strategic management phd requirements

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Ph.D. in Strategic Management

Program information.

The doctoral program in strategic management prepares students for success in research universities as faculty members specializing in strategic management. Research in strategic management concerns how firms and organizations gain competitive advantage over rival firms or organizations. The field emphasizes a blend of knowledge about economics, sociology and psychology to understand firm strategy and strategic decision-making.

Important sub-fields within the discipline include research on developing firm resources, competitive interactions, relational governance, strategic decision-making, innovation, entrepreneurship and organizational learning. The field is increasingly focusing on research issues within the context of globalization and international business.  

Application deadlines

Priority: December 15, 2023

Final: January 10, 2024

• Application requirements

Doctoral students work closely with faculty to gain research expertise in the various functions and activities carried out as part of SM with a focus on developing firm resources, competitive interactions, relational governance, strategic decision-making, innovation, entrepreneurship, and organizational learning.

Part of our mission is to develop effective teachers. To that end, all doctoral students are required to teach at least two sections as independent instructors. The school and university prepare and reward doctoral students for excellence in teaching through various programs and awards.

Program details

Strategic management core courses.

A graduate course in economics: BE 701: Business Economics OR BE 917: Advanced Managerial Economics OR ECON 700: Survey of Microeconomics

Note: BE 917: Business Economics, is preferred.  Students coming into the program directly from an undergraduate degree may consider substituting BE 701: Business Economics, or ECON 700: Survey of Microeconomics. In the event a student has taken a graduate economics course prior to enrolling as a KU doctoral student, she/he may waive the requirement and substitute either an elective doctoral content course or a statistics/research methods course for this requirement.

MGMT 905: Management Research Methods

MGMT 916: Major Management Theories

MGMT 956: Seminar in Strategic Management I

MGMT 957: Seminar in Strategic Management II

MGMT 950: Seminar in Human Resource Management I OR      MGMT 951: Seminar in Human Resource Management II

MGMT 953: Seminar in Organizational Behavior I OR      MGMT 954: Seminar in Organizational Behavior II

MGMT 998: Independent Study

MGMT 958: Special Topics in Strategic Management (offered and required when there are 3 or more students in years 1 & 2 of the program)

Statistics/Research Methods Courses

At least four courses with advisor approval

At least two or more courses with advisor approval

More information:

View a detailed list of courses in the Academic Catalog .

Requirements

Area of concentration.

Most students typically will select the specific area to which they are admitted (strategic management) as their concentration. However, an aspirant, with the assistance of his or her faculty advisor and the area faculty, may propose an interdisciplinary area of concentration that is a combination of the traditional business disciplines.

An aspirant may also propose an interdisciplinary area of concentration that includes emphases such as international business, law and economics. 

Research methodology

For successful qualifier assessment, the student’s program of study should include adequate preparation in research methodology.

• Comprehensive exams
• Dissertation proposal
• Dissertation defense

Some students can complete the program in four years.

Program faculty

• Edmund P. Learned Professor
• Management and Entrepreneurship academic area

• Assistant Professor

• Frank T. Stockton Professor

• William & Judy Docking Professor of Strategy

Strategic management doctoral students

• Ph.D. Candidate

• Ph.D. Student

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Strategic management ph.d., earn a ph.d. in business and a major concentration in strategic management to prepare for a career at top academic institutions.

The Ph.D. in Business and a Major Concentration in Strategic Management provides course work in the base theories in strategic management. The field of strategic management studies big picture issues facing managers of firms, such as deciding what markets and industries to enter, how to enter and exit various markets, how to position the firm in the market in order to gain competitive advantage, and the timing, sequencing, and orchestration of competitive initiatives. Topics in strategic management include: Competitive strategy, resource allocation and corporate strategy, strategic decision processes, international and emerging market strategies, knowledge and innovation management, strategic entrepreneurship, corporate governance, and environment and non-market strategies.

The main goal of the strategic management doctoral program is to train students to do high-quality research in any of these areas and to prepare them for careers as mainstream professors of strategic management at top academic research institutions. To achieve this goal, Ph.D. students are required to take courses in strategic management, research methods and statistics, as well as possible disciplinary elective courses in economics, psychology and political science, and to write research papers examining important and relevant issues in strategic management. The program also has a teaching requirement to the extent that teaching opportunities are available.

Interested in Rice Business?

Program information.

Rice Business offers an outstanding program for doctoral students interested in strategic management.

In addition to the requirements described in Chapters 1 and 6 of this guide, doctoral students who have chosen strategic management as their area must satisfy the following requirements for a Ph.D. degree.

Course, Research Work and Dissertation Advisor

• The student’s course work must be approved by the area faculty advisor.
• During the student’s first two years, he or she must take a minimum of 12 hours of approved graduate level courses per semester.
• Course work includes a combination of required and elective courses. The required courses are listed in the attached course sample sequence.
• The student is expected to attend all research seminars organized in the strategic management area during the student’s tenure in the Ph.D. program. Moreover, during the second and third years, the student must formally register for the strategic management research seminars and attend presentations of SE faculty as well as those of faculty members from other business schools who visit the SE area to present their research.
• Students are expected to be fully engaged in research during the Ph.D. program, especially during all the summers, including the summer after the first year of their residency in the Ph.D. program.
• Students must have a Jones School SE faculty member who has agreed to serve as their dissertation advisor by the end of the spring semester of their third year in the program.
• From the second year onwards, students are required to give at least one research presentation every year in front of faculty and other doctoral students. Such presentations should demonstrate that the student is making adequate progress in his/her research. The presentation requirement may be fulfilled in the fall of the second and third years by presenting the required research paper and other research projects. It is the student’s responsibility to schedule this yearly presentation, together with his/her advisor and/or the strategic management area advisor.
• Having teaching experience is important for doctoral students to perform well in the academic job market. As such, we require students in the SE area to have a teaching experience. In the third year of the program, all students receive an opportunity to be a teaching assistant for SE faculty in strategic courses at the Jones School. Moreover, to the extent that teaching opportunities are available, we require students to teach at least one semester course as the primary instructor before entering the job market.

Exam Requirements

Students must successfully pass a comprehensive exam administered by the SE faculty at the end of the second year. The exam is administered and graded by SE faculty, under the supervision of the strategic management area advisor or special committee set up for this purpose. The exam includes two parts:

• Part I focuses on the coursework taken in strategic management and measures the student’s knowledge of the area as a whole including base theories, main strategy research topics, and research methods.
• Part II requires writing a paper as a take-home exam (generally within 48 hours) on a topic jointly discussed between two SE faculty and the student; it focuses on the student’s ability to write a research paper establishing a contribution to the designated literature and also includes research methods and study design.

A successful performance in the exam demonstrates the student’s solid training in strategic management and provide the foundation from which he or she begins the research that forms the basis of the dissertation.

Research Paper Requirements

Students are required to write one major paper in their first two years, either sole-authored or coauthored with a faculty member(s) in the SE area.  This paper is proposed in the spring semester of the second year and completed at the beginning of the fall semester of the third year. The bulk of the work on the paper is intended to be done in the summer. The paper is intended as (1) a developmental vehicle for the student and (2) that will result in publications in top quality journals (although credit is not dependent on publication).

The student is expected to take the lead on the project (in the manner of a lead author) and should individually decide (perhaps in collaboration with an SE area faculty member) on what topic the student will work. The paper must be approved by two tenure-track SE faculty members (one is typically the student’s adviser). The student is expected to present the paper in a faculty workshop at the beginning of the fall semester of the third year. Failure to complete the Research Paper Requirements, as outlined above, will mean that the student is not making satisfactory academic progress in the Ph.D. Program. See Appendix B for research paper approval and evaluation forms.

