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Take the first step in your Business & Management research career

PhD in Business and Management

Vacancy
The curriculum of the ABRI PhD program is designed to ensure you acquire the academic foundations, theoretical knowledge, and methodological skills relevant for conducting high-quality research.

The ABRI PhD program is a four-year program, of which the first 1.5 years are dedicated to following foundational and track-specific courses next to developing your research proposal. Specifically, each PhD candidate will follow academic foundations courses that provide the basis for conducting rigorous, impactful, and sound research. Next to the academic foundations courses that are shared with all PhD candidates, you can specialize in research methods and data analysis techniques that are necessary for your type of research. Moreover, you will also follow theory courses that are relevant for becoming a thought leader in your research area.

Next to the focus on course work, the first year of the PhD program also requires achieving two milestones that will help you to manage your research project. First, you will develop, together with your supervisory team, the Training and Supervision plan to determine your course work and establish agreements about the way you are supervised. Second, you will develop your research proposal, by specifying and planning your research project and presenting it to your supervisors and the Director of Doctoral Education for feedback and reflection on the first year. These two milestones will help you to make progress, stay on top of your project, and determine next steps.

In the remaining three years of the program, you will focus on your research projects, in which you conduct your studies and write scientific articles that will eventually make up your dissertation.  

Throughout the PhD program you can count on the mentoring and support of your expert supervisors, the ABRI Directors, and the overall ABRI community. In addition, you will get the opportunity participate in ABRI research seminars, present your work at international conferences, and acquire skills regarding other aspects of an academic career such as teaching and project management.

After finishing the PhD project, many of the ABRI PhD students find a job in academia. Throughout your PhD trajectory, you will be mentored and supported to help you prepare for the next steps in your career

prof. dr. ir. Hans Berends

prof. dr. ir. Hans Berends

His research focuses on the organizing of digital innovation and on new forms of collaboration enabled by digital platforms. Besides teaching university students, Hans regularly contributes to various Executive Education programs in which he discusses strategies for (digital) innovation, platforms, and ecosystems.

Find out more
Hans Berends

Prof. dr. Svetlana Khapova

Prof. dr. Svetlana Khapova

Prof. dr. Svetlana Khapova is a full-professor of Organisational Behaviour at the School of Business and Economics (SBE) of the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. She is Head of Department - Management & Organisation, and Head of Section - HRM/OB. 

Between 2009-2017, she served as a founding Director of Amsterdam Business Research Institute (ABRI). ABRI caters for doctoral education in management and organisation studies at VU. She also served as Director of Doctoral Education between 2009-2015. Since 2013, she is Director of the part-time PhD programme in Business Studies. Her research focuses on the link between careers and institutions. Topics:

  • Individual careers as a resource for innovation
  • Employees who take initiative to make changes
  • Nascent entrepreneurs who make their careers successful
  • Board members who define the future of their firms
View the profile of Svetlana Khapova

Prof. dr. Wouter Stam

Prof. dr. Wouter Stam

Wouter Stam is Professor of Entrepreneurship at the School of Business and Economics of VU Amsterdam. He is also Scientific Director of the Amsterdam Business Research Institute (ABRI). Professor Stam holds a Master in International Business Studies, specializing in finance, from Maastricht University and received his PhD (with cum laude distinction) from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, with a thesis examining the impact of social capital on the performance of entrepreneurial firms. During 2009-2015, he was a faculty member at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology where he taught courses in the undergraduate, MBA, and PhD programs and received a prestigious GRF research grant from the Hong Kong Research Grants Council. He has also been a visiting scholar at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania (2006-2007), and RSM Erasmus University (2014).

View the profile of Wouter Stam
Wouter Stam

Prof. dr. ir. Peeter Verlegh

Prof. dr. ir. Peeter Verlegh

Peeter Verlegh is professor of Marketing and also head of the Marketing department within the School of Business and Economics at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. He holds both a PhD (2001) in Marketing and an MSc in Food Science, both obtained from Wageningen University. Peeter examines social and cultural influences on consumers and their responses to marketing communications, the focus on consumer interactions (e.g. word of mouth and social media), and findings that can be translated into practical implications for business and society .

