management phd topics

Areas of Research

• Students & Placements
• [email protected]
• (517) 353-5415

Faculty-student collaboration on research is the cornerstone of the Ph.D. in Management program. Doctoral students have the opportunity to work with some of the top researchers who have expertise in a variety of areas encompassed by organizational behavior, strategic management and human resource management.

Specializations

Organizational behavior.

For students interested in specializing in  organizational behavior , our faculty have expertise in the following research areas, among others:

• Conflict and negotiation
• Decision making
• International organization behavior
• Mood and emotion
• Organizational justice
• Power and status
• Proactive behavior
• Stress and well-being
• Team decision-making and performance

Strategic Management

For students interested in specializing in  strategic management , our faculty have expertise in the following research areas, among others:

• Competitive dynamics
• Executive compensation and corporate governance
• Innovation and entrepreneurship
• Mergers and acquisitions
• Organizational learning and change
• Resources and capabilities
• Risk taking and risk management
• Strategic decision making

Human Resource Management

For students interested in specializing in  human resource management , our faculty have expertise in the following research areas, among others:

• Career development
• International human resource management
• Job analysis and design
• Organizational socialization

Publications

Below are some recent publications that have resulted from collaborations between faculty and doctoral students, with current Ph.D. students’ and graduates’ names in bold.

Arrfelt, M. , Wiseman, R.M., McNamara, G., Hult, G. T. M. (2015). Examining a key corporate role: the influence of capital allocation competency on business unit performance.  Strategic Management Journal , 36, 1017-1034. Firth, B. , Hollenbeck, J.R., Ilgen, D.R.,  Barnes, C.M. , and  Miles, J.  (2015). Same page, different books. Extending representational gaps theory to enhance performance in multiteam systems.  Academy of Management Journal , 58, 813-835. Johnson, R. E., King, D. D.,  Lin, S.-H. , Scott, B. A., Jackson Walker, E. M., & Wang, M. (2017). Regulatory focus trickle-down: How leader regulatory focus shapes follower regulatory focus and behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes , 140, 29-45. Kolev, K. , Wiseman, R.M., Gomez-Mejia, L.R. (2017). Do CEOs ever lose? Fairness perspective on the allocation of residuals between CEOs and shareholders.  Journal of Management,  Vol. 43 No. 2, 610-637. Koopman, J. ,  Lanaj, K. , & Scott, B. A. (2016). Integrating the bright and dark sides of OCB. A daily investigation of the benefits and costs of helping others.  Academy of Management Journal , 59, 414-435. Lanaj, K.  and Hollenbeck, J.R. (2015). Leadership over emergence in self-managing teams. The role of gender and countervailing biases.  Academy of Management Journal , 58, 1476-1494. Lanaj, K. , Johnson, R. E., &  Lee, S.  (2016). Benefits of transformational behavior for leaders: A daily investigation of leader behavior and need fulfillment.  Journal of Applied Psychology , 101.2, 237-251. Mannor, M. , Shamsie, J., & Conlon, D.E. (2016). Does experience help or hinder top managers? Working with different types of resources in Hollywood.  Strategic Management Journal , 37, 1330-1340. Matta, F.K. , Scott, B. A., Colquitt, J. A.,  Koopman, J. , &  Passantino, L.  (2017). Is consistently fair better than sporadically fair? An investigation of justice variability and stress. Academy of Management Journal , 60, 743-770. Rosen, C. C.,  Koopman, J. , Gabriel-Rossetti, A. S., & Johnson, R. E. (2016). Who strikes back? A daily investigation of when and why incivility begets incivility.  Journal of Applied Psychology,  101.11, 1620-1634 . Schaubroeck, J. M.,  Peng, A. C. , & Hannah, S. T. (2016). The role of peer respect in linking abusive supervision to follower outcomes: Dual moderation of group potency.  Journal of Applied Psychology , 101.2, 267-278. Wowak, A.,  Mannor, M. ,  Arrfelt, M. , & McNamara, G. (2016). Earthquake or glacier? How CEO charisma manifests in firm strategy over time.  Strategic Management Journal . 37, 586-603.

Jennifer Nahrgang

• Associate Professor
• W.P. Carey School of Business, Arizona State University

Fully prepared

After working in the corporate world for five years, Michigan State University was a new beginning for me both personally and professionally. I realize now the strong foundation that Michigan State provided for me to have a bright career as a professor. As a new professor, I feel fully prepared to face the challenges of research, teaching and earning tenure due to my mentoring and education at Michigan State. Michigan State takes the preparation and mentoring of its doctoral students seriously and continues to produce leading scholars in the field on a consistent basis. The network of successful Michigan State alumni is second to none, and one in which you can join as well!

Although earning a Ph.D. was extremely intense and intellectually challenging, the culture of Michigan State also made it very fun as well. Over my five years at Michigan State, I developed life-long friendships with both faculty and students. Due to the collegial atmosphere, I always felt extremely supported by the faculty and fellow students at Michigan State as I worked through classes, research projects and the dissertation process. I am certain you will have as many Spartans cheering for your success as I had (and still have) cheering for me.

There is no doubt that I made a great decision when I chose to earn my Ph.D. at Michigan State, and I certainly have no regrets. Go Green! Go White!

Dr. Nahrhang’s current research interests focus on leadership processes and their development over time, leadership in teams, and team processes and performance.

Management @ Broad

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The School of Business encourages and fosters a rich research-oriented environment for faculty and doctoral candidates. Students can choose from a variety of topics reflecting the varied research interests of our faculty. The Ph.D. Program is intended to prepare students to conduct original research; i.e., to explain phenomena previously not well understood and then to test proposed explanations empirically.

• Accounting standards-setting
• Analyst forecasts
• Corporate financial reporting issues
• Initial Public offerings
• Internal control
• Mergers and acquisitions
• Securities regulation in international capital markets
• Taxes and business decisions
• Asset pricing models
• Corporate management behavior
• Risk management
• Corporate governance
• Financial distress and default
• Credit risk
• International finance
• Macro finance
• Real options
• Institutional investors
• Mutual funds
• Hedge funds
• Market efficiency
• Cost of capital
• Bank competition
• Culture and finance
• Environmental impacts on real estate value
• Capital structure
• Dividend policy
• Insurance markets
• Healthcare finance
• Teams in organizations
• Empowerment and empowering leadership
• Social networks
• Multi-level theory
• Strategic entrepreneurship
• Corporate alliance and networks
• Learning process
• Creativity and innovation
• Strategic human resource management
• International expansion
• Long-term decision making
• Big data anlytics, Branding in developed and emerging markets
• Cross-cultural research
• Cognitive computing applications
• Consumer search and decision  making
• Consumer social networks and social media
• Creativity, identity and emotions
• Digital marketing and analytics
• Digital strategies for customer relationship management
• E-commerce and online retailing
• Global citizenship and consumer behavior
• International marketing
• Interpersonal social networks and social capital
• Marketing-finance interface
• Mobile and digital marketing
• Sales management and innovation
• Product design
• Social interaction and peer effects
• Quality and innovation

Operations & Information Management

• Auction theory and applications
• Database design and security
• Database management
• Distributed computing and client/server technology
• Electronic commerce
• Economics of information and information systems
• Healthcare information systems
• Management of technology
• Manufacturing systems, planning and strategy
• Supply chain management
• Telecommunication and network modeling and analysis
• Applications of operations research and other optimization techniques to areas such as product design, production scheduling, and facility location

• Youth Program
• Wharton Online

PhD Program

Wharton’s PhD program in Management is flexible and interdisciplinary, applying social science disciplines and research methods to management problems. It offers specializations in strategy, international business, organizational behavior and theory, and human resource management.

The faculty has a broad range of interests ranging from the behavior of individuals and groups to organizational strategy. Major areas of faculty research currently include: human resources and competitiveness; foreign strategic investments and international cooperative relationships; organizational learning and adaptation; technology adoption, diffusion, and transfer within and across organizations; and new venture formation, growth, and corporate entrepreneurship.

Each student draws on the faculty’s diverse expertise and varied interests to develop a program uniquely suited to his or her interests. The program encourages students to gain research experience by working closely with faculty on a variety of projects. Recent placements include the Harvard Business School, INSEAD, New York University, University of Illinois, University of Maryland, University of Michigan and the University of Texas.

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For Current Students

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Management PhD Guidelines and Requirements

• Guidelines on Overlapping Topics for Course Papers
• First Year Exam Guidelines
• Second Year Exam Guidelines
• Second Year Paper Requirements

Smart. Open. Grounded. Inventive. Read our Ideas Made to Matter.

Which program is right for you?

Through intellectual rigor and experiential learning, this full-time, two-year MBA program develops leaders who make a difference in the world.

A rigorous, hands-on program that prepares adaptive problem solvers for premier finance careers.

A 12-month program focused on applying the tools of modern data science, optimization and machine learning to solve real-world business problems.

Earn your MBA and SM in engineering with this transformative two-year program.

Combine an international MBA with a deep dive into management science. A special opportunity for partner and affiliate schools only.

A doctoral program that produces outstanding scholars who are leading in their fields of research.

Bring a business perspective to your technical and quantitative expertise with a bachelor’s degree in management, business analytics, or finance.

