Exploring the Dark Side of Resilience in PhD Management Students

We are pleased to invite you to a presentation of a three-year, in-house research project conducted by ESCP professors and PhD students, with insights drawn from our own ESCP PhD community—both current students and alumni.

In this presentation, the authors will not only share the key insights and findings from their research, but also provide an insider’s perspective on their own journey through the challenging publication process.

They will share the story of bringing this paper to publication in the Academy of Management Learning & Education as an example of a "bright practice" of resilience in action—a concept they discuss in the paper and experienced firsthand!

Abstract

In this paper, we investigate how PhD management students build individual resilience in the face of difficulties encountered during their PhD journey. While extant studies show that success in the doctoral journey is influenced by tenacity, hard work, and self-awareness, the potential pitfalls that PhD management students may face in building individual resilience have been relatively less explored.

This is even more critical because of the increasing expectations embedded in the competitive culture of business schools, which expose PhD management students to unique challenges such as isolation, lack of solidarity, and dehumanization.

Based on an exploratory empirical study of PhD management students, we theorize how they respond to adversity through two types of practices: bright and dark. We argue that while bright practices improve individual resourcefulness that might be mobilized the next time adversity is encountered, dark practices do not contribute to it and can even be damaging for individuals who engage in them.

Dark practices may be destructive, cause suffering, and make resilience less likely in the future. Our study contributes to the ongoing discussion of management education by providing practical recommendations that focus on fostering PhD management students’ resilience.

Exploring the Dark Side of Resilience in PhD Management Students
Friday, 17 January 2025 - 4:00pm - 5:00pm (CET) Registration