What were you doing before starting the DBA program?

I had just completed my Master of Philosophy in Information and Knowledge Management from Stellenbosch University, when I accepted the position of Global IT Service Delivery Manager for Barrick Gold Cooperation in the United States. In this role I had overall responsibility for Site Support for all mine sites across the globe. I provided leadership and guided strategy through Regional Service Delivery Managers. My team provided all field support services to the mine sites located in North and South America, Africa, and Saudi Arabia.

Why did you choose to pursue a DBA?

Personally, the DBA would allow me to gain a respected higher education qualification, something I have always wanted to do in my life. I gained intrinsic satisfaction from studying for a DBA. Balancing school with work and family was challenging but very satisfying. I learnt a lot about time and stress management techniques. Professionally, I have always been interested in solving real World problems in the mining industry. The rise in digital transformation in mining increased my desire to pursue practice-based research. The DBA provided me with an opportunity to research a specific problem in my industry. I applied relevant theory in investigating the research problem and used my results to provide managerial recommendations and advance theory.

Why did you choose the Business Science Institute for your DBA?

Business Science Institute has a great network and partnerships with well-known universities and professors in the World. I was very confident of getting the right support in a quick fashion without the institution politics common in some universities. The flexibility with rigor and quick response approach to my questions was super helpful, especially that I had other demanding tasks from Work and family.

How satisfied are you with the study experience?

I am very satisfied with the experience I had at the Business Science Institute. I had the best supervisor and support team who are seasoned researchers and frequently publish in top tier journals. Despite doing research when Covid-19 was at its peak, the Business Science Institute team provided an environment to be successful. The frequency in presenting ongoing research work provided an opportunity to get feedback and refine the output.

How has the DBA program helped you in retrospect?

The qualification I obtained is respected by many institutions. I have been successful at getting Adjunct Professor positions and also grown in my career from being a manager to Director, partly because the DBA adds value to my profile, and this changes the perception of many prospective employers. I have remained connected to Business Science Institute through the Alumni program as an Associate Researcher. I continue to work on research projects to co-publish with my former DBA supervisor. The structure of the alumni program at Business Science Institute has allowed me to be a continuous learner as I am frequently invited to attend seminars and paper presentations.