A city to platform growth and career advancement

From 31 May to 2 June, Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences will host the ninth edition of the European Sales Competition 2023 (ESC 2023). At the Brinklaan location in Apeldoorn, more than 100 participants from 25 institutions from across Europe will gather in the royal and green city to challenge each other in this exciting event filled with once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for professional self-development. The competition will also be a great place to have fun and network. As an entrepreneurial city, Apeldoorn is the perfect location for the ESC 2023.

Renowned for its beauty, royal history and green surroundings, the city of Apeldoorn offers participants the opportunity to explore stunning nature and experience a rich cultural heritage, such as Palace Het Loo, which used to be the home of the Dutch royalty. Beyond its beautiful natural environment, Apeldoorn has a thriving business climate and a strong commitment to sustainable innovation and entrepreneurship, with initiatives like LONKT as well as other programmes centred on making sure local businesses thrive. Apeldoorn's commitment to its entrepreneurs has created a strong ecosystem of local enterprises, especially in the catering sector, meaning those travelling to the competition from abroad will find a host of amazing restaurants, pubs and various artisans. The city has a history of welcoming visitors from all over the world, making it a great location for international competitions like the ESC 2023. It is no coincidence that Wittenborg, the most international business school in the Netherlands, settled in Apeldoorn. It is not the first time Apeldoorn was the home of an international business event, as Wittenborg also hosted EuroCHRIE in Apeldoorn in October of last year.

The European Sales Competition serves as a platform for participants to enhance their sales skills, expand their professional networks and improve their employability prospects. Apeldoorn is very enthusiastic to be hosting this prestigious competition organised by Wittenborg. By providing a conducive environment for participants to showcase their abilities, engage with industry professionals, and gain valuable experience, Apeldoorn aligns with the competition's goals of supporting and platforming economic growth and career advancement.

Travelling participants in the ESC 2023 will not only have the opportunity to showcase their sales talent but will also have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the unique offerings of this remarkable city. They shall be welcomed by the Deputy Mayor of Apeldoorn, Jeroen Joon, during the start of the competition where they can compete, network, have fun and experience the eclectic business climate of Apeldoorn.

WUP 26/05/2023
by Niels Otterman
©WUAS Press

Promoting the applied research capacity of Wittenborg

Welcome to Wittenborg Research Centre’s series of interviews with our research-active faculty members! To kick off this series, Wittenborg Research Centre spoke with Wittenborg’s Vice President of Applied Research, Prof. Dr Ad Kil.

Prof. Dr Ad Kil is Vice President of Applied Research at Wittenborg. He holds a BA in Psychology, an MA in Social Pedagogy, a PGDip P&O, a PGDip CE (Corporate Education), an MA in Human Resources Management, an MBA and a PhD in Management Science and Business Administration. His PhD research was on competences of managing partners of law firms. Ad is also Emeritus Professor of Research Didactics for Professionals at Nyenrode Business University, he was Director of Executive PhD programmes at Nyenrode and Professor of Research at Nordic International Management Institute, China. He is a former HRD professor at Nottingham Law School, UK, and former Master of Conflict Management Research Manager, Maastricht University Law School. Ad was also a senior lecturer at the Dutch Bar Association (NOvA), where he developed the Advocacy Skills Programme, and Radboud University Law School, the Netherlands. His areas of research interest include research methodology, business research, family business, succession and wealth management and professional service firms. 

Beginning the Education and Research Journey

From when he began higher education in his early twenties, Ad has always been involved in the intersection of professional development and education simultaneously. Ad describes himself as not being an easy learner. “I learn best when I take something, and I do something with it.” This basic principle triggered him throughout his higher education and professional career. Speaking about the role of education and research, Ad says, “At the end of the day, the aim of education and research is to get the myth out of it. Science is nothing other than demystification." Ad outlined that although he has done other types of work throughout his career, he was always nonetheless involved in lecturing and teaching, mainly in the domains of social sciences (psychology, sociology, organisational behaviours, etc.). He also spent some time involved in curriculum development, particularly developing professional training programmes for corporate bodies and institutions.