The course curriculum is designed around a challenging course of study in both the theory of strategic management and in innovative empirical design.  The sample course sequence is typical although the students might choose different courses across disciplines to structure a specific degree plan. Besides the required 1st and 2nd year Strategic management basic and advanced courses, students are required to take a microeconomics course as well as statistic and methodology courses. Doctoral students may continue taking courses beyond their second year.     Sample Course Sequence in Strategic Leadership (Psychology Oriented)

Year 1 (Fall)

BUSI 540        Strategy Management Theory (3.0)

BUSI 549        Strategy Pro-seminar (3.0)

POLI 504        Methodology and Data Analysis (or equivalent-e.g., ECON 510)

PSYC 507       Research Methods (or equivalent)

Year 1 (Spring)

BUSI 541      Strategic Management Research (3.0)

BUSI 5XX      Advanced Topics in Strategic Management (1.5 hours see courses below)

POLI 505      Topics in Political Methodology (or equivalent-e.g., ECON 511)

 Elective

Year 2 (Fall)           

BUSI 5XX      Advanced Topics in Strategic Management (1.5 hours)

PSYC 601     Multivariate Statistics (or equivalent)

ECON 501     Microeconomic Theory I (or equivalent)

 Year 2 (Spring)

 BUSI 5XX      Advanced Topics in Strategic Management (1.5 hours-see courses below)

 BUSI 5XX      Advanced Topics in Strategic Management (1.5 hours see courses below)

Examples of elective courses are:

BUSI 503        Econometric Models in Marketing

BUSI 504        Game Theory

BUSI 530        Introduction to Accounting Research

BUSI 531        Empirical Methods in Accounting

BUSI 522        Corporate Finance

BUSI 523        Empirical Methods in Finance

ECON 504      Advanced Economic Statistics

ECON 510      Econometrics I

ECON 510      Econometrics II

ECON 514      Industrial Organization and Control

ECON 523      Dynamic Optimization

STAT 522       Advanced Bayesian Statistics

STAT 541       Multivariate Analysis

STAT 606       SAS Statistical Programming

STAT 621       Time Series Analysis

STAT 622       Bayesian Data Analysis

PSYC 502       Advanced Psychological Statistics I

PSYC 503       Advanced Psychological Statistics II

PSYC 507       Research Methods

PSYC 601       Multivariate Statistics

PSYC 637       Meta-Analysis in Psychological Research

PSYC 550       Foundations of Social Psychology

PSYC 636       Organizational Psychology

PSYC 639       Groups and Teams: Advanced Topics in I/O

POLI 503        Topics in Methods and Data Analysis

POLI 504        Advanced Topics in Methodology and Data Analysis

POLI 505        Topics in Political Methodology (Panel Data or Time Series)

POLI 511        Measurement and Research Design

POLI 527        Institutional Analysis and Design

POLI 576        International Political Economy

POLI 575        Game Theory

BUSI 540:  Strategic Management Theory This seminar covers foundational as well as contemporary theories in strategic management. The course draws upon foundational theoretical perspectives from economics, sociology and organization theory to supplement more traditional strategy approaches towards understanding firm performance and related issues. Potential topics on contemporary theories may include: behavioral theory of the firm, transaction cost economics, agency theory, behavioral agency theory, structural contingency theory, theories of cooperative strategy, organizational networks, the resource-based view of the firm and upper echelon theories or theories regarding top management teams, theories of opportunity recognition and new venture creation, resource dependence theory, and theories of organizational evolution.

BUSI 541: Strategy Management Research This seminar examines the effectiveness of corporate and competitive strategy in creating and maintaining competitive advantage. Topics may include firm resources and sustained competitive advantage, dynamic capabilities and knowledge-based theories of competence, strategy as real options, and cooperative strategy including strategic alliances and joint ventures. Topics may also include corporate diversification strategy, international diversification and entry into emerging markets, corporate governance, management of diversified business groups, strategic entrepreneurship, and management of innovation.

Advanced Topics in Strategy (1.5 credit course modules)

Required Advanced Strategy Electives (They take two per semester after the first semester in the program)

BUSI 515 Micro foundations of organization & management (1.5)

BUSI 542 Organization change (1.5)

BUSI 543 Executive leadership & corporate governance (1.5)

BUSI 544 Contemporary management thought (1.5)

BUSI 547 Innovation & knowledge management (1.5)

BUSI 551 Strategy research in corporate development (1.5)

BUSI 550 Corporate social responsibility (1.5)

BUSI 552 Design of business research (1.5)

Other topic are likely to be developed in the future.

Certification of Candidacy indicates that a student has reached the advanced stage of the Ph.D. Program, permitting him/her to devote full time to writing a dissertation. At least eight months must elapse between admission to candidacy and conferral of the degree. The requirements for candidacy are:

• Successful completion of the course work requirements.
• Successful completion of the research paper requirements.
• Successful completion of the comprehensive examination requirements.

Strategic Management Area Advisor

Laszlo Tihanyi

Current students.

Yoon Jung (Jenny) Kwon

Alumni Placement

Keep exploring.

Melinda Peña

Program Details

Program requirements.

• Complete 36 credit hours
• Serve as a teaching or research assistant
• Yearly paper presentation
• Pass preliminary examination
• Write and defend dissertation

Funding is available for up to five years, provided the student maintains satisfactory progress in the program. Funding beyond five years is up to the discretion of the department. For more information, review our funding package.

The Strategic Management doctoral curriculum consists of 36 total credit hours completed over four-five years.  The curriculum is broken down into four focus areas: major specialization, research methods (choose one), minor specialization, and managerial skills.  Managerial skills courses may be waived for individuals who have completed equivalent master’s-level coursework. Please contact our Admissions Specialist for more information. For detailed descriptions of the courses, please visit Purdue’s online Course Catalog .

• To satisfy this requirement, students should complete 6 credit hours from related fields. Minors can be designed by students with help from their advisor.

Graduate Assistantship Appointments

Graduate research assistant (ra), graduate teaching assistant (ta).

Graduates of Purdue’s Strategic Management PhD program have gone on to secure placements at the following institutions:

• University of Utah
• University of Florida
• Louisiana State
• University of Hawaii
• Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology
• University of North Carolina at Greensboro
• Coastal Carolina University
• Tilburg University
• Hong Kong Baptist University
• McMaster University
• Chinese University of Hong Kong
• University of Pennsylvania
• Vanderbilt University
• Northern Illinois University
• University of New South Wales

About the Department

Contact us for more information.

[email protected]

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PhD Program

Program overview.

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Rigorous, discipline-based research is the hallmark of the MIT Sloan PhD Program. The program is committed to educating scholars who will lead in their fields of research—those with outstanding intellectual skills who will carry forward productive research on the complex organizational, financial, and technological issues that characterize an increasingly competitive and challenging business world.

Start here.

Learn more about the program, how to apply, and find answers to common questions.

Admissions Events

Check out our event schedule, and learn when you can chat with us in person or online.

Start Your Application

Visit this section to find important admissions deadlines, along with a link to our application.

Click here for answers to many of the most frequently asked questions.

PhD studies at MIT Sloan are intense and individual in nature, demanding a great deal of time, initiative, and discipline from every candidate. But the rewards of such rigor are tremendous:  MIT Sloan PhD graduates go on to teach and conduct research at the world's most prestigious universities.

PhD Program curriculum at MIT Sloan is organized under the following three academic areas: Behavior & Policy Sciences; Economics, Finance & Accounting; and Management Science. Our nine research groups correspond with one of the academic areas, as noted below.

MIT Sloan PhD Research Groups

Behavioral & policy sciences.

Economic Sociology

Institute for Work & Employment Research

Organization Studies

Technological Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Strategic Management

Economics, Finance & Accounting

Accounting  

Management Science

Information Technology

System Dynamics  

Those interested in a PhD in Operations Research should visit the Operations Research Center .  

PhD Program Structure

Additional information including coursework and thesis requirements.

MIT Sloan Predoctoral Opportunities

MIT Sloan is eager to provide a diverse group of talented students with early-career exposure to research techniques as well as support in considering research career paths.