A joint program for mid-career professionals that integrates engineering and systems thinking. Earn your master’s degree in engineering and management.

An interdisciplinary program that combines engineering, management, and design, leading to a master’s degree in engineering and management.

Executive Programs

A full-time MBA program for mid-career leaders eager to dedicate one year of discovery for a lifetime of impact.

This 20-month MBA program equips experienced executives to enhance their impact on their organizations and the world.

Non-degree programs for senior executives and high-potential managers.

A non-degree, customizable program for mid-career professionals.

PhD Program

Program overview.

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Rigorous, discipline-based research is the hallmark of the MIT Sloan PhD Program. The program is committed to educating scholars who will lead in their fields of research—those with outstanding intellectual skills who will carry forward productive research on the complex organizational, financial, and technological issues that characterize an increasingly competitive and challenging business world.

Start here.

Learn more about the program, how to apply, and find answers to common questions.

Admissions Events

Check out our event schedule, and learn when you can chat with us in person or online.

Start Your Application

Visit this section to find important admissions deadlines, along with a link to our application.

Click here for answers to many of the most frequently asked questions.

PhD studies at MIT Sloan are intense and individual in nature, demanding a great deal of time, initiative, and discipline from every candidate. But the rewards of such rigor are tremendous:  MIT Sloan PhD graduates go on to teach and conduct research at the world's most prestigious universities.

PhD Program curriculum at MIT Sloan is organized under the following three academic areas: Behavior & Policy Sciences; Economics, Finance & Accounting; and Management Science. Our nine research groups correspond with one of the academic areas, as noted below.

MIT Sloan PhD Research Groups

Behavioral & policy sciences.

Economic Sociology

Institute for Work & Employment Research

Organization Studies

Technological Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Strategic Management

Economics, Finance & Accounting

Accounting  

Management Science

Information Technology

System Dynamics  

Those interested in a PhD in Operations Research should visit the Operations Research Center .  

PhD Program Structure

Additional information including coursework and thesis requirements.

MIT Sloan Predoctoral Opportunities

MIT Sloan is eager to provide a diverse group of talented students with early-career exposure to research techniques as well as support in considering research career paths.

Rising Scholars Conference

The fourth annual Rising Scholars Conference on October 25 and 26 gathers diverse PhD students from across the country to present their research.

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The goal of the MIT Sloan PhD Program's admissions process is to select a small number of people who are most likely to successfully complete our rigorous and demanding program and then thrive in academic research careers. The admission selection process is highly competitive; we aim for a class size of nineteen students, admitted from a pool of hundreds of applicants.

What We Seek

• Outstanding intellectual ability
• Excellent academic records
• Previous work in disciplines related to the intended area of concentration
• Strong commitment to a career in research

MIT Sloan PhD Program Admissions Requirements Common Questions

Dates and Deadlines

Admissions for 2024 is closed. The next opportunity to apply will be for 2025 admission. The 2025 application will open in September 2024. 

More information on program requirements and application components

Students in good academic standing in our program receive a funding package that includes tuition, medical insurance, and a fellowship stipend and/or TA/RA salary. We also provide a new laptop computer and a conference travel/research budget.

Funding Information

Throughout the year, we organize events that give you a chance to learn more about the program and determine if a PhD in Management is right for you.

PhD Program Events

June phd program overview.

During this webinar, you will hear from the PhD Program team and have the chance to ask questions about the application and admissions process.

July PhD Program Overview

August phd program overview, september 12 phd program overview.

Complete PhD Admissions Event Calendar

Unlike formulaic approaches to training scholars, the PhD Program at MIT Sloan allows students to choose their own adventure and develop a unique scholarly identity. This can be daunting, but students are given a wide range of support along the way - most notably having access to world class faculty and coursework both at MIT and in the broader academic community around Boston.

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Profiles of our current students

MIT Sloan produces top-notch PhDs in management. Immersed in MIT Sloan's distinctive culture, upcoming graduates are poised to innovate in management research and education. Here are the academic placements for our PhDs graduating in May and September 2024. Our 2024-2025 job market candidates will be posted in early June 2024.

Academic Job Market

Doctoral candidates on the current academic market

Academic Placements

Graduates of the MIT Sloan PhD Program are researching and teaching at top schools around the world.

view recent placements 

MIT Sloan Experience

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The PhD Program is integral to the research of MIT Sloan's world-class faculty. With a reputation as risk-takers who are unafraid to embrace the unconventional, they are engaged in exciting disciplinary and interdisciplinary research that often includes PhD students as key team members.

Research centers across MIT Sloan and MIT provide a rich setting for collaboration and exploration. In addition to exposure to the faculty, PhD students also learn from one another in a creative, supportive research community.

Throughout MIT Sloan's history, our professors have devised theories and fields of study that have had a profound impact on management theory and practice.

From Douglas McGregor's Theory X/Theory Y distinction to Nobel-recognized breakthroughs in finance by Franco Modigliani and in option pricing by Robert Merton and Myron Scholes, MIT Sloan's faculty have been unmatched innovators.

This legacy of innovative thinking and dedication to research impacts every faculty member and filters down to the students who work beside them.

Faculty Links

• Accounting Faculty
• Economic Sociology Faculty
• Finance Faculty
• Information Technology Faculty
• Institute for Work and Employment Research (IWER) Faculty
• Marketing Faculty
• Organization Studies Faculty
• System Dynamics Faculty
• Technological Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Strategic Management (TIES) Faculty

Student Research

“MIT Sloan PhD training is a transformative experience. The heart of the process is the student’s transition from being a consumer of knowledge to being a producer of knowledge. This involves learning to ask precise, tractable questions and addressing them with creativity and rigor. Hard work is required, but the reward is the incomparable exhilaration one feels from having solved a puzzle that had bedeviled the sharpest minds in the world!” -Ezra Zuckerman Sivan Alvin J. Siteman (1948) Professor of Entrepreneurship

Sample Dissertation Abstracts - These sample Dissertation Abstracts provide examples of the work that our students have chosen to study while in the MIT Sloan PhD Program.

We believe that our doctoral program is the heart of MIT Sloan's research community and that it develops some of the best management researchers in the world. At our annual Doctoral Research Forum, we celebrate the great research that our doctoral students do, and the research community that supports that development process.

The videos of their presentations below showcase the work of our students and will give you insight into the topics they choose to research in the program.

Attention To Retention: The Informativeness of Insiders’ Decision to Retain Shares

2024 PhD Doctoral Research Forum Winner - Gabriel Voelcker

Watch more MIT Sloan PhD Program  Doctoral Forum Videos

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Faculty Directory

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PhD in Management Program

A phd in management: where business research and education intersect.

Become an industry thought leader while preparing tomorrow’s business leaders.

Our fully funded PhD in Management is designed for ambitious students and professionals interested in a career in university teaching and research.

This residential program, based at the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management in Ithaca, NY, combines Ivy League rigor and real-world relevance to prepare you for successful careers in academia.

Why Get a PhD in Management?

With a strong focus on management science and applied research, this doctoral degree is ideal for someone looking to teach at the university level and contribute to the greater body of industry knowledge. Pursuing a PhD in Management is also an ideal next step for executives and senior managers who want to make a transition to academia or enhance their research skills for a successful consulting career.

Fully Funded, Highly Flexible: What Makes Cornell’s Management PhD Different?

As you explore PhD programs’ degree requirements, faculty engagement, and campus experience, Cornell stands alone.

In Cornell’s highly flexible program, you’ll choose a specific area of study and build your own dissertation committee. Our program faculty are genuinely interested and invested in your intellectual development. In this small and highly selective program, you will get to know the faculty and your peers well. 

The SC Johnson Graduate School of Management is home to leading research centers and a high-impact academic journal; these open you up to unique learning and mentorship opportunities.

Business Simulation Lab

The Debra Paget and Jeffrey Berg Business Simulation Lab facilitates in-person and online behavioral research related to decision-making and problem-solving.

Discover More About BSL

Our Three-Pronged Approach to a PhD in Management

The Johnson School’s doctoral degree in management combines the best of theory and practice, building on a three-pronged foundation:

Hands-on Experience

Develop your research and analytical skills. You’ll work with classmates to examine existing literature and theories for class deliverables, which will often include your own original research.

Customizable Curriculum

Design your own academic pathway. You’ll choose one of six primary areas of study and create your own dissertation committee.

University-Wide Coursework

Draw on the expertise from across Cornell. You’ll get to select graduate-level courses from schools and colleges devoted to law , hospitality , engineering , labor relations , and other fields.

At a Glance: Cornell’s Fully Funded PhD in Management

The fully residential, fully funded PhD in Management program includes a tuition waiver and a stipend for living expenses. Here’s a quick overview of what to expect:

Degree Awarded

PhD in Management

Program Location

Ithaca, NY, with options in New York City

Program Format

Foundational coursework, original research, and six potential areas of study

Hear from Our Community

“PhD is a marathon, not a sprint, and collaborating with great people is paramount. At Cornell, I’ve found a place where amazing people come together, supporting my research and personal growth. Choosing Cornell means joining a community that knows how important it is to work with exceptional people to excel in the program.” – Elina Hur PhD ’23

Customize Your Path: Our Areas of Study

When you apply to the Johnson School’s PhD in Management, you will select a primary area of study. Choosing a concentration allows you to gain specialized skills and knowledge while growing a portfolio of original research.