Questions? Add Peeter to your network via LinkedIn

View the profile of Peeter Verlegh
Peeter Verlegh

PhD Tracks in Business and Management

  • Accounting

    Academic Foundations – 10 ECTS

    • Philosophy of science (3 ECTS)
    • Research integrity (3 ECTS)
    • Generating impact with academic work (2 ECTS)
    • How to build an academic career (2 ECTS)


    Methods Courses – 10 – 15 ECTS

    Mandatory course

    • Quantitative data analysis in R (5 ECTS) OR Designing qualitative research (5 ECTS)

    Elective courses (at least one)

    • Multivariate data analysis (5 ECTS)
    • Qualitative data analysis (5 ECTS)
    • Python (LI) (5 ECTS)
    • Experiments (LI) (5 ECTS)
    • Archival Data Analysis (LI) (5 ECTS)
    • Analytics and modelling for empirical researchers (LI) (5 ECTS)
    • Courses at other graduate schools and networks, e.g.:
      - Structural equation modeling
      - EDEN doctoral course in accounting research methods
      - Panel data, multilevel analysis (TI)

    Theory/Field Courses – 5 - 10 ECTS

    • Capital Markets Research (LI) – Financial Accounting track (5 ECTS)
    • Advanced Financial Accounting (LI) – Financial Accounting track (5 ECTS)
    • Economics of Auditing and Assurance (LI) – Auditing track (5 ECTS)
    • Managerial Accounting (LI) – Management Accounting track (5 ECTS)

    LI = Limperg Instituut

  • Digital Innovation & Transformation

    Academic Foundations – 10 ECTS

    • Philosophy of science (3 ECTS)
    • Research integrity (3 ECTS)
    • Generating impact with academic work (2 ECTS)
    • How to build an academic career (2 ECTS)

    Methods Courses – 15 ECTS

    PhD students can choose between a qualitative and a quantitative track.

    Qualitative track:

    Mandatory courses

    • Designing qualitative research (5 ECTS)
    • Qualitative data analysis (5 ECTS)

    Elective courses (at least one)

    • Ethnography (5 ECTS)
    • Digital methods (5 ECTS)
    • Process research methods (5 ECTS)
    • [other courses]


    Quantitative track:

    Mandatory courses

    • Quantitative data analysis in R (5 ECTS)
    • Multivariate data analysis (5 ECTS)

    Elective courses (at least one)

    • Structural equation modeling (5 ECTS)
    • Experimental research (5 ECTS)
    • Social network analysis (5 ECTS)
    • [other courses]

    Theory/Field Courses – 10 ECTS

    • Theoretical Perspectives on Digital Innovation (5 ECTS)
    • Developing theory and theoretical contributions (5 ECTS)

  • Human Resource Management & Organizational Behavior

    Academic Foundations – 10 ECTS

    • Philosophy of science (3 ECTS)
    • Research integrity (3 ECTS)
    • Generating impact with academic work (2 ECTS)
    • How to build an academic career (2 ECTS)

    Methods Courses – 15 ECTS

    PhD students can choose between a qualitative and a quantitative track.

    Qualitative track:

    Mandatory courses

    • Designing qualitative research (5 ECTS)
    • Qualitative data analysis (5 ECTS)

    Elective courses (at least one)

    • Ethnography (5 ECTS)
    • Digital methods (5 ECTS)
    • Process research methods (5 ECTS)
    • [other courses]

    Quantitative track:

    Mandatory courses

    • Quantitative data analysis in R (5 ECTS)
    • Multivariate data analysis (5 ECTS)

    Elective courses (at least one)

    • Experimental research (5 ECTS)
    • Social network analysis (5 ECTS)
    • [other courses]

    Theory/Field Courses – 10 ECTS

    • Contemporary Issues in Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management (5 ECTS)
    • Developing theory and theoretical contributions (5 ECTS)

  • Marketing

    Academic Foundations – 10 ECTS

    • Philosophy of science (3 ECTS)
    • Research integrity (3 ECTS)
    • Generating impact with academic work (2 ECTS)
    • How to build an academic career (2 ECTS)

    Methods Courses – 15 ECTS

    PhD students can choose between a Consumer Behavior Track and a Strategic Marketing Track.

