Executive

Doctorate of
Business
Administration
(DBA)
Cranfield University
Cranfield School of Management has been an inspiration to
generations of business leaders. As part of Cranfield University,
the UK’s only wholly postgraduate university, we are uniquely
placed to connect technology and leadership. Our contribution
to global innovation is world-leading, changing the way society
thinks, works and learns.

Our passion for the areas we operate in and our long-standing

relationships with some of the most prestigious companies
in industry means that we are globally recognised for our
excellence in leadership development and real-world focus.

Studying for a DBA at Cranfield

Cranfield’s influence stretches around the globe. Our alumni have taken the knowledge and skills
they acquired here and used them to build new businesses, to conceive new solutions to real world
problems, to forge and energize teams, and to help transform organisations in diverse industries
and sectors. Our Executive DBA is the highest-level business qualification available. The programme
enables senior people to conduct valuable, doctoral-level research on a part-time basis, over four to
six years.

“Cranfield’s Executive DBA presented me the ideal opportunity to undertake research

to advance the thinking about realising maximum return from investment in IT in
the public sector. As a result of my research I was awarded first prize by
the Association of Project Management UK for my work on Benefits
Realisation. I was also voted President for the Association of Change
Management Professionals for the Middle East and North Africa
region. I have won many awards for best projects and became a regular
speaker at international conferences speaking about how to manage
change effectively. My DBA has helped me change career direction,
from IT to the energy sector, and to work in a different region of the
world, from the UK to Gulf Region.”
Dr Raied Abdul-Karim, DBA Alumnus, Head of Integration and Change
Management for a major Oil and Gas organization
Reasons to study for
a DBA with us
1 Organisational impact
Our high quality, doctoral level research
degree will deliver significant benefits
to your organisation by addressing
major business critical, organisational
or practical issues which, in turn, impact
on management thinking, approach,
processes and profitability.
Personal impact
2 Our DBA provides a rich developmental
experience using the latest research
tools and techniques to develop leading-
edge thinking and analytical skills.
Coming to Cranfield is a life-changing
experience for many.
3 Accredited
Our Executive DBA is one of only a few
Doctor of Business Administration
programmes worldwide to hold
the Association of MBAs (AMBA)
accreditation.
4 Structured programme
Our DBA has a very structured
programme which offers a high level of
support throughout from expert faculty.
This ensures greater success levels for
our students.
5 Outstanding facilities
All of our facilities have been designed to
create an environment that is conducive
to learning at the level anticipated by
global business leaders and managers.
The University also offers a wide range
of leisure facilities to help you unwind or
maintain your energy levels, including an
indoor heated swimming pool, sauna, mini
gym, tennis and badminton courts.
6 World leading research
60% of Cranfield research is world leading
or internationally excellent, compared to
the Business and Management unit of
assessment average of 38% (Source: The
Research Excellence Framework 2014).
7 Faculty support
As the issues addressed by researchers are
real organisational problems, they tend to
be cross-functional, requiring input from a
number of faculty with differing expertise.
This is reflected in our supervisory structure
which ensures you receive the most
appropriate level of support.
8 Broad portfolio
We offer a wide range of study options
– research degrees, taught degrees,
executive education and short courses.
Find out more at www.cranfield.ac.uk/som.
Welcome
“The Executive DBA
programme is at the heart
of Cranfield’s approach
to research, learning and
professional development.
It starts with a genuine
business issue rather than
academic theory and provides
a unique opportunity for
experienced managers from
diverse backgrounds to learn
together, share experiences
and make a real difference
to their organisations
through well crafted
research. Demonstrating
our commitment to quality
assurance, our programme
is one of only a handful of
other DBAs worldwide to have
earned AMBA accreditation.”
Professor David Denyer
Director of Research
Cranfield School of Management
Meeting today’s challenges
“In addition to hard-won experience,
today’s fast-moving business world
also needs leaders with an intimate
knowledge of the organisational
capabilities necessary to meet even
greater challenges. Such knowledge
must be rigorously researched if it is to
be more than a ‘flavour of the month’
solution. The Cranfield Executive DBA
provides the ideal opportunity for you to
stand back from your work role, reflect
on a critical management issue and
carry out in-depth research that fuels
new business initiatives. Improving
professionally is a personal goal for
many. After completing a Masters
degree, many seek continual learning
and progression in their field. Our
Executive DBA programme provides
a major learning challenge, enabling
you to make a contribution to both
knowledge and practice through your
rigorous and relevant research.”
Professor Emma Parry
Director, Executive DBA
What alumni say about our Executive DBA

“One of the key impacts the programme has had on my

organisation so far has been my ability to critique and assess
a business problem – looking at it in a much more focused
and sharper way and actually challenging back into the
business. That’s what I’ve been doing and so the business
has seen value added from that – especially in assessing
risks and being able to make more informed decisions.”
Dr Mark Baker, Owner and Director at Radbury Consulting Ltd

