Applied Research Methods: Building research skills for a changing professional world
The latest intake of MSM’s online Applied Research Methods Short Executive Programme recently started, bringing together professionals who want to strengthen their academic skills and develop a scientific mindset. Among the participants is Margaret Ann Dowling, an experienced media executive who is preparing for the next step in her career: pursuing a PhD.
Originally from Ireland, Margaret Ann has spent several decades leading media companies in Central Europe. Throughout her career, she has collaborated with prominent American and European publishing houses and helped create local premium news and lifestyle media brands. After starting in independent business news, she moved into lifestyle content and brand development. More recently, her interests have shifted towards social science, organisational change, capacity building and the digital self.
Margaret Ann has experienced the rapid transformation of the publishing industry first-hand. “The publishing industry has been at the centre of fast-paced change, particularly since the widespread adoption of smartphones. We are now entering a new era shaped by automated content,” she explains. “I have led companies through these shifts across the region, witnessing the impact of digitisation, digitalisation and, more recently, full digital transformation.”
These developments also inspired Margaret Ann to make a personal career transition. She moved from leading businesses into consulting and began building a new career in academia and as a board director. In recent years, she has completed two master’s-level theses, in Applied Social Psychology and Cyberpsychology, and qualified as a Chartered Director.
Updating research skills for a changing professional environment
Research has always played an important role in Margaret Ann's professional field. Publishing companies rely extensively on reader and customer research to guide their content strategies and business decisions. “However, the process of conducting research is becoming increasingly real-time and dynamic. Updating my own research skills was therefore essential,” she says.
For Margaret Ann, the Applied Research Methods programme offers an opportunity to assess whether a longer-term research career is the right path for her before committing to a PhD.
“The programme focuses on the methods and skills required to become a good researcher. It is an excellent litmus test to establish whether I have what it takes to commit to a longer-term research career before embarking on a much larger time commitment.”
Developing a relevant PhD research proposal
A key objective for Margaret Ann is to further develop her research question and determine whether it provides a relevant foundation for a PhD. Through the programme, participants learn how to move from an initial research idea towards the design of a solid empirical study and covers both qualitative and quantitative research approaches.
“The programme provides the structure I need to flesh out my research question and establish whether it is relevant for a PhD,” Margaret Ann explains. “It also enables me to conduct a structured literature review and receive constructive feedback from experts in the field. I am keen to improve my skills in quantitative methods and explore the latest academic research on management theory and boardroom decision-making enhanced by artificial intelligence.”
By combining her extensive leadership experience with stronger academic research skills, Margaret Ann aims to contribute to a better understanding of how organisations and their decision-making processes are being reshaped by digital transformation and AI.
Would you also like to join the next intake of the online Short Executive Programme Applied Research Methods? The next programme will run from 2 November 2026 – 10 January 2027. Click here for more information about the programme, the available scholarships and how to apply.
About MSM’s Short Executive Programmes
Today’s rapidly changing societies and economies demand the most from organisations, leaders, managers and professionals. MSM’s Short Executive Programmes are developed to achieve a successful and sustainable transformation of both individuals and organisations, supporting local economic development and effective business management.
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