Robinson College of Business DBA - Doctor of Business Administration

Join us on June 14th at 12pm, ET, for the first session of a DBA alumni-led webinar series, Robinson DBA Alumni Spotlight, where we highlight an alum in each session from a different field or industry. June’s spotlight is on Dr. BP McCoy, class of 2020, who entered the program with decades of service as a U.S. Marine Corps Officer. Hear him describe his journey to the DBA and how he and his career were transformed through it.

Dr. McCoy is the Founder of Xiphos Initiatives LLC & a retired Marine Corps Officer with extensive leadership experience and author of The Passion of Command.

Register here > https://t.gsu.edu/3RbaA7U

After completing a master’s degree, highway engineer and project manager Muhammad Humayon (MBA 2023) is working toward a Robinson College of Business DBA - Doctor of Business Administration to help him better navigate the complexities of modern business environments.
https://t.gsu.edu/3VdxkGt

Robinson Faculty New Research Spotlight: Dr. Lars Mathiassen, GRA Eminent Scholar and Professor, Computer Information Systems

Paper: Digital activism to achieve meaningful institutional change: A bricolage of crowdsourcing, social media, and data analytics

>>> https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048733323002354?via%3Dihub

Researchers have examined the impact of information and communication technology (ICT) on activism, finding that ICT improves connectivity, mobilization, and identity formation. However, such digital activism has been criticized for often failing to move beyond venting anger during the initial mobilization efforts.

Highlights:
• Most institutions can typically withstand digital activists' efforts for change.
• A bricolage of available ICT resources empowered opposition to multi-national policy.
• Institutional change results from experimental work of low-power actors and allies.
• Research supporting ICT-empowered activism can lead to institutional change.
• Active oversight is needed to maintain legitimacy in crowd science projects.

Congratulations, Doctors! Celebrating our Doctor of Business Administration Class of 2024! We're so proud of your dedication and accomplishments!

Thank you to our graduate's families and friends, Robinson faculty, Dean Richard Phillips, and our aspirational Commencement Speaker, Dr. Barry West, for making the program's 13th graduation a very special day for our graduates.

Join Charles Dhanaraj as he describes the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) degree, the goal of business research education for professionals, and career progression for graduates.

Register for the webinar > https://t.gsu.edu/4deBhlB

Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of practitioner research, the value of the DBA degree within the context of their career, and the unique aspects of Robinson’s DBA.

J. Mack Robinson College of Business, Georgia State University

“I’m often asked, ‘What’s the most necessary skill a student needs to have?’ and it’s a tough question because the future of work is all about skills,” Warren said. “I tell people that one of the greatest skills we can have is the skill to continuously learn.”

DBA Alum Gives Back as Dean of Grambling State’s College of Business - Georgia State Robinson College of Business Derrick Warren is giving back by offering Grambling State students the same access to resources and opportunities he received at Robinson.

Congratulations to Dr. Christine Davis, '23, on her recent journal publication. Her paper, "Optimizing Training to Effectively Mitigate the Human Risk of Cyberattacks: A Critically Appraised Topic," was accepted into the Engaged Management ReView Journal.

Read the paper here > https://t.gsu.edu/3xqwtsU

"Stories In ENI -Entrepreneurship & Innovation-" an interview series that blends engaging conversation with music, networking, and entrepreneurship, was created by Dr. Leroy Carson, Jr.

In this series, Dr. Carson interviews legendary innovators and entrepreneurs, while highlighting proven examples of success, to encourage viewers to pursue their passion in innovation and entrepreneurship.

First interviewees include:
- Tom Sosnoff, CEO & Founder of Tasty Trade
- Egbert Perry, Founder & CEO of Integral
- Nicholas Perkins, CEO & Brand Owner of Fuddruckers

Dr. Leroy Carson, Jr., '22, is an engaged scholar, author, public speaker, educator, social scientist, and researcher. He is the Founder and President of Urban Physiology, LLC., an organization seeking new ways to stimulate the rate and quantity of entrepreneurs and innovators. He is also the Founding Director of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Oglethorpe University.