“My research undertakings were driven by the quest to find

robust solutions to real-life business issues, making my
overarching research findings and contributions relevant
and easily applied to today’s business environment. The
benefits of the DBA personally and professionally continue
to be immeasurable. The expansiveness of the research
process heightened my analytical and critical skills, which in
turn positions me as a highly effective executive leader and
practitioner.”
Dr Nneka Abulokwe, Executive Director, Operations and
Governance, UK and Asia, Steria Group

“A research degree is not to be undertaken lightly but the benefits are terrific.
The programme enabled me to develop new frameworks and models for
interpreting the world and an in-depth understanding of
my research area which looked at the role of personal
values and their relationship performance in small and
medium enterprises. All of this, allied to more insights
about myself and my own development needs, led to an
enormous amount of personal growth. Someone once said
to me, early in my DBA, that you will do your best work
when you have graduated. That has certainly been the
case and it helped to equip me to lead my business through
very difficult economic times.”
Dr Andy Wood OBE, Chief Executive, Adnams plc
About the Executive DBA
Our Executive DBA is the highest-level business qualification that can
be attained, and is aimed at senior practitioners, policy-makers and
consultants who want to be thought leaders in their organisations and wider
occupations.

Candidates are a highly diverse group of professionals from a variety

of nationalities, industries, cultures and backgrounds. As well as the
networking and learning opportunities offered by the programme,
participants will benefit from the quality of study facilities, supervisory
expertise, alumni networks and the international research perspective
offered by Cranfield.

YEAR 1 YEAR 2
Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5

Week 6

Week 7

Week 8

Deliverable 1 Deliverable 2 Deliverable 3

Problem Positioning Literature
Formulation Study Based Project

Deliverable 4
Research Design

Deliverable 5
Impact Plan

ENGAGEMENT WITH PRACTICE

RESEARCH CAPABILITY

PERSONAL AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT

Programme content and structure
The programme contains eight and a half residential weeks over a four year period and seven
deliverables, providing the structure and support to ensure that researchers continue to progress.

Years one and two each comprise four separate, five day modules focusing on research methods,
co-ordinated and delivered at Cranfield School of Management. The research training and researcher
development input is structured into weekly blocks enabling collaborative working over a concentrated
period.

The Doctoral Researchers Core Development training programme is designed to develop and optimise
your research capability by leveraging the wealth of knowledge and resources available at Cranfield.

Included are five elements:

• Engagement, influence and impact

• Governance and organisation
• Literature and theory
• Personal and professional development
• Research methodology and methods.

Years three and four contain a number of optional workshops focusing on in-depth methodologies,
writing, personal development, panel meetings, one half week residential at Cranfield School of
Management and the viva.

Additional input is tailored to meet individual study requirements. DBA researchers are required to
attend all residential weeks at Cranfield School of Management and the expected time commitment
(in addition to the residential cohort/campus weeks) is approximately 15 to 20 hours per week.

YEAR 3 YEAR 4
Half Week

Deliverable 6
Empirical Project
VIVA

Deliverable 7
Impact
Assessment
A life-changing experience
For many, studying for an Executive DBA at Cranfield is a landmark event in their lives, both
personally and professionally.

Graduates tell us that the Cranfield experience produced a significant transition in the approach that
they use in their working lives - to one that is more rigorous and evidence-based.

The personal development element of the Executive DBA is designed to provide you with a range of
transferable personal and professional skills as a basis for continuing professional development.

You will develop personally by engaging in the learning and knowledge and skills acquisition process
required to progress through the programme. The Executive DBA provides a rich developmental
experience in ways that may not be immediately obvious. The many skills that you acquire, or in
many cases build on, are sophisticated ones that will clearly differentiate you from others.

The skills are both derived from, and are seamlessly transferable to, ongoing business situations.
Personal motivators
The decision to embark on a DBA can be for a variety of personal reasons, for example:

• The desire for intellectual stimulation

• A belief that a DBA will enhance your career
• Recognition that accepted wisdom is not sufficient for effectively dealing with work challenges
• Enjoyment of lifelong learning
• Fulfilling a lifelong aspiration to research something in depth.

As well as making a contribution to knowledge about practice that can be used extensively, most
people expect that the experience will have a personal impact on them and their careers. However,
they may not be able to explain exactly what they expect this personal impact to be.

The personal development aspect of the DBA provides you with a structured approach to help
you reflect on and make sense of this more personal impact. By reflecting on these aspects in a
systematic way, you will be better able to harness the personal learning which is inherent to the
programme.

There are three key areas of anticipated personal development:

• Increased managerial effectiveness

• Increased understanding of yourself as a researcher
• Transfer of skills.

