Hi,
Request your inputs on my profile as below, for a PhD Marketing program fitment.
To lay first on the table, developing an interest through this funnel has been over time. e.g, I am an MBA and I was not sure of pursuing a long term career in business before I had even started on the program, but gradually over time, I realized my interest in Marketing, thus my major. Finally again, through couple of more years, I developed an interest in pursuing a career in academia. So while I was not at the end of the funnel right from the start, it has evolved. And so I hope would my research topics and acquired knowledge as well. Also, just to add on a different note, my grades through high school have all been in top 1-3% of class.
Research Interest - Marketing - Customer Experience Design in Early Phase Enterprises - Metrics that make such a design scalable (As mentioned above, I am not sure if this is a topic or area or field)
Undergrad - B.S (Computer Science Engineering) - not top 10 or 20 but a decent university in India (JNT University Hyderabad)
GPA - not sure, it is on a percentile scale. I secured 66% for a First Class (while 70% is for a Distinction as per university GPA)
Postgrad - MBA - Marketing major from AIM, Manila, Philippines (AACSB accredited and one of the best in Asia).
GPA - 3.6 on a 5 scale (which is equivalent to 86% - a 3 GPA being 80%. Class topper secured 4.1). Marketing GPA 4 (top 1% of class). However, one concern is that I have one subject in my term-1 with a fail grade which had damaged my overall term-1 grades, but that was for reasons outside academics, while I notched up to compensate this damage in all my subsequent grades pretty well.
Research Experience - With regard to real academic research, none. (never got a chance). However, we had a MBA thesis called MRR (Management Research Report) not mere a project submission (had to defend through 7 hours with 10 months of rigorous homework). Secured grade top 1% of class and thesis converted into a case.
Work Experience - 5 years with Oracle and 3 years in early phase startups (Marketing & BD). Not sure of my pre-MBA workex, but my post-MBA time around marketing roles in startups has also gone a long way in digging out gaps in industry and the need to know more in my chosen area of interest, to help teach future leaders better. To add, I have been a products guy all my life. Building & managing concepts & products.
Other Experiences - Not sure if these will be counted in the profile evaluation by universities, but I have a very strong & impactful community experience.
GRE - 326 (Q-168, V-158)
TOEFL - 112
LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION - Can get both LORs from profs who have done pretty good research work in the global community.
I am keen on pursuing a career in business academia specializing in Marketing. Kindly suggest what would be low-hanging for me (top 20, 50, 100) or possible far fetched. Also, some insights on how big a damage my term-1 fail grade in one subject will be. (All other grades in all terms and also beyond my MBA have been within top quartile).
Thanks!