Abstract—The new Doctor of Business Administration [DBA]
Program at a recognized US University is a disruptive
innovation in the field of doctoral education. It is meeting the
demand for professional doctoral education as a next step in
individual professional development. It is disruptive in several
ways. First, the courses and curriculum, face-to-face
Residencies and Mentor courserooms are innovative by design.
Second, learners are matched with a DBA Mentor, chosen for
their expertise and strong interpersonal skills. Third, the
dissertation process begins immediately with learners choosing
a preliminary topic by end of quarter 1. One of the unique
innovative characteristics is its high touch character achieved
through technology. Additional elements of disruptive
innovation include; Recognition that online education is an
innovative and disruptive force in the delivery of higher
education. Design is the new fulcrum for management to
achieve its performance goals and the DBA enables the
candidate to graduate in 12 quarters or less.The new DBA
professional doctorate meets the definition of innovation
through three qualities of innovation: 1). An invention, i.e.,
creation of something entirely new; 2). An improvement, i.e., a
refinement of what has been developed; 3). The diffusion or
adoption of innovation developed elsewhere.
Index Terms—Professional doctorate, online education,
disruptive innovation.
G. Robinson and J. Morgan are with Capella University Minneapolis, MN
USA (e-mail: docrobinson@comcast.net, jim@innovationitb.com).
W. Reed is with Remingon College, USA (e-mail:
bill.reed@remingtoncollege.edu).
Cite: G. Robinson, J. Morgan, and W. Reed, "Disruptive Innovation in Higher Education: The Professional Doctorate," International Journal of Information and Education Technology vol. 6, no. 1, pp. 85-89, 2016.