Page 42 - VIA Broschüre

MATTHIAS

WENZEL

While being a PhD student at the doctoral experience that has remained unrepeated.
DISSERTATION TOPIC program on Dynamic Capabilities and Rela- Looking back, this sandbox has greatly con-
Market-shaping Capabilities: tionships, I could feel that DCR is a special tributed to my professional development
Examining a Sub-capacity of place for the professional development of as an academic. DCR’s provision of essen-
Dynamic Capabilities
academics. Sure, the program had overt tial means has laid a solid methodological,
PERIOD OF STAY characteristics that differed from other theo retical, and network-generating foun-
04/2012 – 01/2015 career paths in academia. For example, unlike dation for conceptual and empirical inquiries
02/2015 – 03/2015 doctoral candidates who work at a professo- into relevant contemporary managerial
as Postdoctoral Researcher
rial chair, we did not have any teaching or phenomena. The program’s openness for
CURRENT POSITION administrative obligations; and unlike exter- counterintuitive research outcomes has
Professor of Organization nal doctoral candidates who are employed in spurred the curiosity necessary to explore
Studies at Leuphana businesses or administrations, we received the unexplored, to see the unseen, and to
University of Lüneburg
a scholarship that more or less covered our make the invisible visible. And the provision
living expenses. In addition, we were struc- of a secure, duty-free environment created
tured in cohorts and received theoretical and the independence necessary to dare to
metho dological input in the first year of our articulate what otherwise remains unsaid,
PhD as well as access to networks in research and to unhide what otherwise was to
and practice throughout the entire program, remain hidden.
which was (and still is) rather unusual.
In post­truth societies, scientific insights
Although these characteristics of DCR were are increasingly marginalized, such that
visible, and although I could feel that these public debates are increasingly dominated
characteristics were special, I came to by noncurated, ungrounded ideas and “fake
understand much later what is so special news” that polarize the business world and
about them. In principle, they are constitu- society at large. To counter these trends,
tive features of a “research sandbox”. That participating in public debates based on
is, DCR (1) provided us with all essential substantiated, thoughtful knowledge is ever
means — know ledge and skills, financial more important. Intended or not, DCR has
resources, and a network — (2) to experiment provided me with the confidence to “speak
with research ideas (3) in a secure and up” based on such knowledge. Therefore,
duty-free environment. Indeed, working in I am very thankful for being part of the
such a sandbox was special — a unique DCR “research sandbox”.
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