Guest Blogger: Philip A. Cola, PhD
Case Western Reserve University
The Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) degree is a well-recognized credential designed for experienced professionals in Business Management. The core idea behind the DBA degree fostered learning for academic knowledge in business management while simultaneously deepening real-world application. Common references for individuals holding this degree include practitioner scholars1, scholar practitioners2, engaged managers3, or even pracademics4. Over the years, the evolution of DBA programs reflects changes in business practices, ever changing economic landscapes, and contemporary literature streams.
Origins and Early Developments
The DBA first emerged as a program distinct from the more theory-oriented PhD more than 50 years ago. Early programs focused on applied research capable of influencing real-world business practices efficiently and effectively. It was not just about scholarship, but also about developing business managers and policy-makers who could bridge gaps between theory and practice. From these origins emerged proliferation of programs with approaches to practitioner-scholarship.
Currently, the longest running of the next generation programs emerged at the Weatherhead School of Management, at Case Western Reserve University in 1995. This program was created for practicing executives through an interdisciplinary residency-based curriculum approach. Students practice cohort-based learning throughout multi-day on campus residencies. This general design ultimately led to a proliferation of similar DBA and PhD programs both nationally and internationally.
Expansion in Reaction to Market Change
In the late 1990s, the business management environment continued to evolve based on rapid globalization, technological advances, and regulatory risk management mitigation. These shifts demanded new kinds of leaders and managers who not only understood global markets but could also leverage technology for strategic advantages while utilizing evidence-based management to drive decision-making. In response, DBA programs started incorporating courses on international business management, information technology, and design thinking as content courses in addition to research method and design courses.
DBA curricula also emphasized leadership, ethics, and corporate governance more strongly, reflecting a global concern for organizational responsibility and ethical business practices. This period also saw increased flexibility with DBAs designed to mesh with the hectic schedules of senior executives through the residency-based course models or through part-time educational formats.
Continuous Evolution
The advent of the digital age and the explosion of big data transformed industries, necessitating a new approach in DBA programs. The focus shifted towards data-driven decision-making, digital transformation, and managing virtual organizations. To address these areas, DBA programs began integrating courses on advanced analytics, digital innovation, and modern approaches to economics, recognizing the need for leaders who are not only proficient in traditional business management, but are also savvy in leveraging new technologies and big data.
In addition to technological integration, there has been a growing emphasis on innovation and entrepreneurship in DBA programs. This shift reflects a broader trend in the business world, where disruptive innovation has become a key strategy. DBA candidates learn not just how to manage large corporations, but also how to foster innovation in a startup context or within established corporate settings. With these changes also came virtual classrooms. Many DBA programs now offer in-person residency sessions and virtual residency sessions throughout the academic year.
Current Trends and Future Directions
Today, sustainability and social impact are at the forefront of business leadership education. Modern DBA programs are increasingly incorporating sustainability, corporate social responsibility (CSR), and the global impact of business decisions into curricula. Contemporary business management recognizes the significant role businesses play in addressing global challenges like climate change, inequality, and public health crises drives this trend. This is the idea of business as an agent of world benefit.
Looking ahead, DBA programs are likely to continue evolving in response to global economic conditions and emerging business trends. For instance, we are seeing more emphasis on managing remote teams and decentralized organizations, intergenerational workforces, use of artificial intelligence in medicine, manufacturing, marketing and other field, which then drives a focus on cybersecurity and information integrity.
Conclusion
The evolution of DBA programs reflects the dynamic nature of business itself. From their origins a practice-based alternative to the PhD in Business, DBA programs continuously adapt to meet the needs of a changing world through improved decision-making approaches. For contemporary professionals considering a DBA, the journey is not only about achieving personal and professional growth, but also about contributing to data driven, sustainable, ethical and evidence-based business practices.
Contemporary DBA programs offer approaches toward solving some of the toughest challenges in business from both the academic and practitioner standpoint. Thus, bridging both relevance and rigorous approaches.
References
1Salipante, P., & Aram, J. D. (2003). Managers as knowledge generators: The nature of practitioner‐scholar research in the nonprofit sector. Nonprofit Management and Leadership, 14(2), 129-150.
2Carton, G., & Ungureanu, P. (2018). Bridging the research–practice divide: A study of scholar-practitioners’ multiple role management strategies and knowledge spillovers across roles. Journal of Management Inquiry, 27(4), 436-453.
3Van de Ven, A. H. (2007). Engaged scholarship: A guide for organizational and social research. Oxford University Press, USA.
4Panda, A. (2014). Bringing academic and corporate worlds closer: We need pracademics. Management and Labour studies, 39(2), 140-159.
