Business Process Innovation PhD Program Description

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The Center for Process Innovation

The Center for Process Innovation (CEPRIN) investigates digitally-enabled process innovation opportunities within firms and across business networks and the concepts and frameworks that characterize, support or enhance these opportunities.  CEPRIN adopts a multi-disciplinary approach to its investigations of business process innovation -- functional approaches are often myopic and may yield inferior solutions; moreover, they can amplify problems or create new ones.  Deep industry partnerships with organizations in the private and public sector provide excellent opportunities and a rich context for PhD students to investigate issues and problems associated with process innovation.  These investigations require extensive inter-personal interactions with site personnel across multiple functional areas in an organization or its network of business partners.  The students have ready access to the Center faculty with expertise and experience in the study of process innovations as well as outstanding research faculty across the functional units of the J. Mack Robinson College of Business.  The Center also hosts visiting scholars from around the world, challenging our students with diverse scholastic perspectives related to process innovation.

PhD Program of Study

The curriculum of the PhD program is designed to develop theoretical competencies both in information services as well as a complementary functional area impacted by digitally-enabled process innovations (e.g., marketing, strategy, operations).  In consultation with the PhD coordinator and other faculty, students configure a program of study that will provide them with the theoretical and methodological background for the multi-disciplinary investigation of process innovations.  This program of study will include subject-matter seminars offered both by the Center for Process Innovation and other functional departments in the Robinson College of Business (e.g., CIS, Management, and Marketing).  In addition, the program of study includes a rigorous sequence of courses in alternative research methodologies and a course in university teaching.  Teaching competence is developed through the University teaching seminar, GLA assignments to support a professor, and GTA assignments to deliver complete courses. 

The dissertation research undertaken by the student must meet two criteria.  First, the problem investigated must be in the domain of process innovation.  Second, a multi-disciplinary approach must be adopted for the investigation of the problem.  The general assumption is that each PhD student will become a field researcher in one or more externally funded organizational research projects. It is from this research context that the nature of the dissertation research will be derived and funding beyond the second year anticipated.

A collaborative, mentoring approach is used for the ongoing development of PhD students.  From the start of their program, students work closely with one or more faculty members.  They interact regularly with faculty and other PhD students to develop their research and publication capabilities in tandem with the knowledge and skills developed through coursework.   They participate in a year-round research seminar series that features accomplished researchers from around the world. 

 Funding

Generally, PhD students are provided with tuition remission and a stipend during their first two years of the program. Depending upon the progress of the student during these first two years and the availability of external research funding support, the stipend may be continued through the third (typical) and possibly fourth year. Alternatively, or in addition to the research stipend provided, the student will teach one or more course sections after his/her third year.

 Program Application

Application material can be obtained from the Doctoral program office, Robinson College of Business, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30303.  CEPRIN accepts either GRE or GMAT exam scores from its applicants.  CEPRIN is especially interested in students who have an ability to interact with organizations to investigate problems pertaining to process innovation that are of a cross-functional nature. A multi-disciplinary background with strong communication, project management and skills related to investigating problems by deep immersion in an organizational setting is needed to conduct such research.

Interested students should contact the PhD coordinator, Dr. Arun Rai at arunrai@gsu.edu.