phd business strategy

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From the Strategy Ph.D. Liaison

"As the Strategy area Ph.D. liaison, I welcome you to the study of strategic management at UCLA Anderson. Our program has a strong analytical orientation. Students take courses in strategic management, economics and other fields. The Strategy area at the UCLA Anderson School of Management administers the program. If you are motivated to create new knowledge and innovative research to help advance the field of business strategy, we encourage you to get in touch and apply."

Olav Sorensen Ph.D. Strategy Ph.D. Liaison

Explore the Program

Sample publications.

The Role of Chance Encounters in Silicon Valley Innovation Dee Gill UCLA Anderson Review

As Silicon Valley legend has it, back in the day semiconductor hotshots gathered at Walker’s Wagon Wheel to drink and gossip and, by the third beer, a new technology breakthrough had often been devised. Repeated millions of times over, at any place but the office, chance encounters have kept Silicon Valley cranking out patents — and technology startups — faster and more profitably than any other region of the world.  

Read Publication

Doctors, Subjected to Peer Comparison, Felt Increased Burnout Carla Fried UCLA Anderson Review

If there’s a work cohort we all have a vested interest in keeping happy and healthy, it is primary care doctors. By one estimate published in 2021, the U.S. is expected to be short by between 17,800 and 48,000 primary care physicians by 2034, and nearly one-third of current primary care docs reported being burned out.  

In a Boom, Incumbent Firms Can Redeploy Workers to Rapidly Expand Michael Totty UCLA Anderson Review

It is a new economy truism: Nimble startups have an edge over larger, well-established companies. New ventures are more innovative and can be better attuned to the markets they operate in, while incumbents, constrained by their existing operations, may be less able to commit resources to new ones.  

Household Energy Efficiency: Not All Upgrades Are Created Equal Michael Totty UCLA Anderson Review

Energy efficiency seems to offer one of those rare “everybody wins” solutions. It can save money on electricity bills, fight climate change, make it unnecessary for utilities to build new power plants and create jobs, and, by some estimates, save $2 in benefits for each dollar invested.  

Cause and Effect in the Complex World of Corporate Decision Making Dee Gill UCLA Anderson Review

Establishing links between cause and effect is a core function of scientific research, and one that we now know is far more difficult than previously thought. In the past decade, concerted efforts failed to replicate hundreds of studies published in prestigious journals, particularly in medicine and social sciences. This “replication crisis” has led to a flood of new research methods aimed at weeding out hidden factors that lead scientists to mistake mere correlations for causation, for actions that actually lead to change.  

Alumni Success

David Bardolet (’08)

Dissertation: New Perspectives on Capital Allocation

David Bardolet's research interests include behavioral strategy, resource allocation and corporate strategy. His work has been published in Strategic Management Journal and Industrial and Corporate Change, as well as in edited collections from Oxford University Press and Kluwer. Mentored at UCLA Anderson by Professor Craig Fox, he is a collaborator at the Fox Uncertainty Lab.

Vanessa Burbano (’15)

Dissertation: Three Essays on Corporate Social Responsibility

Now an Assistant Professor of Management in strategy at Columbia Business School, UCLA Anderson alumna Vanessa Burbano focuses her research topics on the intersection of corporate strategy and social/environmental issues, and on employee motivation. Her research has been awarded by the Strategic Management Society and the Strategy Research Foundation. Having joined Columbia in 2015, Burbano earned her Ph.D. from Anderson in 2011 and has also worked as an Associate at Goldman Sachs and as a Strategy Consultant at Monitor Group.

Bennett Chiles (’17)

Dissertation: Shrouded Information and Strategic Transparency: Three Essays on Price Obfuscation

UCLA Anderson graduate Bennett Chiles has previously worked in strategy consulting, data analytics, and the non-profit sector. Now, she's an Assistant Professor of Management in strategy at Columbia Business School, having joined in 2017. Chiles' research looks at issues at the intersection of competitive strategy and behavioral economics, focusing on information disclosure and deceptive business practices. She received her Ph.D. from UCLA Anderson School of Management in 2017.

Sara Parker Lue (’13)

Dissertation: Conflict of Interest and Incentives in Health Care

After graduating from UCLA Anderson with a Ph.D. in 2013, Sara Parker Lue joined Rutgers Business School as an Assistant Professor of Management and Global Business. She focuses on teaching business policy and strategy, along with health care strategy, while her research focus is on strategic human resources, organizational economics of health care, boundary of the firm, impact of reputation on agency issues, and regulatory policy. Lue also earned her M.A. in Economics from UCLA in 2010.

James Owen Ostler (’13)

Dissertation: Strategic Risk Taking Under Competition

James Ostler earned his Ph.D. from UCLA Anderson in 2013, and has since become an Assistant Professor of Strategy at the University of Michigan Ross School of business. His research focuses on decision making under uncertainty, exploring how business decisions are made based on expectations of an uncertain future. Ostler has also worked at start-ups, and as a consultant for a Fortune 500 company.

Belen Villalonga (’01)

First academic placement: Harvard Business School Dissertation: 'Chop Shop' Valuation Models and the Diversification Discount

Belen Villalonga has written numerous articles on how family ownership and control influence the management and governance of firms as well as their performance. Her award-winning research has been published in leading academic journals and cited over 750 times in academic publications, and has been featured in CNBC, NPR,  Bloomberg Businessweek, The Economist, Expansion, Financial Times, Forbes, International Herald Tribune  and many other international business publications. Since 2006, Villalonga has served as an independent director on the board of Acciona, a family-controlled Fortune Global 500 company in the infrastructure and renewable energy businesses.

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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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Over the course of the five-year doctoral program focused on strategy, you’ll explore how companies develop and sustain competitive advantage as you prepare for a faculty position at a top university. Gain interdisciplinary insights to enhance your research, working collaboratively with renowned faculty within Ross and across the University of Michigan.   

Strategy PhD Students

PhD students in the Michigan Ross Strategy Area are trained in rich, interdisciplinary theories and rigorous empirical methods for understanding why businesses behave as they do and what the consequences of those behaviors are for society.

