Is 18 months realistically enough to draft a business administration dissertation?

Yes, 18 months is realistic, but only if your topic becomes narrow and your advisor approves the research direction early. Given your full-time job, lack of research experience, and APA 7 challenges, you should plan on 10–12 hours each week; 12–15 hours would give you a safer cushion. Think of it as a part-time job: four to five hours on one weekend, three hours on two weeknights, and a shorter session during the week. If “next spring” is much sooner than 18 months, tell your advisor immediately and clarify whether the 150-page target is a working draft or something that must already be polished. Your biggest risk isn’t simply writing enough; it’s spending months researching broadly before settling on a manageable question. Start by turning your business topic into a specific problem, population, and method, then build a literature matrix that tracks each source’s argument, method, findings, and relevance. A strong literature review should synthesize themes and disagreements, not summarize articles one by one. Practice APA 7 in short sessions rather than leaving it until the end, because formatting problems become exhausting when you’re already tired. Also, don’t chase 150 pages at the expense of coherence—clear analysis and a defensible argument matter far more than filling pages. You can absolutely make this deadline