Date: Sun, 5 Feb 2006 12:38:02 -0500
From: "O’Connor, Gina" <oconng@rpi.edu>
Subject: ANNOUNCE: PDMA Dissertation Competition

Product Development and Management Association
Dissertation Competition 2006
Call for Dissertation Proposals in New Product Development and Innovation Management

PDMA announces its call for doctoral dissertation proposals to compete for a research grant in 2006.  Applicants, who must be Ph.D. students in any field related to innovation management, may propose research on any aspect of product/service innovation, development, commercialization, or innovation management. Dissertation proposals that cross functional lines, involve multiple research disciplines, or make significant advancements in our product development (PD) knowledge or research methods are particularly encouraged.  The aim of the dissertation competition is to foster academic research on innovation and new product development and encourage close ties between the academic and corporate worlds.

Winners of the competition will receive a number of benefits:

• The work will receive early exposure in the academic community when the winner makes a presentation in October 2006 at PDMA’s International Conference–a condition of winning the competition. The winner is also expected to return to the conference the following year (2007) to present his/her results. Travel costs to the conference are paid by the PDMA. The conference provides an excellent networking opportunity with both academics and practitioners who may elect to support the student’s continuing research in some way. 
• A cash award of $2,500, plus access to the PDMA membership mailing list for data collection purposes if needed.
• The winner will receive a 2-year membership to the PDMA, which includes subscriptions to the Journal of Product Innovation Management (JPIM) and Visions magazine, PDMA’s practitioner publication.

Evaluation Process:
Proposals will be evaluated in a double-blind review process by experts in product development. Reviewers will judge the proposals against traditional academic standards and criteria, as well as the feasibility of completion in a timely manner.

Conditions for submission:

1. Proposals must already have been approved by the student’s committee and the applicant must append a letter from his/her committee chair or department head, confirming acceptance of the proposal.
2. The grant from the competition is intended to support the recipient’s dissertation research. Thus only those dissertations that will not be completed prior to the October 2006 annual PDMA Conference should be submitted to the competition.
3. Proposals should not exceed 20 pages in length, including references and tables, and should be formatted in accordance with Journal of Product Innovation Management guidelines for authors.

Proposals, along with a letter from the dissertation chair or department head, confirming acceptance of the proposal, must be received no later than May 1, 2006. These must be submitted electronically to Prof. Gina Colarelli O’Connor, PDMA Dissertation Competition Chairperson, at oconng@rpi.edu.