Rising Scholars Conference

The fourth annual Rising Scholars Conference on October 25 and 26 gathers diverse PhD students from across the country to present their research.

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The goal of the MIT Sloan PhD Program's admissions process is to select a small number of people who are most likely to successfully complete our rigorous and demanding program and then thrive in academic research careers. The admission selection process is highly competitive; we aim for a class size of nineteen students, admitted from a pool of hundreds of applicants.

What We Seek

• Outstanding intellectual ability
• Excellent academic records
• Previous work in disciplines related to the intended area of concentration
• Strong commitment to a career in research

MIT Sloan PhD Program Admissions Requirements Common Questions

Dates and Deadlines

Admissions for 2024 is closed. The next opportunity to apply will be for 2025 admission. The 2025 application will open in September 2024. 

More information on program requirements and application components

Students in good academic standing in our program receive a funding package that includes tuition, medical insurance, and a fellowship stipend and/or TA/RA salary. We also provide a new laptop computer and a conference travel/research budget.

Funding Information

Throughout the year, we organize events that give you a chance to learn more about the program and determine if a PhD in Management is right for you.

PhD Program Events

May phd program overview.

During this webinar, you will hear from the PhD Program team and have the chance to ask questions about the application and admissions process.

June PhD Program Overview

July phd program overview, august phd program overview.

Complete PhD Admissions Event Calendar

Unlike formulaic approaches to training scholars, the PhD Program at MIT Sloan allows students to choose their own adventure and develop a unique scholarly identity. This can be daunting, but students are given a wide range of support along the way - most notably having access to world class faculty and coursework both at MIT and in the broader academic community around Boston.

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Profiles of our current students

MIT Sloan produces top-notch PhDs in management. Immersed in MIT Sloan's distinctive culture, upcoming graduates are poised to innovate in management research and education. Here are the academic placements for our PhDs graduating in May and September 2024. Our 2024-2025 job market candidates will be posted in early June 2024.

Academic Job Market

Doctoral candidates on the current academic market

Academic Placements

Graduates of the MIT Sloan PhD Program are researching and teaching at top schools around the world.

view recent placements 

MIT Sloan Experience

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The PhD Program is integral to the research of MIT Sloan's world-class faculty. With a reputation as risk-takers who are unafraid to embrace the unconventional, they are engaged in exciting disciplinary and interdisciplinary research that often includes PhD students as key team members.

Research centers across MIT Sloan and MIT provide a rich setting for collaboration and exploration. In addition to exposure to the faculty, PhD students also learn from one another in a creative, supportive research community.

Throughout MIT Sloan's history, our professors have devised theories and fields of study that have had a profound impact on management theory and practice.

From Douglas McGregor's Theory X/Theory Y distinction to Nobel-recognized breakthroughs in finance by Franco Modigliani and in option pricing by Robert Merton and Myron Scholes, MIT Sloan's faculty have been unmatched innovators.

This legacy of innovative thinking and dedication to research impacts every faculty member and filters down to the students who work beside them.

Faculty Links

• Accounting Faculty
• Economic Sociology Faculty
• Finance Faculty
• Information Technology Faculty
• Institute for Work and Employment Research (IWER) Faculty
• Marketing Faculty
• Organization Studies Faculty
• System Dynamics Faculty
• Technological Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Strategic Management (TIES) Faculty

Student Research

“MIT Sloan PhD training is a transformative experience. The heart of the process is the student’s transition from being a consumer of knowledge to being a producer of knowledge. This involves learning to ask precise, tractable questions and addressing them with creativity and rigor. Hard work is required, but the reward is the incomparable exhilaration one feels from having solved a puzzle that had bedeviled the sharpest minds in the world!” -Ezra Zuckerman Sivan Alvin J. Siteman (1948) Professor of Entrepreneurship

Sample Dissertation Abstracts - These sample Dissertation Abstracts provide examples of the work that our students have chosen to study while in the MIT Sloan PhD Program.

We believe that our doctoral program is the heart of MIT Sloan's research community and that it develops some of the best management researchers in the world. At our annual Doctoral Research Forum, we celebrate the great research that our doctoral students do, and the research community that supports that development process.

The videos of their presentations below showcase the work of our students and will give you insight into the topics they choose to research in the program.

Attention To Retention: The Informativeness of Insiders’ Decision to Retain Shares

2024 PhD Doctoral Research Forum Winner - Gabriel Voelcker

Watch more MIT Sloan PhD Program  Doctoral Forum Videos

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Program Requirements

• Program Requirements →

Below please find the program requirements for a students in Strategy . Doctoral students in Strategy generally complete the program in four to five years. Below are the program requirements:

A minimum of 13 semester courses at doctoral level are required. Each semester students will consult with the Strategy faculty coordinators to receive approval of their course selections.

Microeconomics Theory : A comprehensive two semester sequence on economic theory:

• Microeconomic Theory I (HBS 4010/Economics 2020a)
• Microeconomic Theory II (HBS 4011/Economics 2020b)

Students must take four research methods courses, including one course in research design.

Courses that fulfill this requirement include, but are not limited to:

• Introduction to Econometrics (Econ 1123)
• Introduction to Applied Econometrics (Econ 2120); (Econ 2110. Introductory Probability and Statistics for Economists may be a required prerequisite)
• Econometric Methods (Econ 2140)
• Time Series Analysis (Econ 2142)
• Advanced Applied Econometrics (Econ 2144)
• Computational Economics (Econ 2149)
• Seminar in Applied Statistical Methods (HBS 4809)
• Intermediate Statistical Analysis in Psychology (Psychology 1950)
• Multivariate Analysis in Psychology (Psychology 1952)
• Intermediate Quantitative Research Methods (Sociology 202)
• Advanced Quantitative Research Methods (Sociology 203a)
• Analysis of Longitudinal Data (Sociology 203b)
• Probability Theory (Statistics 210)
• Multivariate Statistical Analysis (Statistics 230)

Research methods courses that meet the research design course requirement include, but are not limited to:

• Advanced Quantitative Research Methodology (Gov 2001)
• Design of Field Research Methods (HBS 4070)
• Empirical Methods in Corporate Finance (HBS 4220)
• Experimental Methods (HBS 4435)
• Matched Sampling and Study Design (Stat 240); (Stat 140 or Econ 1127 are strongly recommended as prerequisites.)
• Program Evaluation: Estimating Program Effectiveness with Empirical Analysis (HKS API-208)

Strategy students are required to take five additional doctoral courses.

• The Foundations of Strategy (HBS 4110)
• The Economics of International Business (HBS 4720)
• Analytical Methods for Strategy Research (HBS 4115)
• Advanced Topics in Strategy Research (HBS 4913)
• One of the following: Theoretical and Empirical Perspectives on Entrepreneurship: Organizational Economics and Growth (HBS 4351/Econ 2730) or Macro Topics in Organizational Behavior/Organizational Analysis (HBS 4480 or Soc 224) or Empirical Studies of Innovation and Digitization (HBS 4561)
• Two breadth courses

All students without an MBA degree are required to complete two case-based HBS MBA courses.

Students are strongly encouraged to attend and participate in seminars throughout their program. In the third year, students are required to attend:

• Strategy Unit Seminar
• Strategy Doctoral Workshop

Good Academic Standing

To remain in good academic standing, doctoral students are expected to maintain a B grade point average.

Teaching Requirement

Students must teach or assist with teaching in a formally offered course for one full academic term. This engagement should include, at least, 8 hours of front-of-class teaching and 16 hours of teaching preparation time. The requirement may be fulfilled by completing a teaching fellow or instructor assignment at a Harvard University.

Special Field Exam

Students are required to pass the Special Field Exam at the end of the second year. The exam consists of an oral portion in which the student will be examined on content from the student’s reading lists. The written component of the special field examination requirement requires students to submit a publishable paper. This paper must be approved (pass/fail) by two faculty members in the student’s unit.

