Business for a Better World Dissertation Proposal Competition

Endorsed by Responsible Research in Business & Management (RRBM) and consistent with RRBM’s vision, the College of Business at Colorado State University provides funding for dissertation proposals addressing topics at the intersection of business and society. The authors of the three proposals judged to have the most significant potential for enhancing societal well-being will each receive $6,000 and have the opportunity to present their research at the annual Business for a Better World Research Symposium in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Eligibility 

To be eligible, proposals must examine how business shapes, or can improve, environmental, social, and/or governance outcomes. We welcome rigorous research from all business disciplines, including accounting, finance, real estate, marketing, consumer behavior, information systems, business analytics, HR, organizational behavior, management, strategy, entrepreneurship, supply chain management and operations. Any well-grounded methodology (e.g., quantitative, qualitative, experimental, or mixed methods) is eligible.

 Broadly speaking, we are interested in research that helps address the large variety of challenges detailed in the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals. Applicable areas of inquiry are organized around five major societal challenge areas. These include, but are not limited to:

Governance & Trust 

• Risk & Compliance (e.g. whistleblower protections, anti-corruption measures, internal oversight mechanisms, tax avoidance, audit quality) 

• Performance Management & Control (e.g. internal carbon pricing, sustainability-linked executive compensation, ESG-integrated balanced scorecards, management control systems for sustainability, cost accounting for environmental externalities) 

• Reporting & Transparency (e.g. sustainability assurance, ISSB/IFRS S1 & S2 adoption, GRI standard compliance, SASB materiality frameworks, TCFD climate disclosures) 

• Capital Markets & Sustainable Finance (e.g. ESG investing, socially responsible investment, ESG ratings, sustainable finance, cost of capital for purpose-driven firms) 

• Supply Chain Governance (e.g. supply chain transparency, responsible sourcing, supplier diversity, ethical sourcing, scope 3 emissions reporting) 

• Corporate Purpose, Strategy & Entrepreneurship (e.g. stakeholder capitalism, ESG strategy integration, corporate purpose, shared value creation, B-Corp governance) 

• Leadership & Organizational Culture (e.g. ethical leadership, board diversity, succession planning, leadership accountability, organizational culture and sustainability) 

Inequality & Inclusion 

• Opportunity & Access (e.g. marketplace fairness, underserved populations, universal accessibility, vulnerable consumer protection, household scarcity) 

• Work & Employment (e.g. employee well-being, diversity, equity & inclusion, psychological safety, gig economy labor rights, fair pay practices) 

• Economic Security (e.g. poverty alleviation, financial well-being, impact investing, microfinance, affordable housing finance) 

• International & Cross-Cultural (e.g. multinational governance, cross-national ESG compliance, emerging market sustainability, global labor standards, offshoring and labor rights) 

Health & Well-Being 

• Individual & Organizational Health (e.g. physical and mental health in organizations, substance misuse interventions, workplace safety, employee assistance programs, burnout prevention) 

• Community & Public Health (e.g. business impacts on community health, healthcare access and affordability, social determinants of health, food security, corporate wellness programs) 

• Consumer Safety & Ethics (e.g. product safety, ethical marketing to vulnerable populations, pharmaceutical pricing, food labeling transparency, health misinformation) 

Technology & Society 

• Digital Access & Inclusion (e.g. digital divide, technology access in underserved communities, digital literacy, platform equity, tech-enabled financial inclusion) 

• Responsible AI & Algorithmic Systems (e.g. ethical AI applications, algorithmic fairness, responsible AI design, tech-related wellbeing, natural language processing for ESG disclosure) 

• Data Governance & Privacy (e.g. cybersecurity, privacy standards, data sovereignty, algorithmic accountability, surveillance capitalism) 

• Technology-Driven Business Models (e.g. platform governance, gig economy regulation, misinformation systems, social media and consumer well-being, tech-enabled sustainability measurement) 

 Climate & Environment 

• Resources & Conservation (e.g. natural capital valuation, responsible resource extraction, biodiversity protection, green procurement, sustainable agriculture) 

• Climate & Emissions (e.g. greenhouse gas accounting, low-carbon innovation, climate change mitigation, climate risk pricing, green bonds) 

• Waste & Circularity (e.g. pollution prevention, circular economic systems, upcycling, reverse logistics, sustainable supply chain design) 

• Built Environment & Real Estate (e.g. green building valuation, LEED certification economics, climate risk in property markets, affordable housing development) 

Proposal Instructions

Proposals must be no longer than 20 pages in length and adhere to the following structure: 

Introduction

Identify the problem you are studying and its societal significance. In doing so, illuminate how the research addresses an important gap in current knowledge and the helpfulness of the findings. The introduction must describe how the research contributes to understanding and practicing business sustainably. In addition to considering the economic priorities of business, the research must have strong social and/or environmental business implications. 

Evidence

This section of the proposal must detail the methods that will be utilized. Clarity, accessibility and detail are critical such that reviewers understand how the research will be executed. This section should be well organized and presented in a sequence that is easy to follow; use headings and subheadings. Figures and tables (preferably embedded within the text) should complement the text and provide essential details. Use clear descriptions of concepts while including highly technical material in appendices.  

Given page limits, make sure to include the information that is most critical in gaining a complete understanding of the research approach. From your description, it should be evident how the research design follows the principles of responsible research to enhance the credibility and usefulness of the findings. See the RRBM position paper on www.rrbm.network for a description of the seven principles of responsible research.  

Applicable theory and references to papers providing strong precedence for methodological approaches should be included; however, space constraints will not permit a review of the literature. 

Conclusion and Managerial Implications 

Explain how your work helps advance understanding of your subject and creates new opportunities for practitioners and researchers. The conclusion should answer these questions:

• How might your findings and interpretations affect and alter organizational strategies, behavior and practices?
• What are the limitations of your study, and what aspects of your topic need further study?
• What are the next steps for practitioners and researchers?  

References

All text citations should be fully listed as references at the end of the paper. Follow the reference style used by the academic journals in your discipline. 

Proposal Submission 

Dissertation proposal summaries should be submitted via separate pdf files in the form below: 

1. Title page 
2. Abstract 
3. Main proposal with references, tables, figures and appendices – 12-point font, double-spaced, left-justified, 1-inch margins, numbered pages (limited to 20 pages total excluding the title page and abstract).
4. An introductory letter from the student’s advisor confirming that the dissertation research is on schedule to be defended during the spring or summer of 2027. 

Download Competition PDF

Questions

Please contact competition co-chairs Adela Chen (adela.chen@colostate.edu) and Boris Nikolaev (boris.nikolaev@colostate.edu).

Past Winners

 Submit a Proposal

We're sorry. This year's deadline for proposals has passed. We are no longer taking submissions for the current year. Please check back at the start of next year when the application period reopens in January or February.