PhD in Management - Design and Innovation Background

The PhD Program in the Department of Design and Innovation seeks to develop scholars who are willing to challenge conventional wisdom, can think critically and creatively, are skilled in rigorous research methods that transcend the qualitative/quantitative divide, and desire a career addressing significant organizational problems.

We value thought and action that betters the lives of people, contributes to a just society, and maintains a sustainable environment. Our objective is to be recognized globally as a distinctive force in management research that is founded on interdisciplinary, outward looking faculty collaboration and addresses deep problems confronting today's organizations.

The Department of Design and Innovation PhD in Management builds upon traditions and accomplishments of the Weatherhead School of Management. We draw upon the School’s three path breaking innovations in doctoral education: (a) the analytic, system science grounding of doctoral training by our first of its kind Department of Operations Research, (b) the humanistic, appreciative approach to management inquiry by our first of its kind Department of Organizational Behavior, and (c) the concern with problems of practice as experienced by managers by our first of its kind Doctor of Management program for practitioner-scholars that addresses problems experienced in practice. The department’s PhD program aims to build on these traditions to launch a distinctive, one-of-its-kind, doctoral program dedicated to rigorous scholarship at the nexus of intelligence, innovation, and customer interactions both external and internal to the enterprise.

PhD students will generally engage with problems grounded in practice, building on traditions in the disciplines of Information Systems, Strategy and Marketing. A belief that unifies the programs is that action underlies inquiry, strategy informs action, and innovative action creates customer value. The fundamental unit of action is the ongoing relationships between the enterprise and its varied stakeholders, and the fundamental metric of action is the creation and capture of customer/stakeholder value. Therefore the PhD program encourages a hands-on education, broad exposure to technique, close association with industry, and intensive workshops with senior faculty.