Doctoral level writing requires that you conduct research related to your area of study in order to relate your study to the literature. You will apply that material to the development of your Applied Doctoral Research Project (ADRP) Research Concept.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this module, you will be able to:
- Demonstrate research skills in locating relevant literature sources to support manuscript development.
- Understand the doctoral process.
- Develop semester goals in accordance with the doctoral process.
- Demonstrate progress in your manuscript development and doctoral process.
DBA Research Concept Course – BUSI 885
Overview – BUSI 885
You have reached this point because you have passed all DBA core classes and you are ready to develop a research concept for your Applied Doctoral Research Project (ADRP). As you work your way through this course you will conduct research and develop the key elements of a viable doctoral level research project, culminating in an approved ADRP Concept Paper. While your final research concept will be approved by your Research Chair once you start your ADRP courses, the work you put in here will give you a solid starting point and help ensure that you are able to hit the ground running.
You are no longer a student – This course marks the start of your transition from student to doctoral candidate. This is a significant milestone that shifts the burden from a professor in a course teaching you things you do not know to you applying what you have already learned! Your professor is here to evaluate your work and point out areas for improvement, not teach you how to accomplish each task. You are responsible for reviewing the guidelines provided and submitting work that is compliant them. When you hit a roadblock or do not understand a particular aspect of your research project you need to be able to work your way through the issue by studying the problem, conducting further research, and determining the best solution.
The DBA ADRP Research Concept Paper will be developed incrementally. Each task listed below allows you to focus on one aspect of the research concept and then use the approved tasks to build up to the completed document. It is important that you use approved tasks when you start combining them into a single document. If you do need to make changes to a previously approved document, you need to coordinate that with your professor. Finally, do not move to the next task in the sequence until the current one is approved. As described, these build upon each other so working ahead could result in significant revisions!
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How to Write a DBA Applied Doctoral Research Project Research Concept
Introduction
The Doctor of Business Administration program represents a significant transition from structured coursework to independent scholarly research. At the doctoral level, students are expected to demonstrate advanced critical thinking, research competence, analytical reasoning, and professional writing skills while developing a meaningful contribution to applied business knowledge. The Applied Doctoral Research Project Research Concept serves as the foundation for the doctoral research process because it introduces the research problem, identifies a potential gap in the literature, and establishes the direction of the future research study. Developing a strong research concept is essential because it guides the overall research design and supports the successful completion of the doctoral project (Creswell and Creswell, 2023).
Doctoral level writing requires extensive engagement with scholarly literature in order to identify relevant theories, support problem statements, and establish a research framework grounded in evidence based analysis. Students are expected to transition from passive learners to active researchers capable of independently locating, evaluating, synthesizing, and applying scholarly information to practical business problems. The research concept paper therefore represents more than an academic assignment because it demonstrates a student’s readiness to function as a doctoral candidate and emerging scholar practitioner (Burkholder et al., 2020).
This guide explains how to develop a DBA Applied Doctoral Research Project Research Concept by discussing the doctoral research process, literature review development, semester goal planning, manuscript preparation, and research skill development. It also explores the importance of scholarly inquiry, independent problem solving, and professional academic writing within doctoral education.
Understanding the Purpose of the DBA Research Concept
The DBA Applied Doctoral Research Project Research Concept serves as the blueprint for the future doctoral study. It introduces the central research problem, explains why the topic is important, and establishes the practical business relevance of the proposed study. A well developed research concept demonstrates that the doctoral candidate understands the current literature, recognizes an unresolved problem or gap, and can propose a research direction capable of contributing to professional practice and organizational improvement (Yin, 2022).
Unlike traditional coursework assignments, the research concept requires students to independently analyze scholarly evidence and synthesize complex information into a coherent research framework. The purpose is not simply to summarize existing literature but rather to demonstrate scholarly thinking and identify opportunities for applied business research. Doctoral students must clearly articulate how their proposed study aligns with organizational challenges, leadership issues, operational inefficiencies, strategic management concerns, or other practical business problems.
