In 2020, at the start of the global pandemic, Isabel Van Obergen watched TV coverage of children studying from home. It was clear that kids who had access to good wifi and technology had a far better chance of keeping up than those who did not. Isabel, who is the CEO of a not-for-profit organisation, says: “I saw all these children without access to computers. And at the same time, there were all these unused offices full of equipment. I kept thinking that if there was an effective partnership in place, a significant problem could be solved.”
Isabel’s thinking about private sector and not-for-profit partnerships grew. And she decided to apply for the Executive PhD Programme in Business Administration from Vlerick, Ghent University and KU Leuven – so she could carry out robust research to find lasting solutions.
Specifically, Isabel wanted to investigate the l effects on people’s pro-social behaviour when involved in cross-sector partnerships between for-profit and not-for-profit organisations.
She says: “I wanted to create insight and understanding that could inspire organisations to undertake cross-sector partnerships in the right way – a more holistic way.
“There are already many examples of for-profit organisations partnering with not-for-profits. But are they doing this in a sustainable way? Do they share goals, and are they creating value and advantage for each other?
“I want to be able to show the impact of engaging with non-profit companies. For example, if your employees have opportunities to volunteer, does this increase engagement with your company? And does it create greater awareness of social challenges, and make them more real to people who don’t experience them directly?”
Thanks to the flexibility of the Vlerick Executive PhD team, Isabel has been able to extend the length of her programme so she could better balance her executive career, family and research commitments.
She says: “Research isn’t something that you can fit into a half hour in between emails and meetings – and working in a not-for-profit where resources are scarce, my operational involvement with the team is rather intense . So it seemed sensible to take advantage of the flexibility of the programme to balance my executive work and research work more optimally, and create space for opportunities to take the time to immerse myself in days of research.”
Isabel is now four years into the programme. She’s completed an initial phase – where she learned how to carry out research. And she is now into the second stage, which is about conducting the research itself.
She says: “The unique thing about the doctoral programme is that you combine robust academic approaches – but you do so in the context of business application and understanding.
“I have now completed my literature review and I’m moving into the qualitative research – conducting interviews and observing.”
Isabel is examining the impact of cross-sector partnerships in two organisations – a global pharmaceutical and medical technology company and a large consulting organisation. Both partner with not-for-profits, and Isabel is working to understand what the mechanics and benefits of these collaborations are.
She says: “I want to look at who specifically in a company is involved in identifying and forming a partnership. Also, how are employees involved and how are they affected by the partnership? Does it change their mindset and pro-social orientation? What are the resulting benefits for the organisation?
“It’s difficult to see whether a collaboration between a private sector company and a not-for-profit anti-poverty organisation results in less poverty. But what we may be able to see is that this partnership contributes to the private sector organisation becoming more inclusive in its thinking.”
The doctoral programme has given Isabel opportunities to attend conferences, write articles – and achieve her dream of teaching.
She says: “I’ve always wanted to teach – but I didn’t think I’d have any opportunities before I finished my PhD.
“One of my professors also lectures at Audencia Business School in Nantes, France. After hearing about my research on cross-sector partnerships, she offered me the opportunity to teach a session.
“I travelled to France and was the sole teacher of a class of 30+ young, engaged masters students. It was a truly incredible experience. And it felt amazing to have my research and experience recognised before I’ve even finished the programme.”
And Isabel wants to continue to create impact through teaching.
She says: “The programme has given me the confidence to believe that at age 50+, I can do something meaningful in my career – that I can make a change and have some kind of impact. And I think teaching is one of the best ways I can achieve this. I’d love to visit universities to talk about what I’ve learned in my career and through my research – and help inspire the next generation of leaders.
“That’s why this programme at Vlerick, KU Leuven and Ghent University is so valuable. I’m surrounded by experienced and passionate faculty – and very motivated people who are also doing the hard work to make a difference.”
Isabel’s work will of course gives her own organisation valuable insight and models for forming partnerships. But she wants to achieve something far broader.
She says: “My aim is to have a wider impact and give something back to society. I want both private sector and not-for-profit organisations to benefit.”
Dive into the publications of Isabel's supervisors: Professor Frederic Dufays and Professor Saskia Crucke.
Customer Relations Executive PhD Programme