As a PhD student in strategy, you will take two years, or four to five terms, to complete the 16 to 20 course requirements. Courses, some of which are taken outside Michigan Ross, include: 

• Economics, organizational theory, psychology, sociology, or decision science (5–6 courses) 
• Methods (5–6 courses) 
• Strategy applications (6 doctoral seminars, plus seminars in related areas) 

You are expected to complete a research paper by your third year in the program.   

You are expected to take a Preliminary Exam by the end of the summer of your second year. You will qualify for candidacy after you have successfully completed all coursework, passed the Preliminary Exam, and completed your research paper. The remainder of the program is devoted to the dissertation.

For detailed information about the Strategy Area's Program Structure, please refer to Strategy Area PhD guidelines .

Michigan Ross strategy faculty include some of the world's foremost business thinkers and innovative practitioners who focus on issues of importance to global business strategy.   

Learn more about the faculty and research contributions of the strategy area at Michigan Ross.

Reuben Hurst, 2023     University of Maryland

Diana Jue-Rajasingh, 2023     Rice University

Mana Heshmati, 2023     University of Washington

Christine Choi, 2022 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Raji Kunapuli, 2021 Southwestern University

Cha Li, 2021 University of Texas at Austin

Harsh Ketkar, 2020     Bocconi University

Saerom (Ronnie) Lee, 2020 University of Pennsylvania

Casidhe Horan, 2018 London Business School

Gareth Keeves, 2018     Startup founder & CEO; University of Michigan (lecturer) 

Sara Ryoo, 2018 SUNY Binghamton

Guy Shani, 2017 Michigan State

Heewon Chae, 2016 Arizona State

Gainluigi Giustiziero, 2015 SKEMA Business School

Heeyon Kim, 2014 National University of Singapore

Join the next generation of scholars preparing to solve the complex issues facing the strategy field.

Yun Ha Cho   [email protected]

Susie Choe      [email protected]

Hyuck David Chung   [email protected]

Eklovya Jain   [email protected]

Jusang Lee     [email protected]

Derek Lief   [email protected]

Trissanne Keen   [email protected]

Kyle McCullers   [email protected]

Brenda Myung   [email protected]

Pablo Sanz     [email protected]

Aseem Sinha   [email protected]

Akshaya Varghese   [email protected]

Alice (Can) Wang   [email protected]

Weikun Yang   [email protected]

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PhD in Strategy

Strategy and entrepreneurship.

As a strategy doctoral student, you have direct access to and work closely with UNC Kenan-Flagler’s renowned faculty. Strategic management is the bedrock of our research and provides a platform for additional focus areas: entrepreneurship and innovation, sustainable enterprise and information technologies.

The Strategy PhD Program prepares you to produce high-quality research as a faculty member at a top business school.

Our rigorous program draws from such disciplines as economics, psychology and sociology to inform research in the area of strategy and entrepreneurship. Although some students have completed graduate work before enrolling in the PhD program, it is not necessary.

Typical course schedule by year

During the first two years of the PhD program, your courses develop the tools you need to produce high-quality research. Sample classes include:

• Economic Foundations of Strategy
• Behavioral Foundations of Strategy
• Organizational Theory Macro-Organizational Behavior
• Seminar in Strategy: Topics might include international business, qualitative approaches to research, social networks, innovation and entrepreneurship, and simulation models.
• You will write an original research paper under the supervision of a faculty member for presentation and critique.
• Research Methods I
• Research Methods II
• Statistics I
• Econometrics

You also take classes in other disciplinary areas such as economics, sociology and psychology. We maintain close ties with the Duke University faculty and you may take approved doctoral level courses at its Fuqua School of Business.

• A comprehensive written examination covers all of the organizational behavior and leadership courses taken in the first two years of the PhD program.
• An oral presentation of your current research
• Full-time research
• With consent of your advisor, you may attend/participate or present at external national or international conferences after your second year.
• Dissertation and Oral Defense is expected prior to the end of your fifth year.
• Preparing for the job market
• You may take any elective course offered by UNC Kenan-Flagler or other UNC or Duke departments with guidance from your advisor.
• Students are invited to participate in all related research seminars and guest speakers offered at UNC Kenan-Flagler.

View our current Strategy and Entrepreneurship PhD students .

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Ph.D. Program

Duke's Fuqua School of Business

The Fuqua Strategy PhD program trains students to do independent research on firm strategy, with an emphasis on innovation and entrepreneurship. All students receive rigorous theoretical and empirical training through coursework, including in economics, statistics, public policy, and computer science, at Fuqua as well as at other graduate schools within the University.

A core thesis of our program is that training the next generation of scholars requires hands-on mentorship. You will begin working on collaborative research with faculty in your first year, within the framework of a multi-year apprenticeship model. This apprenticeship culminates in a complete working paper at the end of your second year and a publishable paper by the end of your third year. In recent years, students have gone on to publish these papers in journals including Management Science , Strategic Management Journal , American Economic Review , and Research Policy , among others.

This hands-on training culminates in an independent dissertation and job market paper that is at the cutting-edge of research in strategy, innovation, or entrepreneurship.

Over the five years it typically takes to complete the program, you are expected to fulfill the following requirements:

• Successfully complete coursework that develops your theoretical and empirical skills, including in microeconomics, econometrics as well as various advanced methods.
• Successfully complete coursework in several topical areas including firm strategy, the economics of innovation, entrepreneurship, and organizational theory.
• Attend and participate in the Strategy Area’s seminar series, where leading scholars from around the world present their latest research.
• A second year paper co-authored with a faculty member and presented to Strategy Area faculty. This paper will likely still be work-in-progress.
• A third year paper , which is typically a more advanced version of the second-year paper, but is judged to be of publishable quality. A defense of this paper constitutes the comprehensive examination that will determine advancement to candidacy.
• An independent research project that culminates in a dissertation proposal (year 4) which constitutes a contract specifying the required work for the final dissertation.
• A dissertation (year 5) and job market paper, which serves as the final requirement to complete the Strategy PhD program.

Your goal as a PhD student should be to develop the knowledge, judgment, and skills to conduct independent and collaborative research that is at the cutting edge of your chosen area within the broader field of strategy. Successful students will leave the program with:

• A strong foundation in economic and social science theory.
• A modern, rigorous methodological toolkit.
• Core skills include: being able to articulate a research question, its importance, and its relation to prior work; knowing how to attack that question (e.g., identifying data sources or modeling frameworks, collecting and preparing data); recognizing and applying high standards of evidence; and communicating results orally and in writing.
• Skill in writing independent research articles that have the potential to be marquee contributions to our field, and a familiarity with the publication process.

