Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration

Introduction

The PhD programme is the most senior academic degree programme that is offered by most reputable universities. These programmes are usually offered across many disciplines including the business management. This degree programme qualifies the holder to teach in their discipline at university level, to conduct scientific research or work in a specialized position either in the private or public service.

 Rationale

In the current business environment, a number of factors like rapid technological changes dictating the development of new innovations, the ever changing economic and business ecosystems and volatility in the mega trends requires the development of critical human thinking to adapt or be disrupted.

The evolving world systems have also put pressure on traditional thinking in responding to pressures placed on humanity and business organizations. In particular due to globalization the world has become a global village resulting in stiff competition in the local and international markets. To respond to these, institutions have to be agile and conduct scientific inquiries using accepted research philosophies and paradigms to suggest well-grounded business solutions and to guide policy in the business arena. This is the area of breaking frontiers in understanding the order of constructs in the real (third) world and second world.

Zambia’s Human Capital Index (HCI) is 0.4, which implies that children born today will only be 40 percent as productive as they would be if they had full educational and health attainment. Further, Zambia lags both in the region as well as its income group on the HCI. It is with as a back drop that the 8NDP sets the “four Strategic Development Areas, namely: economic transformation and job creation; human and social development; environmental sustainability; and good governance environment…, to address the economic and social ills besetting our country”.  The PhD degree programme will provide scientific information to advance knowledge in the above areas for the needed inclusive development agenda in the country to be achieved.

From the above, ZCAS University has introduced a Doctor of Philosophy in Business Management degree that will allows the use of scientific and philosophical enquires to contribute to knowledge to advance the competitiveness of the businesses and support the needed teaching at high levels in academic programmes.

 Aims of the Programme

The aim of the PhD programme is to enable professionals, managers, and executives to be better users and producers of practical knowledge in order to attain academic credentials and professional advancement and improve the practice and performance of their organisations. Thus, the PhD programme has a dual purpose: first is to contribute to both theory and practice in relation to business and management; and second is to develop professional practice and to contribute to professional knowledge.

Objectives of the Programme

This programme is designed to enable professionals, managers and executives with ability to:

1. Develop substantive original contributions to knowledge in their area of specialization
2. Master the philosophical, analytical and methodological skills required to evaluate and conduct research in their area of specialization and related business areas
3. Design and conduct original and scientific research in their area of specialization
4. Demonstrate the ability to communicate the results of their research in a clear and effective manner
5. Demonstrate an ability to work effectively with other people from various ethnic, educational, and work experience backgrounds
6. Demonstrate an understanding and concern for the high ethical standards in business research, teaching, and service
7. Demonstrate the ability to teach university level courses in their area of specialization

Programme Learning Outcomes 

By the end of the programme, students should be able to:

1. demonstrate deep understanding and relate key concepts, theories, issues, and debates in relevant business research and domain knowledge;
2. evaluate and critically review research at the forefront of the discipline or professional practice of interest;
3. evaluate the practical implications of relevant research to address critical business challenges.
4. translate sound research findings into useful recommendations for managerial practices;
5. ascertain the appropriate qualitative or quantitative methods to successfully address original or applied research questions;
6. produce and present high quality, peer-reviewed, original or applied research;
7. persuasively communicate and defend ideas and research findings both orally and through formal research writings and presentations; and
8. act with integrity and professionalism towards others and make sound judgments in dealing with ethical issues in research and related activities.

 Level of Qualification and Articulation in the Zambia Qualifications Framework 

 ZQF level:  10

At this level, it is expected that the graduate shall:

• Be able to systematically acquire and understand substantial and complex body of knowledge which is at the forefront of an academic discipline or area of professional practice.
• Create and interpret new knowledge, through original research or other advanced scholarship, of a quality to satisfy peer review, extending the forefront of the discipline, and merit publication.
• Create, conceptualise, design and implement an investigation for the generation of new knowledge and/or adjust the design of the investigation in the light of unforeseen problems.
• Make expert judgements on complex issues in specialized fields, often in the absence of complete data, and communicate ideas and conclusions clearly and effectively to specialist and non-specialist audiences.
• Undertake pure/applied research and development at an advanced level, contributing substantially to the development of new techniques, ideas or approaches.
• Possess qualities, ethics and transferable skills necessary for utilisation in varied contexts requiring the exercise of full personal responsibility and largely autonomous initiative in complex and unpredictable situations.
• Demonstrate intellectual independence, authoritative judgement, adaptability and responsibility as an expert and leading practitioner or scholar.
• Undertake extended learning with a view to continuous generation of new knowledge.