Area of Research

[Mint Berry Crunch]

It's been a while since I've asked the forum any questions, but I'm going over the hump in my DBA program and I'm looking forward to the research portion of it at TESU. I have nothing but stellar things to say about the program and it has introduced me to a lot of areas that I was unfamiliar with initially. For those that have done research in the field of business, what were some topics or trends that you discovered and wrote about? I am beginning to cogitate on my topic as I prepare for the lengthy research portion of my program.

[Sagan]

Opinion: It is not proper to list degrees not earned, even if the anticipated date is listed.

Opinion: One's research topic should come from one's own interests, professional aims, etc. Not having a burning passion for any particular one is a warning sign and puts the dissertation effort in jeopardy. It's hard enough when one does have passion for the topic.

Opinion: Earning a doctorate will define one's professional identity from then on. Choose wisely.

Opinion: If I was going to conduct this research, I'd focus on AI, particularly on its impact on the workforce and employability.

[freeloader]

What interests you, Mint Berry?  You are going to spend a lot of time on this project. Much better (and easier) to pick something that you want to research and write about.  

What piqued your interest in one of your classes or in a book you read?  Was there something that you really wanted to learn more about?  Something that felt like it had to be wrong or incomplete?  

How do you want to market yourself moving forward?  Pick something that will indicate high level competence if not expertise in that area.

What sources and resources are available to you?  Plenty of dissertations/capstones are built around observations of people’s workplaces and/or surveys conducted with people the authors know, have worked with, and/or are in their broader network. Are there people and resources that you can leverage?  Are you/your employer deploying AI to help note takers in a mid-sized hospital system, dealing with new contract requirements for federal contractors, trying to re-establish leadership legitimacy after the death or removal of a longtime senior leader in your organization?  Any of those could provide the “big picture” for a case-study style DBA project.  If not, what’s going on at your workplace?

For good or for ill, the DBA seems like a degree whose final project can range quite broadly in the subject(s) treated. From
What I have seen, if you can make at least a tangential connection to business and apply some relevant research methodologies, there seems to be a good chance it will be allowed. I acknowledge this is purely anecdotal based on my observations, which are in no way universal or encyclopedic.