With a DBA degree graduates are armed to find creative solutions at the very frontier of management challenges. The content of the degree – coursework in the first year and applied fieldwork/ research in the remaining three years – is based on applied research and research in application. As such, it draws upon practical business administration issues and challenges on the organizational level. The DBA emphasizes interdisciplinary understanding, problem-solving skills and intellectual leadership – resulting in MSM’s graduates obtaining a lifelong advantage in management practice. Doctoral Coursework and the MPhil Degree The core part of the Doctoral Program begins with coursework and literature review seminars in two common research areas: • Research Methods I • Research Methods II • Quantitative Methods I • Quantitative Methods II • Academic Writing in English The student practices and increases his or her writing skills throughout the first year. The modules consist of 36 contact hours, delivered in the months September and October. Given the modular setup the different modules can be followed spread over two consecutive years. Class sessions are concluded with an assessment, mostly in the form of a take-home assignment. A large part of the literature review in support of the field of research, is done through individual reading under the guidance and supervision of the appointed advisor. It is from this field of research that the participant draws the research proposal, which is presented and defended in a seminar after the coursework has been successfully completed. The research proposal seminar is the final step towards the MPhil Degree award. This is also the moment for the research committee to decide on the student’s capabilities for further studies within the Doctoral Program. Field Research, Data Analysis, Dissertation write-up and Defense After the participant has been given permission to proceed with the field research, the participant gathers and analyses all the data and information from relevant sources, be it interviews, literature, surveys, or company-specific information, etcetera. The outcome of the dissertation research is a book length manuscript (ideally consisting of a combination of international scientific journal publications), representing an original contribution to one of the numerous facets in the broad fields of management. Originality is demonstrated through the discovery of new facets, the discovery of a new conceptual framework, or the creative application of existing analytical concepts and tools to address contemporary issues in industry. Such a contribution should ensure that the dissertation can withstand the independent critical scrutiny of experts in that field. The participant is therefore required to defend the dissertation in front of a dissertation defense (examination) committee, consisting of both faculty as well as external experts in the field of research.

1. Working together for better global management
The Maastricht
Doctor of Business Administration
The pinnacle of global management scholarship

2. This brochure provides an overview of the
highly ranked Maastricht DBA: the Doctor of
Business Administration (DBA) degree offered
by the Maastricht School of Management
MSM. It sets out the why of the Maastricht
DBA and describes the structure, content,
schedule, as well as the admission
requirements for the program.
Doctor of
Business Administration

3. The Maastricht DBA is popular, but hard to get into.
We receive more than 200 applications every year, of
which less than 15 per cent are selected. As one of the
top business schools in the world, we prepare our
students to tackle ever more complex challenges and
opportunities worldwide, and to reach the pinnacle of
management education.
The Maastricht DBA is a tough, challenging, but
ultimately rewarding qualification. It is internationally
accredited by the Association of MBAs (AMBA), the
International Assembly for Collegiate Business
Education (IACBE), and the Accreditation Council for
Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP). MSM is a
member of the international Executive DBA Council
and a signatory to PRME: the Principles for Responsible
Management Education.
Whether or not to pursue doctoral studies, and indeed
the choice of school, are not easy decisions.We hope
this brochure will help you make an informed decision.
You can submit an application to the program at
www.msm.nl/apply-online.
If you require more information, please visit our
website www.msm.nl. Please do not hesitate to
contact me or any of our faculty or staff. We look
forward to hearing from you.
Prof. Dr.Wim Naudé, Dean
Dean’s Declaration
Prof. Dr.Wim Naudé

