Nowm a g a z i n e f o r t h e n y e n r o d e c o m m u n i t y • i s s u e 3 f a l l 2 0 0 7

professional

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Nowm a g a z i n e f o r t h e n y e n r o d e c o m m u n i t y • i s s u e 3 f a l l 2 0 0 7

issue 3, fall 2007 • nyenrode now 3

program round-up

FACILITIESCorporate relations of Nyenrode Business Universiteit may request the useof university facilities for seminars, conferences or meetings with clients.

For information, contact events@nyenrode.nl.

DEGREE PROGRAMS

OPEN EXECUTIVE PROGRAMS

SPECIAL PROGRAMS

NIVRA-NYENRODE SCHOOL OFACCOUNTANCY & CONTROLLING

NYENRODE COLLEGE INHOLLAND

Master of Science in ManagementFULL-TIME, 16 MONTHS, STARTS IN AUGUSTThis program educates, trains and develops entrepreneurial managerswho can excel in any environment. A combination of theory, practiceand personal development.PART-TIME, 36 MONTHS, DUTCH-LANGUAGE, STARTS IN JANUARYThe Part-time MSc, held on Friday and Saturday, presents managementtheory into a practical framework.

For information on these two programs, go to www.nyenrode.nl/msc orwww.nyenrode.nl/ptmsc, or contact Esther Snijders, +31 346 291 773,e.snijders@nyenrode.nl.

International Master of Business AdministrationFULL-TIME, 13 MONTHS, STARTS IN OCTOBERCampus-based program featuring a module at the Kellogg Schoolof Management, USA. Globally minded managers are trained to puttheory into practice.PART-TIME, 21 MONTHS, STARTS IN APRILDelivered in six intensive two-week modules, the Part-time MBAcombines work and study and includes modules at the Kellogg Schoolof Management and the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa.

For information on these two programs, go to www.nyenrode.nl/imba orwww.nyenrode.nl/ptmba or contact Pipsa Ylänkö, +31 346 291 732,p.ylanko@nyenrode.nl.

Public Sector MBAPART-TIME, 24 MONTHS, DUTCH-LANGUAGE, STARTS IN JANUARYThis program translates business science and management skillsfor people with several years’ working experience in the public andnot-for-profit sectors.

For information, go to www.nyenrode.nl/publicsectormba or contact WillemijnVermeer, +31 346 291 689, w.vermeer@nyenrode.nl.

AccountancyBachelor of Science, Master of Science and post-Master programsin accountancy (‘Register Accountant – RA’).

ControllingMaster of Science and the scientific Executive Master of Finance& Control (‘Registercontroller – RC’), preparing participants for a rolein a management team.

Executive EducationShort courses (Permanent Education) to update controllers, accountantsand other financial experts on the necessary knowledge in their fields.

For information, go to www.nivra-nyenrode.nl or contact NIVRA-Nyenrode,+31 346 29 58 13, marketing@nivra-nyenrode.nl.

Nyenrode also offers in-company MBA programs and programs onspecial subjects, such as

• Financial Services & Insurance MBA

• International Executive Program for CRM Leadership

• Masterclasses on Sales Leadership, Management

Professionele Dienstverlening, Multichannel Management

and Customer Intelligence & Customer Experience

• NCD-Nyenrode Commissarissencyclus

• New Board Program

For information, contact the Nyenrode Program Information Center,+31 346 291 291, info@nyenrode.nl.

NYENRODE EXECUTIVE CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS

Bachelor of Business AdministrationFULL-TIME, 36 MONTHS, STARTS IN SEPTEMBERA three-year BBA program resulting in an honors degree which facilitatesaccess to Nyenrode’s Master of Science in Management program.The College delivers its programs in Amsterdam and The Hague.

For information, contact info@nyenrodecollegeinholland.nl.

Foundations of ManagementPART-TIME, 11 MONTHS, STARTS IN JANUARY, APRIL AND SEPTEMBERThis program offers practical business knowledge and skills for youngmanagers with a non-business-related background.

Young Management ProgramPART-TIME, 5 MONTHS, STARTS IN FEBRUARY AND OCTOBERParticipants with a minimum of five years’ work experience will findthat this program speeds up their development toward a generalmanagement position.

Advanced Management ProgramPART-TIME, 9 MONTHS, STARTS IN OCTOBERThe AMP is a source of inspiration, reflection and dialogue for seniormanagers in an environment of peers.