The research concept also helps establish feasibility and focus. Since doctoral research projects require significant time, planning, and academic rigor, narrowing the topic early in the process helps ensure that the proposed study remains manageable and aligned with program expectations. Developing a clear and focused concept supports smoother progression through the doctoral research stages and improves the quality of the final manuscript.
Transitioning From Student to Doctoral Candidate
One of the most important themes in the DBA research concept course is the transition from student to doctoral candidate. At earlier academic levels, professors often provide detailed guidance, structured assignments, and direct instruction regarding course material. However, doctoral education emphasizes independent learning, critical inquiry, and scholarly initiative. Students are expected to identify problems, conduct research, analyze evidence, and develop solutions with greater autonomy and intellectual responsibility (Burkholder et al., 2020).
This transition requires a change in mindset. Doctoral candidates must develop the ability to work through research challenges independently by consulting scholarly literature, reviewing methodological guidance, and critically evaluating possible solutions. Faculty members and research chairs provide feedback and direction, but the responsibility for producing quality research ultimately belongs to the doctoral student.
The transition also involves becoming comfortable with ambiguity and revision. Doctoral research rarely progresses in a perfectly linear manner. Students often refine research questions, adjust frameworks, revise literature reviews, and improve methodological approaches throughout the research process. Developing persistence, adaptability, and scholarly discipline is therefore essential for doctoral success.
Additionally, doctoral candidates must demonstrate professional academic communication skills. Clear organization, logical argument development, scholarly tone, proper APA formatting, and evidence based analysis are all critical components of doctoral writing. These skills not only support academic success but also strengthen professional credibility within business leadership and consulting environments.
Conducting Scholarly Literature Research
Conducting scholarly literature research is one of the most critical components of developing the DBA research concept. Doctoral candidates must identify credible, peer reviewed, and relevant scholarly sources that support the proposed research topic and establish a foundation for the study. The literature review process helps students understand current research trends, identify unresolved issues, and determine where meaningful contributions can be made within the field of business administration (Creswell and Creswell, 2023).
Effective literature research begins with selecting focused keywords and searching academic databases such as Google Scholar, ProQuest, EBSCOhost, JSTOR, and ABI Inform. Students should prioritize recent peer reviewed journal articles, scholarly books, and authoritative business research publications. Using current literature is especially important because business environments, leadership strategies, technological innovations, and organizational challenges evolve rapidly.
Doctoral students must also evaluate the credibility and relevance of sources critically. Strong literature reviews synthesize information across multiple studies rather than relying on isolated articles or unsupported opinions. Scholarly synthesis involves identifying patterns, contradictions, theoretical perspectives, and research gaps within the existing body of literature. This analytical process demonstrates advanced critical thinking and supports the development of a strong research problem statement.
Another important aspect of literature research involves maintaining proper citation practices and academic integrity. Accurate APA formatting and ethical source integration are essential because doctoral level writing requires professionalism, originality, and respect for intellectual property. Strong research skills therefore support both academic credibility and scholarly contribution.
Developing Semester Goals in the Doctoral Process
Establishing semester goals is an important strategy for maintaining progress throughout the doctoral journey. Doctoral research projects involve multiple stages including topic selection, literature review development, research design, data collection, analysis, manuscript writing, revision, and final approval. Without structured planning, students may experience delays, frustration, or difficulty balancing academic responsibilities with professional and personal commitments (Maxwell, 2021).
Effective semester goals should be realistic, measurable, and aligned with the broader doctoral timeline. Examples of important goals may include identifying a research topic, completing a preliminary literature review, refining research questions, developing a conceptual framework, or drafting specific manuscript sections. Breaking large research tasks into smaller milestones helps students maintain motivation and track progress consistently.