4. MAASTRICHT SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT | DOCTOR OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
Highlights of recent research publications by MSM faculty
• Activists and Incumbents Structuring Change:The
Interplay of Agency, Culture, and Networks in Field
Evolution- by Jakomijn van Wijk (Maastricht School
of Management) et al., published in Academy of
Management Journal,Vol. 56, No. 2, 2013, pp. 358-386.
• Entrepreneurship and Human Development: A Capability
Approach- by Wim Naudé (Maastricht School of
Management) and Thomas Gries, published in Journal
of Public Economics,Vol. 95 (1): 216-224. {2014}
• The Eye of the Beholder: Service Provision and State
Legitimacy in Burundi- by Nora Stel and Réginas
Ndayiragije, published in Africa Spectrum 3/2014: 3-28.
ISSN: 1868-6869 (online), ISSN: 0002-0397. {2014}
• Introduction: Global Banking, Financial Stability, and
Post-Crisis Policy Challenges Symposium- by Harald
Sander and Stefanie Kleimeier, published in Comparative
Economic Studies, 2014, vol. 56, issue 2, pages 253-256.
{2014}
• On Input Market Frictions and Estimation of Factors’
Demand- by Arnaud Dupuy and Todd Sorensen,
published in Southern Economic Journal,Volume 80,
Issue 3. {2014}
Why MSM’s DBA
Since 1995, MSM’s DBA program has grown into
the largest in Europe, and one of the most highly
ranked programs worldwide.
Our doctoral program ranked #2 in the world
Since 2012 the Maastricht School of Management’s
DBA program is ranked second in the world in the
DBAStudies.com global ranking of Doctorate of
Business Administration (DBA) programs.
MSM offers an excellent and stimulating research
environment for its doctoral candidates with its yearly
research conference, many research workshops and
lectures with free access for our doctoral candidates. Our
candidates present their research through our working
paper series and research seminars and conferences.
This research environment has contributed to several
of our doctoral candidates having received best paper
awards on high standing conferences worldwide.
Also MSM’s doctoral supervisors are reputable
academics who publish in premium journals. Our
candidates are encouraged to engage with their
supervisors and publish their research in international
journals.

5. Finding novel solutions to both new and old problems,
and finding answers on how to turn opportunities and
challenges into organizational success, requires
visionary management and leadership - leadership
at the cutting edge of management science.
This is the domain of the Maastricht DBA. Our basic
premise is that these questions can only be answered
by managers and entrepreneurs who understand the
complexities and trade-offs in evidence-based
decision-making. Anecdotes, past experience, and
copying the behavior of other firms are not good
guides to decision-making. Evidence-based decision-
making on the other hand requires a scientific or
evidence-based approach to management and
entrepreneurship.
The doctoral difference
You are passionate about your job.Your business is
important, not only to you, but to your workers, your
colleagues, and even your family.You are a pillar in the
community.You are highly educated, with a top-class
Master’s degree behind your name. And you have been
in management for a significant number of years.
2011 2012 2013
Applications 79 146 269
Admitted 49 29 35
% admitted 62% 20% 13%
If this sounds like you, then you may have been
grappling with some fundamental questions.
• Does my business really contribute to the prosperity
of my region or country?
• How can I improve my organization’s performance?
• Will my business survive the onslaught from
competitors, regulators, changes in consumer tastes,
and disruptive new technologies?
• How can we manage the growing scarcities in basic
resources like energy, water and land?
• Should we start exporting or not?
• How will climate change impact my business?
• Is big data the answer?”, and many more.

