The PhD Supervisory Relationship Gap in the Accounting Discipline: A Study in a Malaysian Public University

Abstract

This study examines the nature and quality of supervisory relationship of the PhD supervisors and PhD supervisees based on questionnaire survey on 100 PhD supervisors and PhD supervisees. The results show that PhD supervisee group tend to agree that having common research interest and professional reputation of the supervisors as an important factor whereas the PhD supervisors perceived the PhD supervisees’ past research and work experience as a major influence in choosing their supervisee. The results also show that there is a significant different in supervisory selection criteria between PhD supervisors and supervisees in terms of common research interest and PhD supervisee’s/supervisor’s work habit and personality. A key finding in this study is that the selection criteria of supervisory relationship characteristics vary between the PhD supervisors and supervisees. Therefore, it is recommended that PhD supervisees need to be aware of the supervisory selection criteria of their potential supervisors in order to be accepted by the later party. PhD supervisees also need to be aware of the supervisory relationship characteristics expected by their PhD supervisors need order to complete their study successfully.