Programme Overview

The Executive Fellow Programme in Management is broad in scope, cutting across disciplines to solve challenges facing senior professionals in the business world. The Executive FPM focuses on providing its students with knowledge, skills, best practices, and resources to solve complex business problems in today’s business environment.

The objective of this doctoral-level programme is to provide a sound theoretical understanding of research methodology to solve complex issues in business. The programme aims to groom high-quality pracademics to become faculty members in top-tier business schools around the world. Our small class size ensures that you will enjoy individual attention and support for your scholarly ambitions. We have a rigorous mentorship programme, where our resident faculty will closely guide you through your course of study and work with you on research projects.

The coursework in the comprehensively designed curriculum includes:
 

Preparatory Courses

These are pre-requisite online courses structured to provide exposure to foundational concepts in Economics, Accounting, Finance & Statistics.

• Finance: Harvard Online Course
• Accounting: Harvard Online Course
• Introduction to Statistics: Stanford Online Course
   

Foundation Courses

Will give direction to the dissertation and provide a philosophical lens to assess the course work. It will offer the crucial ability to think deeply and carefully about the nature of theory and the data to confirm or falsify it, as well as the social context in which Science and the Social Sciences are practiced.

• Philosophy of Science & the Scientific Method
• Theories of the Firm Operating in Growth Markets
• Writing & Teaching Case Study Design & Execution
• Course Design and Delivery
   

Interdisciplinary Courses

The four interdisciplinary courses are structured to provide broad exposure across key business disciplines, business research theory and domain knowledge in the areas of Accounting, Finance, Marketing, Strategy, Organisational Behaviour and Operations Management.

• Business Value Creation & Delivery
• Leveraging Technology and Digital Transformation to Manage Markets
• Business Transformation
• Introduction to Corporate Finance & Accounting Research
• Elective 1: Digital Technology & Strategies
   

Quantitative Methods Courses

The Quantitative Courses will help you gain an understanding of the foundations of statistical inference and the practical skill of fitting, and evaluating methods such as multiple regression models,logit models, ANOVA, MANOVA, Factor Analysis, Conjoint/Cluster/Component Analyses, Path Analysis, Structural Equations Models etc.

• Causal Inference
• Regression Analysis & Experimental Design
   

Qualitative Methods Courses

Qualitative Research allows for in-depth, and further probing and questioning of respondents based on their responses, where the interviewer/researcher also tries to understand their motivations and feelings. These courses will introduce you to the basic ideas behind the qualitative aspects of management research.

• Basic Qualitative Analysis
• Elective 2: Advanced Qualitative Analysis
   

Research Lab Courses

These courses provide an overview of the scientific research process with a focus on the iterative nature of theory construction, and testing including the factors that need to be considered to develop useful theories, and sound empirical tests of theories. The Research Lab will feature a mix of research examples across disciplines and qualitative / quantitative methods.

• Research Lab 1: Research Question, Theory and Methods
• Research Lab 2: Data Analysis & Discussion
• Instructed Research Practicum
   

Dissertation Seminars

The dissertation thesis is built on a strong foundation of research. These seminars give you the time and resources to focus on the dissertation topic, methodology, literature review, and research plan to move steadily toward the goal. It is more of a hand-holding exercise to help you pursue the dissertation journey. You will work closely with your Faculty Mentor/Dissertation Committee members to close the loop.

• Dissertation Seminar 1: Dissertation Topic Presentation
• Dissertation Seminar 2: Dissertation Proposal Defense
• Dissertation Seminar 3: Dissertation Defense

Doc-Ed Series

These will be Research Seminars or Panel Discussions on Contemporary Research Topics and Teaching Techniques.

• Research Seminar Series
• Doc-Ed Seminar 1: Theories of the Firm
• Doc-Ed Seminar 2: Research Writing
   

Case Study

Submit a publishable quality case study in the ninth residency under the supervision of an assigned Faculty Mentor.
 

Research Paper Presentation

You will engage in writing and presenting an independent research paper under the supervision of ISB Faculty, which will serve as a preparatory step towards the dissertation thesis.
 

Dissertation Thesis

The programme culminates with the submission of a dissertation thesis and successfully defending it. The dissertation thesis is expected to make a significant contribution to the understanding of a business phenomenon.