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PHD in Strategy & International Business Program

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• PhD in Business – Strategy and International Business

Who's It For?

The PhD in Strategy and International Business focuses on scholarly research on topics pertaining to strategic management and international business, as well as their interfaces. Offered through the Department of Management, topics examined include corporate strategy, corporate governance, management of multinational enterprises, international entry strategies, strategic alliances, and strategy in emerging economies, among others. 

The program emphasizes student involvement in research early in their doctoral studies. Students have the opportunity to be involved in ongoing research projects under the mentorship of experienced faculty, Close interaction with faculty members enables students to quickly learn to identify and develop research ideas and create their own research agenda. Students also develop teaching competence under faculty mentorship by teaching undergraduate classes.

Program Type Doctoral

Location On Campus

Time Commitment Full Time

Start Date August

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The Intersection of Strategic Management and International Business

Preparing Next-Generation Scholars

A typical student in Strategy/International Business would take the following core courses in Year 1: Statistics I and II, Research Methods, Strategic Management Research, and Social Psychology.

All students in the PhD in Business also complete a core curriculum. Follow the link below for details.

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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.

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A doctoral degree from Georgia Tech’s Scheller College of Business prepares you to pursue a faculty career at a research-oriented academic institution. Faculty enjoy high salaries, autonomy, an intellectually stimulating job, and the opportunity to teach and work with bright students. 

Why Strategy and Innovation?

The field of strategy is concerned with explaining and predicting firm-level differences in performance. The intersection between strategy and innovation is particularly fertile because of the growing role of innovation-based products and processes, and the critical role technological capabilities play as a source of competitive advantage. The intersection between strategy and innovation is also particularly relevant for technology-based new ventures. The areas of strategy, innovation, and entrepreneurship offer excellent job prospects for Ph.D. graduates.

Why Georgia Tech?

We are one of the leading academic groups with a research focus specifically on the intersection of strategy and innovation. Students can customize their curriculum by selecting from courses offered at Georgia Tech and top-tier partner institutions and they have access to outstanding research infrastructure such as a Census Research Data Center. Given the small size of the program, we place a strong emphasis on mentorship, allowing students to learn from a diverse faculty.

Our Ph.D. program emphasizes the early involvement of students in research projects with internationally recognized faculty. Our research is interdisciplinary, often applying economic thinking and integrating insights from other areas such as sociology, psychology, and management.

Faculty members publish in high-impact management journals such as Management Science, Organization Science, Research Policy, and Strategic Management Journal as well as in top journals in related fields such as Science, Nature, RAND Journal of Economics, and the Review of Economics and Statistics . Our faculty hold positions as journal editors and members of editorial boards, leadership positions in professional associations, and research appointments at highly selected bodies such as the National Bureau of Economic Research. Faculty members regularly share their knowledge with managers and entrepreneurs and have been invited to join as policy advisers to the Council of Economic Advisors and Committees of the National Academies. 

We host, co-sponsor, and participate in leading research conferences such as the Roundtable for Engineering Entrepreneurship Research (REER) and the Consortium for Competitiveness and Cooperation (CCC). Our weekly research seminar attracts presenters from institutions such as Harvard, MIT, Stanford, and the Max Planck Institute. Ph.D. students actively participate in these events, providing them with opportunities to learn from internationally leading scholars and to grow into the professional community.

What Does the Program Cost?

We fully fund all admitted students for at least five years, including a tuition waiver and a stipend to cover living expenses. Successful program completion will require a significant investment of time and effort, which is most likely to pay off for students with a clear interest in a research-oriented faculty career.

Tuition and Financing

Application process, the application deadline is jan. 6 for admission the following fall semester (starting mid-august)., strategy and innovation news.

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Discover a focus and intensity greater than you may have thought possible. As a PhD student at Stanford Graduate School of Business, you will be inspired and challenged to explore novel ideas and complex questions.

Fall 2024 applications are now closed. Applications for Fall 2025 will be available in September 2024.

Become an Outstanding Scholar

Our PhD Program is designed to develop outstanding scholars for careers in research and teaching at leading academic institutions throughout the world. You will embark on a challenging and meaningful experience, focusing your academic study in one of seven distinct fields within the PhD degree program.

Is a PhD Right for You?

Strong PhD candidates are full of ideas and curiosity, with a passion and aptitude for research. If you’re prepared to embark on a rigorous career in research and develop your full potential, we invite you to explore the possibilities of a PhD in business. Admitted students receive full fellowships for their doctoral studies.

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PhD in Strategic Management

• Concentrations
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The PhD program in strategic management allows students to make scholarly contributions to the field through research, and to prepare for a career in academia.

From exploring strategic decision processes to resource allocation, students seek to understand the factors that make up a successful organization.  

Message from the Coordinator

The PhD program in Strategic Management is designed for individuals who are committed to scholarly research that contributes to literature on strategic management theory and practice. 

The fundamental question that drives strategic management is: Why do some firms outperform others? Students in our PhD program uncover the reasons for success and failure among organizations. Their research helps guide the field, and sets students on a path toward an academic research career.

To ensure the success of the student, the doctoral program offers:

• Mentor-apprenticeship  research relationships that pairs students with faculty who share their interests
• Rigorous coursework  that equips students with the intellectual tools to investigate questions in meaningful and nuanced ways
• A supportive climate  that supports each student's passionate pursuit of professional goals
• World-class faculty  who are active researchers with visibility in the field’s top journals

The structure of our program engages students in the research process early and often—encouraging students to collaborate with faculty in the creation of articles for publication. Each year, we host eminent research faculty from around the world for research talks and campus visits. We invite academically motivated, creative and open-minded candidates to apply.

Giuseppe Labianca Berthiaume Chaired Professor of Leadership

Isenberg’s PhD in Strategic Management is a rigorous, stimulating and highly collaborative full-time, residential program that prepares students for careers in academia and industry. Students will deepen their understanding of management theory and will conduct independent research based on their interests. Working closely with faculty in intimate classroom settings, students will develop research for publication. Students also teach graduate-level classes.

