In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, innovation is not just a competitive advantage—it’s a necessity. Yet, organisations often struggle to support one of their most valuable assets: the experts and innovators.

These individuals, who combine deep subject matter expertise with a drive to push boundaries, frequently find themselves underserved by traditional talent management approaches.

Doctoral programmes offer a distinctive developmental pathway for professionals who are already leaders in their fields but want to deepen their expertise, extend their influence, and shape their industries. Providing these high-performing individuals the space to think and making an investment in their practice may be a critical lever in human capital management strategy.

The people who push the frontier

Experts and innovators are not just experienced professionals. They are individuals who have spent years immersed in their discipline. Their expertise is not only vast but qualitatively different. Research by Ericsson, Krampe, and Tesch-Römer (1993) introduced the concept of deliberate practice, showing that expert performance results from sustained, focused effort over time—often cited as the “10,000-hour rule”.

Malcolm Gladwell (2009) popularised this idea, suggesting that achieving world-class expertise in any field typically requires approximately 10,000 hours of dedicated practice. But it’s not just about time—it’s about how that time is spent. Experts practice differently: their work is more focused, more intentional, and more mindful.

They are also motivated differently. Achievement for them is not about titles or promotions, it’s about mastery. They are driven by the desire to have answers others don’t have, to be in demand for what they know. Much of their expertise is tacit, so deeply embedded in their thinking and doing that it becomes invisible even to themselves.

Why traditional talent models miss the mark

Despite their strategic value, expert innovators are often underserved by traditional development pathways. Corporate training programmes and executive education initiatives tend to focus on breadth rather than depth, prioritising general leadership competencies over the deeper expertise sought by advanced practitioners.

For instance, postgraduate taught qualifications such as master’s degrees are typically designed to broaden managerial skills rather than stretch thinking at the frontier of a discipline. As the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) has observed, many organisations rely on one-size-fits-all approaches to talent development. This model works for generalists but leaves their most advanced people under-stimulated.

The result is a hidden risk. Experts can plateau just as their potential to create value peaks. Some may become disengaged or leave, taking with them the deep knowledge and capabilities that organisations most need to navigate complexity and lead in uncertain times.

Doctoral study as a developmental strategy

Doctoral study, and particularly a professional doctorate like the DBA, offers a powerful solution. It provides a structured framework for inquiry, reflection and innovation. It enables experienced professionals to investigate real-world challenges in depth, situate their work within a broader theoretical context, and generate new insights that can influence their organisations and their industries.

Research shows doctoral education enhances professional practice and boosts organisational innovation—making it a smart investment for future-focused employers. It builds disciplinary depth, connects theory to practice, improves learning agility, fosters thought leadership, and strengthens strategic impact (Rivas, 2024). This pathway is increasingly recognised as a powerful tool for professional development— supporting both personal transformation and organisational innovation (Hramiak, 2020).

Stories from the field

At the University of Exeter, the benefits of this approach are already visible. For instance, one DBA student, after more than two decades in consulting leadership, is now exploring how organisations can respond to major shifts such as the growing influence of artificial intelligence on their industries.

For professionals with this level of experience, executive education often lacks sufficient challenge, while traditional PhD programmes can feel too far removed from day-to-day realities. The DBA offers a more relevant alternative, combining rigorous scholarship with direct application to practice.

The impact of this work is not confined to the classroom. It is reflected in the way students frame strategic questions, influence decision-making, and shape new organisational capabilities. In this case, the student shares his reflections publicly through a blog that demonstrates how research and real-world transformation can evolve together.

A new approach to talent development

Empowering experts and innovators requires more than traditional training—it demands an intellectually challenging approach. The DBA offers professionals a chance to deepen expertise, shape industries, and expand impact.

For organisations, it’s a strategic investment in those who drive innovation and navigate complexity. At the University of Exeter, this ambition drives the programme, supporting individuals to enhance their practice and influence. The result: a greener, fairer, and more resilient future, led by innovators.

Dr Michelle Civile is Programme Director of the Doctor of Business Administration Programme at the University of Exeter.

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