Searching for the best 2010 dissertation in the decision sciences

The Decision Sciences Institute (DSI) and McGraw-Hill/Irwin are proud to be co-sponsors of the Elwood S. Buffa Doctoral Dissertation Competition. This competition identifies and recognizes outstanding doctoral dissertation research, completed in the calendar year 2010, in the development of theory for the decision sciences, the development of methodology for the decision sciences, and/or the application of theory or methodology in the decision sciences.

Eligibility

To be eligible for consideration, a submission must meet the following criteria:

1. The doctoral dissertation has to have been accepted by the degree-granting institution within the 2010 calendar year (i.e., between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2010).
2. The doctoral dissertation must not have been submitted to the Elwood S. Buffa Doctoral Dissertation Competition in previous years.
3. Finalists for the Elwood S. Buffa Doctoral Dissertation Competition must register and attend the 2011 Annual Meeting of the Decision Sciences Institute in order to be eligible to win.

Submission Requirements

The following are submission requirements that have to be strictly met. Submissions that do not comply with these requirements run the risk of being disqualified.

1. Letter of Introduction

The submission must include a nominating letter on university letterhead from the dissertation advisor of the doctoral student whose doctoral dissertation is being entered for competition consideration. This nominating letter:

• Introduces the doctoral student, the dissertation advisor supervising the dissertation, and the degree-granting institution,
• Argues for the worthiness of the doctoral dissertation, and
• Provides contact information for both the doctoral student and the dissertation advisor.

2. Executive Summary of the Doctoral Dissertation Submission

Content

The submission must include an executive summary with the following suggested sections:

• Describes and justifies the importance of the theoretical / pragmatic problem that the doctoral dissertation addresses,
• Delineates the research questions that stem from the theoretical / pragmatic problem,
• Explains the methods being used to provide answers to the research questions in sufficient detail for a third-party with no a priori exposure to the doctoral dissertation to be able to properly evaluate the rigor of the methods,
• Discusses the major findings in terms of its contributions to science and / or to practice, and
• Highlights future research opportunities stemming from this doctoral dissertation, and, since no research is perfect, the limitations of the doctoral dissertation research.

In preparing the Executive Summary, please feel free to refer the reader to specific tables, figures, sections, etc., of the actual doctoral dissertation by including the following pointer: [Please see _____, page ___ of the doctoral dissertation].

Format

The Executive Summary must adhere to the following formatting guidelines:

• Does not exceed a maximum of 10 double-spaced, 8.5x11, pages with 1-inch margins (top, bottom, left, and right).
• Includes a header with two pieces of information: (i) the most relevant discipline within which the doctoral dissertation falls and (ii) the dominant method(s) used in the conduct of the doctoral dissertation research.
• Includes a footer showing the page number.
• Uses Arial font, size 11 only.

Submission Procedure

1. The Nominating Letter and the Executive Summary should be submitted as two, separate PDF email attachments to the attention of: M. Johnny Rungtusanatham, rung0002@umn.edu
   
   
   Please name the Nominating Letter attachment as LAST NAME_FIRST NAME-Nominating Letter.
   
   Please name the Executive Summary as LAST NAME_FIRST NAME-Executive Summary.

2. Three hard-copies of the actual doctoral dissertation should be submitted by mail, with the ability for the mail to be tracked, to the attention of:
   
   M. Johnny Rungtusanatham
   University of Minnesota
   Carlson School of Management
   Operations and Management Science Department
   321 19th Avenue South
   Minneapolis, MN 55455
   
   
   Once received, an email confirmation for [1] and/or [2] will be sent.

Submission Window

All submissions must be received by 5:00 pm, Central Standard Time, on May 15, 2011, to be eligible for the competition.