Dissertation Proposal

By the end of their third year, all students are required to obtain approval of their dissertation proposal by their Dissertation Chair.

Dissertation

Students are required to write a dissertation, which typically takes the form of three publishable papers, to the satisfaction of their Dissertation Committee. The dissertation defense is oral and open to the public.

PhD in Strategic Management & Entrepreneurship

The Department of Strategic Management and Entrepreneurship at the Carlson School--consistently rated among the top 10 departments for management research--is home to some of the world's leading scholars in the area of strategy and entrepreneurship. We focus on how firms both established and new create and capture value, connecting the challenges and opportunities in the external competitive and regulatory environment to the internal knowledge and capabilities of organizations. We bring together researchers from a variety of disciplinary perspectives to jointly examine questions related to strategic management, entrepreneurship, organization theory, technology and innovation, international business, and non-market strategy.

About the Program

Our program gives students access to this wealth of expertise through a combination of coursework, faculty collaboration, teaching opportunities, research seminars, and a weekly PhD workshop. Students are encouraged to develop an individualized program of study tailored to their research interests, thus preparing them for academic placement at the very best research universities worldwide, and for a long career conducting high-level research.

Welcome Video

Learn more about the Carlson School's Strategic Management & Entrepreneurship PhD program in this welcome introduction from Professor Aseem Kaul, the Strategic Management & Entrepreneurship PhD Coordinator. 

Carlson School of Management Strategic Management & Entrepreneurship PhD faculty are leaders in their fields, with research published in top academic journals.

Carlson School of Management Strategic Management & Entrepreneurship PhD requires 20-24 credits coursework, including SME seminars and supporting courses.

Carlson School of Management PhD program has 83 students, pursuing PhDs in BA with specialization in various fields.

Center for Integrative Leadership

Our research interests range from competitive strategy, new business creation, location strategies, inter-firm networks and innovation, to ethics and corporate social responsibility, group and team dynamics, time and timing, and international management.

Alumni Perspectives

Michael Park

"Carlson’ SME department possesses a unique combination of faculty who are leading researchers in the field and a culture of nurturing PhD students. This supportive environment created by the world-class faculty allows students to not only be exposed to cutting-edge ideas but also to become scholars who know how to push the boundaries of knowledge in meaningful directions."

Assistant Professor, Organizational Behaviour INSEAD

More about Michael Park

"My time at Carlson School's PhD program was truly exceptional. The department's renowned faculty have diverse research interests, which is invaluable for students still exploring their own. They are incredibly supportive, providing guidance and feedback while challenging us to excel. While the journey isn't effortless, the personal and academic growth, along with the sense of community, make it all worthwhile and exciting. Carlson is one of the best, if not the absolute best, places to pursue a PhD, and I'm genuinely grateful for the experience."

Assistant Professor, Department of Management Mays Business School at Texas A&M University

More about Haram Seo

Min Jung Kim

"The PhD Program at the SME department of the Carlson School of Management was an incredible journey that laid the fundamental foundation for my academic career. The SME faculty care deeply about PhD students’ learning and growth. These world-leading scholars not only guide and support PhD students’ research projects but also put sincere efforts into nurturing PhD students to become independent researchers who can contribute to the academic community and society."

Assistant Professor of Business Administration Gies College of Business at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

More about Min Jung Kim

"Choosing to attend the PhD program at the Carlson School has been the single best decision at the early stages of my academic career. The faculty at the SME department are world-class scholars and leaders in their field as well as excellent mentors. As a research powerhouse and a flagship state university, the University of Minnesota has countless opportunities to expand a student's academic breadth and to gain access to resources outside of the business school. But more importantly, it is the incredible group of genuine and dedicated people that makes the Carlson School such a fantastic place to start a junior scholar off on the path to a fruitful academic career."

Assistant Professor of Management The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania

More about Paul Nary

Get in Touch

PhD Coordinator

612-625-8458 | [email protected]

Department Chair

612-626-6660 | [email protected]

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School of Business

A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management

Ph.D. in Strategic Management and Organization

Ph.d. strategic management and organization (smo) concentration.

The Ph.D. program in Strategic Management and Organization prepares students for an academic career conducting research and teaching in organizational behavior and strategy. As a doctoral student, you will be working with faculty who are outstanding researchers, have work published in the field's top journals, and who have extensive experience successfully advising doctoral students.

Our  faculty in management  conduct research on a wide variety of management topics at the macro, meso and micro levels, including organizational behavior, judgment and decision-making, human resource management, behavioral strategy, corporate strategy and organization theory. We conduct our research using diverse methodologies: statistical and econometric analyses of large-sample datasets; machine learning models on big data; laboratory experiments and surveys; and agent-based modeling.  

Application Information

The UCR School of Business is not accepting Ph.D. applications for Fall 2024. The next application cycle will be for Fall 2025 (applications will be open in September 2024).

Program Outline

The following is a brief overview of the Ph.D. program in Business Administration and its requirements. More details can be found in the  Ph.D. handbook .

The average time for completion of the program is four-to-five years. A student’s duration in the program will be devoted to research, core curriculum coursework and teaching assistantships, if applicable. 

The program generally follows a three-phase sequence:

1. Beginning research with supervision, core curriculum coursework and a teaching assistantship, if applicable.

2. Continuing research, qualifying examination and advancement to candidacy.

3. Final dissertation research, including data collection, write-up and defense of the dissertation.

Research is an integral part of the entire Ph.D. in Business Administration with a concentration in Strategic Management and Organization program. All students are required to begin their research by writing a first-year research paper and are expected to be engaged in research throughout the program, culminating in the dissertation research. A distinguishing factor of our Ph.D. program is that students collaborate on research with faculty from the very start.

In their first two years in the program, students are required to:

• Complete five research methods courses.
• Complete four field seminars in management.
• Attend weekly research seminars (field colloquia), where students interact with external professors in the field of management that are invited to the area's seminar series.
• Take a comprehensive exam during the spring quarter of their second year in the program.
• Complete three basic discipline courses from outside the business school.
• Complete four elective courses from a list of approved electives.  

Details regarding these requirements are outlined in the Ph.D. handbook. 

The dissertation culminates the student’s academic endeavors. When all program requirements are completed, students take their oral qualifying exam, which is a defense of the dissertation proposal.

Of substantial magnitude, the dissertation should make a significant contribution to the advancement of knowledge in management. It should be of sufficient originality and quality to merit publication, either in whole or in part, in top-tier professional journals. A candidate for the Ph.D. degree will defend his/her dissertation in a public, oral presentation at a time announced to members of the UCR community. Upon the candidate’s successful defense of the dissertation, the Ph.D. Dissertation Committee will make a recommendation to the Graduate Division that the Ph.D. degree be conferred.

Ph.D. students are requested to serve as Teacher Assistants for 1-2 quarters each year, starting in their second year. In this role, they work with faculty members in the undergraduate classes by reading and grading assignments, preparing examinations and conducting laboratory sessions. Students are usually not assigned TA duties during first year studies. Students supported by fellowships are not assigned TA duties until they terminate their fellowship.

Ph.D candidates in SMO will take the following field seminars in the first two years of their degree program, taught by our tenure-track faculty in the management area.

Management Field Seminars

• MGT 289A Micro Organizational Theory
• MGT 289B Macro Organizational Theory
• MGT 289C Strategic Management
• MGT 289D Designing Organizational Theory

• Youth Program
• Wharton Online

Wharton’s PhD program in Management is flexible and interdisciplinary, applying rigorous social science theory and research methods to management problems. It offers specializations in Entrepreneurship, Human and Social Capital, Multinational Management, Organizational Behavior, Organizational Theory, and Strategy.