Publishing in Academia

Ad is no stranger to the field of academic publishing. He initially started publishing in the field of conflict management over twenty years ago. For the past ten years, he has been particularly active in academic publishing. “I have good publications and enough publications - last year (2022) I had six, and I have three already so far this year.” The third edition of Praktijkgericht kwalitatief onderzoek (''Practice-oriented Qualitative Research''), which Ad co-authored, has recently been published. This bestselling book is a practical manual that outlines the methods of practice-oriented qualitative and deductive research and covers important topics including research design, theoretical framework/conceptual models, analysing and summarising research data, and writing up research results and findings.

Ad endorses collaborative effort in research and publication. “You combine knowledge, disciplines, brains, and time”, he says. Ad also shared some of his perception of doctorate level research. ''You learn the game of research after your PhD – getting your PhD is just the beginning”, he comments.

The Differences and Challenges of Applied Research

Ad describes how he has become more and more interested in applied research rather than theoretical research. He talks about the difference and distinction between the two. “The end product of theoretical research is a test or improvement or expounding of a theory. Whereas the end product of practice-based research is on finding solutions for real-life problems.”

Ad identifies a social impact aspect to this and says that it is important for universities of applied sciences to take their research very seriously. “The effects are in practice, not in the head. Therefore, the research needs to be accountable to the real situation”, says Ad. “The real-life solutions that applied research can provide have a direct impact on innovation”.

According to Ad, the biggest challenge in applied science is to get people from the concrete to the abstract level of thinking. “Concrete thinking is a slow way of thinking; the more abstract your thinking, the faster, more mercurial it is.’’ As such, there are many ways of solving issues. “Research is a forced reflection. There is always more than one solution, but there is also the best solution,” Ad comments.

Advice for Future Research

Ad gives advice to both students and faculty as regards developing future research capacity at Wittenborg. Ad encourages students to learn how to conduct research, to follow themes and trends which are important within the industry one is studying or researching, to learn to do statistics and how to use research tools, and to get involved in research projects where possible. Ad encourages faculty to go one layer deeper in researching of their fields of interest, and to take a subject and see how it works in the context of education.

For further information about Prof. Dr Ad Kil, please see his official website, his Wittenborg website profile and his LinkedIn profile.

WUP 24/05/2023
by Selina White
©WUAS Press

Insights from Dutch hotels

WUAS' Associate Professor Vanessa de Oliveira Menezes recently published two book chapters in the Brazilian book Universidade e Sociedade: por uma construção de cidadania. The book will be published in 2023, but the project started in 2021 and was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The two chapters deal with sustainability in hospitality, applying studies in different cases in Dutch hotels.  

The first chapter examines the best way to communicate sustainable initiatives in hotels, specifically at the Stenden Hotel in Leeuwarden, the Netherlands, where De Oliveira Menezes did her postgraduate research. "According to the findings, guests prefer short, dynamic messages, with a bit of humour," she explains. "Moreover, this information should not be intrusive and should not be provided at times when guests are in a hurry, such as during check-in and check-out."

The second chapter researches the use of toiletries in hotels and focuses on a case study at the Crowne Plaza South Amsterdam, a business hotel owned by Intercontinental Hotels. The hotel planned to replace its small bottles for toiletries with large ones to comply with EU restrictions on certain single-use plastics. The findings showed that most guests were in favour of the new approach because they understood why the change was taking place and preferred brands with more attractive bottles and scents.    

De Oliveira Menezes chose these case studies based on the partnership the hotels or hotel chain had with NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences, where she worked as a senior researcher in hospitality. The hotels were looking for specific research in these areas, and they contacted her because of her expertise.

She started writing about this topic because the chapters are part of her postgraduate study, which she is currently working on in Leeuwarden, focusing on her research in this area. She wants to continue her research and was lucky to meet someone who offered her guidance on her research: "I found a professor at NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences who was also researching the topic," she explains. "I showed her my research ideas and she agreed to guide me on this new project."  

Challenges and setbacks

The process of getting the articles published faced some setbacks due to the pandemic. "This book was supposed to be published by the end of 2021, but the publisher did not want to invest in new projects until they were certain about the future."

Normally, when the publisher buys an author's idea, the authors and the editor sign a contract setting deadlines, processes and sales. The editors sell the idea to the publisher, and after approval, they make a formal invitation to researchers who have interesting research on the topics. The authors then send a draft of their main idea to the editors, and if they like the idea, they approve it, and the authors send the final chapter within a few months.

"However, the publishers did not want to invest in new projects until they were sure about the future. It's an investment for them too," De Oliveira Menezes explains. "Even though it was a good time to sell their stock, they were afraid to invest in new projects because the moment was uncertain." This led to this book and its chapters being published in 2023, a year and a half after the original publication date.

