Full-time study

4 years

prof. Ing. et Ing. Stanislav Škapa, Ph.D.

Chairman :
prof. Ing. et Ing. Stanislav Škapa, Ph.D.
Councillor internal :
prof. Ing. Mária Režňáková, CSc.
doc. PhDr. Iveta Šimberová, Ph.D.
prof. Ing. Marek Zinecker, Ph.D.
prof. Ing. Vojtěch Koráb, Dr., MBA
doc. Ing. Marie Pavláková Dočekalová, Ph.D.
doc. Ing. Petr Pirožek, Ph.D.
doc. Ing. Radek Doskočil, Ph.D., MSc
prof. Ing. Tomáš Meluzín, Ph.D.
doc. Ing. Vojtěch Bartoš, Ph.D.
Councillor external :
doc. Ing. Eva Tomášková, Ph.D.
doc. Ing. Petr Rozmahel, Ph.D.

The Company Management and Economics doctoral programme aims to educate experts highly qualified for research in the field of company management, for teaching and doing research at universities, and work in international organizations, domestic and global companies.
Emphasis is put on acquiring deep and systematic knowledge and understanding of theories and mastering modern methods and procedures applicable to economics as a field of science, next on adopting advanced methods for research in economics, company management, and on developing expertise in econometrics.
Students concentrate on their own research, finding solutions to research problems focusing on comprehensiveness and theoretical background of the solutions found. An integral part of students' activities is publishing the research results, their interpretation and subsequent presentation taking different forms (presentation at research forums, at scientific conferences, writing paper, conceiving and presenting research projects, etc.), but above all, writing and defending a dissertation.

A graduate in Company Management and Economics has acquired highly specialized, systematic knowledge of theories, concepts, and methods in the field of company management and economics, which is among the best on an international scale, thus enhancing the engineering expertise and skills, as well as deep and systematic knowledge and understanding of advanced mathematical and statistical methods of quantitative and qualitative data analysis including deep and systematic knowledge of the methods and procedures of scientific work.
Graduates will find jobs of highly qualified experts in research organisations as heads of research and development teams and can also teach and do research at universities, in international organizations, at domestic and global companies.