For information on these three programs, go to www.nyenrode.nl/fma,www.nyenrode.nl/ymp or www.nyenrode.nl/amp, or contact the NyenrodeProgram Information Center, +31 346 291 291, info@nyenrode.nl.

Customized Executive ProgramsIn cooperation with the client, Executive Programs may be customized.Clients include Ahold, KLM, Rijkswaterstaat, DHL and KoninklijkeBAM Groep.

For information, go to www.nyenrode.nl/executiveprograms or contactBianca van den Brink, +31 346 291 024, b.vdbrink@nyenrode.nl.

All Open Programs are delivered in Dutch.

Part-time, predominantly in Dutch.

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The Mix News@Nyenrode: the print versionTheme Our correspondent ranks professional services amongthe blessings of civilizationEvent creation The spectacular launch of the Toyota Auris byformer Nyenrode start-up SinqCombating crime Amateur detectives help Dutch police tosolve suspected murder casesProfessional Services Institute Academic angles on the riseand rise of the professional services sectorAccountancy Barbara Majoor shares her controversial ideasabout the auditing fieldAdvertising A young and ambitious agency shows that theentrepreneurial spirit in advertising is alive and wellHuman resources The founder of Randstad talks about theflexible workforce and his chair at NyenrodeCampus close-up On the inhabitants of the deer park

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Nyenrode NOWMagazine for the Nyenrode CommunityIssue 3, fall 2007Published byNyenrode Business UniversiteitEditor-in-chief Frank TebbeAssociate editor/writer Terri J. KesterLayout U-Cap, Cynthia SchalkwijkEditorial board Roberto Flören,Terri J. Kester, Jules Koster, CynthiaSchalkwijk, Pol Schevernels, Frank TebbeContributors Jan Boeve, HannaEmmering, Eric Fecken, Gert Immerzeel,Hendrina James, Barbara Majoor,George McDonald, Joost Schmets,John Widen, Olga Westrate

ADVERTISING Geeske Middelbrink,Upmedia, tel. +31 (0)314 360 500,email g.middelbrink@upmedia.nl

President Nyenrode Business UniversiteitHerman BrugginkDean Nyenrode Business UniversiteitBert de Groot

The Communications Departmentof Nyenrode Business Universiteitreserves the right to edit contributions.

Nyenrode Business Universiteit,Straatweg 25, 3621 BG Breukelen,The NetherlandsTel. +31 (0)346 291 211www.nyenrode.nl enews@nyenrode.nl

Professional servicesThe European economy is a service economy: more than 70 percent of all European businessis done in the service sector. No wonder then that Nyenrode, as a European businessschool, has made the management of professional service firms a key area for academicresearch and teaching.

Herman BrugginkPresident Nyenrode Business Universiteit

One could wonder whether “managing professional service firms” is a contradiction in terms. After all, it is theindependent judgment of services professionals that makes their advice so valuable to clients. Strict and formalmanagerial control of such free-ranging minds would be counterproductive. And yet, at the end of the day, profes-sional service companies need leaders like any other business. Managing them might just be a bit more challenging.

Managing a professional service firm means managing highly skilled professionals. They are a firm’s mostcritical resource, as well as its most critical audience. An attractive and challenging company culture has to becreated to satisfy the needs of such a workforce, and a balance has to be achieved between managing a servicecompany’s most critical resource and indulging the entrepreneurial ambitions of its leaders. This makes themanagement of professional service companies quite an art, the more so because it must be done in a world wherethe competition for talent is ever increasing.

A new academic year lies ahead for Nyenrode. A year in which we will support the next generation of youngtalent in the development of their skills and knowledge. It will also be a year in which the estate will see a lot ofconstruction activity. After the restoration of the coach house in the coming months, the castle will be restored inthe course of 2008. All this work will be done in order to increase our service level. As manager of a professionalservice firm – a firm called Nyenrode – I am convinced that the restoration will contribute to client satisfaction.

I expect the new academic year to be another inspiring period, in which our two schools – the business schooland the NIVRA-Nyenrode School of Accountancy & Controlling – will work even more closely together. As aprofessional service firm, we will once again put every effort into offering tomorrow’s service professionals anexcellent education, in the knowledge that a considerable percentage of our graduates will become leaders in theservice industry. We look forward to contributing to their success.

