Doctoral Landscape for Entrepreneurship Studies in UK David Watkins

3 Types of Doctoral Degree Traditional PhD New Route PhD DBA These differ in the balance between: Creation of New Knowledge Emphasis on Research Training Professional Engagement

Traditional PhD Flexible May have MPhil as Exit Point Full Time or Part Time Resident or Non-Resident Distance Learning Possible Focus on Creation of New Knowledge in a Specific Project Master – Apprentice Model (Lead Supervisor; Director of Studies) Relatively Little Training other than with DoS Assumption Candidate will Become Researcher / Academic FT Target is Completion in 3 years ‘PhD by Publication’ Alone is Possible

Traditional PhD Southampton Solent Timescales – MPhil Phase MinimumMaximum Full Time18 months36 months Part Time30 months72 months

Traditional PhD Southampton Solent Timescales – PhD (Including MPhil Phase) MinimumMaximum Full Time24 months48 months Part Time48 months96 months

Traditional PhD ‘Milestones’ at Southampton Solent University Enrolment Registration of Project Proposal (+ 6 months) Transfer Registration from MPhil to PhD (~ months Present and Defend Thesis in Viva (~36 months) Viva is held in camera. Examiners and Student only

New Route PhD Designed to take 4 Years, not 3 Balance between Original Research Contribution – Training Differs Substantial Training Input – Focused on Discipline, not Project – In Later Stages, on Employability Requires a Concentration / Critical Mass – No Entrepreneurship-Specific Programmes at Present Centrally Supported as an Experiment in 30 HEIs More Costly Requires Residence Exit Points at Certificate, Masters and Doctoral Level

New Route PhD – Training Input Subject-specific research modules, giving depth and clarity in the research area Interdisciplinary studies to broaden subject knowledge Presentation and communication skills – Media skills – Successful “grantsmanship” – Research Ethics – Enterprise & spin-out companies – Technology transfer – Language skills Teaching – Team building – IT and Web skills – Management Career planning – Interpersonal communication – Teamwork

BUT….! Difference is more Apparent than Real… For example, SSU runs a Postgraduate Certificate in Research Methods and Management, plus additional Seminars, alongside the PhD Programme. Mandatory for Students who are UK-based. Main Impact is likely to be on Natural Science PhDs in Older Universities

DBA (Doctor of Business Administration) Professional rather than Academic Qualification Still Evolving Part-time only. Project is Employment-Related Focus is Application rather than Creation of New Knowledge Plus Reflection on this… HEI typically considers Coursework, Dissertation and Reflective Report in making Award Variable length, typically 5 years Substantial Training Input – MBA general level courses – Focused Masters level specific courses – Research Methods Expensive! Targeted at CEOs, Potential CEOs Appeals to some Entrepreneurs Ambiguous Status – Not Regarded as PhD Equivalent in last RAE, so Funding Implications for HEIs More fluid Supervision / Tutoring than PhD

Networking… New Route and DBAs much better at this than Traditional PhD Programmes – Built-in from Start Staff Networks for these are also Strong In Entrepreneurship, ISBE (UKEMRA> ISBA>) sometimes offers Consortia attached to Annual Conference (or on ad hoc basis) Bilateral Co-operation between some HEIs SSU does not generally use ISBE. Has sent students to RENT, EFMD- EISB, Babson, AoM etc. – Difficult to judge best point at which to send people Have not used EIASM Doctoral events recently. Expensive Usually send to full Conferences. If a Doctoral Consortium associated, then a Bonus. Does not Influence Decision – Notional budget of £ per student p.a. for these activities. Will go over if ‘Event’ is the right one… – Would normally send student to one event per year