Visit the "Stories in E&I" YouTube Channel to watch and follow the series > https://t.gsu.edu/3PO0Ek3

J. Mack Robinson College of Business, Georgia State University

Stories In E & I (Entrepreneurship & Innovation) - YouTube Dr. Leroy Carson, Jr. (-DC-) is an engaged scholar, author, public speaker, educator, social scientist, and researcher. He is blessed to be the founder and p...

Congratulations to Dr. Dale Herndon, '22, who was chosen to present his research on China and its struggle to transition from agrarian poverty to middle-income status at the Kettering Executive Network's International SIG on Wednesday, April 3rd. Dr. Herndon's speech, titled “The Implications of China’s Middle-Income Trap,” discusses the specifics behind the middle-income trap, China’s plans for getting out of it, and its repercussions.

Kettering is an organization of over 1,300 senior-level executives from across all functions and industries who adhere to a “pay it forward” principle. Membership offers educational and networking opportunities through weekly meetings, social events, community involvement, and special interest groups. In return, members actively help each other with business ideas, opportunities, mentorship, and introductions.

To learn more about Kettering, visit their website at https://t.gsu.edu/3vwur9X. If you are interested in attending this event, please contact Kettering at https://t.gsu.edu/3U2eUYZ

Listen to Dr. Berkley Baker, '15, discuss the post-pandemic landscape for new business owners on WABE NPR All Things Considered.

Starting a business is never easy, and all the less so for young entrepreneurs new to running their own company. The pandemic made that process even harder, forcing many to pivot and become creative in how they founded, marketed and grew their businesses.

As a professor of practice at Georgia State University’s Entrepreneurship and Innovation Institute, Berkley Baker helps guide and advise students interested in following that path.

J. Mack Robinson College of Business, Georgia State University

Georgia State entrepreneurship professor talks post-pandemic landscape for new business owners - WABE Starting a business is never easy, and all the less so for young entrepreneurs new to running their own company. The pandemic made that process even harder, forcing many to […]

New DBA-published book announcement! Saloni Vastani, DBA ’15, has published, “Purpose-Driven Pricing: Leveraging the Power of Pricing for profit and Societal Good.” Dr. Vastani’s research, including her doctoral dissertation, focuses on pricing models, pricing strategy, and pricing thresholds. Her newest book, written by two leading thinkers on pricing strategy and practice, makes the important link between the ideals of purpose in organizations and the crucial tools of how to implement change using one of the fundamental levers at the disposal of the organization.



Pre-order “Purpose-Driven Pricing” > https://t.gsu.edu/4a8Qcv9

Shout out to student, Michael Hakimian (Class of 2024), for his participation as a panelist for Robinson’s Financial Leadership Symposium. The event was hosted by the MS in Finance program.

Michael brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to finance-centered discussions, as he has served as CFO and VP of Finance for several organizations, including, 9th Gear, MCIC Vermont, LLC, Assurant Specialty Property, Nationwide Insurance, and Chase. He is also now an Adjunct Professor at two universities.

Congratulations to Dr. Wallace Taylor, who was chosen as the Keynote Speaker for Kiwanis Club of Atlanta March 5th event.

The central theme of this club is Internationalization and Global Affairs. Dr. Taylor’s keynote speech was titled, “Unleashing Guyana's Potential: The Economic, Social, and Global Implications of its Oil Discovery.” This topic is personal for Dr. Taylor as he was born in Guyana, South America.

In addition to his academic and professional achievements, as Founder, Chairman, and CEO of the Taylor Foundation for the Arts and Sciences, Dr. Taylor has dedicated himself to helping underprivileged children experience the transformative power of Participatory Arts.

Learn more > https://kiwanisatlanta.org/speakers/172d9318-c18b-4903-bed7-1ee9dbe14500

Congratulations to all DBA Impact XV award winners and nominees!