2 nyenrode now • issue 3, fall 2007

Strategisch HRM (14 MONTHS)

Business Spiritualiteit (5 MONTHS)

For information on these two programs, contact Camiel Notermans,+31 346 291 251, c.notermans@nyenrode.nl.

Part-time, in Dutch and English, programs start in January 2008.

4 nyenrode now • issue 3, fall 2007 issue 3, fall 2007 • nyenrode now 5

seal of approval from financial times

Open and customized executive programs for businesspeople atdifferent stages in their careers are widely recognized as one ofNyenrode’s strong points. It came as no surprise therefore that thisyear’s Financial Times combined listing of executive programs ranksNyenrode – the only Dutch business school to be included – at number44. We congratulate our partner institute, the Chicago-based KelloggSchool of Management, on being listed among the world’s Top Tenbusiness schools.

dutch state to speak with one voice?

Soon after the new Dutch govern-ment had been installed, PublicSector MBA alumna DorindaHovestadt contributed to innova-tion in the public sphere by pub-lishing a book entitled Concernover het Rijk of het Concern Rijk?Based on Hovestadt’s MBA thesis,the publication raises the questionwhether the various ministriesshould operate as a single entityin order to be more effective intackling today’s socio-economicissues.

prize-winning program

Aspects of innovation – from new ways of learning to effectivenessand value for society – were judging criteria in a competition for theworld’s most innovative leadership program, which was organizedby the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD).The tailor-made program entered for Nyenrode by Iselien Nabbenand Chris Sigaloff was awarded second prize, after the University ofMassachusetts. The Nyenrode duo presented the program theydeveloped for the Sociale Verzekerings Bank (Social InsuranceBank) to a high-profile audience of business leaders and represen-tatives of business schools.

news@nyenrode

the mix

out of africa

There is nothing unusual about traveling thousands of miles tostudy at the business school of your choice. What is unusual,however, is covering the distance all by yourself on a motorbike.

On the way to Nyenrode to start his MSc in Management,South African Shayne Vervoort (22) did just that: he rode his bikefrom Cape Town to Cairo in 98 days. The preparations for hisventure included a search for sponsors, one of which was themanufacturer of his Kawasaki motorbike. Throughout his trip,

Shayne kept a weblog of his adventures, which ranged from aballoon ride over the Serengeti to dealing with the bureaucraticred tape he encountered in Egypt. In an interview published onour website (www.nyenrode.nl/msc), he observed: “I believe it’strue that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Traveling thelength of Africa has taught me so much about myself.” As a studentat Nyenrode he is now set to learn even more, both about himselfand about business.

philip kotler honored with doctorate

The man who takes fourth place on the Financial Times list of themost important marketing gurus joined the likes of Bill Gates,Nelson Mandela and Wim Kok when he received an honoraryNyenrode doctorate at the start of the academic year 2006-‘07.

The world’s foremost authority on strategic marketing, Kotler for-mulated the ‘four Ps’, which are etched into the brains of marketingprofessionals everywhere. Among his books, Marketing Managementtakes a special place. Almost40 years after the originalEnglish version appeared, thethird edition of Marketing-management, De Essentie hasbeen published. Featuring 18marketing cases on Dutch andBelgian companies, it wasedited by Nyenrode professorHenry Robben, Maggie Geuensof Gent University and mar-keting experts from Dutchconsultancy firm Berenschot.

spotlight on family businesses

Last summer Roberto Flören, Nyenrode’s professor of familybusiness, presented a report to Dutch Minister of EconomicAffairs Maria van der Hoeven. Comprising 18 recommendationsaimed at stimulating the economy and removing barriers tothe growth of family companies, the report was produced bythe Expertgroep Familiebedrijven (Family Business ExpertiseGroup), an initiative of the Dutch Chamber of Commerce. TheNetherlands’ 180,000-odd family companies represent almost50 percent of the gross domestic product.

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news@nyenrode

he term ‘professional services’ can cover a multitude ofsins – and often does. Indeed providing certain services,which might be described as ‘professional’, has beenfrowned upon since time immemorial and proscribed by

authorities as diverse as the Bible and sundry national criminalcodes. What these particular services might be, I leave to the mentalagility of the reader.

