The College of Business is investing in researchers examining how business can impact and reshape our world.
In order to do so, the college has created a dissertation proposal competition, which is seeking submissions across the business spectrum that address business sustainability. The marketing department’s Kelly Martin and Samantha Conroy of the management department serve as the competition’s chairs.
The three PhD students whose proposals are judged to have the greatest potential for enhancing societal wellbeing will receive $6,000.
“We are encouraging new scholars to emphasize business sustainability in their work, which will affect the kind of research they do for years to come,” Conroy said. “Because of this competition, some of these scholars will have the opportunity to network with faculty who have similar research interests, which will open the door to impactful, interdisciplinary work.”
Proposal Competition Timeline
Submission deadline: May 31
Funding decision: Jul 9
Virtual workshop: Sept 17
Winning researchers will receive an invitation to participate in a virtual research workshop in September. During the workshop, they will present their research alongside leading scholars and participate in a panel discussion on business sustainability.
Endorsed by Responsible Research in Business & Management
The “Business for a Better World” Dissertation Proposal Competition is endorsed by Responsible Research in Business & Management (RRBM), which recently granted the College of Business status as a Pioneering Institution, formalizing an institutional partnership.
“RRBM established the designation of Pioneering Institution because we wanted to be able to point to outstanding and progressive examples of schools that were moving along the path toward responsible research,” RRBM board member Mary Jo Bitner said. “It is one thing to support and believe in the vision of RRBM, but it is quite another to take actions to support those beliefs.
“Colorado State received the designation of RRBM Pioneering Institution because of its research focus on sustainability and global challenge topics and the many actions it has undertaken to support this research focus.”
“It is one thing to support and believe in the vision of RRBM, but it is quite another to take actions to support those beliefs.”
— Mary Jo Bitner, RRBM Board Member
See how the College of Business and RRBM align at RRBM’s overview of the College.
“We have long sought to make a difference and encourage stakeholders to conduct business for good. This partnership is a formal acknowledgment of the important work we have always done,” Martin said.
Senior Associate Dean Ken Manning added, “We are consistently looking for opportunities to implement new initiatives and partnerships that align with our goals of furthering understanding and use of sustainable business practices. Partnering with RRBM takes this further by providing us with a link to other likeminded institutions, easing collaboration and growing overall impact.”
The College of Business’s vision of access, excellence and impact guides its pursuit of partnerships and initiatives like this. That vision ultimately boils down to producing well grounded research, and graduates, that contribute to societal wellbeing – or business for a better world.
