PhD Research Examples
Examples of research that would fit the PhD in Business at Bentley
Within your chosen discipline you would then pursue research that fits within the business, technology and society thematic. Examples of thematic research, and how you can approach the theme from different disciplinary perspectives, are highlighted below. Please see the Faculty link to the left for researchers who best fit these domains:
Business and IT
Research aimed at the ways in which IT is transforming business practice, inspiring innovation, shaping knowledge creation, and influencing the complex mechanisms of communication, collaboration and information management. The research may address:
Design and Implementation of Applications and Infrastructures
Examples include the design of collaboration-enabling technology, software and model reuse in an enterprise architecture context, the development of organizational and industry IT architectures, management of globally distributed software development, the development and implementation of technical standards.
Individual User Experience of IT
Examples include the use of IT to enhance creativity, the use of IT for marketing, the effects of online shopping tools on consumer decision-making, the usability of web search systems, the pedagogical use of handheld computing technology, collaboration theory as a foundation for usable enterprise systems.
IT-enabled Business Process Management
Examples include process modeling, analysis and redesign; business process management and workflow technology; auditing of systems that support business processes; control issues related to business processes and systems; the role of IT, metrics and change management in business process management.
Policy and Societal Implications of IT
Examples include critical infrastructure protection, privacy, the development of technology and industry standards, the role of telecommunications in economic development and globalization, the social consequences of globally distributed work and digital media, protection of digital intellectual property.
Business Innovation and Information Management
Examples include strategic use of IT, designing and managing IT-enabled organizational transformation, requirements determination for business applications of IT, investing in IT architectures for business value, global IT sourcing, using IT to support globally distributed enterprises, and inter-organizational collaborations, project management and change management.
Global Commerce and Cultures
Research that focuses on the flows of people, commodities, money, ideas, information and images across different cultures on a global level. The research may address:
The global security and social environment that impacts such flows.
Examples include international regimes for security, trade, transportation, and communication; global governance; regional conflict and cooperation; free trade agreements and multinational corporations.
The Global Frameworks (and patterns of such flows)
Examples include global networks; outsourcing and foreign direct investment; global enterprising; digital economy and electronic commerce; international e-government; global tourism; global visual culture (global media, television, and film); cultural exchange via Internet; and global education;
Business Practices, Cross-cultural dialogues and Global Issues
Examples include modernity and tradition, liberty and equality, social justice and political stability, democratization, authority and civil society, individual and national identity, transnationalism, environment and resource management, social capital, competition and innovation, human rights, intellectual property rights, and sustainable development.
Risk Management
Research related to the broad range of exposures a firm faces in today’s business environment, including privacy and security, corporate governance and ethics, data quality management, information systems implementation and operation, compliance and assurance, financial risk management, human resource management, crisis management, etc. Key themes are the influence of corporate governance on organizational success and failure, modeling business risk perception and behavior of corporate players, challenges facing health care providers with respect to compliance, and the impact of corporate responsibility on business value.
Ethics and Social Responsibility
Research in business ethics, civic engagement and social responsibility in general, as well as interdisciplinary research that focuses on the study of: corporate governance and ethical conduct; corporate social responsibility and profitability; corporate reputation and performance; ethics and marketing; and strategies related to stakeholder management and the social role of business.
Women in Leadership
Research that contributes to an understanding of women as leaders, broadly defined, and is intended to help educators, executives and policy makers better understand how women can lead in implementing business practice that fosters diversity, social justice and ethical behavior. Understanding women’s roles in business and society requires a deep and thorough knowledge of the historical, social, international, and cultural context in which women’s roles evolved. For example, scholars in history, english, and philosophy study different aspects of women’s roles in family, in the professions, in society, and in culture. An understanding of this larger context is essential for women to surmount the challenges that confront them in business today.
Business Analytics
Possible projects could include for example statistical investigations of international living standards data, data mining applied to database marketing, to problems in finance or to the adoption of new technologies, or the analysis of textual data applied to business problems. Each project leverages expertise in cutting-edge quantitative methods to make a contribution both to the area of business analytics and the specific business area represented by the data used in the project.
The Intersection of Arts and Sciences with Business
Research in any area of the arts and sciences that explores issues or concepts relevant to the mission and strategic goals of a premier business school. Because Bentley has a unified faculty in business and the arts and sciences, collaboration across disciplinary boundaries is encouraged. Arts and sciences faculties in relevant sub fields are ready and willing to work with PhD students. Our arts and sciences faculty includes scholars in international business and economic history, experts in qualitative research in the social sciences, and the editor of Business and Society Review, a leading journal in business ethics.
Research Topics of Special Interest
If you have a particular area of research in mind, Bentley faculty members will work with you to generate a clear and compelling focus, and a workable plan to complete your studies on time.
