AIB 2022: Sheth/AIB Doctoral Consortium

Who is This Event For?

The Sheth/AIB Doctoral Consortium will provide a unique opportunity for doctoral students to further develop their research ideas, to learn about the challenges of conducting international business research and building a successful academic career in this field, and to broaden their professional networks. The format of the Consortium will facilitate a constructive and supportive discussion among the doctoral students and the participating faculty on topics of broad interest such as new trends in conducting high-impact international business research, managing the dissertation stage and the job search process, and successful entry into the academic career. In addition, students will receive concrete feedback on their individual current research projects as well as ideas and guidance for their future research agenda.

The most suitable candidates for the Consortium are Ph.D. students in international business who have completed their course work, are in the dissertation stage of their programs, and have a relatively clear idea about their dissertation research. While all such candidates will be considered, preference will be given to those who have defended their dissertation proposals.

Selection criteria will also include research potential of the dissertation topic and contribution to the disciplinary and geographical diversity of representation. In order to make the consortium an effective exchange forum, we will be restricting the number of participants to 40 and will emphasize quality and diversity in the selection.

How is This Event Structured?

There are three thematic panels in the consortium in addition to the small group discussion of dissertation research. First, the consortium will present a panel on how to build a high impact research program in international business. Second, another panel will provide some helpful insights for building successful academic careers including dissertation and job search. Third, a panel of editors of top journals will discuss the common mistakes that junior scholars make and will provide advice on how to approach the publication task.

A tentative schedule for the consortium is as follows:

Which Senior Faculty Mentors are Taking Part in the Consortium?

The panel of senior academics for the 2022 Doctoral Consortium consists of distinguished international business scholars with extensive experience and publication records, and broad perspectives on academic careers. The panel includes:

• Aya Chacar, Florida International University, USA
• Tailan Chi, University Wisconsin Missouri, USA
• Cristina Gibson, Pepperdine University, USA
• Gary Knight, Willamette University, USA
• Sumit Kundu, Florida International University, USA
• Dana Minbaeva, Kings College London, UK
• William Newburry, Florida International University, USA
• Susan Perkins, University of Illinois, USA
• Elizabeth Rose, Indian Institute of Management Udaipur, IN
• Paul Vaaler, University of Minnesota, USA

How Can I Apply to Participate?

All materials have to be submitted by email to dc2022@aib.msu.edu with the subject line “AIB doctoral consortium application” by 15 February 2022.

Please note that late submissions or submissions that do not follow the requirements will not be considered. Your application must include the following two documents:

1. Letter of nomination from faculty advisor: The letter should discuss the progress of the student in the program and his/her academic performance and potential. It should state clearly whether the applicant has defended (or is expected to defend by 31 January 2022) his/her dissertation proposal. If the student is enrolled in a doctoral program that does not have a formal proposal defense, the dissertation advisor’s statement of approval of the proposal will suffice.
2. Student resume and abstract of dissertation proposal (5-page maximum): The first page should be your resume, highlighting your academic and work experience, along with publications including manuscripts under review. Pages 2-5 should include title, author information, abstract, keywords, and dissertation research summary. Diagrams, tables, and references should be provided at the end of the document but do not count towards the 5-page limit. The extended abstract should succinctly cover the research question, theoretical background, proposed research design, and intended contribution.

Is There Financial Support Available for Attending the Consortium?

Due to the kind support of AIB members, a limited number of travel grants are available for students in need of financial support to attend the Consortium. If you would like to apply for one of these travel stipends, instructions will be made available soon via the AIB 2022 website.

AIB Award for the Best Doctoral Dissertation Proposal

All participants in the Doctoral Student Consortium are eligible for the AIB Award for the Best Doctoral Dissertation Proposal. There is no separate application process for this award. All completed applications to the Consortium are automatically entered into the competition. The winner will receive a plaque and a monetary award. The selection is done by the faculty panel of the Doctoral Student Consortium and is based on the submitted dissertation proposal abstracts. The criteria used in evaluating the abstracts include:

1. Originality and theoretical foundations of the work
2. Rigor and soundness of the proposed methodology
3. Potential contribution and impact of the proposed work to advancing the field