The study requirements for students of the Company Management and Economics programme can be found in individual curricula.
The key required subject is the Methodology of Science and Research Work in Economics and Management, which is offered in cooperation with the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic. The programme's main objective is to teach the students how to do research, to improve their knowledge and practical skills needed for scientific work, as well as to teach them how to write a good dissertation.
The first year also includes the Economics III course aiming to improve the use of analytic tools needed in micro-economy, particularly concerning the analysis of the supply part of market mechanism with special emphasis on mathematical models, acquainting the students also with alternative approaches to demand and supply forming. In the macro-economy part, emphasis will be laid on the theory of exogenic an endogenic economic growth and the theory of state policy, improving the students' capabilities to apply the acquired knowledge in the context of company management. The second year includes the required Academic Writing course to develop the students' communication skills needed to describe their research and general academic genres while improving their stylistic skills typical of academic writings.
In the second year, students are required to choose one of the below listed courses to augment their expertise and skills needed for writing a quality dissertation.
• Theory of Management;
• Sustainability and Circular Economics;
• Information Management;
• Marketing Theory;
• Business Management Theory;
• Theory and Practice of Financial Management;
• Methods of Economic Management of Enterprises;
The required courses and the one optional chosen are then completed by an exam.
Since an individual curriculum must include research activities based on the dissertation focus, starting in the first year, the following research outcomes are required (Research outcomes I-IV):
• In the first year a student must have at least one publication (a contribution to a domestic/international conference proceedings or paper published in a reviewed journal) corresponding to the dissertation focus, having the structure of a research paper with a co-authorship of at least 80%. The student will receive a credit for the fulfilment of this condition from his or her supervisor.
• At least one publication is required in the second year, too, (paper in a Jimp or JSC type journal or a contribution to Defendant-type conference) with a co-authorship of at least 80%. The student will receive a credit for the fulfilment of this condition from his or her supervisor.
• At least one publication is required in the third year (research paper in a Jimp or JSC type journal) corresponding to the dissertation topic with a co-authorship of at least 80%. The student will receive a credit for the fulfilment of this condition from his or her supervisor.
• In the fourth year, too, a doctoral student is expected to publish at least one research paper in a Jimp type journal related to the dissertation focus written by the doctoral student alone, or several papers with a co-authorship totalling 100%. The student will receive a credit for the fulfilment of this condition from his or her supervisor.
The required research outputs as defined above strongly support the internationalization element since the fulfilment of the publishing requirements (particularly in the third and fourth years) is only possible if the papers published are written in English.
Because of the strong accent of the doctoral study on research with outcomes reflected in the dissertation, required is also a presentation of the dissertation research focus to help assess the setting of the dissertation objective, the progress of work on the topic chosen, the expected research contribution of dissertation as well as the research methodology. The student will receive a credit for the fulfilment of this requirement from his or her supervisor.
In order to improve the quality of dissertations, doctoral students must present a "small defence of dissertation" at the supervising department. This defence should help assess the dissertation scientific contribution, the research methodology, and the fulfilment of the main and partial goals of the dissertation. The student will receive a credit for a successful presentation from his or her supervisor.
An integral part of each individual curriculum is the obligation to complete a Foreign Internship - Study Stay in the third or fourth year abroad at a university or research organisation whose research focus is the same as or related to the one of the dissertation. The stay should contribute to the development of the student's expertise and skills in the given problem area, help him or her establish international contacts, broaden his or her experience and provide him or her with opportunities to engage more closely in the scientific community dealing with problems related to the dissertation focus. The length of the stay is one semester. The student will receive a credit for a completed stay from his or her supervisor.
In students of the combined study mode, the stay abroad may take the form of on-the-job stay at a company or institution working on problems related to the dissertation focus.
The student will receive a credit for a completed stay from his or her supervisor.
As an important part, an individual curriculum for a full-time doctoral student will include teaching practice needed to enhance the presentation skills. As a rule, this teaching practice in the first four semesters includes 4 lessons a week on average. For students in the combined study mode, such practice is replaced by their publishing activities with at least one publication (a paper in a type Jimp journal or a contribution to a type D conference proceedings with a co-authorship of 100 % or several publications with the co-authorships totalling 100%. The student will receive a credit for the fulfilment of this requirement from his or her supervisor.
Doctoral students of the combined study mode are not required to appear at the supervising department on a regular basis, however, they have to attend the courses offered, consultations, and other events related to the individual curriculum following instructions by the supervisor.

