MAGAZINE FALL 2026
The Executive Scholar
Business Leaders. Published Researchers.
Two Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) graduates turned their Practicum Research Project into published research, enabling them to share their findings with the world.
Can AI Help Executives Solve Problems?
Kerr Manson (DBA ’25) asked if Generative AI can help business professionals make strategic choices when they have limited time and information.
His research, “Beyond the Recommender: How AI Role Configurations Shape Complex Managerial Decisions,” was highlighted by the Americas Conference on Information Systems.
Research Approach
Manson ran an experiment with 27 business professionals evaluating a business case. Some used traditional human reflection, while others used AI acting as either a Devil’s Advocate (challenging assumptions) or a Dialectical Inquiry Partner (offering alternative viewpoints).
Key Finding
Both AI methods improved the quality of the professionals’ final recommendations. People who used AI spent about twice as much time analyzing the problem, but they didn’t feel more overwhelmed or mentally tired.
The AI’s structured feedback helped them stay focused on the most important issues. This suggests companies can use AI to strengthen critical thinking without increasing employee burnout.
Additional Research
In addition, “Shaping the Tool or Shaping the Mind: An Investigation of Dual Pathways in Human-AI Strategic Decision-Making,” was accepted for publication and presentation at the European Conference on Information Systems (ECIS) in June 2026.
Another paper, “When AI Plays Devil’s Advocate: Role Configurations for Strategic Decision-Making,” was accepted for presentation at the Academy of Management in August 2026.
Combining Mindfulness with Servant Leadership for Results
Yoshihiro Ito (DBA ’25) explored how mindful leaders can encourage employees to proactively reshape their own roles — a concept known as job crafting — especially during uncertain times.
His research, “Divergent Effects of Prosocial Leadership on Job Crafting,” was accepted for presentation at the Academy of Management 2026 Annual Conference in the Organizational Behavior division.
Key Research Finding
Using data from 195 U.S. employees, Ito found that leader mindfulness alone actually reduced job crafting.
However, when mindfulness was combined with servant leadership (focusing on supporting employees), it significantly boosted job crafting.
His recommendation is that companies should combine mindfulness with supportive leadership to help teams adapt to change.
Practitioners as Scholars
Research Rooted in Experience
Manson and Ito are two examples of how the DBA program lets students focus their research on a situation or problem they have encountered in their profession.
Applying Research to Real Challenges
Instead of a thesis, DBA students engage in projects like these that allow them to apply the quantitative and behavioral methods they learn in the program to a situation or problem in their industry that cannot be addressed with intuition alone.
Building Research Skills
Whether or not they choose to publish their work, all DBA students benefit from working with research-active, tenure-track faculty who help them perfect their research and critical thinking skills.