Examine the role of accounting information in firms and financial markets. PhD-level research at Cornell explores topics such as how firms report information to investors, how accounting information is used to manage firms, and the nature of auditing.

Strategy & Business Economics

Use modern tools and methodologies to gain a better understanding of the world. PhD students in this area explore many aspects of economics including industrial, behavioral, labor, and organizational.

Dive deep into the financial structure and issues of organizations. Your research might look at how conflicts of interest affect corporate policy, how investor psychology affects asset pricing, or how to detect price bubbles.

Learn how theories from operations research, economics, psychology, and sociology intersect to inform corporate and consumer decisions. Your PhD studies will explore both quantitative and behavioral perspectives of marketing.

Management & Organizations

Prepare for a research-focused career in academia or industry. This versatile concentration develops skilled, innovative, analytical researchers through a broad curriculum and close faculty collaboration.

Operations, Technology, & Information Management

Develop the technical skills and behavioral analysis knowledge you need to address high-impact managerial decisions. This focus area also offers an option to complete coursework at Cornell Tech in New York City.

Idea Generation to Publication: A Career in Teaching and Research

The majority of our PhD in Management students pursue careers in academia. After graduation, many land tenure-track teaching positions at top-tier business schools and continue to advance knowledge through original research. Johnson School PhD students often field multiple offers and see starting salaries range from $150,000 to $250,000.

Finding Your Place at Cornell: Meet Our Current PhDs

Students from around the United States and across the globe arrive at the Johnson School to earn their PhD in Management —and their diverse research interests, educational backgrounds, and professional experiences make for a vibrant, enriching learning environment. MEET CURRENT PHD STUDENTS

Research and Placements: Making an Impact in the Management Field

After earning the PhD in Management, our alumni go on to teach and inspire future leaders at top-tier institutions. Not only do they teach and conduct research alongside some of the most brilliant minds in business, but they also advance the field through publishing in leading journals and presenting their work at industry conferences.

Recent PhD in Management Placements

• Piyush Anand, PhD ’21, assistant professor of marketing, Jones Graduate School of Business, Rice University
• Guarav Kankanhalli, PhD ’20, assistant professor, Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business, University of Pittsburgh
• Eunjee Kim, PhD ’21, assistant professor, Mays Business School, Texas A&M University
• Sarah Lim, PhD ’21, assistant professor, Gies College of Business, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
• Xuege Lu, PhD ’22, assistant professor, Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota
• Subrina Shen, PhD ’21, assistant professor, McCombs School of Business, University of Texas at Austin

Recent Research Publications

• “ Do Real Estate Values Boost Corporate Borrowing? Evidence from Contract-Level Data ” in the Journal of Financial Economics (2022) — Gaurav Kankanhalli, PhD ’20, with Murillo Campello, Robert A. Connolly, and Eva Steiner
• “ Converging Tides Lift All Boats: Consensus in Evaluation Criteria Boosts Investments in Firms in Nascent Technology Sectors ” in Organization Science (2021) — Xirong (Subrina) Shen, PhD ’21, with Huisi (Jessica) Li, PhD ’20, and Pamela S. Tolbert 
• “ Initial and Longer-Term Change in Unit-Level Turnover Following Leader Succession: Contingent Effects of Outgoing and Incoming Leader Characteristics ” in Organization Science (2020)— Huisi (Jessica) Li, PhD ’20, with John Hausknecht and Lisa Dragoni

“ Does Regulatory Jurisdiction Affect the Quality of Investment-Adviser Regulation? ” in American Economic Review (2019) — Alan Kwan, PhD ’17, with Ben Charoenwong and Tarik Umar

Our Faculty: Accomplished Researchers, Dedicated Teachers

When you join the PhD in Management program at the Johnson School, you’ll be part of a learning community comprising more than 100 accomplished academics and thought leaders. 

Not only will you take courses with renowned professors from across the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, but you also will have the opportunity to build your own faculty committee—a group that will become instrumental as you select your dissertation topic and embark on your original research.

Faculty Spotlight: Learn from Leading Thought Leaders

Throughout the PhD program—from foundational coursework to your dissertation—you’ll work closely with dedicated teacher-scholars like these:

Kristina Rennekamp

Dr. Rennekamp’s research focuses on financial accounting from a behavioral perspective. She’s widely published, with work appearing in leading academic journals such as The Accounting Review , Contemporary Accounting Research , and The Journal of Financial Reporting .

Karan Girotra

Dr. Girotra studies the digital transformation of companies, whether it’s looking at emerging tools and practices or exploring new business models. He’s frequently interviewed in an array of mainstream business media outlets, including Bloomberg BusinessWeek , Fortune , and Forbes .

Kaitlin Woolley

Dr. Woolley studies the psychological processes behind consumer motivation. She’s an award-winning educator and researcher with work published in academic journals and national media outlets including the Journal of Consumer Research , Journal of Marketing Research , and The Wall Street Journal .

EXPLORE JOHNSON SCHOOL FACULTY

What You’ll Learn: Curriculum Overview

As you pursue your PhD in business management , you’ll begin with a set of foundation courses and progress into advanced coursework in your area of interest. Through it all, your faculty committee will help make sure you’re on the right track.

Foundational Management Coursework

Early in your doctoral program, you will complete foundational coursework in management and other fields. Many of these will focus on the research process and prepare you for your dissertation.

Advanced Coursework in Your Concentration Area

As you progress in the PhD in Management program, you’ll take electives and advanced courses that align with your research area of interest; these classes can be in the Johnson School and across Cornell.

Your Dissertation: Creating Original Research

During the final part of the program, you begin work on your dissertation—the culmination of your original research. You choose the topic of research in conjunction with your committee.

VIEW PROGRAM SPECIFICS

Beyond Business: Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration and Dialogue

Tap into the experience and expertise of faculty members from across Cornell University.  

Management is a broad science. Business leaders serve in a variety of roles in industries of all kinds: healthcare, consumer goods, agriculture, biotechnology, media, and consulting to name just a few. At Cornell, you can enrich your education and expand your research opportunities by taking courses and finding mentors beyond the college of business.

Explore fields like computer science, psychology, sociology, communication, engineering, and data science—and then connect the dots back to your management research.

Interact with peers and professors from other disciplines by participating in student organizations and special interest groups or by attending public lectures, workshops, and networking events.

Admissions Overview: How to Apply to the Management PhD Program

The ideal candidate for the Johnson School’s doctorate degree in management will have a strong record of academic excellence, a solid understanding of the research process, and an entrepreneurial approach to problem-solving. An MBA or master’s degree is not a requirement for admission. 

Our admissions page offers more details about program prerequisites, selection criteria, requirements, deadline information, and a checklist of materials you need to submit with your application.

Connect With Cornell Admissions

The Johnson School admissions team is available to answer your questions about the program and the application process. Stop in or reach out by phone or email today.

253-D Sage Hall Johnson Graduate School of Management Cornell University Ithaca, NY 14853-6201

Phone: 607-255-5340 Email: Graduate Research Programs Office

The Cornell Campus: Where You Will Learn, Grow, and Thrive

Learn, grow, and thrive on one of the most beautiful college campuses in the United States. As a PhD student, you’ll spend a lot of time in Sage Hall, a Gothic-style building dating back to 1875. You’ll find more high-tech learning spaces just off campus at the Breazzano Family Center for Business Education. You’ll also have access to the innovative campus of Cornell Tech in New York City—particularly relevant to students focused on technology and information management. 

Attending Cornell also means you’ll call Ithaca, NY, home for about five years. Our eclectic downtown is full of eateries, shops, activities, and all of the amenities you’d need for everyday life. When you’re not in class or studying, you can explore all that the Finger Lakes region has to offer.

PhD in Management FAQ: What You Need to Know

Before you apply to a research-focused graduate program, you’re likely to want to do some deep research of your own. For instance, how does a fully funded PhD in Management work? What’s the typical completion time?

We have a robust Frequently Asked Questions section to help you learn more about our program, the admissions process, and dissertation requirements. For our international applicants, you’ll also find specific details about earning your PhD in Management.

May I speak to someone about my interest in the program and visit?

You are welcome to reach out to any professor with whom you see a good research fit. Our website also has a wealth of information about the program.

Is an interview part of the process?

We offer interviews only to a few applicants after their first screening.

May I talk to a professor or advisor?

You are welcome to contact any professor with whom you see a research match. Faculty are more likely to respond to specific research queries.

I have questions; may I write to this program email address?

Yes. Our response time will vary. We are not able to answer detailed questions that are better assessed by faculty during the application process.

May I schedule a campus tour?

Admissions does not offer campus tours for PhD program applicants. However, you may arrange an appointment with a faculty member.

Fraud alert – beware of third-party post-doc scams.

Cornell University recently has been made aware of fraudulent activity targeting overseas students and researchers, including at least one third party website falsely stating that it is offering a postdoctoral or visiting scholar program in association with Cornell. These scams, which may seek to obtain money and/or personal details from interested applicants, are fraudulent. 

