With its knowledge triangle, the doctoral programme offered by DOBA Business School compares to the best programmes in Europe. The programme is distinguished by its unique mode of implementation, as it is implemented fully online and is as such the only online doctoral programme in Southeast Europe. DOBA Business School holds two international accreditations for the implementation of online learning. The modern design and modular structure ensure that professional, methodological, and research content intertwines within individual content units while providing the required basis for independent work on the doctoral dissertation. The implementation of the programme enables individualisation and personalisation with the help of professors and researchers from DOBA Business School and renowned experts from other institutions. The programme offers a comprehensive and interdisciplinary view of innovation and sustainable business management that can be applied to numerous research challenges from various fields. It will equip you with the required knowledge for solving even the most complex theoretical and practical problems in the field of innovation and sustainable business management and for effectively transferring new knowledge to companies and organisations with an emphasis on the digitalisation of solutions.
The course combines three broad and closely intertwined fields:
Technology – selected topics on technology development (measuring technology development, history of technology development, importance of technology in the Western civilisation, industrial revolution, productivity and economics, international diffusion of technology, technology gaps, artificial intelligence, participatory technology development (agriculture), technology and sharing economy).
Globalisation – selected topics on globalisation (measuring globalisation, globalisation as a technology-driven phenomena, globalisation and international trade, financial aspects of globalisation, globalisation and income distribution, mixed blessing of globalisation, globalisation and cultures, globalisation and social change, globalisation and international security, globalisation and national economic policy, globalisation and institutions, managing globalisation, globalisation and nationalism).
Social change (human development index, Multidimensional Poverty Index, theory of social change, dimensions of social change, globalisation and democratisation, globalisation and political change, conspiracy and globalisation).
Innovations and creativity are one of the most important economic and business phenomena of our time. Despite widespread implications for our economy and society, the awareness of complex innovation processes has not been sufficiently recognised and assessed. Innovations have a worldwide crucial role in the business sector. This role should be researched and examined (explained) more profoundly. The course in Selected Chapters in Innovation and Creativity has an ambition to overcome the narrow fields of macroeconomics and microeconomics. The reasons for the introduction of this course are the following: great importance of innovation for sustainable economic and social development and unconventional, practical way of the course conduct. Covered topics: innovation and creativity in the knowledge-based society and in the society of fast technological changes, the concepts and implementation of national and regional innovation systems, innovation processes/trends from the aspect of globalisation, interactive business innovation models and research & development performance, etc.
The course will cover a break between (ancient) mythology and philosophy, ancient philosophy as a unity of philosophical and scientific thinking, the importance of separation between philosophy and rhetoric: sophists as the first teachers and the problem of relativity of truth(s), medieval limitation(s) of science (grammar, logic, rhetoric), scientific revolution of Modern Times in light of Descartes’ cogito and mathesis universalis, the basic methodological instruments of scientific thought: basics of logics, basics of argumentation and critical thinking, fundamentals of social sciences methodology, theory and philosophy of science in the 20th century (logical empiricism, critical rationalism, scientific revolutions, heuristics, epistemological anarchism), French epistemology and the “epistemological cut/rupture”, etc. The main objective of the course is for students to upgrade their scientific way of thinking, develop critical thinking, and argumentation.
The course will cover data collection (surveys, open and other data resources, big data; data editing), overview of basic quantitative methods (introduction to probability and sampling, test hypothesis, regression analysis, time series analysis), statistics and indicators of innovation and sustainable business, multivariate data analysis, econometric modelling and micro modelling and other advanced quantitative methods and approaches (included in the syllabus according to the students’ research focus and needs).
Students will receive guidelines for comprehensive literature review, search and evaluation of relevant expert/scientific literature sources, and guidelines for choosing a proper doctoral research topic and for setting up the research proposal of the doctoral thesis. They will prepare a seminar which will include an overview of the chosen research area (theoretical background and current research findings) and argumentation of the doctoral research topic; students defend their research topics in front of colleagues, mentors, and teachers (based on the received feedback, students prepare the first draft of the doctoral research proposal). Students will prepare a presentation and defend the first draft of the doctoral research proposal in front of colleagues, mentors, and teachers (based on the received feedback, students prepare the final version of the doctoral research proposal).
The course will cover traditional and alternative economic theories, alternative economic models, methods and tools of economic analysis (calculation of economic indicators, functional connection, relativity analysis, trends forecasting), sustainable development (sustainable future, sustainable development goals, dimensions of sustainable development, sustainable development and the need for strategic responses, approaches to measuring and analysing sustainability), circular economy (business value in a circular economy, circular economy as a development strategy, challenges and barriers to implementation of a circular economy, circular business models), analysis and assessment, etc.
