Sabine Uitslag

Fred van Eenennaam has worked with me during his years at the Faculty of economics and business administration of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Fred was also one of my doctoral students. I was extremely sorry to see him leave our department and move to Nyenrode Business University, where he has been so successful in developing new initiatives.

Fred is a very good researcher, who has the talent to identify theoretically interesting research questions that also appeal to managers in practice. His doctoral dissertation on marketing standardisation is a very good example of this. The research question is of great practical relevance and he approached it with the best available research methods. He also was able to persuade 137 managers in large European companies to fill in a detailed questionnaire.

Students at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam gave Fred’s lectures very high scores in the bi-annual evaluation of teachers. He has the talent to make them interested in matters that may not be on their plate for some time to come. Fred has an extensive experience as a consultant and this was of great importance in convincing the students that the theory he taught in the classroom, would also be important for their future career.

I attended several of Fred’s presentations for business audiences. These always had a clear structure, were always up-to-date from a theoretical point of view as well as from a point of view of what is happening in business, and delivered with great enthusiasm. His practical examples underscore the points he wants to make. His experience in many national and international settings give the audience the feeling that they are addressed by someone who knows the worlds of theory and business intimately. This is a rare combination.