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Dr. Felix Anton Sklenarz Receives KLU Best Dissertation Award

Dr. Felix Anton Sklenarz was selected for this year’s KLU Dissertation Award for his work on the effects of disruptive events like digitalization and economic crises on firms’ market share and financial market value. Dr. Sklenarz was presented the award, which is provided by the prestigious Dr. Friedrich Jungheinrich Foundation and includes a 1,000-euro cash component, during the KLU Graduation Festivities on September 22.

Dr. Felix Anton Sklenarz receives KLU Best Dissertation Award 2023
Dr. Felix Anton Sklenarz receives KLU Best Dissertation Award 2023

“Marketing departments have always been under pressure to justify their expenses and prove their effectiveness,” says Dr. Sklenarz. “In my research, I focus on finding ways to make their achievements more measurable and transparent.”

In the course of three independent studies, Dr. Sklenarz addressed the topic of strategic decision-making for marketing in disruptive times. In the first, he questioned the use of market share as a benchmark; after all, as his findings show: When firms operating in digital markets exclusively focus on market share, they don’t tend to achieve the level of profitability that would be expected on the basis of previous studies conducted in classic sectors.

In his second project, he identified financial market value as the essential KPI for marketing. To do so, he created an unparalleled market-value database, one that can also be used for future research. Together with his advisor Prof. Alexander Himme and Prof. Marc Fischer from the University of Cologne, he gathered over 40,000 financial market values from 20 assessors, covering more than 4,600 brands over a thirty-year timeframe.

The most important finding from his third research endeavor: that marketing and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives actually improve brands’ resilience in times of economic crisis. Therefore, anyone looking to protect their brand should be sure not to cut their marketing budget. Further, putting a focus on CSR, particularly the social aspect, can serve as an insurance policy of sorts for brands, offering them a safety net in times of crisis. Consumers value these qualities and remain loyal to the brand.

All three studies are currently being reviewed by prominent journals. In addition, they have been honored with this year’s Research Prize, awarded by the Markenverband (German Brands Association).

Andreas Jansen, Chair of the Board at the Dr. Friedrich Jungheinrich Foundation

“Dr. Sklenarz has produced excellent research that, beyond its outstanding academic importance, is directly relevant in practice,” says Andreas Jansen, Chair of the Board at the Dr. Friedrich Jungheinrich Foundation. “Given the growing number of crises, his findings and the wealth of data he has gathered are valuable assets and sure to inform future discussions. We are delighted to honor his achievements with this award.”

The award selection committee also considered Dr. Sklenarz’s dissertation to be excellent in every regard, as it “…shares interesting new findings that disprove the previous state of the art in a pioneering way” and highlights “interesting aspects that are likely to shape the latest social and economic debates.” Throughout his dissertation, Dr. Sklenarz was supervised by Alexander Himme, Professor of Management Accounting, and Christian Barrot, Professor of Marketing and Innovation and Dean of Programs at KLU.

In March 2023, Dr. Sklenarz completed his studies with the distinction summa cum laude at KLU, where he is currently a Research Assistant.

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