6. MAASTRICHT SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT | DOCTOR OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
The“doctoral difference”in management and entrepre-
neurship lies in pursuing novel solutions with scientific
and intellectual rigor. Solutions that will stand the test
of time and that can make a general contribution to
management science.
You are a recognized intellectual leader in your field.
You are one of a select few that has, and still continues
to, expand the boundaries of management and
entrepreneurship. You have a deep and solid under-
standing not only of the theoretical foundations of
your job and business, but extensive practical experience
of using the best techniques of applied science to find
answers to perplexing questions.You are secure in your
position and place in the world of business.
If this describes you, you may already have a prestigious
Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) degree.
You already have the“doctoral difference”.
The doctoral decision
The PhD is the typical“academic”degree. It places a
strong(er) emphasis on the academic development of your
subject (whether it be in marketing, finance, strategy,
economics, etc.) and on your contribution to the academic
debate. Doctoral topics tend to be more general in scope. It
is the degree of choice for people interested in an academic
career, or a career in a research organization or think-tank.
The DBA is the typical“practitioner’s”degree. It puts a
strong(er) emphasis on finding a solution, via rigorous
scientific methods, to a very specific problem facing a
particular organization, industry or country, and where the
principles and knowledge base of management science
are central. It is the degree of choice if you intend to stay
in the world of business and apply your research skills to the
problems and opportunities facing your own organization.
To enter a DBA program you will need several years of
practical experience, whereas many PhD programs do not
require such experience.The Maastricht School of
Management has offered the DBA degree since 1995.
The program boasts international accreditation and our
graduates enjoy senior positions in their organizations.
They often publish in academic journals and many are
recognized in their communities.
We believe our graduates learn more
about themselves as they learn about
the world at MSM. Ultimately this is what
will give them and their organizations
the edge in life and business.
Country of Origin of Participants
32%
19%
37%
6%5%
1%
Gender of Participants
Male
Female
27%
73%
Asia
Africa
South America
North America
Middle East
Europe

7. The PhD program is conducted as a joint doctorate
program in its so-called PhD Schools between MSM and
several leading Dutch universities and Institutes such as
the University of Maastricht, the Technical University of
Eindhoven, the International Institute for Social Studies,
Tilburg University and Radboud University Nijmegen. One
of these carefully-selected partner universities confers
the PhD degree on a student completing the program.
This allows students in our DBA program to switch to the
PhD programs of any of these universities after their first
year, conditional on their performance and acceptance
by these institutions.
The doctoral decision is yours.We are ready to assist
you with any questions you may have.The next section
explains the requirements of the program, as well as its
schedule and content.
The doctoral demands
Problem orientation
Ours is a doctoral program with a difference: we
expect all our doctoral students to focus on solving a
real-life problem. Instead of being discipline-focused,
like most traditional academic degrees, we take
disciplinary excellence as a given.We require our
students to use their disciplinary expertise to solve
problems - often problems facing global business and
its impacts.
An important requirement of our doctorate is that you
are able to indicate the nature of the problem, and
how you wish to solve it through your doctoral studies.
From this point, you will grasp that the Maastricht
DBA aims to foster a multi-dimensional understanding
of the way that business, society and government
interact.You will see how they result in sustainable
development, how they affect global public goods, and
how business promotion can contribute to sustainable
societies that are also shared, peaceful and prosperous.
Alignment with MSM’s expertise clusters
Although any good proposal is welcome, we encourage
prospective doctoral candidates to align their studies
with MSM’s three clusters of expertise. MSM, a global
business school with substantial links to emerging
economies, is committed to the sustainable
development of our world.We encourage research
that tackles the major challenges facing organizations
and entrepreneurs in sustainable global development.
Our three expertise clusters focus on:
• Entrepreneurship and innovation
(The innovative organization);
• Global value chains and partnerships;
(The trading organization); and
• Organizational development, performance and
public policy (The performing organization).
My doctoral decision
MSM has been instrumental for my career... Pragmatic
content complemented by thorough research have
provided me with organizational solutions.
Vanessa Borg, MSM Alumna and Executive Director ofVanessa Borg, MSM Alumna and Executive Director ofVanessa Borg
Consultancy & Training Acumen Centre Ltd, winner of
the Bronze Stevie® Award of Company of the Year 2012.