Wharton’s Management program prepares students to apply rigorous social science disciplinary theory and research methods to the demands of current management and leadership challenges in the public and private sectors. Our faculty has a broad range of interests ranging from the behavior of individuals, teams and groups to organizational strategy of multinational firms. Major areas of faculty research currently include:

• new venture formation, growth, and corporate entrepreneurship;
• human resources and competitiveness;
• emotions, identity, creativity and motivation;
• political and social influence strategies;
• technology and practice adoption, diffusion, and transfer within and across organizations;
• organizational learning and adaptation;
• and the strategic management of complementary resources and capabilities within an organization, alliance, network or ecosystems.

Each student draws on the faculty’s diverse expertise and varied interests to develop a program uniquely suited to his or her interests frequently spanning the formal specializations noted above. The program encourages students to gain research experience by working closely with multiple faculty on a variety of projects beginning with a research assistantship assignment in the first year with the hope of entering the job market in year 4 or 5 with multiple research papers in the publication pipeline.

For information on courses and sample plan of study, please visit the University Graduate Catalog .

Get the Details.

Visit the Management website for details on program requirements and courses. Read faculty and student research and bios to see what you can do with a Management PhD.

Management Program Doctoral Coordinator Prof. Exequiel (Zeke) Hernandez Max and Bernice Garchik Family Presidential Associate Professor of Management Email: [email protected] Phone: (215) 746-1984

Academic Catalog

Doctor of Philosophy Business Administration with a Concentration in Strategic Management (PhD)

Jing Zhang, Graduate Program Director Katrina Davenport, Graduate Program Manager

The Doctor of Philosophy degree in business administration (Ph.D.) is a scholarly, research-based program with a professional orientation. The objective of the program is to prepare individuals of superior promise and potential for careers in higher education as faculty members engaged in teaching and research and for high level administrative and research careers in the private and public sectors. Persons completing the degree program must have demonstrated an in-depth knowledge of international business, research methods, and high potential for making significant contributions to their field of specialization in business.

The Ph.D. degree requires competence in basic disciplines of international business, research tools, and in one of the following concentrations: finance, information technology, marketing, or strategic management.

Admission Requirements

Work for the doctoral degree is usually preceded by the successful completion of a Master’s degree in a business-related field (i.e., MBA) from a recognized AACSB-accredited college or university. The applicant must submit an application, official transcripts of all college or university-level work, provide Graduate Management Admission Test scores taken within the last five years, and provide three letters of recommendation, two from academic references, which attest to the individual’s academic potential and ability for achievement. The applicant must also submit a personal statement of goals, approximately two to three pages, on how the completion of the doctoral program will assist in achieving personal and professional career goals.

The completed application materials will be reviewed by the graduate program director and faculty in the major area of study. They will evaluate the individual’s abilities and motivation to succeed in the doctoral program. A personal interview may be required before the admission decision can be reached. A recommendation is made by the faculty and a final decision on admission is made by the graduate program director.

Curriculum Requirements

The following are the minimum requirements for the Ph.D. degree and must be considered in preparing the student’s plan of study:

• Satisfactory completion of at least 48 semester hours of course work . (At least 48 hours of post-master’s course work (including dissertation) is a University requirement);
• Demonstrated competency in the following areas: international business, research methods and techniques, and the chosen functional field of business. Passage of a comprehensive examination covering international coursework is required. A student may retake the International Business comprehensive examination only one time;
• Acceptable performance on a written and oral candidacy examination in the major field of study. A student may retake the candidacy examinations only one time;
• Completion of a dissertation representing the candidate’s ability to conduct scholarly, original research. The quality of this research should be such that it would be worthy of publication in a refereed, scholarly journal; and,
• Successful oral defense of the dissertation.

Strategic Management Concentration

International Business Comprehensive Examination to be taken in May after the completion of coursework in the second year of the program.

Field Comprehensive Examination to be taken in August after the completion of coursework in the second year of the program.

Additional Requirements

Retention standards.

To remain in good standing after admission to the program, students must maintain a minimum, cumulative grade point average of 3.20 in all graduate course work completed at the University. Students who fall below this minimum standard will have nine credit hours to remedy this deficiency. Further, students may earn no more than three credit hours with the grade of C. Any student receiving a grade lower than C in a graduate course work will be dismissed from the program.

Time Limitation and Residency

The Ph.D. program assumes that a well qualified and highly motivated student can complete all degree requirements in four years of full-time work. If a student is unable to pursue the degree on a full-time basis, or if the major field is different from previous academic training, more time to complete the degree is usually required. The maximum time allowed to complete all degree requirements is eight calendar years from the date of initial enrollment in the program.

Each student is required to complete at least four regular semesters in full-time residency. These need not be consecutive. Full-time residency is defined as a minimum of nine credit hours per semester.

Transfer Credit

A maximum of 12 semester-hour credits (or equivalent) may be transferred from another university (including six hours earned through experiential learning credit options) and applied toward the Ph.D. course requirements. Transfer credit is approved at the discretion of the program director in consultation with the faculty in the student’s major field of study.

Candidacy Examination

The examination qualifying the doctoral student for candidacy for the Ph.D. in business administration is comprehensive in nature and designed to test the student’s knowledge of subject matter in the major field, international business, and the ability to engage in independent research. These examinations are given in two parts:

• international business and
• field of study.

The International Business Exam is a written exam scheduled for the third week of May and may be taken by a student in good standing after the student has completed BUSN 800 , FIN 862 , MGMT 821 , and  MKTG 826 . The candidacy examination in the field of study is scheduled at the beginning of fall semester classes. Students in good standing may take the Field of Study Examination after completing all courses in their field which are to be taken during the first two years of the program. See Curriculum. The Field examination contains both a written and oral component. The written portion is administered first. After successful completion of the written examination, the student sits for an oral examination, which includes topics discussed in the written examination and any additional materials that the advisory committee feels are appropriate. The student will be expected to perform well on both the written and oral components of the examination. Rather than being merely pro forma, the oral examination is a serious and integral part of the qualifying procedure for candidacy. A student must pass both the written and oral sections. The candidacy examinations are prepared and evaluated by the examination committees composed of the graduate faculty who are primarily responsible for teaching doctoral courses in international business and the field of study. The results of all examinations are reported to the student and program director.

Dissertation

The dissertation represents the final stage in obtaining the doctoral degree and provides evidence of the student’s ability to conduct independent scholarly research. To effectively initiate, conduct, and conclude the dissertation phase of the program, the candidate must:

• form a dissertation committee;
• develop and defend a dissertation proposal;
• complete the dissertation research and report the results in writing; and
• orally defend the dissertation.

Dissertation Committee

The dissertation committee is formed by the student with the approval of the program director. The committee’s purpose is to supervise the selection of the dissertation topic, constructively critique the research methodology, and serve as a guidance body until its completion. The committee should have at least three members, one of whom is from outside the department of the major field of study. The chair of the committee will be from the candidate’s major field and be an authority in the field of specialization chosen for the dissertation research. The proposal, dissertation, and the final oral defense of the dissertation must have the majority approval of the members of the dissertation committee and subsequent approval by the program director and dean of the college.

Dissertation Proposal Defense

A candidate will select a topic for dissertation research under the guidance of his/her committee. The candidate will defend a proposal for the dissertation demonstrating the originality of the research, requisite literature review, and the methodology that will be used in conducting the research. The committee will judge the merits of the proposal, making any suggestions and/or additions as deemed necessary, and approve the proposal in writing, providing copies to the program director.

Dissertation Research and Preparation

Progress on the dissertation should be reported on a periodic basis to the chair of the dissertation committee and the appropriate members. In most instances, research results, drafts of the manuscript, and guidance will be forthcoming between the committee and the candidate during the research phase. While preparing the dissertation, candidates must be continuously enrolled for a minimum of one credit hour per semester. The total number of credit hours for the dissertation shall be no less than 18 and no more than 24 credit hours. Advice or assistance from committee members should not be expected unless the candidate is officially enrolled. General regulations and procedures governing the submission of the doctoral dissertation are provided in the University Guide for Preparation of Theses and Dissertations available from the Office of the University Registrar.

