The successful conclusion of a doctoral thesis on the subject of customer knowledge marks the conclusion of a three-year cooperative doctorate between the innoForce company, based in Balzers, and the University of Liechtenstein. The success of this project points the way for other small businesses in the region to benefit from up-to-date academic research findings.
The successful conclusion of a doctoral thesis on the subject of customer knowledge marks the conclusion of a three-year cooperative doctorate between the innoForce company, based in Balzers, and the University of Liechtenstein. The success of this project points the way for other small businesses in the region to benefit from up-to-date academic research findings.
Knowledge is the central success factor for many small to medium-sized enterprises or SMEs. Companies can improve their competitive chances significantly by making intensive use of the knowledge available to them – both that of their own employees and that of customers. But academic research in this field has been quite scanty hitherto. This was why back in 2010 the innoForce company embarked on a joint research project with the University of Liechtenstein, with the object of researching into the best ways for integrating customer knowledge with strategic management. A joint doctoral thesis was the result.
Dr Stefan Wilhelm and Professor Güldenberg at the ceremony for the conferral of the doctorate in September 2013.
An attractive and practically successful approach
Doctorate candidate Stefan Wilhelm’s working time was divided between two institutions – the Faculty of International Management at the university’s Institute for Entrepreneurship, and the Marketing & Sales department of the innoForce company. For the three years of its duration, the cooperative doctorate has proved its practical value as an attractive model for others to follow. ‘This cooperative doctorate format will allow small Liechtenstein businesses to benefit from new knowledge and talent,’ says Professor Stefan Güldenberg, who holds the Chair of International Management at the University of Liechtenstein and is at the same time Dean of the Graduate School, with responsibility for postgraduate studies at the university. ‘Research into relevant issues and their practical implementation, conversely, ensures that doctoral candidates can look forward to a dual training course at the highest level of quality.’
New ideas for small businesses
innoForce Managing Director Christoph Wille is also appreciative of his company’s partnership with the University of Liechtenstein: ‘As an aspiring company, we can benefit from new ideas off the beaten track of ingrained thinking. This is important for our dynamism and capacity to innovate.’ As an academic research worker of the University of Liechtenstein, Dr Wilhelm can enrich the teaching he receives by drawing on his past professional experience. ‘When I describe practical situations we have been faced with at the company in the past, there is silence in the lecture theatre,’ he reports. ‘Students are interested in learning what things are like “out there in the world”.’ And the reverse is also true – he will be able to apply the knowledge management skills he has acquired on the course when he is back ‘on the job’ at innoForce.
Dr Stefan Wilhelm (post-doctorate candidate at the University of Liechtenstein and an employee of the Marketing & Sales department at innoForce), Christoph Wille (Managing Director of innoForce) and Professor Güldenberg (Head of the Faculty of International Management at the university).
The success of the cooperative partnership also confirms that Dr Wilhelm, having concluded his dissertation, will continue to work for the Marketing & Sales department the innoForce while at the same time remaining an academic research associate at the university, sponsored by his company.
If you are a small business and interested in a cooperative doctorate, please contact Professor Güldenberg at www.uni.li/kooperatives-doktorat.