Good decision-making rests on robust analysis, and robust analysis must use specific methods. It does not matter whether the purpose is purely academic or applied, such as for public policy guidance or business.
I started my career as a researcher at Heidelberg University while doing my doctorate in political science. Although I subsequently decided to leave academia to pursue an international career, the importance of research methodology stuck with me. No matter what project I was responsible for, I have always striven to apply rigorous analytical standards.
At International IDEA and the World Economic Forum, I led initiatives that produced insight into global challenges. At Frankfurt School, I’ve been responsible for a large business unit that I managed using clear performance indicators. As Director of Corporate Development, I currently oversee the implementation of our multi-year strategy. Whatever we do, we always base strategic decisions on thorough analysis.
I’ve also taught research methodology in courses and workshops to students at Frankfurt School.
I’m generally agnostic as to which method to use. I believe that methods are like tools. The objective and the purpose determine which one is suited best, not vice versa. My doctoral thesis was a comparative study with a limited number of cases (Small-N). More recently, I have relied more on quantitative analysis. For statistical analysis, I like to draw on the powerful capabilities of Python.