Outstanding DBA Dissertation Award (dissertations published between 2021-2023):
Christine Davis (1st Place)
Ashok Vairavan (Runner-up)
Jim Crone (Nominee)
Osie Gaines (Nominee)
John Harrison (Nominee)
Dale Herndon (Nominee)
Drew Huey (Nominee)
Shinika Byrd (Nominee)
Char Battle (Nominee)
Toney Duckworth-Chambless (Nominee)

Lars Mathiassen Decade Impact Award:
David Bishop (Winner)
Doug Battleson (Nominee)
Barry West (Nominee)
David Sinyard (Nominee)
Louis Grabowski (Nominee)
Jeanette Miller (Nominee)

DBA Faculty Excellence Award:
Lars Mathiassen

The Decade Impact Award recognizes an alumnus who graduated at least 10 years previous and has made a significant impact in their industry or research. The naming of this award could go to none other than Dr. Lars Mathiassen. Lars served as the DBA’s first Academic Director for 14 years, charting the course that the program and its students would follow. To recognize Lars’ service to the DBA program, Dean Rich Phillips presented him with the DBA Faculty Excellence Award. Our students, faculty, and staff express their immense gratitude to Lars for his wise leadership, never ending support, and academic expertise.


J. Mack Robinson College of Business, Georgia State University

The DBA Impact XV workshops, presentations, and participation reflect the mission of the Robinson DBA. This program, its training, and graduates are all about practical impact through relevant research. We train executives in how to obtain and leverage data to make better decisions and design better systems, strategy, and policy. Thank you to our incredible panelists, keynote speakers, alumni, students, and faculty for coming together to mark 15 years.

Our highly anticipated keynote speakers, world renowned researchers, delivered meaningful presentations met with standing ovations. Grateful to Arun Rai, "AI and Us: The New Frontier of Work and Life," Denise M. Rousseau, "Evidence-Based Management," and R. Edward Freeman, "Stakeholder Capitalism: Business for Human Beings."

"Publishing in Practitioner Journals" Workshop focused on understanding the "What, Why, and How" of publishing in high impact practitioner-focused journals, hosted by Editor-in-Chiefs, Abbie Lundberg, MIT Sloan Management Review, Idalene Kesner, Business Horizons, and Iris Junglas, MIS Quarterly Executive.

"Serving on Corporate Boards" Workshop provided an overview on pathways to find a seat on a corporate board and evaluated various prep programs, such as, NACD’s Corporate Director Certification, and others offered by top business schools, hosted by experienced board directors and council, Charles Bowen, Anne Tucker, Beatty D'Alessandro, and Idalene Kesner.

J. Mack Robinson College of Business, Georgia State University

Join us in congratulating Dr. Derrick V. Warren, 2018, on his appointment of Dean of the College of Business at Grambling State University.

A self-described “Global Life Learner,” Warren drove positive transformation for the Southern University System (SUS) through his roles as Associate Dean and Director of Graduate Programs for the Southern University Baton Rouge College of Business and Academic Director of the LA2BSET initiative through the SU Law Center. He also served as the IBM – SU System Single Point of Contact (SPOC) for IBM Global University Programs where he led the implementation of the IBM Academic Initiative, IBM Academic Awards, and IBM Skills Academy programs for the university system. This powerful partnership provided technology, research opportunities, and grants and supported the advancement and acceleration of in-demand skills such as Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, Cloud, Cybersecurity, Data Science, Design Thinking, Internet of Things, and Quantum Computing for students, faculty, and key stakeholders of the university.

https://www.gram.edu/news/index.php/2023/07/21/dr-derrick-v-warren-named-dean-of-the-college-of-business-at-grambling-state/

Congratulations to Andrew Haskell, MBA, MS-FI, CTP, 2024 cohort, on being named one of Georgia State Alumni Association's 40 Under 40 honorees this year! The 40 Under 40 program annually honors, recognizes and celebrates the most influential and impactful Georgia State graduates who embody the values of the university.

Andrew "bleeds blue" for Georgia State University and will, after this year's spring Commencement, be a proud, quadruple Panther when he is hooded Dr. Andrew Haskell!

“These exceptional Georgia State alumni are standouts in their respective fields, leaders in their communities and outstanding ambassadors for Georgia State University. Through their dedication, creativity, innovation and accomplishment, they shine a spotlight on the great potential that’s inside every Panther. Congratulations to this year’s impressive class.” - Georgia State University President, Brian Blake

J. Mack Robinson College of Business, Georgia State University

Andrew Haskell, Georgia State 40 Under 40 Honoree Meet Andrew Haskell (B.B.A. ’08, MBA ’13, M.S. ’13), a Georgia State 40 Under 40 class of 2024 Honoree.