Cornell wishes to warn the public about these fraudulent activities being perpetrated purportedly in the name of Cornell, and/or its officials. Please be advised that: 

• Cornell does not, nor has it, worked in collaboration with third-party companies or organizations to offer postdoctoral or research certificate programs.
• Third parties do not collect tuition or fees on behalf of Cornell.
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Research Topics & Ideas: Business

50+ Management Research Topic Ideas To Fast-Track Your Project

Finding and choosing a strong research topic is the critical first step when it comes to crafting a high-quality dissertation, thesis or research project. If you’ve landed on this post, chances are you’re looking for a business/management-related research topic , but aren’t sure where to start. Here, we’ll explore a variety of  research ideas and topic thought-starters for management-related research degrees (MBAs/DBAs, etc.). These research topics span management strategy, HR, finance, operations, international business and leadership.

NB – This is just the start…

The topic ideation and evaluation process has multiple steps . In this post, we’ll kickstart the process by sharing some research topic ideas within the management domain. This is the starting point, but to develop a well-defined research topic, you’ll need to identify a clear and convincing research gap , along with a well-justified plan of action to fill that gap.

If you’re new to the oftentimes perplexing world of research, or if this is your first time undertaking a formal academic research project, be sure to check out our free dissertation mini-course. In it, we cover the process of writing a dissertation or thesis from start to end. Be sure to also sign up for our free webinar that explores how to find a high-quality research topic. 

Overview: Business Research Topics

• Business /management strategy
• Human resources (HR) and industrial psychology
• Finance and accounting
• Operations management
• International business
• Actual business dissertations & theses

Strategy-Related Research Topics

• An analysis of the impact of digital transformation on business strategy in consulting firms
• The role of innovation in transportation practices for creating a competitive advantage within the agricultural sector
• Exploring the effect of globalisation on strategic decision-making practices for multinational Fashion brands.
• An evaluation of corporate social responsibility in shaping business strategy, a case study of power utilities in Nigeria
• Analysing the relationship between corporate culture and business strategy in the new digital era, exploring the role of remote working.
• Assessing the impact of sustainability practices on business strategy and performance in the motor vehicle manufacturing industry
• An analysis of the effect of social media on strategic partnerships and alliances development in the insurance industry
• Exploring the role of data-driven decision-making in business strategy developments following supply-chain disruptions in the agricultural sector
• Developing a conceptual framework for assessing the influence of market orientation on business strategy and performance in the video game publishing industry
• A review of strategic cost management best practices in the healthcare sector of Indonesia
• Identification of key strategic considerations required for the effective implementation of Industry 4.0 to develop a circular economy
• Reviewing how Globalisation has affected business model innovation strategies in the education sector
• A comparison of merger and acquisition strategies’ effects on novel product development in the Pharmaceutical industry
• An analysis of market strategy performance during recessions, a retrospective review of the luxury goods market in the US
• Comparing the performance of digital stakeholder engagement strategies and their contribution towards meeting SDGs in the mining sector

Topics & Ideas: Human Resources (HR)

• Exploring the impact of digital employee engagement practices on organizational performance in SMEs
• The role of diversity and inclusion in the workplace
• An evaluation of remote employee training and development programs efficacy in the e-commerce sector
• Comparing the effect of flexible work arrangements on employee satisfaction and productivity across generational divides
• Assessing the relationship between gender-focused employee empowerment programs and job satisfaction in the UAE
• A review of the impact of technology and digitisation on human resource management practices in the construction industry
• An analysis of the role of human resource management in talent acquisition and retention in response to globalisation and crisis, a case study of the South African power utility
• The influence of leadership style on remote working employee motivation and performance in the education sector.
• A comparison of performance appraisal systems for managing employee performance in the luxury retail fashion industry
• An examination of the relationship between work-life balance and job satisfaction in blue-collar workplaces, A systematic review
• Exploring HR personnel’s experiences managing digital workplace bullying in multinational corporations
• Assessing the success of HR team integration following merger and acquisition on employee engagement and performance
• Exploring HR green practices and their effects on retention of millennial talent in the fintech industry
• Assessing the impact of human resources analytics in successfully navigating digital transformation within the healthcare sector
• Exploring the role of HR staff in the development and maintenance of ethical business practices in fintech SMEs
• An analysis of employee perceptions of current HRM practices in a fully remote IT workspace

Topics & Ideas: Finance & Accounting

• An analysis of the effect of employee financial literacy on decision-making in manufacturing start-ups in Ghana
• Assessing the impact of corporate green innovation on financial performance in listed companies in Estonia
• Assessing the effect of corporate governance on financial performance in the mining industry in Papua New Guinea
• An evaluation of financial risk management practices in the construction industry of Saudi Arabia
• Exploring the role of leadership financial literacy in the transition from start-up to scale-up in the retail e-commerce industry.
• A review of influential macroeconomic factors on the adoption of cryptocurrencies as legal tender
• An examination of the use of financial derivatives in risk management
• Exploring the impact of the cryptocurrency disruption on stock trading practices in the EU
• An analysis of the relationship between corporate social responsibility and financial performance in academic publishing houses
• A comparison of financial ratios performance in evaluating E-commerce startups in South Korea.
• An evaluation of the role of government policies in facilitating manufacturing companies’ successful transitioning from start-up to scale-ups in Denmark
• Assessing the financial value associated with industry 4.0 transitions in the Indian pharmaceutical industry
• Exploring the role of effective e-leadership on financial performance in the Nigerian fintech industry
• A review of digital disruptions in CRM practices and their associated financial impact on listed companies during the Covid-19 pandemic
• Exploring the importance of Sharia-based business practices on SME financial performance in multicultural countries

Ideas: Operations Management

• An assessment of the impact of blockchain technology on operations management practices in the transport industry of Estonia
• An evaluation of supply chain disruption management strategies and their impact on business performance in Lithuania
• Exploring the role of lean manufacturing in the automotive industry of Malaysia and its effects on improving operational efficiency
• A critical review of optimal operations management strategies in luxury goods manufacturing for ensuring supply chain resilience
• Exploring the role of globalization on Supply chain diversification, a pre/post analysis of the COVID-19 pandemic
• An analysis of the relationship between quality management and customer satisfaction in subscription-based business models
• Assessing the cost of sustainable sourcing practices on operations management and supply chain resilience in the Cocao industry.
• An examination of the adoption of behavioural predictive analytics in operations management practices, a case study of the
• Italian automotive industry
• Exploring the effect of operational complexity on business performance following digital transformation
• An evaluation of barriers to the implementation of agile methods in project management within governmental institutions
• Assessing how the relationship between operational processes and business strategy change as companies transition from start-ups to scale-ups
• Exploring the relationship between operational management and innovative business models, lessons from the fintech industry
• A review of best practices for operations management facilitating the transition towards a circular economy in the fast food industry
• Exploring the viability of lean manufacturing practices in Vietnam’s plastics industry
• Assessing engagement in cybersecurity considerations associated with operations management practices in industry 4.0 manufacturing

Topics & Ideas: International Business

• The impact of cultural differences in communication on international business relationships
• An evaluation of the role of government import and export policies in shaping international business practices
• The effect of global shipping conditions on international business strategies
• An analysis of the challenges of managing multinational corporations: branch management
• The influence of social media marketing on international business operations
• The role of international trade agreements on business activities in developing countries
• An examination of the impact of currency fluctuations on international business and cost competitiveness
• The relationship between international business and sustainable development: perspectives and benefits
• An evaluation of the challenges and opportunities of doing business in emerging markets such as the renewable energy industry
• An analysis of the role of internationalisation via strategic alliances in international business
• The impact of cross-cultural management on international business performance
• The effect of political instability on international business operations: A case study of Russia
• An analysis of the role of intellectual property rights in an international technology company’s business strategies
• The relationship between corporate social responsibility and international business strategy: a comparative study of different industries
• The impact of technology on international business in the fashion industry

Topics & Ideas: Leadership

• A comparative study of the impact of different leadership styles on organizational performance
• An evaluation of transformational leadership in today’s non-profit organizations
• The role of emotional intelligence in effective leadership and productivity
• An analysis of the relationship between leadership style and employee motivation
• The influence of diversity and inclusion on leadership practices in South Africa
• The impact of Artificial Intelligence technology on leadership in the digital age
• An examination of the challenges of leadership in a rapidly changing business environment: examples from the finance industry
• The relationship between leadership and corporate culture and job satisfaction
• An evaluation of the role of transformational leadership in strategic decision-making
• The use of leadership development programs in enhancing leadership effectiveness in multinational organisations
• The impact of ethical leadership on organizational trust and reputation: an empirical study
• An analysis of the relationship between various leadership styles and employee well-being in healthcare organizations
• The role of leadership in promoting good work-life balance and job satisfaction in the age of remote work
• The influence of leadership on knowledge sharing and innovation in the technology industry
• An investigation of the impact of cultural intelligence on cross-cultural leadership effectiveness in global organizations

Business/Management Dissertation & Theses

While the ideas we’ve presented above are a decent starting point for finding a business-related research topic, they are fairly generic and non-specific. So, it helps to look at actual dissertations and theses to see how this all comes together.

Below, we’ve included a selection of research projects from various management-related degree programs (e.g., MBAs, DBAs, etc.) to help refine your thinking. These are actual dissertations and theses, written as part of Master’s and PhD-level programs, so they can provide some useful insight as to what a research topic looks like in practice.