The Company Management and Economics doctoral programme is offered on the basis of individual curricula set up by supervisors in cooperation with the students. An individual curriculum covers four academic years providing the student with the expertise and skills needed for doing research. A draft of each individual curriculum must be debated and approved by the Doctoral Committee. When conceiving a doctoral study, emphasis is laid upon:
• curriculum / study;
• independent scientific and research activities related to the dissertation focus;
• internationalization supported by stay abroad;
• teaching practice;
The key part of an individual curriculum is the division of the study and completion of the required theoretical and optional courses. The first year includes two required courses:
• Methodology of Science and Research Work in Economics and Management (prof. Ing. Vojtěch Koráb, Dr., MBA)
• Economics III (doc. Ing. et Ing. Stanislav Škapa, Ph.D. person in charge and teacher 60%, doc. Ing. Zinecker Marek, Ph.D., teacher 40%,)
One required specialised course is taught in the second year:
• Academic Writing (doc. PhDr. Milena Krhutova, Ph.D.)
Next, students may choose one required optional course that enhances the expertise and skills necessary for writing a good dissertation. These are the below courses:
• Theory of Management (doc. RNDr. Anna Putnová, Ph.D., MBA);
• Sustainability and Circular Economics (prof. Ing. Alena Kocmanová, Ph.D.);
• Information Management (doc. Ing. Miloš Koch, CSc.);
• Marketing Theory (doc. Ing. Vladimír Chalupský, CSc., MBA, person responsible and teacher 50%, doc. Ing. Vít Chlebovský, Ph.D. teacher 50%);
• Business Management Theory (doc. PhDr. Iveta Šimberová, Ph.D.);
• Theory and Practice of Financial Management (prof. Ing. Mária Režňáková, CSc.);
• Methods of Economic Management of Enterprises (doc. Ing. Tomáš Meluzín, Ph.D.);
Each required theoretical or optional course is completed by an exam.
Since an individual curriculum must include research activities based on the dissertation focus, starting in the first year, research outcomes are required.
Because of the strong accent of the doctoral study on research with outcomes reflected in the dissertation, required is also a presentation of the dissertation research plan to help assess the setting of the dissertation objective, the progress of work on the topic chosen, the expected research contribution of dissertation as well as the research methodology.
In order to improve the quality of dissertations, doctoral students must present a "small defence of dissertation" at the supervising department. This defence should help assess the dissertation scientific contribution, the research methodology, and the fulfilment of the main and partial goals of the dissertation.
An integral part of each individual curriculum is the obligation to complete a Foreign Internship - Study Stay in the third or fourth year abroad at a university or research organisation whose research focus is the same as or related to the one of the dissertation. The stay should contribute to the development of the student's expertise and skills in the given problem area help him or her establish international contacts, broaden his or her experience and provide him or her with opportunities to engage more closely in the scientific community dealing with problems related to the dissertation focus. The length of the stay is one semester.
In the combined study mode, the stay may take the form of an on-the-job stay at a company or institution with a student working on problems related to the dissertation focus. Students staying abroad must also prove their language skills. The student will receive a credit for a completed stay from his or her supervisor.
As an important part, an individual curriculum for a full-time doctoral student will include teaching practice needed to enhance the presentation skills. As a rule, this practice in the first four semesters includes 4 lessons a week on average. For students in the combined study mode, such practice is replaced by their publishing activities.
Next, an individual curriculum includes other, no less important, activities improving a student's research profile. These are in particular applications for grants (such as Junior Projects as part of Specific Research), participation in domestic and international conferences.
The structure and content of a doctoral student's curriculum are part of the BUT Apollo information system.

The Company Management and Economics doctoral programme is intended for graduates in economic Master's programmes.

1. AI-driven Innovations in Servitization

   Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a transformative tool for manufacturers looking to shift their business model towards servitization, focusing on outcome-based services rather than solely products. To build scalable and profitable services, manufacturers must leverage the extensive opportunities that AI provides. The aim of the topic is to map the possibilities of using AI in service innovations provided by manufacturing companies.

   Supervisor: Kaňovská Lucie, doc. Ing., Ph.D.

2. Assessing the Cost Efficiency of ESG Strategies in Industrial Enterprises

   The aim of the dissertation is to evaluate the cost efficiency of implementing ESG strategies in industrial enterprises and to determine how ESG activities influence the economic performance of a company. The study will propose an ESG Cost Efficiency Model that links investments in environmental, social, and governance areas with financial performance indicators (e.g., ROA, EVA, productivity). The empirical part will be based on data obtained from ESG reports, surveys, and corporate financial statements. The outcome will be a tool for assessing the return on ESG initiatives and providing recommendations for improving their economic efficiency.

   Supervisor: Kocmanová Alena, prof. Ing., Ph.D.

3. Business ecosystem - a model solution in a selected sector

   The research will focus on identifying the most significant elements/components of the business environment of the selected sector and validating them on a sample of organisations. Using the selected methods, the influence of the elements/components affecting the prosperity of organisations in the selected sector and their model solution will be determined. (Due to the scope and depth of the research topic, only the internal form of the PhD study is assumed).

   Supervisor: Pirožek Petr, doc. Ing., Ph.D.

4. Business model for transfer of technology and knowledge

   The dissertation focuses on the business models used for transfer of technology and knowledges in chosen cases. These business models will be examined from the perspective of performance and success on transfers.

   Supervisor: Marciánová Pavla, doc. Ing., Ph.D.

5. Circular Cost Performance Model in Industrial Enterprises

   The aim of the dissertation is to develop and validate the Circular Cost Performance Model, which links the level of circularity of business activities (such as reuse, recycling, and remanufacturing) with cost and economic performance in industrial enterprises. The outcome will be a quantitative model that enables the measurement of the cost efficiency of circular strategies and the identification of key cost drivers within closed material loops.

