What happens after the MBA?
My doctoral research at Warwick Business School examines the careers and organisational contributions of Japanese graduates of MBA programmes awarded by non-Japanese institutions.
Rather than treating career progression or formal position as proxies for impact, the research asks how individuals actually contribute to organisational decision-making: where they become involved, how they work across organisational boundaries, and how influence can be exercised without corresponding formal authority.
Deep Stakeholders
A concept emerging from the research is the Deep Stakeholder: an actor whose influence is not adequately captured by formal position alone, but is enacted through sustained engagement, boundary-spanning relationships across organisations, and participation in decision processes.
The research suggests that important organisational contribution may occur well before a formal decision is made — through activities such as defining problems, developing alternatives, connecting actors and contributing expertise across organisational boundaries.
Research design
The study uses a multi-phase mixed-methods design, combining qualitative research, large-scale career mapping and survey data. It is informed by a critical realist perspective, with the aim of moving beyond observed career outcomes to understand the mechanisms and organisational conditions through which influence becomes possible.
Three questions I’m exploring
As my research develops, I am interested in hearing different perspectives on three broader questions:
1. How do people influence important decisions without formal authority?
2. What enables people to contribute across organisational boundaries?
3. How can organisations better recognise and enable this kind of contribution?
These questions are open to everyone. Brief thoughts are very welcome, and there is no deadline.