The doctoral program in Accounting and Management, at a very fundamental level, focuses on understanding the role of information and measurement systems for:
- Allocating resources among firms in the economy, and between departments or divisions of individual firms.
- Rewarding and monitoring the performance of managers.
- Formulating, executing and evaluating strategy by firm managers.
- Understanding the profitability of suppliers, products, customers, distribution channels, and business units.
- Managing franchise risk.
More detailed questions that have recently been examined include:
- What roles do financial reporting and voluntary disclosure of financial and non-financial metrics play in corporate managers' communication with external stakeholders? How do the incentives of corporate managers, standard setters, auditors, analysts and investment managers affect management communication with investors and the allocation of resources in capital markets?
- How do managers use cost accounting systems to measure the profitability of various cost objects such as products, customers, suppliers, and business units? How can these systems be used for supporting managerial decisions related to sourcing, pricing, servicing customers, and cost control particularly in inter-organizational settings?
- How do managers set up control systems for formulating, communicating, and implementing a business unit's strategy? How can these measurement systems be used for understanding the difference between bad strategy and bad implementation?
- How do managers formulate incentive contracts to: (i) induce employees to concentrate on the desired quantity and mix of tasks; (ii) improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the employees; (iii) prompt collaborative partners to take the desired actions and truthfully share their private information; and (iv) improve the efficiency and effectiveness of collaborative partnerships and supply chains?
This program, leading to a Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA), draws on economic, behavioral, and administrative theory to focus on the firm and its management. Through a combination of discipline- and field-based methods, the curriculum enables students to master concepts and research skills directly relevant to business problems. Candidates must come to understand the point of view of practicing managers and be able to bring theory and careful research to bear in illuminating important business problems.