8. MAASTRICHT SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT | DOCTOR OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
More information on our research focus areas is available
on our website www.msm.nl or on request.We strongly
recommend that you check the research profiles of our
current faculty,in particular their scientific publications.
Our faculty is highly qualified to supervise you: they
publish in and serve on the editorial boards of a number
of top scientific journals. Doctoral candidates are highly
encouraged,and assisted, to publish their work. In recent
years an increasing number of MSM students have been
published in scientific journals.
Program outline
The Maastricht DBA takes at least four years.The first
year consists of coursework, particularly focused on
research methods and skills. Participants will have the
option to follow our 12-week Research Methods and
Skills program. For more information:
www.msm.nl/research-methods-and-skills
After the first year,candidates must submit and defend
a complete research proposal - a Master’s thesis.
The successful evaluation of this thesis is a precondition
to continue into the second year under the guidance
of a supervisor, or in many cases, a team of supervisors.
Drawn from our international faculty and/or associated
faculty, our supervisors are highly qualified and
experienced, and regularly publish in top peer
Year 1
Quarter 1: Coursework: Research Methods and Skills
Year 1,
Quarter 2,3,4
Year 2,3,4
Focus of theses on MSM’ Research Focus Areas
25%
27%
25%
23%
Performing Organization
Innovating Organization
Trading Organization
Other
Introduction
Research
Methodology
Qualitative
Research
Quantitative
Research
Research
Proposal
Closing&Evaluation
• Research
Philosophy
• Empirical cycle
• Research
approaches &
strategies
• Role of literature
• Conceptualizing
research
• Research ethics
• Interviews
• Focus groups
• Textual analysis
• Case study
• Coding &
ATLASti
• Validity &
reliability
• Presenting
qualiy data
• Mathematical skills
• Descriptive statistics
• Probability &
probability
distributions
• Estimation &
confidence intervals
• Hypothesis testing
• Introduction to STATA
• Chi-square distribution
• F-distribution
• (Non-)linear regression
• Multiple Regression
• Specialization
lectures &
coaching:
- Impact
monitoring
- Qualitative
designs
- Quantitative
designs
• Academic
writing
• Presentation
skills
Research Proposal Development
Showcase Research Presentations & Meetings
Reflection & Learning
through:assignments, discussions, coaching & feedback, presentations
reviewed journals (see our website for a comprehen-
sive list of recent publications by our faculty). Under the
guidance of a supervisor or supervisory team,a candi-
date typically takes three to four years to complete a
doctoral dissertation,either in the form of a monograph
(book) on a single topic, or a series of journal articles on
a topic or related topics.The differences in approach,
qualifying journals and numbers of articles to be
submitted are discussed on MSM’s research website
www.msm.nl,where you can find information about
the various possibilities for doing and submitting your
research.
Before being allowed to graduate, a candidate must
defend his or her thesis at a public defense ceremony,
normally held in Maastricht, the Netherlands.
NB:the maximum duration of the DBA program is six years.
Writing
Extended
Research
Proposal
MPhil Defense
Data gathering,
analysis
and thesis
writing
DBA defense
➜ ➜
➜
➜

9. Decided? Deliberating?
Applications can be submitted at any time of the year.
However, please note that many coursework sessions
usually take place between September and December.
If you plan to join them, applications must be
submitted at least three months before the start
of the coursework sessions.
Apply to the DBA program online at
www.msm.nl/apply-online or by submitting to
doctoraladmissions@msm.nl
the following documents:
•A short CV
• Certified transcripts of your Master’s degree
• Proven proficiency in English:We require a score of at
least 600 on the paper-based TOEFL (Test of English
as a Foreign Language) or 250 on the computer-
based TOEFL, or an equivalent score on an approved
alternative test.
• A preliminary thesis proposal (max. 1500 words),
outlining the problem that you wish to solve.