Students will be tackling foundations of strategic management (competitive advantages of organisation, procedures and criteria for evaluation of strategic decisions), organisation and leadership as strategic management tools, strategic change management (change as a driving force of development, sociological and technological aspects of implementation of changes), strategic aspects of digitalisation, theoretical aspects of strategic leadership and management (strategic decisions and unpredictability, complexity theory concepts, modelling of organisations and processes), etc. Students will also cover the selection and implementation of methodological approaches to strategic leadership and management and get an overview of researches in strategic leadership and management.
The course will cover qualitative research methods and approaches (case study, ethnographic research, grounded theory, action research), qualitative data collection (questionnaires, observational studies, use of secondary sources), qualitative data analysis (hermeneutics, semiotics, narrative analysis, software for qualitative data analysis, categorical data analysis), etc.
The objective of the course is to prepare students for an independent preparation of scientific and professional papers and contributions for publication in scientific and professional journals, but also in conference proceedings and the ability of effective implementation of public presentations at conferences.
At the end of the course, the student will be able to prepare a scientific paper according to the IMRAD outline and will try to publish it in a scientific journal or present it at a scientific conference.
Students will receive guidelines for the analysis and presentation of the results, interpretation of the results and formulation of conclusions. They will prepare a presentation and defend the first draft of the doctoral thesis with an emphasis on the analysis of the results and the main findings; based on the received feedback from colleagues, mentors and teachers, students will proceed to prepare the final draft of the doctoral thesis. Students will prepare a presentation and defend the final draft of the doctoral thesis with an emphasis on the critical interpretation of the results and formulation of conclusions; based on the received feedback from colleagues, mentors and teachers, students will prepare the final version of the doctoral thesis.
The doctoral programme offered by DOBA Business School is intended for individuals who wish to develop their academic career or be active in research organisations, as well as for individuals wishing to work in research centres/departments within companies or in excellence centres which represent a link between the economy and the academic sphere and which focus on facilitating the concentration of knowledge in priority areas.
The programme is intended for individuals with an affinity for autonomous scientific and research work and for the solving of complex theoretical and practical problems from the field of innovation and sustainable business management and for those who wish to successfully implement new knowledge and solutions and thus contribute to economic development and social progress.
As innovation is not exclusively linked only to entrepreneurship and since especially innovation directed towards the development of new services, new management systems or new organisation processes is increasingly present also in the public sector and non-profit and other organisations, the doctoral programme is appropriate for a wide range of experts. The interdisciplinary view of the concept of innovation and sustainable business management can be applied to numerous research challenges that concern diverse fields and disciplines such as business sciences, economics, medicine and healthcare, marketing, education, social activities, and others.
The doctoral programme implemented by DOBA Business School is based on scientific research work at the highest level with the objective of developing new knowledge and solutions and further development of science and the society.
Admission requirements are met by candidates who have completed
Direct enrolment into the second year – continuation of studies according to the transfer criteria
Candidates for enrolment in the doctoral study programme who do not have an education in economic sciences or do not provide proof of having fundamental economic knowledge obtained through non-formal education and/or experiential learning have to take bridge exams totalling 12 to 18 credits.
Fluency in English is required for enrolment. Organised forms of studies will take place in English and independent and individual work and the doctoral dissertation in English.
Application and enrolment:
The number of enrolment slots for the doctoral programme is limited. There are 20 enrolment slots available.
Criteria in the event of enrolment restrictions:
If a decision on limited enrolment is adopted, the candidates will be chosen with regard to the following criteria:
Available thesis supervisors for the preparation of the doctoral dissertation:
Full Professor Dr Marjana Merkač Skok; fields of expertise: management, organisational development, human resource management, quality management
Full Professor Dr Rasto Ovin; fields of expertise: macroeconomics, economic policy, banking, economic trends
Associate Professor Dr Anita Maček; fields of expertise: microeconomics, macroeconomics, economics, economic policy, international economics
Associate Professor Dr Tina Vukasović; fields of expertise: marketing, strategic marketing, international marketing, market research, brand management, consumer behaviour and consumer behaviour research
Associate Professor Dr Valentina Prevolnik Rupel; fields of expertise: health economics, healthcare financing and organisation, healthcare systems, quality of life
Assistant Professor Dr Emilija Stojmenova Duh; fields of expertise: digital transformation, digital skills and competencies, digital technologies for the development of rural areas and the community, digital technologies in education
Assistant Professor Dr Marina Letonja; fields of expertise: (family) entrepreneurship, innovation management
Assistant Professor Dr Tomaž Klobučar; fields of expertise: computer and Information science, technologies in education
Assistant Professor Dr Matevž Tomšič; fields of expertise: sociology, democracy and politics, civil society and social development, social elites
Application and Enrolment
The Call for Enrolment for the 2020/2021 academic year is published on the website of the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport.
Your investment
Year |
Cost of study |
1. |
1 x 5,000.00 € or 8 x 640,00 |
2. |
1 x 5,000.00 € or 8 x 640,00 |
3. |
1 x 4,500.00 € or 8 x 575,00 |
In addition to the high-quality study process, your investment includes an above-standard implementation of the study programme