This literature review based article summaries the research findings across six dimensions of postgraduate research supervision: Student-supervisor relationship, Gender and research supervision, Allocating and matching students with supervisors, Pedagogy of research supervision, Roles and responsibilities of postgraduate students and supervisors and Effective supervision. Postgraduate research supervision and its impact on students’ completion of postgraduate studies continue to pose significant challenges to higher education managers, postgraduate students, university dons, funders of postgraduate education, and all stake holders. Given the findings, it is recommended that the Business school be flexible in terms of selection of supervisors and also come up with adequate orientation programme on research. The findings revealed that the students’ attitude towards research was mainly influenced by supervision, the students’ own abilities and the environment they suddenly found themselves in. The student had to still being engaged in research without having sought a “dead period”, an official period of withdrawal before resumption, or having internally decided to give the course a break. To be selected as a respondent in this study, one had to be a student of MUBS pursuing an MBA programme and had to have completed the coursework component of their work but had delayed in the programme due to failure to complete their research component in time. The selection of the 17 respondents who participated in this study was done using purposive technique.
The respondents were able to narrate their stories on their own experience when undertaking research. A phenomenological qualitative study approach was employed. It was conducted in Makerere University Business School (MUBS) in Uganda. This study set out to examine the Masters students’ attitudes towards research component of their programme. The study ends with recommendations on how reduce student attrition and completion periods. The paper attributes the high attrition and completion rates in the MPM programme at the University of Botswana to inadequate/lack of funding/sponsorship for postgraduate studies, inadequate academic integration and, to some extent, weak supervisory skills and processes. Findings from the study indicated that of the enrolled MPM programme student population in the period of study only 26.2% graduated 10.0% were still pursuing the degree but having gone beyond the minimum period and 63.8% were victims of attrition of which majority (73.7%) fell victim to attrition at the research phase. Long completion periods and in particular, attrition have adverse financial, psychological and opportunity costs to affected candidates as well as other stakeholders. The article discusses the extent and causes of attrition and completion periods based on the Master of Project Management (MPM) programme at the University of Botswana.