• Sustaining Microbreweries Beyond 5 Years (Yanez, 2022)
• Perceived Stakeholder and Stockholder Views: A Comparison Among Accounting Students, Non-Accounting Business Students And Non-Business Students (Shajan, 2020)
• Attitudes Toward Corporate Social Responsibility and the New Ecological Paradigm among Business Students in Southern California (Barullas, 2020)
• Entrepreneurial opportunity alertness in small business: a narrative research study exploring established small business founders’ experience with opportunity alertness in an evolving economic landscape in the Southeastern United States (Hughes, 2019)
• Work-Integrated Learning in Closing Skills Gap in Public Procurement: A Qualitative Phenomenological Study (Culver, 2021)
• Analyzing the Drivers and Barriers to Green Business Practices for Small and Medium Enterprises in Ohio (Purwandani, 2020)
• The Role of Executive Business Travel in a Virtual World (Gale, 2022)
• Outsourcing Security and International Corporate Responsibility: A Critical Analysis of Private Military Companies (PMCs) and Human Rights Violations (Hawkins, 2022)
• Lean-excellence business management for small and medium-sized manufacturing companies in Kurdistan region of Iraq (Mohammad, 2021)
• Science Data Sharing: Applying a Disruptive Technology Platform Business Model (Edwards, 2022)
• Impact of Hurricanes on Small Construction Business and Their Recovery (Sahu, 2022)

Looking at these titles, you can probably pick up that the research topics here are quite specific and narrowly-focused , compared to the generic ones presented earlier. This is an important thing to keep in mind as you develop your own research topic. That is to say, to create a top-notch research topic, you must be precise and target a specific context with specific variables of interest . In other words, you need to identify a clear, well-justified research gap.

Fast-Track Your Topic Ideation

If you’d like hands-on help to speed up your topic ideation process and ensure that you develop a rock-solid research topic, check our our Topic Kickstarter service below.

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Great help. thanks

Hi, Your work is very educative, it has widened my knowledge. Thank you so much.

Thank you so much for helping me understand how to craft a research topic. I’m pursuing a PGDE. Thank you

Effect of Leadership, computerized accounting systems, risk management and monitoring on the quality of financial Reports among listed banks

May you assist on a possible PhD topic on analyzing economic behaviours within environmental, climate and energy domains, from a gender perspective. I seek to further investigate if/to which extent policies in these domains can be deemed economically unfair from a gender perspective, and whether the effectiveness of the policies can be increased while striving for inequalities not being perpetuated.

healthy work environment and employee diversity, technological innovations and their role in management practices, cultural difference affecting advertising, honesty as a company policy, an analysis of the relationships between quality management and customer satisfaction in subscription based business model,business corruption cases. That I was selected from the above topics.

Research topic accounting

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• Operations Management

• Concentrations
• Information Technology Management
• Organizational Behavior
• Strategy and Innovation

A doctoral degree in Operations Management from the Georgia Tech Scheller College of Business provides the unique experience and expertise needed to excel in an academic career. We are a top-ranked program with an exceptional record of research publications and an excellent history of Ph.D. student placement.

Our sizable and prominent faculty are dedicated to educating the next generation of researchers and educators on a broad set of topics. We conduct pioneering research in various areas such as empirical analysis of supply chain performance, innovation and technology management, sustainable operations, healthcare, and cultural operations. Beyond holding key editorial positions in leading operations management journals, our faculty work closely with industry, applying their research to impact practice.

Program Highlights

Our Ph.D. curriculum distinguishes us from other doctoral programs in operations management in several ways.

• First, we leverage the substantial size of our faculty to offer unparalleled breadth and depth in operations management Ph.D. seminars (two to four topics are covered each year).
• Second, we strongly endorse diverse research methods including modeling, empirical analysis, and behavioral experiments to address different managerial challenges in operations management. Rigorous training on a variety of operations research methods is obtained from ISyE (ranked No.1 industrial engineering program in the world).
• Additionally, we leverage the expertise of other Georgia Tech faculty offering courses on a wide spectrum of empirical, behavioral, and computational methods..

Facilitating Ph.D. Student Academic Growth

Ph.D. students are immersed in research starting in the first year of the doctoral program, accelerating their growth as scholars. Students are encouraged to develop their own research “voice”, leveraging their background, academic training, and past experiences.

Our culture embodies freedom and flexibility for students to select their research topics and advisors. To ensure focus and forward momentum, faculty engage with Ph.D. students on goal setting and provide clear direction for students to attain those goals.

In addition to one-to-one mentoring, we offer teaching effectiveness seminars. Ph.D. students are provided funding to attend conferences and workshops and funding is guaranteed for five years (subject to a student remaining in good standing).

Our Vibrant Community

The operations management Ph.D. program is a close-knit group that invests in community building and professional development. Ph.D. students thrive in the vibrant social and cultural communities at Georgia Tech and the Atlanta metropolitan area. Additionally, Georgia Tech has a large and diverse graduate student community. Atlanta has a very favorable cost of living compared to many other large metropolitan areas.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion    Tech Square and Atlanta

Ph.d. placements.

We welcome Ph.D. students from diverse backgrounds and career stages. Recent Ph.D. students have benefited from their work experience in consulting, manufacturing, engineering, product development, and the military. Additionally, Ph.D. students who enter the program without prior work experience have leveraged the industry experience and connections provided by our faculty. Some of our Ph.D. graduates, their current academic positions, and interests include the following.

• Vishal Agrawal, Ph.D. '10, Associate Professor at Georgetown University, where his areas of expertise include managerial challenges at the interface of business and the environment, as well as the effect of consumer behavior on operations and new product development
• Jennifer Bailey, Ph.D. '13, Assistant Professor at Babson College, where her areas of expertise include how innovative and entrepreneurial firms manage risk and uncertainty
• Marcus Bellamy , Ph.D. '15, Assistant Professor at Boston University, where his areas of expertise include empirical examination of supply chain management and innovation as well as supply network risk, network analytics, and visualization
• Ioannis Bellos , Ph.D. '12, Assistant Professor at George Mason University, where his areas of expertise are sustainable operations, service design, and innovation in business models
• Janice Carrillo , Ph.D. '97, PricewaterhouseCoopers Professor at the Warrington College of Business, University of Florida, where her areas of expertise include new product and process development, innovation, sustainability, and technology management.
• Raul Chao,  Ph.D. '07, Associate Professor at the Darden School, University of Virginia, where his areas of expertise include organization design and incentives in innovation, NPD and R&D.
• Sanjeev Erat , Ph.D. '06, Associate Professor at University of California - San Diego, where his areas of expertise are co-development and licensing in new product development and technology management.
• Wayne Fu , Ph.D. '17, Assistant Professor at the University of Michigan - Dearborn, where his areas of expertise include supply chain management and sustainable operations.
• Jeremy Hutchison-Krupat , Ph.D. '11, Assistant Professor at the Darden School, University of Virginia, where his areas of expertise include the effective implementation of a firm's innovation strategy .
• Ximin (Natalie) Huang , Ph.D. '16, Assistant Professor at the University of Minnesota, where her areas of expertise include supply chain management and sustainable operations.
• Brian Jacobs , Ph.D. '09, Associate Professor at Michigan State University, where his areas of expertise include sustainability and environmental operations, financial/market value of operations strategies, and process improvement strategies.
• JJ Kovach , Ph.D. '14, Assistant Professor at Texas Christian University, where his areas of expertise include innovation, environmental operations, and operations strategy.
• Jaeseok Lee , Ph.D. under completion, Assistant Professor at University of Auckland (New Zealand), where his area of expertise is knowledge outsourcing and knowledge competition.
• Nektarios Oraiopoulos , Ph.D. '09, University Lecturer (Assistant Professor) at Judge Business School, Cambridge University, where his areas of expertise include group decision-making and collaboration in technology, and R&D management.
• Gulru Ozkan-Seely , Ph.D. '08, Assistant Professor at University of Washington-Bothell, where her area of expertise includes knowledge management, competition, and new product development.
• Carrie Queenan , Ph.D. '07, Assistant Professor at University of South Carolina, where her area of expertise is health care operations and the use of technical systems to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.
• Narendra Singh , Ph.D. '15, Adjunct Assistant Professor at the Indian School of Business, where his areas of expertise include new product development and sustainability.
• Wenli Xiao , Ph.D. '12, Assistant Professor at University of San Diego, where her areas of expertise include knowledge management, new product development, sustainability, and manufacturing outsourcing.

Research Areas of Excellence

Empirical Analysis of Supply Chain Performance

Specific topics include contracts and global outsourcing; managing risk and failure; alliances; revenue management. Faculty who most contribute to this area include Soumen Ghosh, Manpreet Hora, and Vinod Singhal.

Innovation and Technology Management

Specific topics include new product development; collaboration and teamwork; entrepreneurship. Faculty who most contribute to this area include Cheryl Gaimon, Karthik Ramachandran, and Morvarid Rahmani.

Sustainable Operations

Specific topics include closed-loop supply chain management, corporate sustainability, and environmental legislation. Faculty who most contribute to this area of research include Ravi Subramanian, Basak Kalkanci, and Beril Toktay.

Faculty Editorial Positions

Current department editorships.