Oral Dissertation Defense

The objective of the oral defense of the dissertation is to explore with the candidate the methodological and substantive contributions of the dissertation. Through this process, the examiners and the candidate reach a common understanding of the research area and can mutually agree upon its merits for publication. Majority approval by the examiners constitutes successful completion of the defense of the dissertation. The Doctor of Philosophy in business administration will be awarded upon successful completion of this examination and all other program requirements within the eight-year time limit.

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Degree Offered

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Strategic Leadership Studies - See Concentrations

"As a Strategic Leadership program graduate, I have truly become an empowered agent of change that the world desperately needs. My Ph.D. from James Madison University’s School of Strategic Leadership Studies has positively transformed me, my current and future career trajectory, and my finances."

-Stephen W. Lambert, Ph.D. (2014)

Description

The strategic leadership studies program emphasizes business principles, accountability, and leadership theory and applications, which are all areas of reform that national groups have touted as important for new educational, nonprofit and higher education administrators. Students will be instructed in management principles and in the broader visionary perspectives necessary for effective leadership. The program emphasizes practical applications grounded in sophisticated research skills needed for data-based, innovative decision-making in current and future practice.

The leadership course work encompasses models, theories and processes, as well as applications. The capstone leadership course requires an externship. In addition to leadership course work, students enroll in clusters of courses centered on research methodology including measurement, statistics, and accountability; business administration such as managerial finance, accounting for decision-making and control, and other management courses. Students choose a specialty concentration of nonprofit and community leadership, organizational science and leadership, or postsecondary analysis and leadership. Students in all concentrations study strategic management, advocacy and volunteerism strategies and principles, and advanced leadership dynamics.

Concentrations:

• Nonprofit and Community Leadership
• Organizational Science and Leadership
• Postsecondary Analysis and Leadership
• Business Administration

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Strategic Management

The objective of the doctoral program coursework is to provide students with the knowledge of their chosen major field through exposure to the current literature as well as to acquaint the student with research methodologies and designs. Students in the PhD program are expected to dedicate themselves to the program full time.

The coursework for a PhD in Strategic Management consists of six seminars in the student’s major (four required and three elective), three courses in research methodology and statistics, and three courses in a minor field of the student's choice. The minor field must be approved by the advisor for the Department of Management and Entrepreneurship and the minor field department. Each doctoral student is also required to take a teaching development seminar. 

Degree Requirements

Required courses.

Students are required to take all four courses.

• J601: Seminar in Strategic Management I
• J602: Theoretical Foundations of Strategy II
• W601: Organization Theory
• Z798: Seminar in Research Methods

Elective Courses

Students must select two from the following:

• D620: Seminar in International Business
• W610: Theoretical Foundations of Entrepreneurship
• Z601: Doctoral Seminar in Organizational Behavior
• Z615: Seminar in Human Resource (HR) Management
• Independent study course approved by the advisor

Research Methods and Statistics

Students must take three courses.

• X610: Statistics for Research
• X611: Statistics for Research
• One other relevant methods or statistics class

Minor Field

Students take at least three courses in the minor field.

Many students take their minor within the Department of Management & Entrepreneurship, in the field of Entrepreneurship or in the field of Organization Behavior/Human Resources Management. Students may not “double count” courses toward the minor and major. Students may also take their minor from a related field inside or outside the Kelley School of Business (e.g., psychology, economics, or sociology).

Teaching Course Requirement

X630: Teaching Development Seminar

Qualifying Exam

All doctoral candidates are required to successfully complete a qualifying examination during the second summer of their residency in the program. This exam will cover both Research Methods and Strategic Management and Organizational Theory.

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Policy and Strategic Management

Programs & Courses › Specializations

Our PhD Program: Navigating the Frontiers of Strategic Thought

The PhD in Strategic Management at the Schulich School of Business fuses rigorous scholarship with real-world influence. Our program champions intellectual curiosity and boundary-pushing research in economic and organizational issues as they pertain to firm strategy. Housed within a group that embraces open inquiry, we empower students to pioneer strategic dialogues addressing today’s emerging business issues. Ultimately, our graduates emerge as thought leaders driving meaningful strategic insights and business impact.

In this program, you can extend your horizons beyond core strategy. With our close connections to other disciplines within Schulich, such as Sustainability, Organizational Behavior and Operations Management & Information Systems, as well as across the university, such as Sociology, Political Science, Computer Science and Psychology, students are encouraged take courses across various departments. This interdisciplinary perspective enriches your research lens. Moreover, Schulich is based in Toronto, a diverse global business hub rich with opportunities. Our proximity to key industry clusters provides significant access to research collaborations.

Our emphasis is on fostering independent research and close student-faculty collaboration. We provide full funding packages that cover tuition and a generous stipend for up to five years. This financial support allows students to fully immerse in impactful research.

Our Students’ Success Stories

Our PhD graduates have secured faculty appointments at highly respected institutions across the globe. Below is a list highlighting some of our graduates’ placements:

• Indiana University Bloomington
• University of Calgary
• University of Waterloo
• University of San Francisco
• McMaster University
• University of Sydney
• Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore
• University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Faculty Expertise: Exploring New Frontiers in Strategy

  Our diverse faculty spearhead research across critical domains, addressing critical and contemporary challenges while exploring forward-looking themes such as, among others:

• Digital Platforms and Ecosystems
• Entrepreneurship
• Management of Technology and Innovation
• Ethics and Stakeholder Relationships
• Artificial Intelligence in Strategic Management
• Organizational Learning and Adaptation
• International Business and Globalization
• Mergers and Acquisitions
• Strategic Decision-making

Come join our faculty in shaping and advancing the field!

Specialization Details by Category

Study options.

Student admission is restricted to full-time study exclusively for the first four years. It is not recommended to be working outside of the PhD program during your studies. Students must be able to participate in the PhD program in Toronto.

Choose a study option to view its details and requirements

Available delivery options

• Full-time 48 to 72 months

Location(s)

• Keele Campus Toronto

The requirements to successfully complete the program are outlined below in “Curriculum Overview.”

Candidates for the Policy & Strategic Management field PhD degree must fulfil the following minimum requirements:

Students must successfully complete the following course requirements:

Required Courses

• DCAD 7100 3.00 LOGICS OF SOCIAL RESEARCH This examines the major philosophical debates in the social sciences and explores the rationale of different approaches to social research. Students learn how to select and develop appropriate research strategies and how to critically examine the use of various research strategies.
• DCAD 7250 3.00 RESEARCH DESIGN This course introduces students to research design, strengthens their reasoning and theoretical development skills, helps them effectively apply a range of empirical methodologies to their own research and critically review empirical studies done by others. Topics include types of variables, relationships, sampling and measurement, survey and field research designs, experimental designs, and alternative designs, and research design biases and artifacts.
• DCAD 7400 3.00 QUALITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS This course provides students with detailed exposure to the qualitative research methodologies that have begun to exert a major influence on management research over the last 10 years.

A  3.00 credit graduate level methodological course chosen in consultation with the field’s PhD Program Coordinator.

Another 3.00 credit  graduate level methodological course chosen in consultation with the field’s PhD Program Coordinator.

• DCAD 7610 1.50 GRADUATE COLLOQUIUM IN MANAGEMENT The rules, norms, and standards that surround the field of academics can seem ambiguous, confusing, and opaque to new Ph.D. students in the management disciplines. The purpose of this two-semester course is to provide a means of articulating central themes in this tacit process, and to provide a means of community-building among management-oriented Ph.D. students. Pre-requisite: Open to and required of first- or second-year Ph.D. students in Strategy/Policy and Organization Studies areas.
• DCAD 7600 1.50 GRADUATE COLLOQUIUM IN MANAGEMENT The rules, norms, and standards that surround the field of academics can seem ambiguous, confusing, and opaque to new Ph.D. students in the management disciplines. The purpose of this two-semester course is to provide a means of articulating central themes in this tacit process, and to provide a means of community-building among management-oriented Ph.D. students. Prerequisite: Open to and required of first- or second-year Ph.D. students in Strategy/Policy and Organization Studies areas.