Our program offers access to a unique group of world-class faculty specializing in the following research topics:

• Strategic human capital
• Knowledge management
• Inter-group conflict
• Uncertainty in strategic decision-making
• Strategy development processes and strategic middle management

Students generally complete a PhD in Strategic Management within four years. Students must take 45 credits of coursework, which seminars in organizational theory and organizational behavior, as well as statistics, methods and elective courses. Students must pass both a qualifying and comprehensive examination, take a professional colloquium course, write and defend a dissertation, and teach at Isenberg.

Our program is designed to be an integrative discipline that draws extensively from such fields as organizational theory, organizational behavior, and industrial organization economics. Major topics within the field include:

• Competitive advantage
• Dynamic capabilities
• Corporate governance
• Sustainable strategies
• Strategic decision-making
• Corporate entrepreneurship

YEAR 1: Coursework, including statistics, research methods and theory courses, and research electives; Qualifying exam; Colloquium

YEAR 2: Coursework, including core courses, research electives and minor area courses; Comprehensive exam; Colloquium

YEAR 3: Additional coursework as needed; Development of dissertation proposal; Teaching

YEAR 4: Dissertation

Strategic Management Doctoral Candidates

Strategy & Entrepreneurship

Strategy & Entrepreneurship is designed to prepare you for an academic and research career in the interdisciplinary study of how firms create, capture, and sustain value. A unique feature of the program is its emphasis on multidisciplinary theoretical and empirical approaches to the study of strategy and entrepreneurship.

Foundational courses:

• Economic foundations of strategy
• Corporate strategy
• Entrepreneurship

Methodology classes:

• Econometrics
• Qualitative research methods

Disciplinary courses in:

Proseminars:

• Strategy & International Business Speaker Series featuring globally renowned researchers
• Teaching and professional development
• Martin Ganco, University of Wisconsin
• Denisa Mindruta, HEC Paris
• John Mawdsley, HEC Paris
• Oklahoma State University
• University of Connecticut
• University of Science and Technology of China
• University of South Carolina

Areas of Faculty Research

• Angel/VC investing
• Business models
• Employee mobility
• Entrepreneurial strategy
• High-skilled Immigration Policy
• Human capital
• Industry clusters
• Intellectual property
• Mergers and acquisitions
• Resource redeployment
• R&D employees
• University technology transfer
• User innovation

Highlights of Faculty-Student Collaboration

• Seo, E., and Somaya, D. (2022). Living it up at the Hotel California: Employee Mobility Barriers and Collaborativeness in Firms' Innovation , Organization Science
• Corredor, Sandra and Joseph T. Mahoney. (2021).  Multi-business Firms’ Corporate Renewal Decisions: Divestiture Governance Mode Choice of Corporate Spin-Offs and Equity Carve-Outs .  Strategic Management Review
• Chung, J., Lorenz, A., and Somaya, D. (2019). Dealing with Intellectual Property (IP) Landmines: Defensive Measures to Address the Problem of IP Access . Research Policy
• Park, U.; Rha, Y.; Shah, S.; and Chattopadhyay, S. (2024). An Image of Industry: Knowledge Sources and Firm Survival in Medical Imaging.  Industrial & Corporate Change .
• Lee, H; Shah, S.; and Agarwal, R. (2023). Spinning an Entrepreneurial Career: Motivation, Attribution & the Development of Organizational Capabilities .  Strategic Management Journal .
• Seo, E., and Somaya, D. (2022). Living it up at the Hotel California: Employee Mobility Barriers and Collaborativeness in Firms' Innovation .  Organization Science.
• Corredor, Sandra and Joseph T. Mahoney. (2021). Multi-business Firms’ Corporate Renewal Decisions: Divestiture Governance Mode Choice of Corporate Spin-Offs and Equity Carve-Outs . Strategic Management Review.

Recent Publication Outlets

• Academy of Management Journal
• Academy of Management Review
• Administrative Science Quarterly
• Management Science
• Organization Science
• Research Policy
• Strategic Management Journal
• Strategic Management Review
• Strategy Science

Faculty Editorial Boards

• Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal

Recent Faculty Awards & Leadership Positions

Melissa Graebner

• Fellow, Strategic Management Society, 2021 to present
• Bill Glueck Best Paper Award, The Strategy Division of the Academy of Management, 2022

Min Jung Kim

• Poets & Quants 50 Best Undergraduate Business Professors 2023

Arkadiy Sakhartov

• Corporate Strategy Best Paper Finalist*, Strategic Management Society, 2021

*with Shihao Zhou, Weiliang Zhang, and Xi Chen

Hear from PhD students and alumni

"I am grateful to the Gies PhD Program in Strategy and Entrepreneurship for shaping me as a scholar and teacher and for preparing me to be competitive in the academic world. Throughout my doctoral journey, I have received a great deal of attention and support from my advisor, faculty, and administrative staff, who have always gone the extra mile to assist me in my dissertation research, teaching, conference travel, and other needs."

Valerie Isakova, Current PhD Student

"The PhD program at Gies College of Business offers a unique environment where doctoral students find a truly supportive, friendly, and intellectually inspiring atmosphere. The collegial and interdisciplinary environment at Gies provided me with wonderful opportunities to interact with faculty members and PhD students from different disciplines."

Hyeonsuh Lee, PhD ’22 Assistant Professor, West Virginia University

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Select your program and we'll help guide you through important information as you prepare for the application process.

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• PhD in Business Management
• Strategy and Innovation

Strategy and Innovation Doctor of Philosophy in Business Management

To survive and thrive in today’s business climate, confident leaders with bold strategies are essential. Capella’s online PhD in Business Management, Strategy and Innovation gives you the skills and knowledge to be a key player in the changing world of business, from small startups to global corporations. The program deepens your ability to analyze evidence-based strategies for business performance, and sets you up to teach, consult, or lead in diverse professional settings.

Virtual Residencies

Network with faculty and peers, and gain access to valuable resources to use during your program and beyond, through three doctoral virtual residencies.

Research mentor

Maintain progress through your dissertation; we’ll pair you with an academic mentor who can help you keep your momentum.

