Magdalena Langosch, PhD researcher

What country are you from?

Germany

Under which institute are you studying your PhD?

Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship

What is the full title of your PhD?

Mergers and Acquisitions - do Soft-Factors explain post-merger Performance?

Please give a brief synopsis of what you are researching and why.

I am researching how softer factors, such as cultural differences and experiences, influence the performance of National and International Mergers and Acquisitions (M&As). Therefore I am splitting up my work into different sub-topics, which will be turned into academic papers and research notes. For example, based on my Master's thesis, I conducted a Meta-Analysis on the literature of post-merger integration and the human/soft-side of it, which I am currently revising in order to build a systematic literature review for following papers. My second project is focusing on subnational regions and how crossing-borders within a country can influence performance and thus may add to the existing theory and discussions in International Business of crossing borders and the liability of foreignness.

Who are your academic supervisors?

Professor Wilfred Dolfsma (Loughborough University London).

Why did you choose Loughborough University London to undertake your PhD?

Loughborough University London is a new and innovative campus in one of the most international and multicultural cities in the world. With the great support from Loughborough University (main campus) the university provides both, creative innovative research while benefiting from the great resources and experiences from the main campus.

Tell us about your academic background.

• BSc in International Business, University of Groningen (The Netherlands)
• MSc in Organizational Change and Consulting, Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (The Netherlands)

What attracted you to your chosen research field?

I have lived abroad for more than 4 years now and had a great deal of experience in working and communicating with people from different cultural backgrounds to myself. That aspect of International Business caught my attention from the beginning of my Bachelor Studies. However, it was during my Semester abroad, at EWHA University in Seoul, South Korea, that I fell in love with researching cross-cultural management and communication, when I conducted my very first little research project for one of my classes. Since then I have worked hard on finding the right gap and I believe to have found it. Cross-cultural management or communication is not only applicable and important for mergers, as in my case, but interesting and important for everybody and many different situations in life. We are confronted with people from different cultures often, especially in a multi-cultural city such as London. 

What research have you completed so far?

I have begun my research by looking at the following literature:

• From the M&A online magazine
  • M&A: Dutch buyers acquiring less international despite Globalization
  • There's a significant evidence that Dutch buyers fail in non-European Acquisitions
  • M&A: Dutch buyers are falling out of love with the US
• Book chapter (in progress)
  • Culture in Mergers and Acquisitions – A Critical Review from the Perspective of Behavioral Strategy in the book 'Culture and Behavioral Strategy' edited by Prof. T.K. Das

Describe a day in the life of a PhD student.

I usually start my day a bit earlier than most of my fellow PhD researchers, enjoying the quite atmosphere in the morning to settle down to my work and sort out what to do for the day. Usually, I start going through emails and any other paper work first, to get those things out of my mind. Depending on the project or what I have set myself as a goal I work through my to-do list for the day. Some days that means reading articles, summarising and finding what I want to actually say in my write up. Other days, I write and brainstorm, talk to my supervisors, google potential conferences, planning a bit ahead, etc. Most days I have lunch with some fellow PhD students or/and Lecturers. It’s nice to step out of your bubble for a minute and talk to people, share struggles, ideas or just talk about the latest news.

What do you like to do in your free time?

When people ask such a question, I usually say 'anything outside of university', which pretty much summarises it. I go to the gym 2-3 times a week after work, to get my mind off it all and to do something active. The gym at Copperbox Arena is just around the corner, which is nice, and research includes a lot of sitting down and reading. Besides that, as I am still relatively new in London, I like to discover the city during the weekends and meet up with friends, both from Uni and outside Uni. Also, quite a lot of my friends from home and all over Europe visit me here, so it’s great to have some old friends in a new environment around me and it’s fun to discover and enjoy London together.

How would you describe the research community on campus?

It's a small and very diverse community, with researchers from all over the world, which is great. It supports a creative and open-minded atmosphere. Especially for PhD students I like the rather small community here in London, as Lecturers and Professors are better approachable and communication is friendly, which makes working together more fun. 

What advice would you give to prospective PhD students looking to study at Loughborough University London?

Join us! Research and the PhD-life is so different to work-life and the industry. It takes a lot of self-discipline and sometimes a strong will, however, if you find your spot and research area you really like, it is also really fun. You learn so much about yourself and research, and even though it can get lonely sometimes when you are stuck in your topic, you are not alone here! Everybody is facing the same struggles to some extent and there are always people to talk to.