This seminar focuses on the theories and current research in those areas which represent the more accepted and more often researched topics within strategic management. Both "content" and "process" streams are discussed and critiqued. (Offered in alternate years.)

This seminar builds upon SB/PLCY 7010.03 and examines theories and research from some of the newest and most provocative research streams that are beginning to be seen in strategic management. Both "content" and "process" streams are discussed and critiqued. (Offered in alternate years.)

This course introduces students to leading paradigms and current topics in organization theory. Students obtain an intensive overview of "macro" theories in organizational behaviour and develop an ability to assess organization theory and research critically and comprehensively. Class discussions focus on the strengths, weaknesses and contributions of leading-edge theories and topics; and students are encouraged to think creatively about future directions that various topics and theories might take to advance the field's understanding of organizations. By the conclusion of the course, students: (a) are familiar with important sources and references on prevailing issues in organization theory; (b) have a solid grasp of advanced theory and research on a breadth of topics in macro organizational behaviour; (c) have a better understanding of the process of writing theoretical articles; and (d) possess the ability to evaluate critically the contributions of various research streams to the field of organization theory.

This course introduces students to topics and issues relevant to the study of individual and group behaviour. The readings provide an overview of existing research in this area. Students are encouraged to think critically about the contribution of each approach/theory and to develop research ideas and alternative approaches to test specific research questions. In each session students are encouraged to think about: underlying assumptions of theories; relationships with other theories/approaches; research questions answered; interesting unanswered questions; methodological issues and concerns.

Two Elective Courses

Students will take at least two of the following four electives:

• Strategic Management 7090 3.0: Special Topics in Strategic Management

This course focuses on the standards and applications underlying the latest functions and responsibilities of external and internal auditors. The theory of audit evidence and certain basic techniques are used to provide an understanding of auditing methodology. The auditor's responsibility beyond the financial audit and current developments in auditing are also examined. Students may be expected to complete a research paper or project.

Prerequisite: SB/ACTG 5100 3.00.

Prerequisite: SB/ACTG 5101 3.00 for students pursuing the Schulich Diploma in Intermediate Accounting (DIAC).

The course examines the origins and evolution of the field of international business and is designed to provide students an understanding of the various theoretical traditions and methodological approaches used in international business research. It is expected that students will critically evaluate the various schools of thought within the field, and develop their own research agenda related to some specific aspect of international business.

The course offers students the opportunity to gain an in-depth understanding of the rich scholarly research in business and society, with a particular emphasis on its relationship to global governance. Students will develop insights into how one can make a theoretical, methodological, and practical contribution to the management literature through business, society and global governance research.

Research Paper

Students must submit one research paper that synthesizes a particular body of literature and furthers our understanding on a specific topic in strategy. The research paper is a prerequisite to the comprehensive exams and should comprise both a theoretical and an empirical component. Students work closely with a faculty advisor on this paper.

The initial submission of the research paper is due before the end of December of the second year. Students are required to present this paper in the research seminar series, normally during the spring. Students are expected to submit the final version of the paper by May 15 of the second year. The paper is evaluated and must be approved by the research paper’s faculty advisor, the area PhD Coordinator and an additional faculty member.

Comprehensive Examinations

The comprehensive field examination takes place after the summer of the second year. The comprehensive exams are designed to test a student’s breadth of knowledge in the field of strategic management as well as depth of knowledge in select areas. In preparation for their exams, students are given a list of classic readings at the beginning of their program; the list consists of books and journal articles that have defined the field. Students are expected to have a thorough comprehension and understanding of the historical development and the fundamental questions that have guided the discourse in the field. Students are also expected to be thoroughly versed in the current literature and research questions that occupy select areas of the field of strategy. It is assumed that these areas will subsequently define the scope of a student’s dissertation.

Those who fail have the opportunity to retake the exams once, within six months of the date of the first comprehensive exam. Those who fail to pass a second time are not allowed to continue in the PhD program.

The program regards the comprehensive examination as a pivotal point for deciding whether students should be allowed to proceed with their studies or be encouraged to withdraw from the program.

Dissertation Proposal and Oral Defence

Candidates must prepare a written proposal to conduct original dissertation research carried out under the supervision of a supervisory committee, and must defend this to the satisfaction of the thesis supervisor and members of the supervisory committee.

Dissertation and Oral Examination

Candidates must prepare a dissertation based on original research carried out under the supervision of a supervisory committee and submit the results in appropriate dissertation form. After the formal submission of the dissertation, an oral examination is held. It is expected that all or part of the dissertation will be published following professional or scientific review.

We recommend further consultation with your area Ph.D. rep concerning any impending changes to the program requirements and guidance on selecting appropriate optional courses.

Faculty members in the Policy and Strategic Management Area explore many interests within the broad area of policy and strategic management, and are active in a wide range of research projects.

Key areas of research include: international management, strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions, entrepreneurship and technological innovation, corporate governance, and strategy processes. The faculty members share an interest in addressing important policy issues in an intellectually open environment and their work reflects the School’s distinctive innovative, global and diverse culture.

The following faculty are accredited by the Schulich School of Business and the Faculty of Graduate Studies for the supervision of doctoral students:

Selected faculty members

Professor of Strategy and International Business; Pierre Lassonde Chair in International Business

Professor of Strategic Management; Executive Director, York Change Leadership (YCL)

Associate Professor of Policy; CIT Chair in Financial Services; Area Coordinator, Policy/Strategy; Director, Financial Services Program

Professor of Entrepreneurship and Strategic Management

Professor of Public Policy and Sustainability; Director, BBA/iBBA Programs

Professor of Strategic Management

Professor of Sustainability & Economics; Area Coordinator, Economics

Professor of Strategy; Scotiabank Chair in International Business and Entrepreneurship

Assistant Professor

Professor of Strategic Management and International Business

Professor of Strategic Management; Director, Global Leadership Program; Director, India MBA and Executive MBA Programs

Associate Professor of Strategic Management; Strategic Management Area Coordinator

Professor of Strategic Management; Newmont Endowed Chair in Business Strategy

Career Opportunities

The goal of the PhD program in Policy and Strategic Management is to train students to become productive scholars and teachers who can be placed at research-oriented universities upon graduation.

Placement of Recent Graduates

“Co-authoring with faculty here at Schulich has been instrumental in understanding the process of conducting high-quality research. ” Michael Valente, PhD 2007 Associate Professor of Organization Studies and Sustainability, Schulich School of Business

Student Research

Faculty members in the Policy area at Schulich are highly regarded in their areas of specialization and regularly publish in the top journal of the field, such as Administrative Science Quarterly, Academy of Management Journal, Academy of Management Review, Strategic Management Journal, Organization Science and Journal of International Business Studies, among others. York University and the Toronto area provide additional access to high calibre faculty and great research opportunities.

Selected Publications

Nudrat Mahmood (2023), “A transactional perspective on Firms, consumers, and social institutions,” Organization Science (with Farjoun, M.)

Jie (Jerry) Yang (2023), “Bundle Up Before You Go: Toward a Bundle Approach to Product Categorization,” Journal of Management , 49(5): 1695-1737 (with Li, S. X.)

Shoeb Mohammad (2023), “The Effect of Skilled Labour Scarcity on Law-abiding Organizational Climates in Emerging Markets: Evidence from Mexico,” Journal of Business Research (with Husted, B.)

Xin (Aurora) Liu (Genin) (2023), “Board experiential diversity and corporate radical innovation,” Strategic Management Journal , 1– 24. https://doi.org/10.1002/smj.3499 (with Ma, W., Bhagwat, V., Bernile, G.)