Stay on track with your academic goals and dissertation; we’ll help you organize your work into manageable segments.

Apply today with no application fee.

At a glance

• 11 Core courses
• 12 max transfer credits
• 4 Specialization courses
• 1 Elective course
• 3 Virtual Residencies

Comprehensive exam

Dissertation

• ACBSP-accredited

Reduce your tuition by $20,000

Enroll in a qualified program and apply for a $20K Capella Progress Reward, a scholarship to help fund your doctoral degree. Eligibility rules and exclusions apply. Connect with us for details.

Courses and skills

Explore strategy and innovation courses.

• This program requires a total of 90 quarter credits
• You’ll need to complete 14 core courses, three elective courses, three virtual residencies, one comprehensive exam and one dissertation

View all courses

What you'll learn

Our PhD in Business Management, Strategy and Innovation degree equips you with a deep theoretical and practical knowledge of how organizations innovate successfully in today’s complex business environments.

On successful completion of this program, you should be able to:

• Apply strategy and innovation theories to define best practices, generate new knowledge, and drive organizational change
• Assess, identify, and access critical information sources for innovation strategy
• Integrate data to support evidence-based strategy, with emphasis on emerging trends and technological influences in diverse global environments
• Apply critical thinking to strategy and innovation using appropriate research techniques
• Demonstrate ethical, effective, and sustainable approaches to business innovation challenges

Review the Capella career exploration guide  to learn more about this program and professional paths to explore.

Tuition and learning format

How much does the phd in business management cost.

The total cost of your degree will depend on academic performance, transfer credits, scholarships and other factors. See GuidedPath cost information below.

A structured learning format with an active peer community and faculty guidance. We’ll set the schedule, you meet the deadlines.

• Based on the quarter system; 1-2 courses per 10-week quarter
• 1 semester credit = 1.5 quarter credits
• Weekly assignments and courseroom discussions
• Pay for what you take, price varies by courseload or term

$985 per credit,  $5,000  quarterly tuition max, 75  coursework credits, 12 max transfer credits

Learn more about GuidedPath »

Tuition breakdown

Program phases.

$985 Per quarter credit

75 coursework credits

Per quarter credit

$2955 Per quarter

Per quarter

Resource kit fee

$175 Per quarter

Coursework phase only; includes eBooks, textbooks, interactive media, software, course packs, articles, test kits, and other instructional materials

Application fee

$0 no application fee

no application fee

Tuition and program length are unique to you

Your total tuition and program length depend on a variety of factors:

• The program specialization you choose
• Scholarships and finances
• Prior coursework
• Transfer credits
• Employer and/or military benefits
• Number of quarters spent working on dissertation
• Complexity of your dissertation
• Academic performance
• School/work/life balance
• Unexpected life events

About cost scenarios

The cost scenarios below are examples based on general program pricing and 2024–25 Capella tuition rates and assume the average number of transfer credits a student brings into the program. Pacing and pricing information is current as of Jan. 1, 2024. These rates are the same nationwide and may change depending on factors affecting program length and price. You are responsible for paying your own travel costs related to residencies, including plane, hotel, and food expenses.

To discuss whether the specialization you’re interested in has additional factors that may affect program cost and length, contact a Capella enrollment counselor.

Cost scenarios

*Eligibility rules apply. Connect with us for details.

Get the details

Connect with an enrollment counselor to further discuss the cost of the program and explore your eligibility for scholarships and discounts.

Scholarships and savings

Are there scholarships available for doctoral degrees.

Your education is an investment in your future that's within reach. There are  more ways to save  than you might think.

$5,000 quarterly tuition maximum Maximize your courseload – take 6 or more credits per quarter and pay just $5,000.*

$20K toward your doctorate

Apply for a $20K Capella Progress Reward , a scholarship to help fund your doctoral degree. Eligibility rules and exclusions apply. Connect with us for details.

10% Military discount Capella offers a  tuition discount  to active-duty service members and their spouses, Guard and Reserve members, and veterans.

*Cost of each residency is included in the $5,000 quarterly tuition maximum; books, resource kit, travel, lodging, meals, and other expenses are not included.

Accredited and recognized

Capella is accredited by the higher learning commission..

Accreditation and recognitions provide assurance that we meet standards for quality of faculty, curriculum, learner services, and fiscal stability. See all our  accreditations  and  recognitions .

How to apply

Phd in business management admission requirements.

Applicants must provide the following information for  admission  to Capella programs and specializations:

• A master’s degree from an institution accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, or from an internationally recognized institution
•  Your official master’s transcripts, with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale
• A valid, government-issued form of photo identification

GRE and GMAT are not required for admission.

International Student Requirements

If you completed your most recent academic coursework, degree, or credential at an institution outside the United States, regardless of your citizenship or where you currently live, you are considered an international applicant.

In addition to the above admission requirements, you will need to submit these materials:

• Minimum score on acceptable test for proof of English proficiency
• Transcript evaluation

Learn more about  international student admissions .

Faculty and support

What support does capella offer online students.

Our programs are designed to meet the unique needs of doctoral students. We’ve structured the experience in manageable pieces that build on one another to help you earn your doctorate. You’ll have support from faculty, staff, and online resources along the way.

Doctoral faculty

Work with faculty members who have years of experience and specialize in their areas of expertise throughout each phase of your program, including literature review and implementation planning.

Enrollment counselors

These experts will set you up for success. They’ll help you find the right degree program and answer all your questions about Capella.

Academic coaches

Through quarterly appointments and as-needed counseling sessions, these specialists introduce you to Capella and help you tailor your program to your personal goals and experiences.

Articles and resources

Expand your perspective on academic and career topics with articles and resources from Capella University.

10 qualities to look for in a career mentor

Finding a career mentor can really help as you develop your professional skills and move up the ladder.

What’s the ROI for a PhD?

Is a PhD worth the investment of time, money, and energy?

What’s it like to be a doctoral student?

What does it take to earn a doctoral degree? Learn more about the experience and explore each step of the journey.

Career exploration

What can you do with a phd in strategy & innovation degree.

Your education can help you reach your goals, professionally and personally. Here are some of the jobs and employment settings to consider with a PhD in Strategy & Innovation.