Time management is particularly important in doctoral education because research projects require sustained focus and extensive revision. Students should establish weekly schedules dedicated to reading scholarly literature, writing, editing, and engaging with faculty feedback. Consistent progress is often more effective than attempting to complete large sections of work under tight deadlines.
Doctoral candidates should also anticipate challenges and create contingency plans. Research obstacles such as limited literature availability, methodological uncertainty, or personal responsibilities may affect progress. Developing proactive strategies for managing setbacks helps students maintain momentum and resilience throughout the doctoral process.
Manuscript Development and Incremental Progress
The DBA Applied Doctoral Research Project Research Concept is developed incrementally through multiple stages of manuscript preparation. Rather than attempting to complete the entire project at once, students focus on individual components that gradually build into a comprehensive research document. This step by step approach allows faculty members to review and approve sections before students proceed to the next stage (Yin, 2022).
Incremental manuscript development improves organization, clarity, and research quality because each section receives focused attention and revision. Students may initially develop the introduction and problem statement before progressing to the literature review, conceptual framework, methodology, and research questions. Since each section builds upon previous work, maintaining consistency and alignment throughout the manuscript is essential.
Revision is also a normal and expected part of doctoral writing. Feedback from professors and research chairs helps students strengthen arguments, improve clarity, refine research focus, and address methodological concerns. Successful doctoral candidates view revision as an opportunity for scholarly growth rather than criticism.
Additionally, maintaining organized research notes, source files, outlines, and draft versions can improve efficiency during manuscript development. Strong organizational habits reduce confusion, support accurate citation management, and streamline the writing process throughout the doctoral program.
Importance of APA Style and Scholarly Writing
APA style plays a significant role in doctoral level writing because it promotes consistency, professionalism, and academic integrity. Proper APA formatting includes accurate citations, reference lists, headings, tables, in text citations, and manuscript structure. Adhering to APA guidelines demonstrates scholarly competence and ensures that research writing meets professional academic standards (American Psychological Association, 2020).
Scholarly writing also requires clarity, precision, and objectivity. Doctoral candidates should avoid informal language, unsupported claims, emotional bias, and vague generalizations. Instead, arguments should be supported with scholarly evidence, logical reasoning, and analytical interpretation. Strong scholarly writing reflects critical engagement with literature and contributes to the academic conversation surrounding the research topic.
Effective academic writing additionally requires coherence and organization. Each section of the manuscript should connect logically to the next while supporting the overall purpose of the study. Clear transitions, focused paragraphs, and concise explanations improve readability and strengthen the overall quality of the research concept paper.
Conclusion
The DBA Applied Doctoral Research Project Research Concept represents an important milestone in the transition from student to doctoral candidate. Developing the research concept requires advanced scholarly writing, independent critical thinking, literature research skills, and professional academic discipline. Through the research concept process, doctoral candidates identify meaningful business problems, analyze scholarly literature, establish research direction, and begin contributing to applied business knowledge.
Successful doctoral research requires persistence, organization, and continuous scholarly engagement. Conducting literature reviews, developing semester goals, refining manuscript sections, and applying APA standards all contribute to the successful completion of the doctoral process. The incremental development of the research concept paper helps students build a strong foundation for future research stages while strengthening their identity as scholar practitioners.
Ultimately, the DBA research concept process prepares doctoral candidates to address complex organizational challenges through evidence based research and professional application. By embracing independent inquiry, scholarly rigor, and critical analysis, doctoral students can develop impactful research projects that contribute to both academic scholarship and practical business leadership.
References
American Psychological Association, 2020. Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. 7th ed. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Burkholder, G.J., Cox, K.A. and Crawford, L.M., 2020. The Scholar Practitioner’s Guide to Research Design. Laureate Publishing.
Creswell, J.W. and Creswell, J.D., 2023. Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches. Sage Publications.
Maxwell, J.A., 2021. Qualitative Research Design: An Interactive Approach. Sage Publications.
Yin, R.K., 2022. Case Study Research and Applications: Design and Methods. Sage Publications.
Last Completed Projects
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