BUS 700 Week 8 A Plan for Doctoral Study Example

A Three-Year Plan From Coursework to Dissertation: How a Working Bank Director Will Complete the DBA

[Student Name]

University of Phoenix

BUS/700: Introduction to Business Administration in Doctoral Study

Week 8 Assignment

[Instructor Name]

[Date]

The doctoral student, Buckeye Valley Bank and all plans are composites written for a model paper.

Marcus Bell, the composite Ohio banker whose first term this course has followed, began as an experienced manager who solved problems mainly through experience. Eight weeks later, he has a defined research problem about how older small business owners change their banking once the local branch is gone. He now needs a plan to complete the doctorate while working full time. Many doctoral students do not stop because the work is too hard but because the years are too long, and a plan is how a working professional turns distant goals into weekly habits. This paper presents Marcus's plan.

Reflecting on the Course

Marcus learned to read research in passes and evaluate methods, to replace assertion with evidence in his writing, to question claims including his own, to use theories as lenses and to turn a workplace worry into a researchable problem. His greatest change is in how he responds to confident claims, now asking first what the evidence is. Colleagues have noticed; in a recent meeting about a new fee schedule, he asked for the data behind a vendor's projection before the discussion went further.

Strengths

His strengths include deep knowledge of banking operations, access to communities and data, persistence in long projects and growing confidence in scholarly reading. Banks et al. (2016) noted that practitioners bring problem knowledge that can make research more relevant, a strength Marcus can use.

Development Needs

He needs training in qualitative research methods, especially interviewing and analysis, deeper familiarity with theory, faster academic writing and the discipline to sustain effort over years, particularly once coursework deadlines give way to self-directed dissertation work.

Goals

Academic goals are to complete coursework with strong performance, write a literature review chapter by the end of year one, defend a proposal by the middle of year two and complete the dissertation by the end of year three. Professional goals are to apply evidence-based thinking to decisions at work and share findings with the banking community.

Year One: Coursework and Literature

Year one combines coursework with a growing literature review. Marcus will read and log at least two peer-reviewed articles a week, building a matrix of studies on branch closures, small business banking, technology adoption and relationship banking. By month 12, he aims to draft 30 pages of literature review and share it with his mentor for feedback before the methods courses begin.

Year Two: Methods and Proposal

Year two focuses on research methods courses, refining the research questions, selecting a theoretical framework and writing a proposal covering the problem, literature, methods and ethics. Institutional review board approval is targeted for month 20.

Year Three: Data and Dissertation

Year three involves recruiting participants, conducting 20 to 25 interviews, analyzing data, writing findings and discussion chapters and preparing the defense. Booth et al. (2016) stress that research writing develops through drafts and revision, so Marcus will draft chapters early and revise with his committee.

The Literature Review Strategy

The literature review will be organized around four themes: the economics of branch closures and local credit, relationship banking and small business finance, technology acceptance among older adults and small business owners and qualitative research on customer experiences of service changes. For each theme, Marcus will identify foundational works and recent studies, noting methods and gaps, so the review builds toward his research questions rather than merely summarizing sources.

Committee and Mentor Relationships

Marcus will meet his faculty mentor monthly and send brief progress notes in advance. When selecting committee members, he will seek someone with qualitative methods expertise and someone familiar with banking or small business research. Clear, regular communication with the committee prevents late surprises in the proposal and defense stages.

Weekly Habits

Marcus will study from 5:30 to 7:30 a.m. on weekdays and four hours on Saturday mornings, about 14 hours a week, adding time during intensive periods. He will write at least 500 words of scholarly prose three times a week and maintain his reading log.

Work and Family

Marcus discussed the plan with his family, agreeing to protect Sunday as family time. His employer will allow flexible hours during data collection and supports the topic, though Marcus will keep his research independent from bank decisions to avoid conflicts.

Support

Support includes a faculty mentor assigned by the program, a writing group of four classmates meeting every two weeks, the university library and writing center and a former colleague who completed a DBA and can advise on the dissertation stage.

Anticipated Obstacles

Obstacles include a demanding busy season at the bank, a possible job change, fatigue during the long dissertation phase and difficulty recruiting older business owners. Responses include building schedule buffers, keeping the research portable if he changes jobs, setting small monthly milestones and partnering with chambers of commerce for recruitment.

Building Methods Skills Early

Qualitative interviewing is a skill learned by practice. Before formal data collection, Marcus will conduct two practice interviews with retired business owners he knows, record them with permission, transcribe them and code them with his writing group. He will also read several published qualitative studies in banking and small business to see how experienced researchers present interview findings.

Managing Momentum

Doctoral momentum often fades between coursework and dissertation, when structure loosens. Marcus will set monthly milestones with his mentor, report progress to his writing group and keep a visible chart of chapters drafted. If he misses two monthly milestones in a row, he will meet his mentor to adjust the plan rather than letting delays accumulate.

Health and Well-Being

Sustaining effort for three years requires attention to health. Marcus will protect sleep, keep a weekly exercise routine and take a full week off from study twice a year. Research on doctoral completion consistently points to stress and isolation as risks, which his writing group and family agreements are meant to reduce.

Ethics and Integrity

Marcus will follow ethical research practices, protect participants' confidentiality and avoid using his position to pressure participation. He will also follow his university's policies on writing tools and maintain accurate citation practices throughout every draft.

How the Doctorate Will Change Practice

Corley and Gioia (2011) called for research with practical utility. Marcus aims to produce findings that help banks design branch transitions for small business customers, and to bring evidence-based habits to his leadership, such as piloting changes and questioning untested assumptions.

Reviewing the Plan

Marcus will review the plan each term with his mentor, adjusting timelines as the research develops and recording progress against milestones.

Conclusion

Marcus's plan connects what he learned in this course to a three-year path from coursework to dissertation, built on weekly habits, family and employer support, a mentor and peers and contingencies for likely obstacles. Its purpose is not only to finish the degree but to become a scholar-practitioner whose work helps banks and the small businesses they serve.

References

Banks, G. C., Pollack, J. M., Bochantin, J. E., Kirkman, B. L., Whelpley, C. E., & O'Boyle, E. H. (2016). Management's science-practice gap: A grand challenge for all stakeholders. Academy of Management Journal, 59(6), 2205-2231. https://doi.org/10.5465/amj.2015.0728

Booth, W. C., Colomb, G. G., Williams, J. M., Bizup, J., & FitzGerald, W. T. (2016). The craft of research (4th ed.). University of Chicago Press.

Corley, K. G., & Gioia, D. A. (2011). Building theory about theory building: What constitutes a theoretical contribution? Academy of Management Review, 36(1), 12-32. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.2009.0486