Applied Doctoral Research in Business and Management Studies

After years of supervising doctoral candidates in business and management studies in Singapore, Keith Ng decided that the time is right to put together exemplars of research studies in applied research. Applied research is a form of systematic inquiry for the purposes of providing theories, knowledge, methods, and techniques to assist practitioners in decision making. It is pragmatic and has its emphasis on solving problems. It enables understanding of a practical problem and yet integrates that understanding into solutions for that practical problem. The book’s focus is to provide an insight to those who intent to embark on their doctoral studies and to illustrate issues involve in doing a doctoral research study in applied research. While most researchers found that the journey of completing a doctoral study to be arduous, the benefits at the end is extremely rewarding and fulfilling. A completed doctoral dissertation only tells half the story of what doctoral candidates went through. Most of these doctoral candidates featured in this book are busy executives having to manage their routine roles in organization and are responsible for performance to management that they report to. The difficulties and hurdles faced by candidates themselves provide a glimpse on the sometimes often naïve confidence held by management executives. This book will appeal to anyone involved in doctoral research or considering doing a doctoral research, and also to practitioners and researchers seeking to improve business and professional practice.