   Supervisor: Kocmanová Alena, prof. Ing., Ph.D.

6. Discount rate for financial assets valuation

   Changes in the reporting of assets and debts require their valuation at fair value. One of the key issues in determining the value of financial assets and debts is the justified determination of the discount rate. The aim of the dissertation is to develop a methodology for determining the discount rate for the valuation of financial assets.

   Supervisor: Režňáková Mária, prof. Ing., CSc.

7. Family business - challenges of the current business environment

   The dissertation focuses on the strategies chosen by family businesses in dealing with crises, crisis management and conflict situations. These strategies will be examined from a performance perspective on a selected sample of family businesses.

   Supervisor: Marciánová Pavla, doc. Ing., Ph.D.

8. Intangible Assets and Their Taxation

   The OECD's project against BEPS (Base Erosion and Profit Shifting) has established standards that have had significant impacts in the area of intangible assets, which importance has been continuously growing. The aim of the thesis will be to assess the existing standards along with the systematization of the existing rules and subsequently to create a methodological guide for tax management in this area.

   Supervisor: Brychta Karel, doc. Ing. Mgr., Ph.D.

9. Integrated Cost–Performance–ESG Model for Corporate Performance Management

   The dissertation focuses on designing an integrated model for managing corporate cost performance in the context of ESG, linking the principles of controlling, cost management, and sustainability reporting. The outcome will be a methodological framework for ESG controlling – an integrated approach to performance management that connects economic and ESG indicators and enables their use in strategic corporate decision-making.

   Supervisor: Kocmanová Alena, prof. Ing., Ph.D.

10. Integration of ESG indicators and EU taxonomy into corporate circular economy strategies

    The research will focus on integrating ESG indicators and EU taxonomy requirements into corporate strategies with the aim of promoting circular innovation. The goal is to propose a framework for measuring and managing sustainability in companies—i.e., a model that takes into account the environmental and social impacts of circular processes and facilitates compliance with legislative requirements (CSRD, EU Taxonomy).

    Supervisor: Pavláková Dočekalová Marie, doc. Ing., Ph.D.

11. Key Factors of Business Performance and their Information Support

    Currently, information technologies help in all spheres of business functioning. The possibility of having the right information immediately available affects the possibility of immediate and correct decision-making leading to the “success” of the business. The aim of the dissertation will be to identify key factors of business performance, analyze, evaluate information support and design the most appropriate information support system.

    Supervisor: Bartoš Vojtěch, doc. Ing., Ph.D.

12. Modelling and Simulation Methods in Project Management

    The research will focus on the analysis of the current state of use of modeling and simulation in the field of project management and on the design of a procedures for the creation of discrete models and their implementation serving as a tool to support project management.

    Supervisor: Doskočil Radek, doc. Ing., Ph.D., MSc

13. Resilient leadership: The impact of leader´s resilience on organizational performance and stability.

    The main objective of the dissertation will be to identify how their resilience of leaders affects the performance, stability and adaptability of an organization in conditions of frequent changes and crises. The work will focus on the design of a model of resilient leadership and its impact on organizational culture, managerial decision-making and business development.

    Supervisor: Konečná Zdeňka, doc. Ing., Ph.D.

14. Scale-Up Financing Gap - Exploring Determinants and Dynamics

    Which factors at the firm level (such as business model and founder characteristics), market level (including investor preferences), and macroeconomic context (for example, interest rates and policy incentives) contribute to the financing gap? In what ways does this gap change as start-ups progress from early-stage to scale-up?

    Supervisor: Zinecker Marek, prof. Ing., Ph.D.

15. Talent management as an effective tool for sustainable development in industrial companies.

    The main goal of the doctoral thesis will be to propose an integrated talent management model taking into account the diversity of employees in order to support their personal career growth and ensure the sustainable development of the company.

    Supervisor: Konečná Zdeňka, doc. Ing., Ph.D.

16. Territorial servitization in choosen industry

    To get insights into servitization adoption across geographic regions, manufacturing organisations, transformation and transition pathways, barriers and enablers. Collaborative, territory-based manufacturing firms typically maintain high levels of productivity and innovation.

    Supervisor: Kaňovská Lucie, doc. Ing., Ph.D.