Doctor of Business Administration

ABS offers two doctoral courses of study. The Ph.D. program is a unified 5-year full-time doctoral program targeting individuals who hold undergraduate degrees. It aims to cultivate superior academic researchers rich in creativity. In contrast, the DBA program is offered to individuals who have already acquired a master’s degree (e.g., MBA) and follows a curriculum that allows students to acquire a doctoral degree while working. It aims to cultivate researchers who handle practical research issues for corporations, etc.

The quality of research required for the Ph.D. and DBA programs differs. For a Ph.D., candidates must master extensive theory and analytical methodologies and prove their ability to conduct independent research. In contrast, a DBA requires problem-solving ability and perception, and candidates must successfully employ independent insight and analysis tools in practical fields.

The Graduate School of International Management contributes to fostering creative leaders who fulfill their social responsibility and serve as global citizens, and to developing a prosperous future through our leading research activities.

In order to achieve its mission, the MBA program cultivates management professionals who come to conclusions based on independent thinking and analysis. ABS ceaselessly strives to improve its programs. The doctoral program does not merely teach business research techniques but also cultivates contributors to the workforce who are aware of the social significance of their research, possess a well-defined sense of purpose, and can be active on the international stage.

The following three features illustrate the nature of ABS:

The systematic, integrated and practical learning system

ABS offers a systematic, integrated, and practical curriculum combining elements such as the acquisition of specialized expertise, synthesis of cross-functional knowledge, and study and practice of methodology through individual learning and group activities. Students first learn the fundamentals of the four fields necessary for corporate management: Strategy " Organization, Marketing, Finance " Accounting, and Operation " Information Systems. Then they focus on one of those four. This allows students to develop a high level of specialization while also gaining proficiency in all fields of management, thus becoming properly qualified managers.

Global Action Learning, an MBA capstone course, offers a practical arena for testing integrated knowledge, coordinating skills within groups, and practicing methods for handling different cultures.