Vanessa de Oliveira Menezes' book chapters offer valuable insights into sustainability in the hospitality industry. Her experience highlights the importance of partnerships between business and academia in producing relevant research and offers useful advice for those who want to publish their research in book chapters.

WUP 22/05/2023  
by Niels Otterman  
©WUAS Press

Catching up with friends and making new connections

In late April, Wittenborg attended the AACSB International Conference and Annual Meeting (ICAM), which was held in Chicago, Illinois from 23 to 25 April. The large event for the world’s top business schools was attended by Wittenborg CEO Maggie Feng, President Peter Birdsall, Head of Business School Rauf Abdul and Assurance of Learning Manager Kriszta Kaspers-Rostás, who represented Wittenborg at the conference. The conference was attended by business and education experts from around the world, most of which were AACSB Business Education Alliance members like Wittenborg. The conference provided attendees with excellent networking opportunities, insightful lectures and chances to catch up with old colleagues, such as Wittenborg's former Vice President of Academic Affairs, Professor Ron Tuninga, who was also in attendance at the conference, having become AACSB Vice President and Managing Director of EMEA in 2022.

At the conference, Wittenborg had the opportunity to connect with other members of the AACSB Business Education Alliance and share their experiences with each other. The conference provided a unique platform for attendees to learn from experts in the field and gain new insights into the latest trends and developments in business education. The conference offered a range of educational sessions covering a wide array of topics that are important to business schools in 2023, including leadership, innovation and sustainability. Attendees were able to participate in interactive workshops and engage in lively discussions with their peers in a city with an extensive business history.

Chicago is a city that offers a wealth of resources and attractions that make it an ideal destination for business events. The city has a rich history of innovation, commerce and international culture that has made it a hub for business and education. Known as America’s “melting pot” because of its incredibly diverse population, Chicago is a fitting place for Wittenborg, the most international Dutch business school, to visit. The city is known for its food, architecture and cultural attractions, which made it an ideal destination for the conference. Between workshops and meetings, attendees had the opportunity to explore the city's many restaurants, museums and parks, which provided a welcome respite from the conference's busy schedule.

ICAM is also the annual meeting of AACSB, an association where its members are annually asked to vote on important issues, such as raising or lowering membership dues, which was the topic this year. Peter Birdsall, as official representative of Wittenborg, voted in favour of raising membership dues by $630 per year. AACSB has the lowest membership fee of all business school associations that Wittenborg is part of, and its accreditation fees are also lower than others.

The Wittenborg representatives were delighted to have had the opportunity to attend the conference and learn from their peers. They were also able to make new connections and deepen existing relationships with other members of the AACSB Business Education Alliance. Each Wittenborg representative took with them new connections, insights into education as well as stronger ties with their fellow AACSB members. The AACSB International Conference and Annual Meeting was a resounding success. Wittenborg’s attendance at the conference was a testament to the university of applied sciences’ commitment to providing its students with the best possible education and preparing them for success in the global business arena.

WUP 17/05/2023
by Olivia Nelson & Peter Birdsall
©WUAS Press

Call for action

Employees in Dutch higher education are becoming increasingly dissatisfied with their roles. The second-largest union in the Netherlands, the Christelijk Nationaal Vakverbond (Christian National Trade Union - CNV) has raised the alarm on working conditions for those in the public higher education sector. According to them, employees have to deal with increasing work pressure, while facing tighter and tighter constraints on how they choose to operate as professionals. The complaints come not only from teaching staff, but support staff as well. In late April, the CNV's Higher Education sector group, sent a letter to Vereniging Hogescholen (Association of Universities of Applied Sciences) imploring them to implement solutions to these rising issues at Wittenborg's competitor institutions. According to CNV Higher Education Chairperson Luc van Dijk-Wijmenga and Secretary Andrea van Zuuk, the increasing work pressure and dwindling autonomy poses a risk to the quality of education, as well as the wellbeing and happiness of employees in the education sector. They are calling upon Maurice Limmen, president of the Vereniging Hogescholen, to take action.