• Beril Toktay (Environment, Energy and Sustainability Department)
• Cheryl Gaimon (Management of Technology Department)
• Vinod Singhal (Supply Chain Management Department)
• Ravi Subramanian (Sustainable Operations Department)

Current Associate (Senior) Editorships

Manpreet Hora

• Cheryl Gaimon (Entrepreneurship and Innovation Department)
• Vinod Singhal (Operations Management Department)

Vinod Singhal

Beril Toktay

• Soumen Ghosh (Empirical Research Department)
• Manpreet Hora (Management of Technology Department; Supply Chain Management Department)
• Karthik Ramachandran (Management of Technology Department)

Honors, Awards, and Professional Society Positions

• Scheller College of Business’ Ashford Watson Stalnaker Memorial Award for Ph.D. Student Excellence
• Best Paper Award, Product Development and Management Association Annual Conference
• Best Dissertation Award Finalist: “Synchronizing Exploration and Exploitation: Knowledge Creation Challenges in Innovation,” Technology, Innovation Management and Entrepreneurship Section, Institute of Operations Research and Management Science
• Best Student Paper Award, Academy of Management Conference, Orlando, Florida
• Best Student Paper Award at International Decision Sciences Institute Annual Conference, Bali, Indonesia
• Young Researcher Prize, Runner Up (Second Place) for the "The Potential of Servicizing as a Green Business Model,'' Energy, Natural Resources and the Environment Section, Institute of Operations Research and Management Science

Janice Carrillo (Ph.D.)

• Intel Ph.D. Student Fellowship
• Best Student Paper Award, Portland International Conference on Management and Engineering Technology
• Brady Family Award for Faculty Research Excellence
• University Faculty Research Award for Outstanding Doctoral Thesis Advisor, Georgia Tech
• Distinguished Fellow, Production and Operations Management Society
• President, Production and Operations Management Society
• Distinguished Fellow, Decision Sciences Institute
• Brady Family Award for Faculty Teaching Effectiveness
• Class of 1940 W. Roane Beard Outstanding Teaching Award
• Undergraduate Elective Professor of the Year Award and Class of 1934 Course Survey Teaching Effectiveness Award
• Division Chair Elect, Academy of Management Operations and Supply Chain Management Division
• Ashford Watson Stalkner Memorial Prize, Georgia Tech
• Runner-up, Sustainable Operations Student Paper Competition, Production and Operations Management Society
• Georgia Power Professor of Excellence
• Treasurer, Behavioral Operations Section, Institute of Operations Research and Management Science
• Chan Hahn Best Paper Award, Operations Management Division, Academy of Management Conference, Orlando, Florida
• Finalist Best Student Paper Competition, “Sales Force Compensation for Remanufactured Products,” Energy, Natural Resources, and the Environment Section, Institute of Operations Research and Management Science

Carrie Queenan (Ph.D.)

• POMS College of Service Operations Most Influential Paper Award
• Paul Kleindorfer Award in Sustainability
• Brady Family Award for Faculty Teaching Excellence
• James F. Frazier, Jr. Award for Teaching Excellence
• Outstanding MBA Core Professor of the Year Award
• Best Paper Competition Winner, Public Sector Operations Research Section, Institute of Operations Research and Management Science
• Ernest Scheller Jr. Award for Service Excellence
• Women of Distinction Award, Georgia Tech
• Management Science Best Paper in Operations Management
• Distinguished Fellow, Manufacturing and Service Operations Management, Institute of Operations Research and Management Science
• President, Manufacturing and Service Operations Management Society
• Treasurer, Production and Operations Management Society

Murat Unal   (Ph.D.)

• One of the two finalists, POMS College of Product Innovation and Technology Management 2017 Student Paper Competition, "Help or hindrance? The role of familiarity in collaborative product development"

Faculty Academic, Industry, and Media Recognition

Cheryl Gaimon

• Keynote Plenary, 4th International Conference of Operations and Supply Chain Management, Hong Kong and Guangzhou, China
• “ Brand Recovering Consumer Confidence "
• “ Shortening the Time Line for a Recall ” 
• “ Customer Service Gets the B-School Treatment ”

Basak Kalkanci

• " The Greening of the Supply Chain "
• "Supply Chain News: CSCMP 2012 Full Review and Comment " Dan Gilmore (10-5-12)
• Keynote Plenary, 30th National Congress on Operational Research and Industrial Engineering, Sabanci University, Turkey
• Keynote Plenary, Electronic News, Seoul, Korea
• Keynote Plenary, 3rd International Conference in Operations and Supply Chain Management, Wuhan, China
• Keynote Plenary, Symposium on Innovations and Sustainability, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong
• Based on the Supply Chain Management Journal List ranking of journals that are primarily analytically-focused, Georgia Institute of Technology is ranked No. 6 worldwide.
• Based on the U.S. News & World Report MBA rankings , the Scheller College of Business has been ranked No. 6 in production/operations. 

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If admitted to the program, your tuition will be waived and you will receive a monthly stipend.

Tuition and Financing

Application Process

The application deadline is jan. 6 for admission the following fall semester (starting mid-august)., operations management news.

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• USF Research
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Digital Commons @ USF > Muma College of Business > Management > Theses and Dissertations

Management and Organization Theses and Dissertations

Theses/dissertations from 2023 2023.

For Love or Money: Investor Motivations in Equity-Based Crowdfunding , Jason C. Cherubini

The Great Resignation: An Exploration of Strategies to Combat School Bus Driver Shortages in the Post-COVID-19 Era , James E. Cole Jr.

An Empirical Analysis of Sentiment and Confidence Regarding Interest Rates in Disclosures of Public Firms in the U.S. Fintech Sector , James J. Farley

Motivations for Planning: Uncovering the Inhibitors to the Adoption of Comprehensive Financial Planning for Business Owners , Daniel R. Gilham

An Examination of Reward-Based Crowdfunding Performance and Success , Matthew Alan Grace

All Quiet on The Digital Front: The Unseen Psychological Impacts on Cybersecurity First Responders , Tammie R. Hollis

Commitment to Change Dimensions: The Influence of Innovative Work Behavior and Organizational Environments , Michael Holmes

Turmoil in the Workforce: Introduction of the Nomadic Employee , Catrina Hopkins

Attention-Grabbing Tactics on Social Media , Arjun Kadian

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

Building a Mentor-Mentee Maturity Model , Leroy A. Alexander

Do Auditors Respond to Changes in Clients’ Analyst Coverage? Evidence from a Natural Experiment , Mohammad Alkhamees

Designing a Messaging Strategy to Improve Information Security Policy Compliance , Federico Giovannetti

Are all pictures worth 1,000 words? An Investigation of Fit Between Graph Type and Performance on Accounting Data Analytics Tasks , Shawn Paul Granitto

An Enterprise Risk Management Framework to Design Pro-Ethical AI Solutions , Quintin P. McGrath

Deceptive Appeals and Cognitive Influences Used in Fraudulent Scheme Sales Pitches , Rafael J. Toledo

Using Online Reviews to Identify How Hotels Can Satisfy Travelers With Pets While Making Money , Sonia Weinhaus

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

The IS Social Continuance Model: Using Conversational Agents to Support Co-creation , Naif Alawi

The Use of Data Analytic Visualizations to Inform the Audit Risk Assessment: The Impact of Initial Visualization Form and Documentation Focus , Rebecca N. Baaske (Becca)

Identification of Entrepreneurial Competencies in I-Corps Site Teams at the University of South Florida , Mark A. Giddarie

Understanding Nonprofit Boards: An Exploratory Study of the Governance Practices of Regional Nonprofits , Susan Ryan Goodman

Strengthening the Entrepreneurial Support Community , Andrew J. Hafer

Who to Choose? Rating Broker Best Practices in the Medicare Advantage Industry , Darwin R. Hale

Bridging the Innovatino Gap at SOCOM , Gregory J. Ingram

Improving Environmental Protection: One Imagined Touch at a Time , Luke Ingalls Liska

Residential Curbside Recycle Context Analysis , Ntchanang Mpafe

Fighting Mass Diffusion of Fake News on Social Media , Abdallah Musmar

Managing Incomplete Data in the Patient Discharge Summary to Support Correct Hospital Reimbursements , Fadi Naser Eddin

GAO Bid Protests by Small Business: Analysis of Perceived and Reported Outcomes in Federal Contracting , David M. Snyder

Engagement and Meaningfulness as Determinants of Employee Retention: A Longitudinal Case Study , Calvin Williams

Public Budgeting as Moral Dilemma , Ben Wroblewski

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

Improving Engagement: The Moderating Effect of Leadership Style on the Relationship Between Psychological Capital and Employee Engagement , Scott Beatrice

Physician Self-Efficacy and Risk-Taking Attitudes as Determinants of Upcoding and Downcoding Errors: An Empirical Investigation , Samantha J. Champagnie

Digital Identity: A Human-Centered Risk Awareness Study , Toufic N. Chebib

Clarifying the Relationship of Design Thinking to the Military Decision-Making Process , Thomas S. Fisher

Essays on the Disposition Effect , Matthew Henriksson

Analysis of Malicious Behavior on Social Media Platforms Using Agent-Based Modeling , Agnieszka Anna Onuchowska

Who Rises to the Top: An Investigation of the Essential Skills Necessary for Partners of Non-Big 4 Public Accounting Firms , Amanda K. Thompson-Abbott

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

The Financial and Nonfinancial Performance Measures That Drive Utility Abandonments and Transfers in the State of Florida , Daniel Acheampong

Locating a New Collegiate Entrepreneurship Program, a Framework for a University Campus , Douglas H. Carter

Understanding Employee Engagement: An Examination of Millennial Employees and Perceived Human Resource Management Practices , Danielle J. Clark

The Potential Impact Radius of a Natural Gas Transmission Line and Real Estate Valuations: A Behavioral Analysis , Charles M. Hilterbrand Jr.

