The Applied Doctoral Research Project (ADRP) is the capstone project for the Doctor of Business
Administration (DBA) program. As a capstone project, it is intended for educational purposes to
allow the doctoral candidate to demonstrate the ability to conduct and present meaningful doctoral-
level research. The ADRP is limited to a Single Case Study design focusing on a single
organization, it is not intended for publication, and the results are not intended to be relatable or
generalizable to the larger population. Because of these limitations, the ADRP is excluded from
the review and approval of the Institutional Review Board (IRB).
The ADRP will take one of two possible paths:
Consulting Project – Single Case Study with Lean Six Sigma (DMAIC) Framework
Case Study Project – Single Case Study
Consulting Project – The doctoral candidate progresses though the ADRP by first locating an
organization with an applied business problem related to their cognate, and then conducting a
review of the literature to gain insight and understanding of the problem. The problem is known
in the literature and generally understood, but perhaps not well understood in a specific context
such as a particular industry or a region of the country. Next, the doctoral candidate develops a
research proposal and once approved, begins the study using the qualitative and quantitative tools
found in the Lean Six Sigma Framework (DMAIC). Once the study is complete, the doctoral
candidate documents the results, develops a plan to address the problem, and presents the research
and plan to their Research Chair and the organization. The goal of the research is to gain a better
understanding of the problem and its solution and thereby extend the current body of knowledge
to a specific context. Students wishing to conduct the consulting project should be sure to include
BUSI 830, Case Study Research Methods and Consulting Techniques, in their degree plan to gain
a better understanding of the Lean Six Sigma tools that must be used in the research project.
Case Study Project – The doctoral candidate progresses though the ADRP by first conducting a
review of the literature to find an applied business problem related to their cognate. The problem
is known in the literature and generally understood, but perhaps not well understood in a specific
context such as a particular industry or a region of the country. Next, the doctoral candidate
develops a research proposal and once approved, locates an organization where the problem can
be studied. Finally, the doctoral candidate conducts the study, documents the results, and presents
the research to their Research Chair. While not a Mixed Methods design, quantitative tools will be
used for triangulation and descriptive statistics. The goal of the research is to gain a better
understanding of the problem and thereby extend the current body of knowledge to a specific
context.
The ADRP is made up of three sections: The Foundation of the Study, The Project, and the
Application to Professional Practice. These three sections are developed in BUSI 887, 888, and
889 respectively. The first two sections together make up the research proposal and are approved
by the Research Chair and DBA Administration prior to beginning the field study. Once the study
is completed, all three sections are combined to form the Applied Doctoral Research Project. The
research is presented, and the final document is reviewed and approved in BUSI 890. The research
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Applied Doctoral Research Project Guide
is intended to be original and replication studies will not be allowed. While secondary data can be
used for triangulation, the data acquisition plan for the study will focus on primary data.
Key Research Characteristics of the ADRP:
Focus – Cognate related business problem supported by current literature (within 5 years)
Scope – Single Organization
Research Design – Single Case Study
Study Participants – Between 15 and 30 participants
No IRB, publication, or defense
Research Chair – Primary point of contact and mentor
No Committee