In the letter, Van Dijk-Wijmenga and Van Zuuk flag issues that have become especially obvious in recent months. They say employees report having less and less say in their operations or team formations, or little to no say in educational changes, having to deal with an extra layer of management that influences and controls their work. “More specifically, it sometimes seems as if boards want to gain more control over the educational organisation, resulting in micromanagement, more layers of management and less autonomy and job satisfaction in the workplace,” Van Dijk-Wijmenga and Van Zuuk detail. The letter continues: “By striving for more and more (refined or not) hierarchy, the unique character of education is increasingly subject to regulations and uniformity. These are recognisable problems for everyone working in the sector and are developments that we find worrying.”

Van Dijk-Wijmenga and Van Zuuk argue that employee freedom is essential to quality education. “By giving employees more space to bring their own ideas and creativity to their work, they will be more motivated and more involved. This will result in better education for students and more satisfied employees,” the letter argues. Van Dijk-Wijmenga and Van Zuuk, therefore, call on the Vereniging Hogescholen to award employees more autonomy and responsibility in their work within education. For example, employees might have more say over the content of their work, which Van Dijk-Wijmenga and Van Zuuk say would place responsibilities back where they belong and encourage personal initiative.

The CNV's letter is not an anomaly. In February 2023, de Volkskrant reported that one-sided changes to education methods caused a stir at Fontys University of Applied Sciences in the south of the Netherlands, resulting in intense debates among education staff. Similar changes at other Dutch institutions have also been subject to criticism and protest. So far, the Vereniging Hogescholen does not appear to have responded to the CNV's letter, which implored a discussion with Limmen. It remains to be seen which measures Dutch public higher education institutions will implement in order to relieve pressure from employees and ensure their workplace freedom while protecting the quality of public education.

WUP 13/05/2023
by Olivia Nelson
©WUAS Press

Data hygiene

On 18 April, Wittenborg's students were treated to a lecture by Dr Nikita Pahwa called “Excel Data Cleaning and SPSS Data Import” at Wittenborg's Amsterdam study location. During her lecture, Dr Pahwa emphasised the importance of data in today's world and the role of analytics in allowing students to become the successful managers of tomorrow. Pahwa is an experienced lecturer with over 10 years of experience who has worked with and mentored countless students to ensure they achieve academic excellence in their field. “Mentoring is my passion,” she enthuses. Dr Pahwa holds both a BA and MA in Economics, later obtaining a PhD in Economics. Having taught in both India and the Netherlands, she is very experienced in thesis supervision and teaching. She additionally has experience with consultancy to effect local policy change.

“My experience also includes a consulting assignment with a think tank in India which required contribution to policy planning.” This experience was essential to her PhD in Economics, her top achievement to date. “The achievement that I am most proud of is the result of my PhD thesis, which highlighted the vacuum in policymaking in India for elementary education.” Her incredible background made her a top choice for a guest lecture, which students and staff members present benefitted from greatly. “Students learned the journey of data – from understanding the process of gathering data to data cleaning and visualization,” she says. This is a vital area for every student at Wittenborg, as it is necessary to gain competency in these skills to successfully complete their theses.

Wittenborg's students were enthusiastic and receptive to Dr Pahwa's lecture, impressing the economics expert. “I really enjoyed my session with the students at Wittenborg,” she says. “The students were proactive and involved in an active class discussion with a professional attitude.” Dr Dadi Chen, Wittenborg Associate Professor of Applied Sciences & Programme Coordinator also took note of the students’ interest in the lecture. “I asked several students during the break about her lecture. They all liked it very much and regarded it as very relevant to practice,” he points out. “She introduced herself as a professional lecturer and researcher. She has a strong background in economics.”

According to Dr Chen, despite the wealth of information contained in the lecture, it was easy for Dr Pahwa to keep students’ attention. “The lecturer was very passionate about the topic and prepared very well with an Excel data sheet for students to work on.” He says that by making the session interactive, Dr Pahwa created a rich learning experience for students. “This was more like a well-structured workshop with really practical step-by-step guidance and hands-on experience for students to clean the data and prepare for analysis. She managed the time very well with sufficient time for students to prepare in each of the steps.” Dr Chen also highlights that Dr Pahwas shining personality helped captivate students. “She's amiable and humorous, with good body language to communicate with the students.”

Wittenborg thanks Dr Pahwa for her insightful lecture, which helped students gain key skills in data which will continue to benefit them in both their academic as well as working life. Wittenborg's students had a great time getting to know and learning from her.

WUP 11/05/2023
by Olivia Nelson
©WUAS Press