The first known doctorate in business was awarded by Harvard University in 1922, which was Ed. D. in Business (Jebe Journal, 2021). After that, Ph.D. degrees in business from Harvard and some American universities followed until Harvard University came and introduced a new program, a professional doctorate in business administration (DBA), in 1960 (Marakas, 2020). Still, in 2019, this degree stopped at Harvard University, and a return to the PhD in Business Administration fits the research field adopted by this prestigious school (HBS, 2018).
Difference Between DBA and PhD in Business Administration:
I will divide the differences into two parts to make it more clear:
1. Study mechanism:
Ph.D: The student is trained to be a "Researcher" in the broadest sense of this term, to be able to delve into business theories, identify knowledge gaps, and finally add theses to fill these gaps.
DBA: The student is trained to be a "Pioneer" of business through the optimal application of business theories and the superior ability to choose the appropriate ones to formulate effective solutions to complex business problems.
2. Work environment:
Ph.D.: The position of the holder can vary between (SCIENTIST and Author of organizational theories and theses—academic professor—academic researcher).
DBA: specializes in solving and optimally managing business problems: (C LEVEL such as chief executive manager and others - Decision maker - Business consultant - Academic visitor in business colleges), (Waldenu, 2020).
Who is the DBA for?
The DBA program suits executives, senior consultants, and people with more business experience who wish to develop managerial, organizational, and leadership skills (MacLennan, Piña & Gibbons, 2018). Students who understand the mechanism of applying business theories to this level have to be experienced in the business world for quite some time, and they also have gaps that they want to fill through their studies (Graf, 2020).
Conclusion
Although the differences between the DBA and the PhD in business administration are available and clear, the controversy between the study of each of them is still present, as the PhD is still the most popular and widely recognized globally and cannot be obtained in a short period like the DBA, but the value of DBA known to entrepreneurs and owners of large companies and institutions.
References
B schools. (n.d.). AACSB vs. ACBSP Accreditation, https://www.bschools.org/faq/aacsb-vs-acbsp
CHEA. (n.d.). REGIONAL ACCREDITING ORGANIZATIONS., https://www.chea.org/regional-accrediting-organizations-accreditor-type
Graf, T. (2020). DBA vs PhD Differences: Doctor of Business Administration. https://www.dba-compass.com/knowledge/differences-1-phd-in-management-dba-doctor-of-business-administration/
HBS. (2018). History Of Excellence. https://www.hbs.edu/doctoral/overview/Pages/history-of-excellence.aspx
Jebe Journal. (2021). The DBA vs. Ph.D. in US Business and Management Programs. http://www.jebejournal.org/index.php/jebe/article/download/63/47#:~:text=In%201922%2C%20Harvard%20began%20offering,The%20first%20D.C.S.
Marakas, G. (2020). THE DBA VERSUS THE PHD - WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE? https://business.fiu.edu/graduate/insights/the-dba-versus-the-phd-what-is-the-difference.cfm
MacLennan, H., Piña, A., & Gibbons, S. (2018). Content analysis of DBA and PhD dissertations in business.
Journal of Education for Business, 93(4), 149–154. Retrieved from EBSCO multi-search database from the Touro Library
Walden. (2020). What’s the Difference Between a DBA and a PhD in Management? https://www.waldenu.edu/programs/business/resource/what-is-the-difference-between-a-dba-and-a-phd-in-management