Related job titles to explore*

• Director of strategy and operations
• Director, business research
• Chief executive officer (CEO)
• Chief operating officer (COO)
• Business consultant
• Adjunct or part-time business faculty
• Full-time business faculty
• Dean or associate dean of a business program
• Vice president
• General manager

Employment settings to explore

• Manufacturing
• Banking/finance
• Government—local, state, federal
• Land-based or online college or university
• Community college
• Corporation
• Consulting firm
• Nonprofit organization
• Insurance firm
• Health care organization

*These are examples intended to serve as a general guide. Some positions may prefer or even require previous experience, licensure, certifications, and/or other designations along with a degree. Because many factors determine what position an individual may attain, Capella cannot guarantee that a graduate will secure any specific job title, a promotion, salary increase, or other career outcome. We encourage you to research requirements for your job target and career goals.

Take the first step toward earning your degree and achieving your goals. {page-tel}

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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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Doctor of Philosophy in the Field of Business Administration, Management and Strategy Concentration

The PhD in the field of business administration with a concentration in management and strategy prepares students to contribute as scholars to their chosen field of research. The curriculum is designed to help students develop an advanced understanding of research methodologies, competence in the fields of management and strategy, as well as a deep foundation of knowledge in the student’s chosen field of study.

The program is a coordinated effort between the GWSB departments of Management and Strategic Management and Public Policy , therefore, the coursework consists of core courses as well as courses that are specific to either of those two fields.

Visit the program website for additional information.

The PhD in business administration involves two years of formal courses established by each department and approved by the doctoral committee. Students take a minimum of 45 credits during their program, including 27 credits in core courses, a 3-credit summer paper, and 15 credits in elective courses. Students should consult their faculty advisory group about the required courses and electives for which they should register.

Students should complete at least 39 credits within the first two years from matriculation. The remaining 6 credits should be completed during the third year.

Requirements for the  management concentration

*Policies for core courses

In general, all core courses should be doctoral courses, i.e., those at the 8000 level. All courses must be taken for letter grades. Required courses cannot be waived without substitution except in unusual circumstances as determined on a case-by-case basis. Examples of unusual circumstances include students holding a specialized master's or doctoral degree where equivalent core courses were taken in a particular area (such as statistics or mathematics). Students may petition the associate dean of research and doctoral programs to substitute up to 12 credits of required courses with alternative courses approved by the faculty advisory group.

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Strategy is concerned with creating and defending an organization’s competitive advantage in changing environments. To be successful, organizations must leverage and renew their resources, competencies and leadership skills, sometimes in multiples industries at the same time. Such organizations are able to survive longer, perform better, and elicit favorable evaluations from their stakeholders, thereby shaping how industries change over time.

The faculty (Bob Andersen, Oana Branzei, Mary Crossan, Dusya Vera, Sergio Lazzarini, Lara Liboni, Cara Maurer, Krista Pettit, Mazi Raz, Seemantini Pathak, Lee Watkiss, and Mark Zbaracki) and doctoral students of the Strategy group at Ivey engages these wide-ranging phenomena in their research, course development, and teaching by drawing on multiple disciplines, including economics, psychology, political science, and sociology. The goal of this engagement is to advance the academic study of strategy and related disciplines while helping managers to improve their strategic decisions. Their research is published in top management and sociology journals including Academy of Management Journal, Academy of Management Review, Administrative Science Quarterly, American Sociological Review, Organization Science, and Strategic Management Journal.

The program emphasizes a strong foundation in strategic theory, research methods, and statistics. Students are exposed to both classic and recent scholarly work in order to expose them to the key paradigms, to help them to build mental models of different theoretical perspectives, and to develop a keen appreciation of the interconnectedness of the different research streams in the field of strategic management.

During the first two years of the program, students take a set of complementary courses in strategic management theory at the business-unit, corporate, and global levels, organizational theory, and others drawn from across the social sciences. Students also take a series of research methods courses including statistical and econometrical techniques as well as the option to take qualitative methods courses. Other aspects of the program are tailored to fit the student’s own research and teaching interests.

Throughout the doctoral program, students engage in research both independently and in collaboration with faculty. Between the second and third years of the program, students complete a major, independent, empirical research project. All students are encouraged to present their research at academic conferences as well as to submit articles to top-tier research journals for peer review. Students graduate as creative, independent scholars with the skills necessary to conduct cutting-edge research in the field of strategy and related disciplines.

The doctoral program in Strategy is designed to produce scholars. We train our graduates to become academics in a university setting. We aim to produce researchers and teachers. If your interest is consulting, industry, or other non-university sector employment, you would be better to pursue an MBA or MSc degree.

*Please note that Strategy is a stream under General Management

Areas of Research Focus

• Inequality, diversity and justice in business
• Organizational learning and strategic renewal
• Power and politics in decision-making and learning
• Strategic decision-making
• Strategic leadership and human resource management
• Strategy implementation
• Strategy-as-practice
• Technological innovation
• View our Google Scholar Page
• View the Research Database

PhD Student Opportunities

The doctoral program in Strategy is recruiting students with the following research interests.

Professor Bob Andersen is recruiting PhD students with an interest in the impact that inequality and diversity have on organizations, business and society as a whole. Although most of my own research is mostly quantitative, I am also open to supervise qualitative projects. I especially interested in issues related to: a) the role that organizations have played in the increase in income inequality over the past few decades (and especially cross-national differences); b) how inequality and diversity within organizations affect productivity and/or innovation; c) how cross-national differences in social, economic and political conditions influence organizational strategy; and d) the social bases of attitudes, and the role that inequality and/or diversity play, and their impact on organizations. More information on my recent research can be found here: https://www.ivey.uwo.ca/faculty/directory/bob-andersen/

Professor Mary Crossan is recruiting a PhD student interested in focusing on leader character, organizational learning and strategic renewal. My research is not limited by discipline boundaries. My ultimate interest is to contribute to research and practice on the drivers of sustained excellence in organizations and ultimately society. This pursuit has led me into the areas of organizational learning for strategic renewal, improvisation as it relates to strategic agility and innovation, and more recently the foundational role of examining the strength of character (e.g. courage, humility, humanity, transcendence, drive, integrity, etc.) as it relates to both individual well-being and sustained excellence in organizations. I am a Distinguished University Professor at Western, which is Western’s highest honour recognizing sustained excellence in research, teaching and service. I have an excellent track record working with doctoral students, and collaborate with many Ivey faculty and faculty around the world in my research endeavors. Sample publications:

