Courses for PhD Candidates
Internal training by the Amsterdam Business School Research Institute
The Amsterdam Business School Research Institute will continue organising internal training for PhD candidates focusing on a variety of relevant topics, e.g. on methods of data collection (e.g., how to use text mining, how to conduct Experience Sampling Methodology studies), methods for analysing data (e.g., multilevel modelling, addressing endogeneity issues), and broader scientific topics that may advance your research competencies (e.g., academic writing, careers, developing research questions, research ethics, reviewing, etc). Please find an overview of upcoming training, developed by ABS Research Institute.
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Research methods for business studies (September-October 2026)
Coordinator: Joris Demmers
Period: September 2026
Dates and times:
- 7 September 2026
- 14 September 2026
- 28 September 2026
All sessions are scheduled between 10:00-16:00 hrs.
Learning goals:
- Understand the fundamental principles of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods research.
- Critically analyze and evaluate different research designs to understand their strengths and weaknesses.
- Acquire skills to design a research project, including selecting the appropriate methodology and data collection techniques.
- Apply various data collection methods, such as interviews, surveys, or observational studies, in appropriate contexts.
Assessment: Assessment for the course consists of weekly assignments.
Course summary:
PhD students are expected to conduct original research that contributes to the advancement of knowledge in their field. To achieve this, they will need to have a strong foundation in research methods, and the ability to critically evaluate and apply different research methods to answer research questions.
This course is designed to provide PhD students with a comprehensive understanding of the research methods used in the field of business studies, and how they can be applied to conduct rigorous and impactful research.
This course will cover a range of topics related to research design, data collection, and data analysis. PhD students will learn about both qualitative and quantitative research methods, and how they can be used to address different research questions. They will also learn about mixed methods research, combining qualitative and quantitative research methods to gain a more comprehensive understanding of a phenomenon.
By the end of this course, PhD students will have a strong foundation in research methods and the skills necessary to conduct original research that can make a meaningful contribution to the field of business studies.
Content of the sessions
Session 1: Mixed Methods
This session will introduce students to the concept of mixed methods research, a methodology that combines both qualitative and quantitative approaches. The focus will be on understanding when and why mixed methods are beneficial for research projects, as well as the challenges and considerations involved in integrating diverse data types. Students will explore case studies that effectively utilize mixed methods to provide a comprehensive understanding of research questions.
Session 2: Qualitative Research
This session will delve into the realm of qualitative research methods, covering key techniques such as interviews, focus groups, and observational studies. The emphasis will be on understanding the value of qualitative data in capturing complex, nuanced phenomena and how to ensure rigor and validity in qualitative research. Various approaches to data collection and analysis will be discussed.
Session 3: Surveys
This session will equip students with the knowledge to design, administer, and interpret surveys for research purposes. Topics will include questionnaire design, sampling strategies, and methods to improve response rates. The session aims to provide a foundational understanding of survey methodology that can be applied across various business research contexts.
Session 4: Experiments
This session will focus on experimental research methods, covering experimental design, control variables, and hypothesis testing. Students will learn about the advantages and limitations of experimental research, as well as ethical considerations specific to conducting experiments. The session aims to provide a foundational understanding that can be applied across various business research contexts.
Session 5: Digital Research
Digital research methods will be the focus of this session, exploring techniques such as web scraping, sentiment analysis, and big data analytics. Students will learn about the opportunities and challenges presented by digital data, including issues related to data quality and ethics.
Session 6: Secondary Data Research
The final session will cover the use of secondary data in research, discussing the types of secondary data, their sources, and how to evaluate their quality and relevance. Ethical considerations specific to using pre-existing data will also be discussed. The session aims to equip students with the skills to effectively incorporate secondary data into their research projects, either as a standalone method or in conjunction with primary data.
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Ethics in management research (November-December 2026)
Coordinators: Arno Kourula & Richard Ronay
Period: November, December 2026, conditional on sufficient registrations.
Dates and Times:
More information will follow in due course.
Venue:
All sessions will take place at Amsterdam Business School, building REC M, Plantage Muidergracht 12, 1018 TV Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
ECTS: 5 ECTS
Learning goals: By the end of this course students should be able to:
- Apply a number of normative and descriptive ethical theories to research practice
- Understand key ethical issues experienced in the research process
- Understand how and why pressures to publish can undermine ethical research practices
- Describe other metrics of impact beyond impact factor and citation count
- Design an ethical experiment
More information about this course and a registration link will follow soon.
