Best Dissertation Award

Groups audience: 
- Private group -

ISHS Commission Horticultural Economics and Management: Best Dissertation Award 2013

1.0 About the ISHS Best Dissertation Award

The International Society for Horticultural Science Best Dissertation Award is given to foster and disseminate research in Horticultural Economics and Management. It is presented annually to the person who has submitted the best doctoral dissertation for which a doctoral degree has been granted. The committee reserves the right to not issue the award should none of the nominations be deemed worthy.

2.0 Criteria

The dissertation must report a study for which a doctoral degree is awarded in the year ended December 31st 2013. The study must focus on some issue of relevance to the theory or practice of Horticultural Economics and Management. For the purpose of this award the discipline of Horticultural Economics and Management is taken to include business or management studies within a horticultural context. Such studies might be based on parent disciplines such as: macro-economics, micro-economics, marketing, business management, business strategy, human resource management etc. The best doctoral dissertation will be judged on the basis of the contribution that it makes to the Horticultural Economics and Management discipline. All research methodologies will be considered on an equal basis including for example, field surveys, laboratory experiments, quantitative, and qualitative investigations. The candidate must be nominated by his or her doctoral supervisor. A supervisor may nominate more than one candidate provided the criteria listed above are met. All materials submitted must be in English, in Word format and submitted as email attachments with the exception of the certification letter (see section 3 below). The original signed certification letter must be submitted, (by registered air-mail post) in addition to an electronic PDF version of the letter. Nominations must adhere to the format prescribed in section 3.

3.0 Nomination Requirements

Incomplete applications will not be processed and will not be eligible for consideration.

The nomination documents must consist of:

  • A signed Nomination Form that includes an abridged (50 word maximum), abstract of the dissertation.
  • Copies of all external examiners' reports together with a copy of a principal supervisor's report.
  • An extended summary of the dissertation in English. This summary should not exceed eight (8) single-spaced pages in length (including abstract, figures, tables, and references; 2.5cm margins all around; 12-point font, pages numbered, with no author identification in the documentation properties, document body, header, or footer of manuscript). Submissions that exceed the page limitation or do not adhere to the required format will not be considered.
  • A signed letter containing a certification statement, on institutional letterhead, prepared by a relevant institutional representative, certifying that the final copy of the dissertation has been submitted, examined and that the doctoral degree has been awarded. The document must explicitly state the date that the degree was awarded to ensure that it falls within the relevant award period.
A suitable structure for the extended summary is presented below:

Introduction

  • Summary of the problem
  • Purpose of the study and why is it important.
  • Critique of relevant literature.
Research Design
  • Sample selection.
  • Data collection.
  • Analytical procedures.

Results and Findings

  • For quantitative studies, provide sufficient statistical detail to enable a clear understanding of the rigor of the analysis and the validity of the results.
  • For qualitative studies, provide a concise outline of the analysis to demonstrate that sufficient methodological rigor was employed in the study to validate the findings.

Discussion

  • Contribution of the research.
  • Limitations of the research.
  • Implications of the results for theory and practice

4.0 The winner of the award for 2013 will receive

  • A commemorative certificate.
  • An announcement naming the winner of the award together with a summary of the major findings of the dissertation in a) Chronica Horticulturae and b) on the ISHS Web site.
  • Complementary membership as an Individual Member of the ISHS for the year ended December 31st 2014.

5.0 The Selection Process

The winner of the Award will be chosen by a selection panel comprising at least three members of the ISHS Commission for Horticultural Economics and Management. The selection panel will make their decision in terms of the criteria for this award. The decision of the selection panel will be final and no subsequent correspondence concerning the decision will be entered into. In assessing the strength of nominations the selection panel will pay particular attention to the quality of the dissertations as judged by the external examiners' and principal supervisor's reports, and/or the acceptance or publication of papers arising from the dissertation in scholarly refereed journals. Candidates will be notified of the outcome of their application by June 30th 2014.

6.0 The Nomination Process

All nomination materials must be in English and submitted in electronic form. Nominees should submit an electronic copy of:

  • A completed nomination form (see link below on this page).
  • Original reports of external examiners and principal supervisor.
  • An eight page extended summary of the dissertation.
  • A signed statement, on institutional letterhead, prepared by a relevant institutional representative, certifying that the final copy of the dissertation has been submitted, examined and that the doctoral degree was awarded. The original signed letter must also be sent by air mail post to the address listed below.

All nomination materials must be received no later than the close of business on Friday February 28, 2014 to be considered in the current competition. Nomination materials, and/or queries regarding nominations, should be directed to: Dr Peter P. Oppenheim, ISHS Chair, Commission Horticultural Economics and Management, peter.oppenheim@ymail.com