recommend you to write a concrete expose of your research project (about 5 pages), including the research question, its relevance, the academic and business audiences you want toi address, an outlook on your theory, the data you want to use and the overall time plan. With this expose I would contact academic institutions with professional doctorates and just ask.

  In other words, your question can be split into two parts: First, you need to find a program that accepts students without the coursework. And second, do they offer the option of a co-authorship?

  Unfortunately, I cannot help you finding these institutions because all I know have coursework. So, you have to go through all programs in mym database and visit their websites I am afraid.

  Best wishes
  Thomas

  Thomas Graf
  Founder DBA Compass

  Reply

• Posted by Polina on 08/09/15 10:18am

  Hi Thomas,

  Thank you a lot for such a comprehensive answer!

  We both (I and my friend) intend to take a coursework. So the 1st issue that you raised is not a problem.

  Our intention is to work together on a thesis part only.

  I hope this clarification makes our problem less complicated.

  Whether you advice remains unchangeable?

  Thanks in advance,
  Polina

  Reply

  • Posted by branddon on 08/09/15 1:32pm

    Thanks for clarifying, Polina. At least for the thesis itself, I don't think that a co-authorship is possible. If you enrol in a doctoral program you are solely responsible for your outcome - that is the thesis. This is how you prove you ability to work as a scientist and you have to write that confirmation sentence in your thesis that no one else participated in your thesis but you.

    Even if your co-author would enrol in the same program and run through the courses etc. it wouldn't work as the thesis is the moment where you have to prove your abilities WITHOUT anyone else's help. At least that's the idea behind, even though a lot of your work is strongly influenced by your advisor.

    Having said that, you can include your colleague as co-author when you submit parts of your thesis to academic journals, of course. Typically your thesis includes several chapters and some of them may be good enough for publication. In this case, typically your advisor is the second author - but if your colleague contributes to the article as well then he can be mentioned as co-author too.

    Best wishes,
    Thomas

    By Thomas Graf
    Founder DBA Compass
    Author of the DBA Survey

    Reply

• Posted by Polina on 08/09/15 2:04pm

  Dear Thomas,

  I'm impressed by your knowledgeable answer. Thank you a lot! You are doing a great job!

  Polina

  Reply