Discover Randa Jamali's testimony as a GEM DBA student

We are delighted to present the testimony of Randa Jamali, a 2023 intake student on the GEM Global DBA program. She has kindly agreed to share her feedback on her experience at GEM.

Why did you choose a DBA and GEM in particular?  What does it offer?

I chose to pursue a DBA because it felt like a natural continuation of my personal journey. My career in real estate investment and finance gradually led me to serve on the advisory boards of several mission-driven organizations. Through this work, I became increasingly aware of the funding gap facing social enterprises and the importance of better understanding the investor–investee relationship in the resource acquisition process in impact investment. I wanted to examine this issue in greater depth, not only from a practical perspective, but also through a structured academic lens. A DBA was therefore the right path for me, as it allowed me to combine academic rigor with practical relevance.

GEM’s DBA stood out as a well-accredited and highly reputed program with a strong international outlook and an applied research orientation. It also offers the flexibility needed for professionals like myself who are pursuing doctoral research while continuing to work full-time. This combination of academic rigor, practical relevance, international exposure, and professional flexibility made GEM the right environment for developing research that is personally meaningful, academically grounded and practically relevant.

Could you give a brief overview of your research topic?

My research focuses on impact investing and, more specifically, on how social enterprises and impact investors rationalize entrepreneurial identity claims during the resource acquisition process. I am interested in the dynamics that unfold between investors and investees: how social entrepreneurs present who they are, how investors interpret and evaluate these claims, and how these claims are negotiated through interaction. The study is based on qualitative interviews with social entrepreneurs and impact investors, with a particular focus on the MENA region.

What is your working relationship with your supervisor, Martina? How do you work together?

Martina has been a wonderful source of support throughout my DBA journey. We have developed a very smooth and structured working relationship, built around open discussion, clear priorities, and focused feedback. We have worked through the research progressively, one milestone at a time, which has helped me refine my work in a thoughtful, structured, and manageable way. She is very responsive, always makes time to talk when needed, and her feedback is consistently insightful, constructive, and directly relevant. She has challenged me to think more critically about a topic I care deeply about, while also helping me gain confidence in my work. Her guidance has helped me move from a broad research interest to a much sharper and more coherent and relevant doctoral project. 

How are you able to collect data and conduct your research in the current context in Lebanon?

Conducting research from Lebanon required great flexibility and persistence, especially given the local challenges and the wider regional uncertainty. I relied mainly on semi-structured interviews conducted online, which has allowed me to reach participants across Lebanon, the wider MENA region, and internationally. In some ways, the current context has made the research even more relevant, as questions of resilience, funding constraints, and social impact are central to the experiences of many investors and entrepreneurs in the region.

What are your career plans after completing your DBA?

After completing my DBA, I hope to use the research in a practical way to advance my personal mission of giving back more meaningfully and effectively. I believe the DBA will bring more depth, structure, and insight to my board roles, allowing me to better support mission-driven organizations and ventures in the region. I would also like to use what I have learned to strengthen dialogue, alignment, and collaboration between investors and social entrepreneurs, ultimately contributing to better investment outcomes for both sides.