Harry Strobell
A student from Germany has graduated with a DBA (Doctor of Business Administration) for his research looking at the German pet care industry.
Dr Harry Strobell, who works as an international manager within the pet care industry, said: “My research is about the impact of German culture on the decision-making process of German pet care managers. The question is, how are German pet care managers deciding to enter a new foreign market and what is the role of the German culture.”
Harry said he was influenced by one of his previous jobs. “I was working for a Chinese company and was impressed by the way these people were managing their internationalization,” he said. “This was completely different to what I had seen before. So, I was interested to investigate the impact that national culture has on the way people do business.
“The findings showed that there is much randomness, gut feeling decision making and a lack of preparation in the approach of the German pet care industry to new market entries, which is not something I expected before.”
And for Harry, who admits that studying for a doctorate whilst balancing the competing pressures of work and family life was challenging at times, in the end the effort was all more than worth it.
“It feels fantastic to be graduating,” he said. “The doctorate was for sure one of the best things in my life. Of course, there is this new knowledge which I have gathered in the past years, and which makes me an expert in this special field. On the other hand, I think writing a doctorate thesis helps you to improve your way of thinking. I am today much more open minded, tolerant and reflect more about my personal actions. Also, I became more critical especially about written things. Finally, I could extend my network and met many worthy people during the time of my studies.”
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