Mohammad Keyhani (2022), “Exploration-Exploitation and Acquisition Likelihood in New Ventures,” Small Business Economic , 58(3), 1475-1496. (with Deutsch, Y., Madhok, A. and M. Lévesque)

Nada Basir (2022), “Collective identity development amid institutional chaos: Boundary evolution in a women’s rights movement in post Gaddafi Libya,” Organization Studies 43 (10), 1607-1628 (with Ruebottom, T. and Auster, E.)

Trish Ruebottom (2022), “Collective identity development amid institutional chaos: Boundary evolution in a women’s rights movement in post Gaddafi Libya,” Organization Studies 43 (10), 1607-1628 (with Basir, N. and Auster, E.)

Xin (Aurora) Liu (Genin) (2022), “Relational assets or liabilities? Competition, collaboration, and firm intellectual property breakthrough in the Chinese high-speed train sector,” Journal of International Business Studies , 53(9), 1895-1923 (with Tan, J., & Song, J.)

Hussein Fadlallah (2021), “What We Talk About When We Talk About Stakeholders,” Business & Society , 00076503211053005. (with Johnson-Cramer, M. E., Phillips, R. A., H., Berman, S. L. and Elms, H.)

Ramya Krishna Murthy (2021), “Overcoming the Early-stage Conundrum of Digital Platform Ecosystem Emergence: A Problem-Solving Perspective,” Journal of Management Studies , 58(7), 1899–1932 https://doi.org/10.1111/joms.12748 (with Madhok, A.)

Shoeb Mohammad (2021), “Innovation, Corruption, and Internationalization: Evidence from Firms in Emerging Economies,” Journal of Business Venturing Insights (with Husted, B.)

Xin (Aurora) Liu (Genin) (2021), “State governance and technological innovation in emerging economies: State-owned enterprise restructuration and institutional logic dissonance in China’s high-speed train sector,” Journal of International Business Studies , 52(4), 621-645 (with Tan, J. and Song, J.)

Xin (Aurora) Liu (Genin) (2021), “Interorganizational Knowledge Flows in Academia–Industry Collaboration: The Economic Impacts of Science-Based Firm Innovation,” IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management , doi: 10.1109/TEM.2021.3066386 (with Lévesque, M.)

Hussein Fadlallah (2020), “Governance of Voice in Digital Platforms,” Proceedings of the International Association for Business and Society (Vol. 31, pp. 24-36) (with Phillips, R. A.)

Wan Li (2020), “Disruptive innovation and technology ecosystem: The evolution of the intercohesive public–private collaboration network in Chinese telecommunication industry,” Journal of Engineering and Technology Management , 57 (July-September) (with Tan, J., Wang L. and Zhang, H.)

Wan Li (2020), “Can You Do Kung Fu and Also Act? New Entrants’ Cross-Border Status Attainment in the Creative Industries,” Journal of World Business , 55(3) (with Shipilov, A. and Li, S.)

Shoeb Mohammad (2019), “Law‐abiding organizational climates in developing countries: The role of institutional factors and socially responsible organizational practices,” Business Ethics, Environment, and Responsibility (with Husted, B.W.)

Wan Li (2019), “Tapping into Agglomeration Benefits by Engaging in a Community of Practice”, 2019, with L. Wang and W. Helms, Strategic Organization, 18(4): 617-644 (with Wang, L. and Helms, W)

Wan Li (2019), “Strategic Choices of Exploration and Exploitation Alliances under Market Uncertainty,” Management Decision , 57(11): 3122-3133 (with Wang, L.)

Xin (Aurora) Liu (Genin) (2019), “Spoils from the spoiled: strategies for entering stigmatized markets,” Journal of Management Studies , 56: 1260-1286(with Slade Shantz, A., Fischer, E. and Lévesque, M.)

Recent Dissertation Topics

2022: Hussein Fadlallah – Governance and Responsibilities in the Context of Digital Platforms

2021: Ramya Krishna Murthy – Essays on Platform Sponsor Scope: Implications for Ecosystem Emergence and Growth

2020: Jie (Jerry) Yang – Strategic Categorization, Category Bundle, and Typecasting: Three Essays on Product Categorization

2019: Shoeb Mohammad – Antecedents, Wide-Spread Consequences, and Strategic Implications of Organizational Corruption

2018: Mekki Macaulay Abdelwahab – Determinants of Success of the Open Source Selective Revealing Strategy: Solution Knowledge Emergence

2018: Xin (Aurora) Liu – Strategically Poised: Balancing, Learning, and Innovating in Coopetition Three Essays on the Interplay Between Competition and Cooperation

2016: Nada Basir – Radical Institutional Innovation: A Multilevel Framework

2015: Wan Li – Ambidexterity in Strategic Alliances: How Do Firms Manage Exploration and Exploitation Alliances? An Examination of U.S. High Technology Industries from 1985 to 2009

2014: Mohammad Keyhani – Entrepreneurial Action and Entrepreneurial Rents

Current PhD students in the Policy Area:

as of Fall 2023

• Mohammad Boroumand
• Hyeonchung Henry Lee
• Nudrat Mahmood
• Qasim Saddique
• Pouyan Tabasi Nejad

Strategic Management

The DeGroote Ph.D. specialization in Strategic Management is a rigorous and research-focused program designed to prepare doctoral candidates for scholarly careers in academia or research in the field of business strategy. The program is interdisciplinary, drawing upon a variety of fields including general strategy, business policy, economics, psychology, sociology, knowledge management, governance, international business, innovation, entrepreneurship, sustainability, and organizational behaviour among others. The main learning objective of this specialization is to provide Ph.D. students with a well-rounded understanding of the complex dynamics of strategic decision-making. The tenured faculty of the Area (Nick Bontis, Hongjin Zhu, Brent McKnight, Goran Calic and Francois Neville) engage in wide-ranging phenomena in their research and have published in top academic journals.

The academic program is structured to provide students with a strong foundation in the theoretical and empirical principles of strategic management, as well as advanced research skills to conduct independent research in the field. Students undertake two years of coursework, followed by a set of comprehensive exams. Then they work with a faculty supervisor to develop a research topic and complete a doctoral dissertation.  Coursework in the program covers topics such as advanced strategy theory, organizational theory, case teaching, case writing, research methods, and statistics, among others. Students will specialize in a specific area of strategic management in alignment with faculty expertise.

In addition to coursework, students in this specialization are expected to engage in independent research under the guidance of faculty mentors. This research may involve the development of new theoretical frameworks, empirical studies using primary or secondary data sources, or case studies of firms or industries. All doctoral candidates are expected to present their research at academic conferences and submit their manuscripts for publication in academic journals in the field.

Overall, the Ph.D. specialization in Strategic Management is designed for highly motivated and intellectually curious individuals who are interested in advancing knowledge in the field of business strategy.  Successful completion of the program requires a combination of rigorous coursework, excellent oral and written communications skills, independent research, and strong analytical and critical thinking skills.  Students must be committed to excellence in research, teaching and practice and will be expected to show significant contributions in each.  Graduates of the program are well-prepared for careers in academia, research, or management consulting, where they can make significant contributions to our understanding of the strategic management process and its impact on organizations and society as a whole.

Required Courses

• B790  – Seminar on Management Theory
• B793  – Applied Multivariate Statistics
• B794  – Research Methods and Design
• P797 – Independent Research Study I
• P798 – Independent Research Study II
• P799 – Strategy Foundations

Choose 2 from below, or equivalent, or 2 alternative 700-level courses if PhD candidate received MBA from McMaster, or 2 PhD courses from other PhD Areas or Programs as approved by Supervisor:

• P700 – Business, Government and the Global Environment
• P715 – Entrepreneurship
• P720 – Strategic Management

Optional but Recommended Courses

• P795 – Case Writing (Offered at Ivey )
• P796 – Case Teaching (Offered at Ivey )

Other Areas of Study

• Health Policy and Management
• Human Resources and Management
• Information Systems
• Management Science

Helpful Resources