• Pettit, K.; Crossan M. "Strategic renewal: Beyond the functional resource role of occupational members", Strategic Management Journal, 2020, 41:1112-1138.
• Crossan, M.; Apaydin, M. A Multi-Dimensional Framework of Organizational Innovation: A Systematic Review of the Literature, Journal of Management Studies, 2010, 47 (6), 1154-1191. (Top 10 downloaded article since 2013)
• Crossan, M.; Byrne, A.; Seijts, G. Reno, M.; Monzani, L., Gandz, J.: "Toward a Framework of Leader Character in Organizations" Journal of Management Studies, vol. 54 (7) 986-1018, January, 2017.
• Crossan, M.; Lane H.; White, R.E. "An Organization Learning Framework: From Intuition to Institution"; Academy of Management Review; vol. 24, no. 3, 522-537,1999. (received the decade award from AMR in 2009 as the most highly cited paper in the prior decade)

Professors Sergio Lazzarini and Lara Liboni are recruiting PhD students with an interest in studying how stakeholder theory and strategic approaches to value creation can inform the analysis of how to engage stakeholders to address collective action problems and promote new resources and capabilities.   Sample research that supports this new stream of research includes:

• Why resource-based theory’s model of profit appropriation must incorporate a stakeholder perspective
• Public-Private Collaboration, Hybridity and Social Value: Towards New Theoretical Perspectives

Professor Krista Pettit (and co-supervisor TBD depending on the dissertation topic) is recruiting PhD students with a research interest in strategy-as-practice with a particular focus on how interactions shape strategy. Topics within this research area can range broadly. We welcome applications from students with an interest in examining how interactions between human practitioners within an organization and/or interactions between organizations and key external stakeholders shape strategic change.  This opportunity is for researchers using qualitative methods.

Professors Dusya Vera and Seemantini Pathak are recruiting a PhD student interested in focusing on leader character and strategic management.  Our interest is to contribute to research and practice on the drivers of sustained excellence in organizations and ultimately society, with particular interest in WHO strategic leaders need to be to achieve sustained excellence. The area of focus is character as applied to strategic leadership and strategic management, examining strength of character (e.g. courage, humility, humanity, transcendence, temperance, drive, integrity, etc.) as it relates to areas such as organizational learning, corporate governance, corporate scope and strategy, and the grand challenges of society. Sample publications:

• Vera, D., & Crossan, M. 2023. “Character-enabled improvisation and the new normal: A paradox perspective.” Management Learning, 54(1): 77-98.
• Crossan, M., Nguyen, B., Vera, D., Sturm, R., & Ruiz Pardo, A. 2023. “Leader character in engineering projects: A case study of character activation, contagion and embeddedness.” IEEE Transactions of Engineering Management.
• Vera, D., Bonardi, JP, Hitt, M., & Withers, M. 2022. “Extending the boundaries of strategic leadership and strategic management research.” The Leadership Quarterly, 33 (3): 101617.
• Chiu, S. C. S., Pathak, S., Hoskisson, R. E., & Johnson, R. A. 2022. “Managerial commitment to the status quo and corporate divestiture: Can power motivate openness to change?: The Leadership Quarterly, 33(3), 101459.
• Salaiz, A., Evans, K. M., Jones, C. D., & Pathak, S. 2022. “CEO-COB prestige distance and change in diversification: Exploring a curvilinear relationship.” The Leadership Quarterly, 33(3), 101544.
• Evans, K., Salaiz, A., Pathak, S., & Vera, D. 2020. "Community influential directors and corporate social performance." Business & Society, 61(1): 225-263.

Professor Mark Zbaracki is recruiting PhD students interested in how Artificial Intelligence is shaping managerial practice, with a special focus on how AI applications to pricing have implications for issues of justice. Firms have learned to use supercharged pricing algorithms to maximize profit and gain competitive advantage, but the application of AI to pricing can also have profound social implications. I am exploring how firms consider the concerns of justice and strategy when they use AI to enhance their pricing decisions. Sample research includes:

• How AI Can Help Companies Set Prices More Ethically, Harvard Business Review, 2021.
• “Truth, Beauty, and Justice in Social Science Models,” Research in the Sociology of Organizations, (with Lee Watkiss, Cameron McAlpine, and Julian Barg) forthcoming.
• Pricing process as capability, Strategic Management Journal.
• Pricing as a strategic capability, Sloan Management Review.

Professors Mark Zbaracki and Lee Watkiss are recruiting PhD students with an interest in studying how interpretation and politics shape strategic decision-making and learning. This stream of research, revisits earlier work ( Strategic Decision Making ) and is being extended in research with a current PhD student, Cameron McAlpine. Our approach has three components:

• How we interpret the situation matters more than stable preferences in shaping decision making. Sample research includes Of Organizing and Sensemaking: From Action to Meaning and Back Again in a Half-Century of Weick’s Theorizing .
• Political dynamics shape learning and choice in and across organizations. Sample research includes research on The Politics of Organizational Learning .
• Ambiguity shapes decision-making and can be used strategically. A good statement of that approach can be found in a book review found here .

PhD Graduates

Strategy is one of five possible specializations within Ivey’s General Management PhD program. The Strategy specialization is designed for those interested in pursuing academic careers at top business schools in Strategy, Management, or Organization departments.