Introducing a Mobile Health Care Platform in an Underserved Rural Population: Reducing Assimilations Gaps on Adoption and Use via Nudges , Joseph Hodges

Controlling Turnover in an Inside Sales Organization: What are the Contributing Factors , Dennis H. Kimerer

An Emergent Theory of Executive Leadership Selection: Leveraging Grounded Theory to Study the U.S. Military's Special Forces Assessment and Selection Process , Darryl J. Lavender

Essays on Migration Flows and Finance , Suin Lee

The Underutilized Tool of Project Management - Emotional Intelligence , Gerald C. Lowe

Increasing the Supply of the Missing Middle Housing Types in Walkable Urban Core Neighborhoods: Risk, Risk Reduction and Capital , Shrimatee Ojah Maharaj

Playing Darts in the Dark: How are Chamber of Commerce Leaders Aligned for Greater Effectiveness? , Robert J. Rohrlack Jr.

Are Transfer Pricing Disclosures Related to Tax Reporting Transparency? The Impact of Auditor-Provided Transfer Pricing Services , Stephanie Y. Walton

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

Price Transparency in the United States Healthcare System , Gurlivleen (Minnie) Ahuja

How to Build a Climate of Quality in a Small to Medium Enterprise: An Action Research Project , Desmond M. Bishop III

Banking on Blockchain: A Grounded Theory Study of the Innovation Evaluation Process , Priya D. Dozier

Enhancing the Design of a Cybersecurity Risk Management Solution for Communities of Trust , James E. Fulford Jr.

An Examination of the Progressive and Regressive Factors that Business Owners Consider When Choosing Whether or Not to Implement an Exit Strategy , David C. Pickard

The Relationship between Ambient Lighting Color and Hotel Bar Customer Purchase Behavior and Satisfaction , Kunal Shah

The Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs) Industry and the Business Impacts of the Evolution of the Federal Regulatory Environment , Darren W. Spencer

Intercultural Communication Between International Military Organizations; How Do You Turn a ‘No’ Into a ‘Yes’? , Douglas A. Straka

Essential Leadership Skills for Frontline Managers in a Multicultural Organization , Janelle Ward

Moffitt Cancer Center: Leadership, Culture and Transformation , W. James Wilson

Two Essays on String of Earnings Benchmarks , Yiyang Zhang

Theses/Dissertations from 2017 2017

Multi-Step Tokenization of Automated Clearing House Payment Transactions , Privin Alexander

The Effect of Corporate Social Responsibility Investment and Disclosure on Cooperation in Business Collaborations , Sukari Farrington

What Factors during the Genesis of a Startup are Causal to Survival? , Gilbert T. Gonzalez

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RESEARCH AT THE LEADING EDGE

Doctoral Studies in Information Systems & Management

Ph.D. Studies in Information Systems & Management

The doctoral program in Information Systems & Management at Carnegie Mellon University's Heinz College prepares students with a deep understanding of the technical and organizational aspects of information systems.

At Heinz, we live and work at the critical nexus of information technology and public policy. Our Ph.D. in Information Systems & Management was created to train scholars to conduct innovative research that cuts across disciplines in order to address significant challenges in IT theory, strategy, management, and design as it relates to business and policy settings. 

Heinz College Ph.D. students enjoy close partnerships with faculty as they explore the complex and exciting interconnectedness of information systems, public policy, and management. Upon graduating, our Ph.D.s receive desirable placements at academic institutions, government agencies, and consulting firms.

KEY RESEARCH AREAS

Doctoral students take on a broad range of topics and problems, but some key areas of strength at Heinz College include:

As technology enables most content to be digitized, it is also upending business models, competition, and policy needs. From electronic health records, to streaming music and videos, to online social networks, digitization is rapidly affecting every part of the user experience, generating new jobs, and displacing old ones. Our faculty is working on a variety of projects under this broad umbrella. Some major projects are examining the role of social networks, online piracy, digital distribution, impact of mobile, the role of online education, and so on. Faculty and students use variety of methods like field experiments, analytical and structural models to study these questions.

Michael D. Smith and Rahul Telang are world recognized experts on the media industry and copyright policies who also head the IDEA research center.

Beibei Li is an expert on social media, mobile marketing, and understanding individuals’ online and offline decision making. 

Pedro Ferreira works on how people use technology in media and education, and is an expert on running randomized experiments.

Ramayya Krishnan  applies operations research tools to a variety of problems in this domain.

Our world-renowned faculty extensively works with both private firms and policy makers.  

We have multiple research centers like  IDEA ,  LARC , and  iLab  which collect large quantities of data to examine these issues.

Growth of big data has offered opportunities for development and application of novel statistical and computational methods for solving societal problems such as crime, policing, fraud detection, health care and more. To be able to use this data requires cutting edge work on developing new methods and machine learning algorithms. Heinz College has some of the top faculty who work at the intersection of machine learning and public policy.

Some key faculty members working in this space are Leman Akoglu , George Chen , Jeremy Weiss , and David Choi . Each of them is working on problems that intersect the need to use Machine Learning method to solve critical societal problems.

We also offer a joint degree in Machine Learning and Public Policy.

Data security and privacy has increasingly become a complex issue that goes beyond mere technology. Faculty at Heinz College are working on understanding users’ security and privacy decisions using economics, behavioral economics, and data analytics frameworks. This leading edge research is at the forefront of designing better tools and better regulations.

Alessandro Acquisti is an expert on economics of privacy and has done path-breaking work in this space.

Rahul Telang ’s work illustrates that firms may not do enough to protect user data, and highlights how we should design our policies.

Leman Akoglu uses large-scale data to understand our security and privacy vulnerabilities.

This group also works closely with faculty from CyLab , an interdisciplinary research center. This work is highly influential, widely cited, and extensively funded.

This group's research is motivated by information technology's important role in improving health care for patients, hospitals, and doctors. Technology is extensively used in detecting outbreaks, in providing superior quality of care at lower costs, and in prevention of medical errors.

Rema Padman studies IT adoption in hospitals and physical practices. 

Rahul Telang studies the role of electronic health records.

Martin Gaynor is a world-renowned expert on health policy and examines how technology can help improve policy outcomes.

Amelia Haviland examines the role of insurance policies and how they affect patient welfare.

As in other domains, our work on health care and IT is highly influential and has led to significant publications and extensive funding.

Ph.D. Curriculum

The pre-dissertation stage of the Ph.D. in Information Systems & Management is structured around two sets of requirements: coursework and preliminary papers.

Coursework is designed to build methodological skills, modeling competence, and substantive depth.

Preliminary papers illustrate your ability to produce effective research that exhibits your readiness to begin the dissertation.

• A three-semester   Ph.D. Seminar Series   focusing on the research process
• Two semesters of   Advanced Electives offering depth in specialized fields
• Quantitative Methods Cluster   of courses in statistics, econometrics, and machine learning
• Two semesters of coursework in   Social and Policy Sciences
• Concentration Area Requirement , combining research and courses to support your research agenda and long-term professional objectives
• Two semester-long  Technology Classes

Admission to candidacy means that all requirements of the Ph.D. program preliminary to the dissertation have been fulfilled. In addition to satisfying all coursework requirements, you must also meet the following research requirements:

• First- and second-year Research Papers meeting current Ph.D. requirements
• Dissertation focused on Information Systems topic as per judgment of Ph.D. committee

While fulfilling these requirements, you'll work closely with the faculty to develop individualized programs of study and research that meet your goals.

• How to Choose a PhD Research Topic
• Finding a PhD

Introduction

Whilst there are plenty of resources available to help prospective PhD students find doctoral programmes, deciding on a research topic is a process students often find more difficult.

Some advertised PhD programmes have predefined titles, so the exact topic is decided already. Generally, these programmes exist mainly in STEM, though other fields also have them. Funded projects are more likely to have defined titles, and structured aims and objectives.

Self funded projects, and those in fields such as arts and humanities, are less likely to have defined titles. The flexibility of topic selection means more scope exists for applicants to propose research ideas and suit the topic of research to their interests.

A middle ground also exists where Universities advertise funded PhD programmes in subjects without a defined scope, for example: “PhD Studentship in Biomechanics”. The applicant can then liaise with the project supervisor to choose a particular title such as “A study of fatigue and impact resistance of biodegradable knee implants”.

If a predefined programme is not right for you, then you need to propose your own research topic. There are several factors to consider when choosing a good research topic, which will be outlined in this article.

How to Choose a Research Topic

Our first piece of advice is to PhD candidates is to stop thinking about ‘finding’ a research topic, as it is unlikely that you will. Instead, think about developing a research topic (from research and conversations with advisors).

