DBA Doctor of Business Administration 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which research paradigm assumes that social reality is objective and independent of the researcher?
- Interpretivism
- Positivism (Correct answer)
- Constructivism
- Critical theory
Correct answer: Positivism
Positivism holds that reality exists independently of the observer and can be measured objectively using quantitative methods.
Question 2: A DBA candidate studying how organizational culture influences strategic change would most likely employ which methodology?
- Randomized controlled trial
- Ethnography (Correct answer)
- Meta-analysis
- Structural equation modeling
Correct answer: Ethnography
Ethnography involves deep immersion in an organizational setting to understand cultural norms and behaviors from an insider perspective.
Question 3: In the context of corporate governance, what is the primary role of an independent board director?
- Executing day-to-day operations
- Providing unbiased oversight of management (Correct answer)
- Managing investor relations
- Developing marketing strategy
Correct answer: Providing unbiased oversight of management
Independent directors provide objective oversight to protect shareholder interests and prevent conflicts of interest within management.
Question 4: Which financial metric measures a company's ability to generate profit relative to shareholder equity?
- Return on assets (ROA)
- Earnings per share (EPS)
- Return on equity (ROE) (Correct answer)
- Debt-to-equity ratio
Correct answer: Return on equity (ROE)
ROE measures net income as a percentage of shareholders' equity, indicating how efficiently the firm uses equity capital.
Question 5: In supply chain management, 'bullwhip effect' refers to what phenomenon?
- Sudden price spikes at retail level
- Amplification of demand variability as orders move upstream (Correct answer)
- Supplier consolidation reducing competition
- Overproduction due to automation
Correct answer: Amplification of demand variability as orders move upstream
The bullwhip effect describes how small fluctuations in consumer demand cause increasingly larger swings in orders at each upstream supply chain level.
Question 6: Which leadership theory proposes that effective leadership style depends on the maturity and readiness of followers?
- Transformational leadership
- Servant leadership
- Situational leadership (Correct answer)
- Authentic leadership
Correct answer: Situational leadership
Situational leadership (Hersey & Blanchard) argues that leaders should adapt their style based on the competence and commitment level of each follower.
Question 7: A business applying Blue Ocean Strategy is primarily focused on:
- Competing aggressively in existing markets
- Creating uncontested market space with new value (Correct answer)
- Achieving cost leadership in mature industries
- Acquiring competitors to gain market share
Correct answer: Creating uncontested market space with new value
Blue Ocean Strategy (Kim & Mauborgne) focuses on creating new demand in uncontested market spaces rather than competing in existing 'red oceans.'
DBA Doctor of Business Administration 2
Which research paradigm assumes that social reality is objective and independent of the researcher?