PhD Workshop: What defines interesting research?

Lecturer Prof. Richard McFarland (ESSEC Business School, Paris)
Date 22.11.2022, 13:00 – 17:00
Room/Address TU Dresden
Georg Schumann-Bau (SCH/B37)
Seminar content This is a one-day seminar that focuses on what constitutes interesting research, and how interesting research effects getting published and influences long-term impact. We will also evaluate introductions that students find interesting and consider what strategies students can take to make their own research more interesting.
Preparation material There are a number of readings, but each of these is quite short. You must come to class having read each of the readings and be prepared to answer the following questions:
  • Be sure to note (and be able to discuss) each article’s definitions of interesting (may be multiple in each article). Or think of it as: “what makes an article interesting”?
  • How do journal editors define interesting? How do the rest of us (authors) view it?
  • How do subject matter reviewers vs. general reviewers find interesting?
  • Why is it important to write interesting research?
  • What are the similarities and differences between: interesting, important, good, sticky, “well cited”, “makes a difference”, and “being different from the rest”?
  • What are the different definitions of “what constitutes a contribution” from these articles? Also having examples of each might help.
  • What types of strategies might you take to conducting and publishing research based on the readings?

Required Readings:
  • Barley, Stephen R. (2006), “When I write My Masterpiece: Thoughts on What Makes a Paper Interesting,” Academy of Management Journal, 49 (1), 16-20.
  • Bartunek, Jean M. Sara L. Rynes and R. Duane Ireland (2006), “What Makes Management Research Interesting, And Why Does It Matter?,” Academy of Management Journal 49 (1), 9-15.
  • Huber, Joel (2008), “The Value of Sticky Articles,” Journal of Marketing Research, 45 (6), 257-260.
  • Peter, J. and J. Olson (1983), “Is Science Marketing?,” Journal of Marketing, 47 (Fall), 111-125.
  • Shugan, Steven M. (2003), “Editorial Defining Interesting Research Results,” Marketing Science, 22(1) Winter, 1-15.
  • Steward, David W. (2002),“Getting Published: Reflections of an Old Editor,” Journal of Marketing, 66(4), 1-6. SKIP FIRST TWO PAGES
  • Varadarajan, P. Rajan (1996), “From the Editor: Reflections on Research and Publishing,” Journal of Marketing, 60(4, Oct.), 3-6

Assignment: Bring in an interesting article introduction
Each student should find one academic article that they find very interesting. Bring is six hard copies of this introduction to class (just the introduction, not any of the rest of the paper, this is likely to be about two pages only).
Certificate This course is a half-day workshop. You can’t earn a certificate according to §9 of the PhD doctoral regulation of the Faculty of Business and Economics.
Registration Participation is limited (max. 12). 
To register send an e-mail to Dr. Uta Schwarz: uta.schwarz@tu-dresden.de
Phone: +49 351 463-33141
Deadline for registration: October 15, 2022