Consider several ideas and critically appraise them:

• You must be able to explain to others why your chosen topic is worth studying.
• You must be genuinely interested in the subject area.
• You must be competent and equipped to answer the research question.
• You must set achievable and measurable aims and objectives.
• You need to be able to achieve your objectives within a given timeframe.
• Your research question must be original and contribute to the field of study.

We have outlined the key considerations you should use when developing possible topics. We explore these below:

Focus on your interests and career aspirations

It is important to choose a topic of research that you are genuinely interested in. The decision you make will shape the rest of your career. Remember, a full-time programme lasts 3-4 years, and there will be unforeseen challenges during this time. If you are not passionate about the study, you will struggle to find motivation during these difficult periods.

You should also look to your academic and professional background. If there are any modules you undertook as part of your Undergraduate/Master degree that you particularly enjoyed or excelled in? These could form part of your PhD research topic. Similarly, if you have professional work experience, this could lead to you asking questions which can only be answered through research.

When deciding on a PhD research topic you should always consider your long-term career aspirations. For example, as a physicist, if you wish to become an astrophysicist, a research project studying black holes would be more relevant to you than a research project studying nuclear fission.

Read dissertations and published journals

Reading dissertations and published journals is a great way to identify potential PhD topics. When reviewing existing research ask yourself:

• What has been done and what do existing results show?
• What did previous projects involve (e.g. lab-work or fieldwork)?
• How often are papers published in the field?
• Are your research ideas original?
• Is there value in your research question?
• Could I expand on or put my own spin on this research?

Reading dissertations will also give you an insight into the practical aspects of doctoral study, such as what methodology the author used, how much data analysis was required and how was information presented.

You can also think of this process as a miniature literature review . You are searching for gaps in knowledge and developing a PhD project to address them. Focus on recent publications (e.g. in the last five years). In particular, the literature review of recent publications will give an excellent summary of the state of existing knowledge, and what research questions remain unanswered.

If you have the opportunity to attend an academic conference, go for it! This is often an excellent way to find out current theories in the industry and the research direction. This knowledge could reveal a possible research idea or topic for further study.

Finding a PhD has never been this easy – search for a PhD by keyword, location or academic area of interest.

Discuss research topic ideas with a PhD supervisor

Discuss your research topic ideas with a supervisor. This could be your current undergraduate/masters supervisor, or potential supervisors of advertised PhD programmes at different institutions. Come to these meetings prepared with initial PhD topic ideas, and your findings from reading published journals. PhD supervisors will be more receptive to your ideas if you can demonstrate you have thought about them and are committed to your research.

You should discuss your research interests, what you have found through reading publications, and what you are proposing to research. Supervisors who have expertise in your chosen field will have insight into the gaps in knowledge that exist, what is being done to address them, and if there is any overlap between your proposed research ideas and ongoing research projects.

Talking to an expert in the field can shape your research topic to something more tangible, which has clear aims and objectives. It can also find potential shortfalls of your PhD ideas.

It is important to remember, however, that although it is good to develop your research topic based on feedback, you should not let the supervisor decide a topic for you. An interesting topic for a supervisor may not be interesting to you, and a supervisor is more likely to advise on a topic title which lends itself to a career in academia.

Another tip is to talk to a PhD student or researcher who is involved in a similar research project. Alternatively, you can usually find a relevant research group within your University to talk to. They can explain in more detail their experiences and suggest what your PhD programme could involve with respect to daily routines and challenges.

Look at advertised PhD Programmes

Use our Search tool , or look on University PhD listing pages to identify advertised PhD programmes for ideas.

• What kind of PhD research topics are available?
• Are these similar to your ideas?
• Are you interested in any of these topics?
• What do these programmes entail?

The popularity of similar PhD programmes to your proposed topic is a good indicator that universities see value in the research area. The final bullet point is perhaps the most valuable takeaway from looking at advertised listings. Review what similar programmes involve, and whether this is something you would like to do. If so, a similar research topic would allow you to do this.

Writing a Research Proposal

As part of the PhD application process , you may be asked to summarise your proposed research topic in a research proposal. This is a document which summarises your intended research and will include the title of your proposed project, an Abstract, Background and Rationale, Research Aims and Objectives, Research Methodology, Timetable, and a Bibliography. If you are required to submit this document then read our guidance on how to write a research proposal for your PhD application.

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25 Marketing Management Dissertation Topics

Published by Owen Ingram at January 2nd, 2023 , Revised On August 18, 2023

Are you a marketing or management student looking for specific marketing management dissertation topics? If yes, your search is over because this article provides 25 highly focused marketing management dissertation ideas and examples for your consideration.

Marketing management refers to planning, organising, coordinating, and controlling marketing functions within a company. Sales, distribution, and customer service are all related to marketing management because they connect a brand with customers, suppliers, and other partners. Other areas of marketing management include public relations and direct advertising activities.

Furthermore, marketing management involves planning for the marketing mix, which is essential for promoting any business. It encompasses various responsibilities, from product development to pricing strategies and channel selection.

Marketing managers perform:

• Detailed market research
• Develop product and service branding strategies
• Develop strategies for targeting customers
• Identify the marketing activities to be undertaken within the budget.

Increased sales revenue and market share are the primary goals of marketing management. Therefore, improving product quality and service levels will improve customer satisfaction.

Also read Sports management dissertation topics , event management thesis ideas , operations management thesis ideas , management thesis topics , and asset management thesis topics .

Marketing Management Research Areas For Dissertation

Marketing management can be divided into four main types as categorized by the American Marketing Association (AMA):

• Customer relationship management (CRM)
• Product lifecycle management (PLM)
• Supply chain management (SCM)
• Market analytics.

These are briefly explained below.

Customer Relationship Management

Customers who have not engaged with a company for a long time can be won back through CRM strategies—providing personalized products, services, and communication to create a long-term relationship with the customer.

Product Lifecycle Management

The PLM process adds new features, services, and components to existing products over time to create more value. Maintaining consumer needs helps companies improve their margins.

Supply Chain Management

SCM uses technologies like supply chain software to manage inventory flows throughout their supply chain, which extends the company’s internal resources into all aspects of their external relationships with vendors, suppliers, distributors, and retailers.”

Market Analytics

Companies use market analytics to gather insights into consumer behaviour and preferences to make better business decisions. Business Intelligence: Business intelligence collects, analyses, and interprets data from multiple sources to understand how the business performs.

Furthermore, if you are studying business, you may also want to look at the list of business dissertation topics  and  finance dissertation topics .

Benefits of Marketing Management

There are various benefits of using Marketing Management. Some of them are as follows:

• It increases sales and profits.
• It improves customer satisfaction.
• It reduces costs
• It helps you to identify the problems in your business.
• It improves the quality of products and services.
• It builds a competitive advantage.
• It makes processes more efficient.
• It increases customer satisfaction.
• It improves sales
• It helps to identify new markets.

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List of Dissertation Topics for Marketing Management

Marketing management is a vast field, and it can be challenging to know where to start! Luckily, we’ve done the work for you. Here is a list of the latest marketing management dissertation topics to help you out.

• Using financial products in the UK retail banking sector
• A study of how service quality and customer satisfaction affect brand equity
• A study of the antecedents and consequences of a firm’s reputation
• Impact of social media marketing on consumer behaviour
• The role of internet advertising as a marketing tool
• A study of how supermarket retailers can use customer relationship management (CRM) data to identify consumers and predict buying behaviour
• The influence of reference groups on purchasing patterns among British consumers
• Factors that influence product packaging decisions
• An investigation into how organizational culture influences employee behaviour
• A preliminary study examined how sales assist the marketing role of security solutions.
• A thorough analysis of the literature on the term “Coopetition.”
• The function of marketing management in maintaining efficient supply chains
• Review of the literature on product innovation in multinational companies
• The psychology of consumers, how to evaluate it, and how it relates to digital marketing
• Several of the most prevalent errors are made today in email marketing.
• Correlation between marketing problem-solving techniques and marketing management support systems.
• A comparison of marketing management practices in industrialized and developing countries.
• A comprehensive review of the connection between management sciences and marketing management.
• Exploring the potential link between corporate financial success and corporate social responsibility
• A comparison of the regional strategic management of fashion apparel brands.
• Analysis of market segmentation’s effect on hotel industry customer loyalty.
• The analysis of the influence of social media on customer relationship management in the hotel industry.
• The analysis of supply chain management on operational efficiency in the hotel industry.
• The relationship between customer satisfaction, market share, and profitability
• An empirical study into the relationship between brand image and consumer perception.

Marketing management has a broad scope as it is not confined to one industry or market. It is necessary to effectively market goods and services in any economic sector. In marketing, strategic thinking, management practices, and techniques are used to develop and implement marketing programs that help businesses flourish and grow. We hope you can pick one from the aforementioned marketing management dissertation topics.

Alternatively, you may want to read about the dissertation proposal writing service and the full dissertation writing service to see how our services can ease your workload by completing your dissertation to the required criteria.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How to find dissertation topics about marketing management.

For dissertation topics in marketing management:

• Study recent marketing challenges.
• Explore consumer behavior trends.
• Analyze digital marketing innovations.
• Investigate branding strategies.
• Examine market segmentation.
• Consider ethical marketing issues.

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