An MIS undergrad in puisuit of PhD in sociology-oriented strategy

[The Skywalker]

Hullo everyone!

Thanks for all who have replied my previous post.
PhD in Strategy = Applied mathematics in business?

I find it really a great forum. People are so friendly and give valuable advice!
Here is a little bit about me:

(1) A mainland chinese who's graduating soon
(2) but I study in one of the top 3 universities in Hong Kong
- English as everyday teaching language
(3) Interested in business very much, but hate computer science
- no offense to cs people, but i just dislike it
- good grade in business, really bad grade in cs
- still probable to manage to graduate as 2nd upper
- but GPA looks low(2.90 only, but enough to get 2nd upper)
(4) Interested in sociology, psychology, and philosophy
- due to my intensive involement in debating, these interests naturally develop
(5) no research experience at the moment, but want to have some
(6) have not taken GRE or GMAT, but plan to do so in July or August
(7) interested in sociology oriented strategy, but no clue where to start from

here are my questions(sorry, not one question, but questions...)
(1) how about go for a master in economics to compensate my seemingly low GPA?
- my honor grade is not that bad, but the gpa simply does not look good
(2) how likely for a chinese to do non-quantitative research?
- since chinese are regarded as major supply of quantitative academic workers.................
(3) for sociology oriented strategy, any journal or article i can read? any top guy i should take notice of?



Thanks in advance if you are willing to help!!!!

[oldprogrammer]

I don't know much about Strategy, but I'm guessing Economics plays a large role. And graduate Economics requires a basic level of mathematical maturity. So even if you plan to do non-quantitative research, you probably still need multivariable calculus and linear algebra to make it through the PhD core. Not to mention that your "breadth" requirements would also include optimization problems to some degree.

Going into a Business PhD program in general without that basic level of math is probably going to be very limiting for you in terms of where you can gain admission. I know that's not your question, really, but your two threads seem to indicate that you are not overly fond of mathematics.

And on another note, make sure you get that research experience!

[bizphd]

I don't know much about Strategy, but I'm guessing Economics plays a large role. And graduate Economics requires a basic level of mathematical maturity. So even if you plan to do non-quantitative research, you probably still need multivariable calculus and linear algebra to make it through the PhD core. Not to mention that your "breadth" requirements would also include optimization problems to some degree.

Going into a Business PhD program in general without that basic level of math is probably going to be very limiting for you in terms of where you can gain admission. I know that's not your question, really, but your two threads seem to indicate that you are not overly fond of mathematics.

And on another note, make sure you get that research experience!

My own choice is Economics as a reference discipline to study IS/technology.

However, it is not necessary to have Economics as the reference discipline for business/strategy. Chandler was a historian as is Michael Cusumano (at MIT). There are many well regarded business researchers who aren't math oriented.

Some of the big name Strategy researchers today such as Toby Stuart, Sorensen, Zuckerman use Sociology as their primary discipline.

[bizphd]

(2) how likely for a chinese to do non-quantitative research?
- since chinese are regarded as major supply of quantitative academic workers.................
(3) for sociology oriented strategy, any journal or article i can read? any top guy i should take notice of?

(2) You'll have to try hard to do what you want but you should guard yourself from accepting what others want you to do simply because it is easier. [Assuming that you are interested in studying in US] I am foreigner myself (Pakistani) and I feel that sometimes foreigners assume things and short-sell themselves in USA.

(3) Start by looking at BPS group at MIT (esp Zuckerman) and Stanford (Sorensen) and HBS (Stuart). You can start reading their papers and the papers they refer to and so on.

[The Skywalker]

I don't know much about Strategy, but I'm guessing Economics plays a large role. And graduate Economics requires a basic level of mathematical maturity. So even if you plan to do non-quantitative research, you probably still need multivariable calculus and linear algebra to make it through the PhD core. Not to mention that your "breadth" requirements would also include optimization problems to some degree.

Going into a Business PhD program in general without that basic level of math is probably going to be very limiting for you in terms of where you can gain admission. I know that's not your question, really, but your two threads seem to indicate that you are not overly fond of mathematics.

And on another note, make sure you get that research experience!

thanks for your reply!
i think you are right. a basic level of math is almost a must. i don't mind catch up math, but i have not studied math for 4 years(the whole undergrad), making me less confident.

[The Skywalker]

(2) You'll have to try hard to do what you want but you should guard yourself from accepting what others want you to do simply because it is easier. [Assuming that you are interested in studying in US] I am foreigner myself (Pakistani) and I feel that sometimes foreigners assume things and short-sell themselves in USA.

(3) Start by looking at BPS group at MIT (esp Zuckerman) and Stanford (Sorensen) and HBS (Stuart). You can start reading their papers and the papers they refer to and so on.

thanks so much!