Dear Friends,

I'm not sure if it is so, but I think I have invented a new model on how to look at organizational management. It might be a flop or something great that gets a good amount of attention. Or maybe something in between. I'm not sure about it, but until now I didn't find anybody else proposing such thing. Still looking to make sure. My question: Is it something suitable to write a PhD about? I want to earn a PhD in Management from a UK university. My favorite university is UOL. Does anybody recommend to write a research proposal about this? If it turns out a flop, would that affect my chances for admission to UOL forever? I'd be happy if some experienced PhD's or even PhD Supervisors comment on this. Thank you very much.

Hi mhmd,

This sounds really interesting. What is the basis for your model - experience or previous research for example?

Of course you can create a new model in a PhD, I just emailed back and forth with a scientist who had done it in my field.

Why not write a proposal about it? Have you read some articles of others developing management models? To be honest, I don't know what and how much is expected in a proposal. I would learn about other models, so I can compare mine with these, and then back-up the links in my model with research. Then I'd come up with one or more ideas to validate the model.

Good luck

Some universities have a policy of not accepting work that was carried out before the start of the PhD as being valid for your thesis. How far developed are your ideas?

Certainly it is something that could be the subject matter for a paper. It may be that, on its own, it might not be enough material for a PhD thesis. That said, it could be a good starting point e.g. present this model and then test its applicability with case studies or something.

As a word of caution, if you think you've come up with something really great, be cautious about sharing it around, particularly if you're not yet affiliated with an institution. It may be best to identify an existing PhD project that's being advertised, which is flexible enough to give you scope to incorporate these ideas into the project.

Hi newtophd and HazyJane,

Thank you so much for the feedback.

I developed my management model (that I think is one) based on readings, my experience, as well as the experience of others. I've got an MBA and have worked as well as talked with experienced people about managing organizations a lot. The conversations and my readings and failures in real life emphasized certain factors and their relationship with others that are most relevant in the success and failure of management activity

As far as I have read and searched (using Google Scholar and other academic search engines) it is not there in the way I'm proposing it. However that is the first round of search and I know that I have to look better. I've just the draft of the main concepts of the model.

My concerns however are the following:
- It is regarded old stuff and nothing new, just another name for the same old thing.
- It is so good that it gets stolen.
- It is too big for a PhD
- It is not enough for a PhD

My questions are these:
- Would writing a paper on my own (and not as part of an institution) count as a academic paper? How much would that help?
- Is there a mechanism to copyright my writings or ideas regarding the model so that nobody can steal it is good? Can it be done easily?
- Do normally PhD students propose management models, or are they developed after lots of experience? Wouldn't academics questions something as big as a new management model coming from a person who is still as the beginning of his academic and work carrier?
- How do other academics develop models? Does it come at the beginning of their life or after lots of work, research, and academic experience in order to be able to prove its relevance, or is it proposed at some point and then proven by time?

I know that those are too many and too big questions, but I appreciate the previous and any other comments and feedbacks.

Thanks again.

m.

hey mhmd,

regarding ur concern over the model, let's go through each of em one by one. :)

1. regarded old stuff and nothing new
there's always a way to repackage a model to imbue originality of work. should this be the case, insyaAllah we can always find a new angle for ur model.

2. it's so good that it gets stolen
people don't usually steal management models. from my experience, they'd usually go for something that's technologically oriented. for instance, a model to perform heart surgery via multidimensional laser.

3. it's too big for a phd
if the model is too big, then break it down to a few sub models. u can focus on one of the sub models for ur phd.

4. it's not enough for a phd
u can always deepen ur analysis for the model to make ur contribution more substantial for the phd. for instance, u could include an analysis from the perspective of system theory and game theory.

would writing a paper on ur own count as academic paper? how much would that help?
yes. it would stamp u as the originator of the model ie accentuate ownership of idea.

mechanism to copyright ideas?
yes, there is. however, it is quite costly, unless u plan to do the groundwork on ur own without the help of a legal team. usually the university would pay for it, if u're attached to the unie.

do normally PhD students propose management models, or are they developed after lots of experience?
it can happen both ways. some ppl develop new model via theoretical research (without experience). on the other hand, some would resort to action research and develop the model by capitalizing on their experience.
the academics would definitely question ur model, that's where u justify and rationalize ur model with in depth research.

How do other academics develop models?
they do it in two ways, either top-down (from theory/framework to model) or bottom-up (from data/experience to model).

hope it helps :)

Wow pikirkool, thank you. I think it helps a lot.

It sound as if you have been gone through a similar thing?

yeah, i kinda enjoy developing models n stuff. been doing research for about a decade but i still feel like a newbie at this :)

Many thanks, I hope we can stay in contact. :).

yeah, insyaAllah will be glad to help if i can :)