Vlerick researchers Bart Devoldere, Jonas Onkelinx and Katrien Verleye have been granted an ICM scholarship for their upcoming PhD research. Every year the Intercollegiate Center for Management Science awards doctoral fellowships in Management Science. The awards are granted annually for a period of three years. It involves a stay of one year at a foreign university.

Bart Devoldere: "The impact of the strategic industry factor innovation on incumbent reaction, survival and performance"

Bart Devoldere: “My PhD journey aims at providing answers for many incumbents who are confronted with major upheaval in their industry. Macro-economic turbulence, strategic innovations, and many other strategic challenges are questioning incumbents’ beliefs in how to be successful in their industry, i.e. which strategic industry factors incumbents should excel at. I specifically investigate how incumbents can react towards changes in the set of strategic industry factors given their existing resources and capabilities.

The ICM scholarship gives me every freedom to explore hot academic research questions with high business relevance for a period of three years. People tell me it will be hard, lonely, and extremely demanding, but I’m fully confident this will be a great experience given the very high support from my promoters, the School and my family. The scholarship also fosters international cooperation which is indispensable for my own career and the School’s international ambitions. I’m looking forward to extending my international research network.”

Jonas Onkelinx: "Internationalization strategy and performance of small and medium sized enterprises"

Jonas Onkelinx: “My PhD research will focus on internationalization strategies of small and medium sized firms. These firms face many challenges in their internationalization process and thus need to make the right choices. While some firms may benefit from rapid internationalization, others may opt for a more gradual, step by step approach. I want to investigate which strategic choices lead to superior outcomes of the internationalization process.

This three year ICM-fellowship allows me to focus on academic research. Furthermore, the opportunity to spend a year abroad and interact with professors and collaborate with peers at a foreign university will be an enriching experience, both professionally and on a personal level. I am anxious to start following courses of the PhD program at K.U. Leuven and start planning my year abroad!”

Katrien Verleye: "Frontline and partial employee performance in service relationships: a role theoretical perspective"

Katrien Verleye: "My PhD research will investigate the impact of customer participation on the performance of frontline employees in service organizations. The organizational performance in service organizations largely depends on the performance of frontline employees, which are employees that directly interact with the customers. Today’s customers, however, are increasingly encouraged to take part in the service delivery process and even to take over some of the tasks of the frontline employees (such as customers using self-banking).

It goes without saying that I’m extremely pleased with this scholarship. The ICM scholarship allows me to really immerse myself in a subject that fascinates me. Plus, I can spend a year at a foreign university to acquire extra expertise. So, for the next three years, I’ll be doing my absolute best to make optimal use of this opportunity.”