    Consumer Behavior Track:

    Mandatory courses:

    • Multivariate data analysis (5 ECTS)
    • Experimental research (5 ECTS)

    Elective courses (at least one):

    • EDEN doctoral seminar on consumer research (4 ECTS)
    • EMAC doctoral colloquium (5 ECTS)
    • [other courses]

    Strategic Marketing Track:

    Mandatory courses:

    • Quantitative data analysis in R (5 ECTS)
    • Multivariate data analysis (5 ECTS)

    Elective courses (at least one):

    • EDEN doctoral seminar on marketing models (5 ECTS)
    • EMAC doctoral colloquium (5 ECTS)
    • [other courses]

    Theory/Field Courses – 5 ECTS

    • Marketing Research with Purpose (5 ECTS)

  • Operations Analytics

    Academic Foundations – 10 ECTS

    • Philosophy of science (3 ECTS)
    • Research integrity (3 ECTS)
    • Generating impact with academic work (2 ECTS)
    • How to build an academic career (2 ECTS)

    Methods Courses – 15 ECTS

    Mandatory courses:

    • Integer programming, TI Business Data Science (3 ECTS)
    • Simulation & optimization, TI Business Data Science (4 ECTS)

    Elective courses (at least 8 ECTS):

    • Decomposition methods, TI Business Data Science (3 ECTS)
    • Heuristic optimization methods, TI Business Data Science (3 ECTS)
    • Advanced inventory theory, Beta Research School (1-4 ECTS)
    • Quantitative modeling and analysis of supply chains, Beta Research School (1-4 ECTS)
    • Randomized algorithms, LNMB (? ECTS)
    • Cooperative games with applications to OR, LNMB (? ECTS)
    • Markov decision processes, LNMB (? ECTS)
    • [other courses]

    Theory/Field Courses – 5 ECTS

    Mandatory courses:

    • Research Perspectives of Operations Management, Beta Research School (2 ECTS)
      Research School (2 ECTS)

    Elective courses (at least 3 ECTS):

    • [other courses]

  • Strategy & Entrepreneurship

    Academic Foundations – 10 ECTS

    • Philosophy of science (3 ECTS)
    • Research integrity (3 ECTS)
    • Generating impact with academic work (2 ECTS)
    • How to build an academic career (2 ECTS)

    Methods Courses – 15 ECTS

    PhD students can choose between a qualitative and a quantitative track.

    Qualitative track:

    Mandatory courses

    • Designing qualitative research (5 ECTS)
    • Qualitative data analysis (5 ECTS)

    Elective courses (at least one)

    • Ethnography (5 ECTS)
    • Digital methods (5 ECTS)
    • Process research methods (5 ECTS)
    • [other courses]

    Quantitative track:

    Mandatory courses

    • Quantitative data analysis in R (5 ECTS)
    • Multivariate data analysis (5 ECTS)

    Elective courses (at least one)

    • Experimental research (5 ECTS)
    • Social network analysis (5 ECTS)
    • [other courses]

    Theory/Field Courses – 10 ECTS

    • Theoretical Foundations of Entrepreneurship and Strategy (5 ECTS)
    • Developing theory and theoretical contributions (5 ECTS)

Would you like a word of advice?

Please contact the ABRI Director of Doctoral Education Dr. Maria Tims.

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
School of Business and Economics for Professionals
De Boelelaan 1105
1081 HV AMSTERDAM

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Contact

  • Dr. David Kroon
  • Associate Professor of Strategy & Organization
  • Scientific Director ABRI
  • d.p.kroon@vu.nl
  • Prof. dr. Maria Tims
  • Full Professor
  • Director Doctoral Education ABRI
  • m.tims@vu.nl
Maria Tims

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