Inside Executive DBA Research

Executive Doctorate of Business Administration (Executive DBA) candidate Shilpa Rosenberry ’98 and member of the inaugural cohort is researching how videoconferencing backgrounds shape perceptions of warmth, competence, and leadership in virtual workplaces.

After more than 25 years shaping retail strategy, Rosenberry had built a career advising retailers and consumer goods companies on how to adapt and thrive. As an independent retail strategy consultant, she leads high-level advisory initiatives, navigating complex business challenges with confidence. Yet over time, her ambitions evolved. She began to envision a transition into higher-level academic administration, one that would require a deeper engagement with research.

“I wanted a career change,” Rosenberry explained, “specifically to move into higher-level administration within a business school. I’d been exposed to research throughout my career, but academic research is different. It demands rigor, theoretical grounding, and a structured methodology that goes beyond industry work.”

That realization led her back to Fairfield Dolan’s Executive DBA program, where she had once completed her undergraduate degree. Familiar with its standards and outcomes, she felt certain Fairfield Dolan would provide the intellectual challenge and support she needed. It did not disappoint. “Pursuing a DBA felt like the right path to bridge my industry experience with the expectations of academia,” she said. “I had no doubt that the business school would provide the same level of rigor and support at this stage in my career, and it did.”

How the Research Process Unfolded

As part of the doctoral program’s research focus, Rosenberry designed a mixed-method study examining how videoconferencing backgrounds shape first impressions of warmth and competence among working professionals. She began with qualitative interviews, speaking with professionals who rely on videoconferencing daily.

“While there were many interesting insights to come out the qualitative study, the one that stood out to me was that female professionals actively neutralize their backgrounds, avoiding personal or gendered objects that might reinforce gender biases. This could be anything from family photos to their handbag,” she said.

Curious whether this concern was valid, Rosenberry expanded her study into a quantitative experiment. She tested different videoconferencing backgrounds—including feminine-gendered objects, neutral items, plain settings, and blurred screens, while keeping the same female professional constant. She then measured how participants rated her warmth, competence, and leadership ability, and whether the evaluator’s gender made a difference.

The results showed a surprising gap. Although many women actively adjust their virtual backgrounds to avoid bias, the presence of feminine-gendered objects did not significantly change how they were perceived. This suggests that while concerns about bias strongly shape behavior, their actual impact on first impressions in this context may be smaller than expected.

Reflecting on her journey, Rosenberry describes the program as transformative. “I learned a tremendous amount. The professors were exceptional, and I built lasting relationships with my cohort,” Rosenberry said. For others considering a similar path, her advice is simple: “Whether you’re looking to make a career change or deepen your expertise, go for it.”

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