Seeking Advice: Which HR PhD Subject and University in India for an NRI?

Hello Friends,

I seek your valuable guidance in terms of academic counseling. I presently hold a double master's degree, one in Personnel Management and the other is an MBA in HRD. I have corporate expertise of over 5 years in HR. I wish to pursue my PhD in a practical subject in HR that is in demand in the corporate world, in any Indian or foreign university based in India. Could you, my friends, provide your valuable suggestions and guide me on which subject in HR I should opt for in my PhD and from which university I can pursue it, preferably through distance learning since I am an NRI.

Best regards,

Avrella

Hello,

The field of study in HR is very wide, but we have to adopt the current trends. I am also pursuing a Ph.D. in Organisational Change (not the exact title of my thesis). Something like changes in an organization due to acquisitions and mergers in the present scenario can be taken for study. The second topic is related to leadership matters.

These are all my personal views; hence, there may be other areas of interest for your study.

Thanks,
Bharat

Really, it's better to ask that guy. Just go and search on Google; there are plenty of answers.

Dear Avrella,

This is free advice, no charges.

When it comes to a Doctorate in management, what holds more weight is the guide, and then the university. You can check the list of guides by going through and contacting the various universities.

If you want to pursue corporate studies, you will need to stay in the country, India, or abroad.

Corporate study and research will prove beneficial in the long run, for sure. However, it is very challenging to interview top people and get the information required. Therefore, the time period may be extensive.

There are plenty of topics available, but for this, you need to talk to HR heads. One of the most recent topics could be "HR's changing role in times of recession." However, to delve into such topics, you will need an experienced guide who deals with corporates and not just an academician.

Once your guide is selected, he/she will assist you.

Thanks,
Sonali Wagle
wagle.sonali@gmail.com

Having a guide who knows the path to get a Ph.D. degree is important. Generally, someone who has guided at least 3 successful students knows what it takes to get a Ph.D.

Choosing a Ph.D. research topic in consultation with your guide is important. It should match your as well as your guide's area of interest. Make sure you have some interest in the area and topic. Remember, you have to work on it for 3 to 4 years, and it will stay on your CV or resume for a lifetime.

I would rather stay away from topics that are currently hot or in need of the hour. These types of topics tend to lose their shine after 3 to 4 years and become irrelevant. A topic that has literature for at least 15 years is a good one, and it shouldn’t have any critics. Some well-respected authors should have worked in the area, for example, leadership and job motivation.

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As per my understanding and interest, you can choose Ph.D. topics like attrition, HR as a leader, innovative HR, or organizational health. You can consult senior members as we have a pool of knowledgeable and learned persons in Cite-HR.

Hi Rohit,

Further to my one-line message, here is a reply I sent to another that inquired about a PhD.

Really, people should check the citehr site to see if any suggestions have been made on similar posts in the past. For example, see [pls suggest a phd topic](https://www.citehr.com/157473-pls-suggest-phd-topic.html).

Depending on where you are going to enroll for the PhD degree, they will have their own set of rules for guides. For example, in the UK, the chief guide must have a PhD degree, whereas without a PhD degree, I had been an external examiner for a PhD degree from the University of Mysore.

As one of the contributors mentioned, you should select a topic for which you have a passion. However, mere passion will not be enough to complete the degree. You need to choose a topic for which you can access to do primary research. I made the mistake of choosing TQM in higher education when the Higher Education sector was undergoing changes and could not get access to conduct in-depth interviews, although questionnaires were answered. Hence, both aspects are important.

It is essential to pick a guide who is well-versed in Research Methodology. However, if you can find a guide who will suggest a research topic, you will be lucky.

Best wishes,
Simhan

PS: You can see my profile at [Promentor Consulting - About Us](http://promentorconsulting.page.tl/About-Us.htm)