SHRM Foundation Dissertation Grants

SHRM Foundation Dissertation Grants are given to four promising researchers in the field of human resource management at the dissertation stage of their doctoral education. This annual competition is funded by the SHRM Foundation, in partnership with the HR Division of the Academy of Management and is intended to support the dissertation research of doctoral candidates. The winners of these dissertation grants each receive a plaque, $5,000 from the SHRM Foundation, and are honored at the Academy of Management’s annual meeting.

In support of the HR Division's goal of increasing member involvement and its international reach, we strongly encourage nominations that reflect the rich diversity, backgrounds, and perspectives of our membership.

Criteria:

1. The relevance and significance of the research question to human resource management.
2. The likelihood that the proposed study will provide meaningful answers to the research question as evidenced by the quality and rigor of the proposed dissertation research and the likelihood that the proposed study will be completed.
3. Potential of the proposed study to make both significant theoretical and applied contributions.

Eligibility Requirements:

1. The applicant’s dissertation must address a phenomenon that is of importance to the field of human resources and have potential applicability to HR practice.
2. Applicants must be in good standing in a doctoral program in human resource management or a closely related field.
3. Both the applicant and their dissertation advisor (or faculty sponsor in cases where there is not a formal advisor) must be members of the HR Division of the Academy of Management.
4. Applicants must have had their dissertation proposals approved by their dissertation committees prior to application or be on track to propose their dissertation in the next 3-6 months. In schools where there is not a formal proposal defense, documentation (an email from a faculty advisor/sponsor) is needed showing that the student’s proposed research design has been deemed acceptable.
5. Applicants who will have defended their dissertation by the submission deadline or who will do so within 6 months after the deadline are ineligible.
6. All projects involving human subjects must have been approved by the appropriate Institutional Review Board prior to application or have been declared exempt from IRB review.

Nomination Procedures:

Applicants should submit electronic copies of the following documents:

1. A CV.
   
2. A 100 word abstract of the proposed research.
3. A Summary of the Dissertation Research. This summary is limited to a maximum of 12 pages (double-spaced, 12-point font, 1 inch margins) and all of the following elements of that summary are included in that page limit.
   • A cover page indicating the name of the submitter, his/her institutional affiliation, current mailing address, email address, and phone number. The name, email address, and phone number of the dissertation advisor should also be provided.
   • A brief summary of the dissertation research that includes a statement of the problem, the theoretical basis used to examine the problem, an overview of the research methodology, and a discussion of the value of the project to the literature as well as to human resource management practitioners.
   • A list of references and a time table with target dates for the completion of project segments and for the defense of the dissertation. Any other tables, figures, or appendices are optional but must be incorporated within the 12 pages limit.
4. A statement from the applicant’s dissertation advisor. This statement is limited to a maximum of 3 pages (single spaced, 12-point font, 1 inch margins) and should address all of the following:
   • Verification that the above eligibility criteria are met and that the applicant’s Summary of the Dissertation Research accurately depicts the approved dissertation.
   • The current status of the applicant's dissertation (i.e., if the proposal has been approved by their dissertation committee and if not, when they will propose their dissertation).
   • The relevance of the student’s project to HR theory and practice.
   • The student’s unique contributions to the project.
   • An evaluation of the student’s research progress to date and the student’s plans of work and timetable.

5. Please combine all required materials (CV, paper, nomination letter, etc.) into a single PDF document (less than 100 MB) and use the “nominate” button to complete an official nomination for this award. The nomination deadline is May 1, 2024.  

Post-Award Expectations:

1. Grants will be distributed in a single payment and are to be used to fund dissertation research costs. The award recipient is liable for any tax payments associated with the award.
2. Recipients will acknowledge both the HR Division of the Academy of Management and the SHRM Foundation as funding sources in all articles and presentations based on the funded dissertation research.
3. Award recipients will be required to participate in a symposium by providing a 5-page synopsis of their dissertation study, not including references, to the HR Division for the AOM Annual Meeting in the year following their award. The symposium should be submitted through the regular conference submission system. The selection committee of this award will contact the winners to organize the symposium and confirm the submission.
4. Recipients will present their research in a symposium at the Academy Meeting the following year.