10. MAASTRICHT SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT | DOCTOR OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
About MSM
The Maastricht School of Management (MSM) was
founded in 1952.We are one of the oldest and most
international business schools in the Netherlands,
offering internationally accredited MBA, MSc, Master
in Management (MM) degrees, and many shorter
professional courses, in addition to the DBA.We offer
our programs in Maastricht and across the world
through collaboration with various partner institutions
in amongst others Albania, Azerbaijan, China, Colombia,
Egypt, Germany, Kazakhstan, Peru, Romania, Suriname,
Vietnam and Yemen. Around 1,000 students graduate
every year from our programs, and our alumni occupy
top positions in business, government and academia.
马斯特里赫特管理学院简介
马斯特里赫特管理学院 MSM 于1952年成立。作为荷兰
历史最悠久和最国际化的商学院之一，我院不仅设有工商
管理博士课程，而且还设有国际认证的工商管理硕士，理
学硕士，管理硕士(MM)，以及多种短期专业培训课程。
不仅在马斯特里赫特，我院通过与各国伙伴机构的合作，
还在世界各地开设这些课程，其中包括阿尔巴尼亚，阿塞
拜疆，中国，哥伦比亚，埃及，德国，哈萨克斯坦，秘
鲁，罗马尼亚，苏里南，越南和也门。每年有大约1000
名学员从我院的各类课程毕业，我们的校友中有很多人在
企业，政府部门和学术界担任高层职位。
Über die MSM
Die Maastricht School of Management (MSM) wurde
im Jahre 1952 gegründet.Wir sind eine der ältesten
internationalen Business Schools in den Niederlanden
mit der größten Anzahl von Partnern weltweit. Die
MSM bietet international akkreditierte MBA, MSc und
Master in Management (MM) - Studienprogramme
sowie viele Kursprogramme für Professionals an. Zudem
ist insbesondere ein Promotionsprogramm zum Doctor
of Business Administration (DBA) hervorzuheben.Wir
bieten unsere Studienprogramme in Maastricht und in
der ganzen Welt durch die Zusammenarbeit mit
verschiedenen Partnerinstitutionen
wie z. B. in Albanien, Aserbaidschan, China, Kolumbien,
Ägypten, Deutschland, Kasachstan, Peru, Rumänien,
Suriname, Vietnam und Jemen an. Rund 1,000 Studen-
ten absolvieren jedes Jahr unsere Studienprogramme.
Unsere Alumni besetzen Top-Positionen in Wirtschaft,
Politik und Wissenschaft.
Sobre MSM
Maastricht School of Management (MSM) fue fundada
en el año 1952. Somos una de las escuelas de negocios
más antigua e internacional de los Países Bajos.
Ofrecemos los programas acreditados internacional-
mente de MBA, MSc, Master in Management (MM)
y diversos cursos profesionales de corta duración así
como también el programa DBA. Nuestros programas
se ofrecen en Maastricht y gracias a la colaboración de
nuestras instituciones socias alrededor del mundo en
países tales como Albania, Azerbaiyán, China, Colombia,
Egipto, Alemania, Kazajistán, Perú, Rumania, Surinam,
Vietnam y Yemen. Cada año se gradúan alrededor de
1,000 estudiantes, nuestro alumni ocupa posiciones de
altos mandos en el mundo de los negocios, gobierno y la
academia.
En el Perú, Colombia y el Ecuador ofrecemos nuestro
programa de DBA en colaboración con CENTRUM
Católica Graduate Business School, Escuela de
Negocios número 1 del Perú y entre los primeros
lugares a nivel de América Latina.

11. Rreth MSM
Shkolla e Menaxhimit të Mastrihtit (MSM) është
themeluar në vitin 1952. Ne jemi një nga shkollat e
biznesit më të vjetra dhe më të njohura në rang
ndërkombëtar në Hollandë, duke ofruar të akredituara
ndërkombëtarisht MBA, MSc, Master në Menaxhimin e
(MM), dhe shumë kurse afatshkurtra profesionale,
përveç DBA. Ne ofrojmë programet tona në Mastriht
dhe nëpër botë nëpërmjet bashkëpunimit me
institucionet partner të ndryshëm mes të tjerave
përmendim Shqipërinë, Azerbaxhanin, Kinën,
Kolumbinë, Egjiptin, Gjermaninë, Kazakistanin, Perunë,
Rumaninë, Suriname,Vietnam dhe Jemen. Rreth 1,000
studentë të diplomuar çdo vit nga programet tona zënë
pozicione kyçe në biznese, në qeveri dhe në fushën
akademike. Në Shqipëri ne ofrojmë programin DBA në
bashkëpunim me partnerin tonë, Institucionin ISSAT.
The Dean and key members of the DBA-team at the Maastricht School of Management, 2014

12. www.msm.nl
Maastricht School of Management
Endepolsdomein 150,
6229 EP Maastricht,The Netherlands
T:+31 43 387 08 08
E:info@msm.nl