Charles Dhanaraj, academic director of Robinson's Doctorate of Business Administration (DBA) and a professor of the Institute of International Business, has been appointed to Georgia State University's J. Mack Robinson Professorship. Congratulations! https://t.gsu.edu/48LeR8D

Abstract submission deadline for the 3MT Competition is January 31!

Three Minute Thesis Competition - The Georgia State Graduate School Graduate Students compete for recognition and prizes in a three-round competition.

Association for Information Systems Recognizes Robinson’s Bala Ramesh and JJ Hsieh - Georgia State University News - Faculty/Research, Press Releases, Robinson College of Business - The Association for Information Systems (AIS) today presented the 2023 AIS Impact Award to Balasubramaniam (Bala) Ramesh and the 2023 AIS Mid-Career Award to JJ Po-An Hsieh, both on faculty at Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business.

18 Robinson Faculty Members Are in the World’s Top Two Percent of Most Cited Business Researchers - Georgia State University News - Faculty/Research, Press Releases, Robinson College of Business - Eighteen faculty members at Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business are among the world’s top two percent of the most cited business researchers in their respective fields, according to an analysis conducted by the Meta-Research Innovation Center at Stanford University (M...

Celebratory end-of-semester send-off for our cohorts!

First-year cohort, well done making it through your first semester. It only gets better. Second-year cohort, you’ve completed your business-driven research group project and are now starting your dissertation. You are about to do some incredible work. Congratulations on group publications. Third-year cohort, you are nearing the finish line for your dissertation defense and graduation. Take care of yourselves as you work towards your goals.

Happy Thanksgiving to all students and alums. Have a safe and joyful break!

To our DBA veteran students and alumni, we appreciate you and your service to this country. It’s an honor having you all in our DBA community. Thank you 🇺🇸

What a fantastic month it has been for Robinson DBAs! We hosted the first workshop of the year for the DBA alumni center, the Center for Engaged Business Research (CEBR). The day featured engaging sessions on case writing, alumni research, and real-world research impact led by DBA alumni and Robinson faculty.

We also held the inaugural DBA Alumni Leadership Board meeting. Thank you to the Board's Executive Committee Chair, Dr. Jonna Blount, for leading the Board. Thank you to all board members for volunteering your time. Meeting during October residency allowed alumni to connect with current students at the residency student social.

Finally, congratulations to current student, Brittny James, PhD, for her successful presentation at the Graduate Conference for Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity.

As we gear up for November residency, here's to continued learning and growth!

Calling all innovative marketers!

Georgia State University’s Department of Marketing presents the most prestigious MAX Awards, honoring excellence in marketing.

The 28th annual MAX Awards will honor the best in new products, services, and ways to market developed in 2022 or 2023. Entries are judged on the following criteria:

- Innovation

- Marketplace success

- Outstanding marketing support

Showcase your work that shines in innovation, marketing support, and marketplace success, don't miss out! Visit the MAX Awards web page to learn more: https://t.gsu.edu/479wk9F

But that's not all! All winners and finalists will be showcased at the 2024 Future of Marketing Conference, featuring top marketing experts and futurists. It's an event you won't want to miss at the stunning Ocean Ballroom at the Georgia Aquarium.

Listen to Dr. Jonna Blount describe how the DBA transformed her into an evidence-based professional and enriched her capabilities in the corporate learning space at Chick-fil-A and beyond.

J. Mack Robinson College of Business, Georgia State University

Why Robinson's DBA? Alumni Testimonial - Dr. Jonna Blount Robinson’s Doctor of Business Administration is a 3-year, cohort-based, part-time doctoral degree program designed for senior-level decision-makers. Upon gra...

Congratulations to first-year student Brittny James, DrPH, CHES. Brittny was accepted to present orally at this year’s Graduate Conference for Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity hosted by The Georgia State University Graduate School. The framework she will present at the conference informs the non-profit work at her company, Healthcare Equity Solutions.

Register for the conference and view the full program here > https://graduate.gsu.edu/graduateconference/

J. Mack Robinson College of Business, Georgia State University

It has been an exciting and successful fall semester so far. We welcomed the newest cohort of accomplished professionals from the areas of accounting, transportation, healthcare, finance, manufacturing, global trade, finance, and IT, representing four U.S. states and seven countries. Let's go, class of 2026!

J. Mack Robinson College of Business, Georgia State University