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Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) Programme #401 Strategy & Swiss Governance

Doctor of Business Administration (DBA)

A rigorous Swiss private curriculum synthesizing advanced management theory, quantitative financial rigor, and executive decision science for global leaders.

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Standard Duration 3 Years (3 Structured Research Stages)
Academic Credits 180 ECTS Research Equivalent
Delivery Mode Executive Supervision & Swiss Residencies
Next Intakes Spring & Autumn Cohorts
Curriculum Structure

Academic Overview & Focus

The Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) at Brookfield Business School is constructed to meet the highest European and Swiss benchmarks for executive and postgraduate education. Through an integrated balance of core theoretical frameworks, case analytics, and applied enterprise capstones, students master the discipline of strategic decision-making in volatile operating environments.

Rooted in the academic values of the Canton of Zug, the programme emphasizes fiduciarily responsible leadership, quantitative precision, technological readiness, and ethical corporate stewardship.

Advanced quantitative modeling & valuation
Boardroom strategy & fiduciary governance
Digital transformation & enterprise AI platforms
Cross-border market & geopolitical risk analysis
Modular Breakdown

Curriculum Syllabus by Semester

Stage 1 - Research Foundations & Methodology 8 Modules
DBA101 Epistemology & Philosophy of Applied Business Research in Applied Business Administration
Theory
Examine positivism, constructivism, critical realism and pragmatic epistemology in executive business research in Applied Business Administration.
DBA102 Strategic Leadership, Governance & Corporate Direction in Applied Business Administration
Theory
Formulate executive governance models, boardroom strategic alignment and C-suite technology oversight in Applied Business Administration.
DBA103 Advanced Qualitative Research Design & Executive Interview Lab in Applied Business Administration
Practical
Design semi-structured executive interview protocols, ethical consent mechanisms and qualitative sampling matrices.
DBA104 Quantitative Methodologies, Econometrics & Multivariate Analysis in Applied Business Administration
Theory
Derive multiple linear regression, panel data estimators, structural equation modeling (SEM) and factor analysis.
DBA105 Applied Statistical Modeling & Corporate Decision Analytics in Applied Business Administration
Practical
Analyze corporate survey and financial data using SPSS, R or SmartPLS to validate measurement models in Applied Business Administration.
DBA106 Systematic Literature Review & Conceptual Frameworks in Applied Business Administration
Theory
Execute rigorous PRISMA systematic literature reviews and synthesize conceptual frameworks in Applied Business Administration.
DBA107 Economics of Digital Innovation & Platform Disruption in Applied Business Administration
Theory
Analyze platform economics, multi-sided markets, switching costs, competitive moats and technological disruption.
DBA108 Doctoral Research Scoping & Initial Proposal Portfolio in Applied Business Administration
Practical
Author the preliminary doctoral scoping portfolio defining novel research questions, significance and scope in Applied Business Administration.
Stage 2 - Advanced Proposal & Literature Review 8 Modules
DBA201 Applied Doctoral Research Proposal Defense in Applied Business Administration
Theory
Formally defend the doctoral research proposal, problem statement, methodology and contributions before faculty in Applied Business Administration.
DBA202 Corporate Fieldwork Pilot Study & Executive Methodology in Applied Business Administration
Practical
Conduct preliminary pilot fieldwork, test survey instruments and refine qualitative interview protocols in Applied Business Administration.
DBA203 Strategic Risk Management, Compliance & Corporate Resilience in Applied Business Administration
Theory
Evaluate enterprise risk management (COSO ERM), operational resilience and corporate liability in Applied Business Administration.
DBA204 Survey Instrument Engineering & Psychometric Validation in Applied Business Administration
Practical
Validate psychometric survey scales, Cronbach's alpha reliability, convergent validity and discriminant validity in Applied Business Administration.
DBA205 Organizational Change, Agility & Technology Adoption in Applied Business Administration
Theory
Analyze Technology Acceptance Model (TAM/UTAUT), dynamic capabilities theory and organizational agility in Applied Business Administration.
DBA206 Corporate Case Study Development & Qualitative Coding in Applied Business Administration
Practical
Execute thematic coding, grounded theory analysis and cross-case synthesis using NVivo / ATLAS.ti software.
DBA207 Swiss & International Corporate Governance Regulations in Applied Business Administration
Theory
Audit corporate compliance against Swiss Code of Best Practice for Corporate Governance and international standards.
DBA208 Mid-Candidature Doctoral Review & Progress Defense in Applied Business Administration
Theory
Defend mid-candidature empirical milestones and demonstrate significant primary data collection progress in Applied Business Administration.
Stage 3 - Thesis Supervision & Defence 8 Modules
DBA301 Applied Doctoral Field Investigation & Data Collection in Applied Business Administration
Practical
Execute multi-organization primary data collection gathering quantitative survey metrics and executive interviews in Applied Business Administration.
DBA302 Empirical Data Triangulation & Cross-Case Synthesis in Applied Business Administration
Practical
Triangulate qualitative findings with quantitative survey data and secondary financial corporate metrics in Applied Business Administration.
DBA303 Organizational Intervention & Transformation Analysis in Applied Business Administration
Theory
Measure business impact, ROI realization, organizational productivity shifts and strategic performance metrics in Applied Business Administration.
DBA304 Doctoral Dissertation Drafting: Methodological Synthesis in Applied Business Administration
Practical
Author dissertation chapters detailing research design, data collection rigor and analytical procedures in Applied Business Administration.
DBA305 Doctoral Dissertation Drafting: Strategic Implications in Applied Business Administration
Theory
Synthesize theoretical implications for business scholarship and actionable strategic guidance for executives in Applied Business Administration.
DBA306 Peer Review Workshop & Executive Working Paper Series in Applied Business Administration
Practical
Present findings at executive doctoral colloquia, collect peer reviews and prepare executive working papers in Applied Business Administration.
DBA307 Final Executive Dissertation Submission & Quality Review in Applied Business Administration
Practical
Finalize the complete executive doctoral dissertation manuscript and pass institutional originality review in Applied Business Administration.
DBA308 Final DBA Dissertation Defense & Executive Viva Voce in Applied Business Administration
Practical
Successfully defend the DBA dissertation in oral viva voce examination and disseminate executive findings in Applied Business Administration.
Professional Placement

Career Trajectory & Placement

Graduates of the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) pursue leadership roles across multinational enterprises, Swiss private banking houses, boutique consultancies, and innovative scale-ups.

Target Executive Roles
Chief Executive, Vice President Strategy, Managing Director, Senior Partner, Head of Corporate Governance.
Industry Sectors
Private Banking, FinTech, Global Supply Chain, Luxury Goods, Management Consulting, Healthcare Systems.
Swiss Private Higher Education Regulatory Notice

Brookfield Business School operates as an independent private higher education institute pursuant to Article 20 of the Swiss Federal Constitution (academic freedom) and relevant cantonal legislation in the Canton of Zug. Degrees and qualifications conferred are proprietary private Swiss academic credentials in accordance with Swiss private law.

Admissions Information

Enrolment Details

  • Degree Level Doctor of Business Administration (DBA)
  • Duration 3 Years (3 Structured Research Stages)
  • Academic Load 180 ECTS Research Equivalent
  • Delivery Executive Supervision & Swiss Residencies
  • Next Cohort Spring & Autumn Cohorts
Eligibility Criteria

Master’s degree or MBA from a recognized institution with at least 5 years executive management experience. Preliminary applied research proposal required.

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