“Cranfield’s Executive DBA was tremendously helpful

for my career. I link my career progression directly
to this programme as it provided rigour, discipline,
content and a new way of thinking and reasoning”
Dr Gabriel Morelli, Head of Commercial Strategy, Anti-
infectives, Sandoz (a Novartis company)
Key facts and statistics
Full-
Full-
In summary Key
time
time facts
The Cranfield Executive DBA:
Part-
Part-
time
time 4-6 years
Exec
Exec

A doctoral-level, practice-focused research

programme for senior leaders:
• Progress though our highly structured Start
Start
programme systematically
Date
Date September
• Receive an extremely high level of academic
Full-
support time
Doctorate of Business
• Rely on practical assistance from our Research Administration Average
Average
Office team Class Size
Class Size
Part-
Exec
• Experience aprogramme
time design which
Fees
promotes relevant research and maximises its
impact £ Please see the individual course pages
Average
Average
on our website for full fee information
Start Class
Class Age
Age
• Develop your evidence-based
Date approach to and full-time or part-time options.
management and practice Terms and conditions apply – see
www.cranfield.ac.uk/fee-information
• Benefit from the support of a small cohort of
carefully selected researchers.
Full-
time Average
Full- Class Size
time

time£
Part-
Part-
Exec
Exec
Class profile 2015/16
Sponsorship time
Average
Class Age

For many participants, obtaining sponsorship 43% UK/EU

from their organisation
Start is a fundamental
DateStart 57% International
element of the application
Date process.
19 nationalities
Our experience, strengthened by the input of
both our current cohort and alumni, highlights
that securing the support of your employer not Average 10
Average
Class Size
Class Size
only boosts the overall learning experience but
also enhances future career development.

££
The very essence of the DBA means that the Average
Average
44 years
Class
ClassAge
Age
supporting organisation has the opportunity to
capitalise on the research outcomes and the
employee’s enhanced business and leadership
skills, allowing future company objectives and 89% Male
strategies to be met. 11% Female
Academic staff
A key strength of Cranfield School of Management is its world-class faculty, which is among
the largest and most diverse of any business school in Europe. The Executive DBA is supported
by a wide range of our faculty who are renowned in their fields, and the School is known for
the high level of support it provides to doctoral researchers. The Executive DBA programme
draws on this expertise in providing research training and supervision. The team is led by the
Director of the Executive DBA, Professor Emma Parry, and the Director of Research, Professor
David Denyer.

Professor David Denyer, Professor of Leadership and Organisational Change

David is the Director of Research at Cranfield School of Management and is committed to developing
the next generation of researchers. He is a founding member of the International Evidence-based
Management Collaborative and in 2009 received the prestigious Advanced Institute of Management
Research Fellowship. He helps senior leaders to establish strategic direction and deliver sustained
performance improvement, and designs, facilitates and delivers compelling learning events for
senior executives. He was voted HR magazine’s 2012 “Most Influential UK Thinker”.

Professor Emma Parry, Professor of Human Resource Management

Emma is the Director of the Executive DBA and a renowned expert in Human Resource Management
(HRM). She is the President of the Executive DBA Council 2017-20, represents DBA issues on the
British Academy of Management Council and is the Deputy Chair of the Chartered Association of
Business Schools DBA Steering Group. Emma leads global HRM research projects and manages
The Cranfield Network on International Human Resource Management (Cranet), a worldwide
network of over 40 business schools that conducts comparative HRM research. Her clients have
included the MoD, NHS, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, the Society for
Human Resource Management Foundation and many private sector organisations.

“Developing a solid knowledge base and establishing new linkages

has presented great new opportunities for research, consulting
and teaching collaborations. Many of these opportunities are
focused around my research and practice interest; developing
strong linkages in networks that support sustainable and shared
economic, social and environmental value.”
Dr Gabriela Alvarez, Director, Latitude Research and Consulting
How to apply
Entry requirements
We welcome applications from talented
candidates of all backgrounds and each
application is considered on its individual merit.
Usually candidates must hold either a first or a
second class UK honours degree in a relevant
discipline; or the international equivalent of these
UK qualifications; or a professional qualification
and have 5 years’ relevant work experience.
Having taken your application into consideration,
the course director may also require you to take
GMAT (minimum score 600).
Location
Your residential modules will be held at the
Cranfield campus – a tranquil environment
offering just the place to focus on your
studies and work with a professional and
international community. We are located
just outside the village of Cranfield between
Bedford and Milton Keynes. There is plenty
to do in the area and many cities with a rich
history can be visited on day trips. Several
airports are easily accessible, offering a
gateway to explore Europe and afar. There
are also convenient transport links by rail
and road.

The application process

Birmingham
Visit www.cranfield.ac.uk/som/dbaapplication
Bedford

Cranfield
Check the full admissions requirements and Milton Keynes
application deadlines Birmingham
Bedford
Cambridge
Milton Keynes Cranfield
Bicester Stanstead
Luton
Oxford

London
Submit a research proposal online
Heathrow
London

Brighton

A member of faculty will contact you, if they are interested

in your proposal, in order to develop your research topic.
Trains:
Once your proposal is approved, complete the 35 minutes from London (Euston) to Milton Keynes
online application form 55 minutes from Birmingham to Milton Keynes

Attend a formal interview and undertake a number

of admissions tests.
For full course information see
Receive a decision on your application www.cranfield.ac.uk/som/dba

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Every effort is made to ensure that the information in this brochure is correct
at the time it is printed. Please check our website for the latest information. School of Management

SOM–DBA–V1 November 2016