Dr. Jungsoo Ahn

Assistant Professor, Stony Brook University College of Business

Refining Adaptation and Its Onset: Signals of Financial Innovation that Trigger Strategic Attention in Financial Services

Market actors, such as venture founders, incumbent managers, and third parties, respectively shape categories to influence investors’ perceptions of the nascent markets and related firms. Yet we know less about the idiosyncratic role that producers and third parties play in the investment process. This dissertation seeks to advance our understanding about categorizations in shaping investment decisions... Read more about this thesis

Dr. Andrew Sarta

Assistant Professor, York University

Organizational adaptation is one of the most important concepts in strategic management. Historical conceptions suggest that without it, organizations are likely to succumb to inertia in dynamic environments and with it, organizations are likely to thrive. Despite its rich scholarly history, organizational adaptation continues to lack clarity and is often conflated with market entry, performance, or survival. More importantly, managers do not have a meaningful way to determine whether their organization is well-adapted or maladapted. Knowing when organizations begin to adapt to their changing environments subsequently becomes a difficult question to answer. In this thesis, I develop much-needed clarity to the concept of organizational adaptation while also examining its origins... Read more about this thesis

Dr. Nuruddin Ahmed

Postdoctoral Associate, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Two Essays On Innovation In Artificial Intelligence: Corporate R&D And Firm-level Publications Strategy

Corporate research and development (R&D) plays an important role in firm-level innovation strategies. To maintain competitive advantage, firms tend to disclose their internal research strategically. Essay 1 of this dissertation examines what motivates firms to publish more papers in Artificial Intelligence (AI). Combining two disparate literatures— R&D disclosure strategy and strategic human capital literature— I argue that scientists have a preference to publish research and when scientists have higher bargaining power, firms tend to disclose more internal research to recruit talent. To test my propositions, I use a comprehensive dataset of 200 million US job postings (from Burning Glass Technologies) and.... Read more about this thesis

Discipline Coordinator

Lee Watkiss

Lee Watkiss draws on organizational theory and cultural analysis to explore how firms can influence the creation and alteration of the product and market categories they inhabit as well as how these categories provide stability for firms as they navigate turbulent environments.

Lee holds a Ph.D. from the Carroll School of Management at Boston College. Earlier in his career, he worked in diverse fields including engineering, professional services, and executive education in both multinational (e.g., Arthur Andersen and Deloitte & Touche) and small start-up ventures in the United Kingdom and the United States. In these roles, Lee advised and consulted for organizations across the technology, finance, energy, healthcare, insurance, manufacturing, media, real estate, retail, telecommunications, and transportation industries, including many of Fortune magazine’s “World’s Most Admired Companies.”

Lee currently teaches Strategic Analysis and Action and Cross-Enterprise Leadership in the HBA program, and Ivey Essentials - Strategy in the MSc program. He also teaches in the Ivey Frontline Leadership Program. While at Boston College, he received both the Donald J. White Teaching Excellence Award and the Carroll School of Management All Star Teacher Award for his teaching in the undergraduate program.

Read full profile »

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PhD Programme

Become a research expert at king’s.

A PhD from King’s Business School aims to be more than just a qualification. It provides you with the opportunity to become an expert in your chosen field of research. By the end of the programme, you will have developed the skills necessary to analyse complex organisational problems in order to make a difference in business and society.

If that’s you, then King’s Business School provides an ideal home for you to pursue PhD research. It is one of the leading research-intensive business schools in the UK and features world-class research academics in all of our departments:

• Accounting & Financial Management
• Banking & Finance
• Human Resource Management & Employment Relations
• Public Services Management & Organisation
• Strategy, International Management & Entrepreneurship

Many of our graduates continue onto academic careers after completing their PhD. Some take on research, analysis or leadership roles in major corporations and public bodies. Others use their expertise to start up their own research consultancy. It’s entirely up to you to decide what King’s means for your future. However, we know that PhD research will be right for you if you are motivated to interrogate academic puzzles; committed to developing high-level analytical skills; and dedicated to advancing knowledge in your research area.

Upcoming deadlines October 2024 entry

Round 1 - Now closed. 

Round 2 - Application deadline for all applicants: 1 June 2024

Please note, any application received after 15 December 2023 will automatically be considered for the second round entry.

Application and admissions guide

Our application guide outlines everything you need to know about applying to the programme and for our King’s Business School studentships.

Find out how to apply for our PhD programme

Our full-time PhD programme usually takes three to four years, while the part-time programme will last six to sevent years. As a full-time student, you will spend most of your time in the iconic Bush House where we have dedicated spaces for our PhD researchers. And with central London on your doorstep, you’ll be surrounded by major business, government and cultural institutions. While completing a PhD is probably the toughest academic challenge you’ll ever take on, we’re here to support you throughout your time at King’s (and beyond).

Find out more about life at King's Business School

Skills & Training

The King’s Business School PhD programme is designed to support you in preparing the strongest thesis that you can, which will place you in the best position to move on to the job that you want. We will support you in developing advanced academic skills, but also skills relevant for wider impact in business and on society – for instance, skills in critical and analytical thinking, communication and networking.

Find out more about how we train our PhD students

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Doctoral Research Studentships

King's Business School invites applications for funded, full-time PhD studentships to start in the…

PhD Studentships

Please see other available King's Business School PhD Studentships

Student Experiences

Current and former students share their experiences of being a PhD student at King's Business School

8 January 2021

Chiamaka Nwosu

Chiamaka Nwosu is a current PhD student at King's Business School.

7 January 2021

Felix Kempf

Felix Kempf is a current PhD student at King's Business School.

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Rep. Kat Cammack on the GOP’s November Strategy: “It’s Time To Take the Gloves Off and Fight”

Rep. Kat Cammack, congresswoman for FL-03, small business owner, prior longtime deputy chief of staff for her district, graduate of the US Naval War College, joined the Guy Benson Show today to discuss the latest as Speaker Mike Johnson’s motion to vacate lingers over his head. Cammack and Benson also discuss the GOP and conservative strategy as November continues to approach, and Cammack suggests that it is time to play the game that the Democrats are playing. Listen to the full interview below!

Rep. Cammack had this to say on the GOP’s strategy as November approaches:

“Never say never… but we would table the motion… (the Democrats) are not doing this out of the kindness of their heart. they’re doing this to sow more discord… if you play stupid games, you win stupid prizes. the stupid prize we would win in this case would be Hakeem Jeffries as Speaker. It’s time to take the damn gloves off… it’s time to start getting in the trenches… we’re the first to take out our own before we take out the other side, because we bring a knife to a gun fight, quite frankly. And it’s a pocket knife at that… we told Republicans, don’t vote early and don’t vote by absentee. God forbid. And we get killed every single time. Now there’s a group of us who are saying, listen, you don’t have to like it. But if the rules are set as such that this is legal, then we’re going to do it because we have to fight.”    

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