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Causality in Management Research – Part I: Introduction (February 2027)
Coordinator: Jonne Guyt
Period: February 2027, conditional on sufficient registrations.
Dates and Times:
More information will follow in due course.
Venue:
All sessions will take place at Amsterdam Business School, building REC M, Plantage Muidergracht 12, 1018 TV Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
ECTS: 5 ECTS
Key topics:
- Experimental design: Randomisation logic, lab versus field experiments, manipulation checks
- Validity checks: Balance tests, attrition analysis, and common pitfalls
- Potential outcomes & estimands: ATE, ATT, CATE; counterfactual thinking
- Directed acyclic graphs (DAGs): Back-door criterion, pipes/forks/colliders
- Control variables & balance: When “more” controls help (precision) vs. harm (colliders)
- Mediation analysis: How to design causally valid mediation studies
More information about this course and a registration link will follow soon.
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Causality in Management Research – Part II: Advanced Methods (March 2027)
Coordinator: Jonne Guyt
Period: March 2027, conditional on sufficient registrations.
Dates and Times:
More information will follow in due course.
Venue:
All sessions will take place at Amsterdam Business School, building REC M, Plantage Muidergracht 12, 1018 TV Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
ECTS: 5 ECTS
Entry requirement: Causality in management research - Part I. Regarding questions to verify eligibility, please contact Jonne Guyt directly.
Key topics:
- Propensity score methods: Nearest-neighbor matching, IPTW balance diagnostics
- Instrumental variables: Identifying exogenous variation, two-stage least squares
- Fixed effects models: Within-estimator, two-way FE for panel data
- Difference-in-differences & synthetic control: Parallel trends, SC weights, placebo inference
- Machine learning & causality: Causal forests, double/debiased ML, heterogeneity exploration
- Advanced topics & wrap-Up: Synthetic DID, sensitivity analysis (e.g., Rosenbaum bounds), external validity
More information about this course and a registration link will follow soon.
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Sustainability in management research (May 2027)
Coordinator: Arno Kourula & Vittoria Scalera
Period: May 2027, conditional on sufficient registrations.
Dates and Times:
More information will follow in due course.
Venue:
All sessions will take place at Amsterdam Business School, building REC M, Plantage Muidergracht 12, 1018 TV Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
ECTS: 5 ECTS
Learning goals:
By the end of this course, students should be able to- Understand the rationale, opportunities, and challenges for sustainability research in the management field
- Describe appropriate theoretical approaches and research design to study sustainability-related research questions in the management field
- Recognize the appropriateness of different methods and their tradeoffs in addressing sustainability-related research questions in management research
- Gain insight into doing sustainability research, including data collection, analysis, and reporting of such research
- Describe the challenges associated with publishing sustainability strategy research and how to overcome those challenges
More information about this course and a registration link will follow soon.
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Theory development in management research (May-June 2027)
Coordinator: Panikos Georgallis
Period: May-June 2027, conditional on sufficient registrations.
Dates and Times:
More information will follow in due course.
Venue:
All sessions will take place at Amsterdam Business School, building REC M, Plantage Muidergracht 12, 1018 TV Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
ECTS: 5 ECTS
Learning goals: By the end of the course students should be able to:
- Explain what is theory and the role of theory in the social sciences
- Describe key criteria on which theory is judged
- Understand where (theoretical) ideas come from
- Apply specific tools for idea generation and development
- Develop skills in writing, revising, and supporting theoretical arguments
More information about this course and a registration link will follow soon.
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Other suggested courses
PhD candidates throughout the University of Amsterdam try to enhance their skills by following courses and training from both internal and external providers. Please find an overview of training that might by of interest.
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Course-sharing Agreement (ABS, VU, RSM)
ABS PhD candidates can also attend a number of courses offered at VU and RSM free of charge. Please see the current list of courses under this agreement.
We charge PhD candidates from other universities (not falling under the agreement of UvA, VU Amsterdam and RSM) for 250 Euros (no VAT applicable) per EC.