However, a truly professional service, as all right-thinking peopleunderstand its meaning, is up there with mother’s milk, apple pie,and a positive trade balance, among the blessings of civilization.And rightly so. Business problems have this perverse habit of arrivingat great speed from all points of the compass and demanding instantsolution. At such times it is a comfort to any stressed executiveto know that, just beyond her door, throng legions of providers ofmultitudinous professional services – let’s call them guides – whoare willing, able, and in fact touchingly eager to start guiding at themere drop of a wad of any significant convertible currency.

Professional services, don’t you just love them? Where would webe without them? Only think for a moment – and if you can’t, orwon’t, do that for yourself, then by all means call in a consultant to

do it for you – how distressing it would be to have no one there todot your i’s, cross your t’s, and slide across a Kleenex wheneverthese things absolutely MUST GET DONE. A commercial sectorbereft of professional services is as unimaginable as Holland withoutwater, Saudi without oil, or Bruce Willis without a lop-sided grin anda wisecrack.

On the flip side of the coin, some of us surely have experience ofunprofessional services. Being on the receiving end thereof, I hastento add. None of us here – not you I’m sure, and certainly not me– have had even a passing acquaintance with delivering unprofes-sional services. No sir! A great many problems in this world couldhave been avoided if only those individuals who, quite unworthily,sit behind a larger desk on a higher floor than we do, had but trustedin our hard-won, soberly expressed experience. What a lot of troublewe could have saved them.

But did they listen? No way. What they did was send for a mobof complete strangers: Expert Engineers, A-Team Accountants, EliteLaw Firms, and more. And now look where we are – on top of theworld. Life isn’t fair, is it? Get me a professional opinion on that,and quick!

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nyenrode center for finance

finance faculty expanded

Financial policy, consul-tancy and research are themain areas of expertise ofJaap Koelewijn, Nyenrode’snew professor of finance.Koelewijn built up hisbroad experience as headof research at the Nether-lands Authority for theFinancial Markets (AFM)and vice-president of IRIS,a joint subsidiary ofRabobank and Robeco.

thesis on asset-backed

securities

The Nyenrode faculty hasadded another doctor to itsranks. Last summer, theFinance Center’s Dennis Vinksuccessfully defended histhesis, in which he inves-tigates the securitizationmarket in 36 countries. Theuse of asset-backed securi-ties has grown explosivelyover the last 20 years, andsecuritization is now oneof the world’s most promi-nent steady interest bearingsectors.

inaugural lecture

Jan Joling, who has occu-pied a post as loss surveyprofessor at Nyenrodesince last year, has recentlyheld his inaugural lecture.Entitled Van Claimcultuurtot Claimmanagement, theaddress centered on Joling’sviews on litigation manage-ment and the many uncer-tainties and loose endsremaining after loss claimproceedings.

management team readers vote for nyenrode mba

A readers panel of Management Team, the Netherlands’ largestbusiness magazine, recently rated our MBA program the mostpopular one in the country. Citing the quality of the program andthe university’s reputation as key criteria, the panel gave Nyenrode28 percent of the vote, 5 percent more than the Rotterdam Schoolof Management.

taste of reality for msc graduates

A lecture by gifted speaker Victor Muller, known for his spectacularrevival of Spyker Cars, livened up the climax of the MSc in Manage-ment’s entrepreneurship course in June. The students’ competitiveassignment to obtain external funding for their business plans wasjudged by informal investors from NeBIB, an independent broker inventure capital. The 2007 Entrepreneurship Award went to a groupof students calling themselves The Lounge.

ten years… and counting

Nyenrode’s Young Management Program (YMP) is clearly strikingthe right chord. The program, whose goal is to speed up the partici-pants’ career development, recently celebrated its tenth anniversary.Students, alumni and others participated in a festive event thatfocused on talent and leadership but left plenty of time to catch upwith old friends.

www.nyenrode.nl/news www.nyenrode.nl/newsatnyenrode

by george mcdonald

your message in nyenrode now

Would you like your message to reach the 20,000 membersof the Nyenrode community? Geeske Middelbrink willbe happy to give you any information you require aboutadvertisements and advertorials in Nyenrode NOW.Call her on +31 314 360 500 or send an email tog.middelbrink@upmedia.nl.

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event creation

In Sinq withthe marketafter picking up speed as a nyenrode start up, sinq is now firing on all cylinders. its spectacular

launch of the toyota auris put the new model at center stage.

by john widen

fter several years of organizing commercial events forJoop van de Ende Productions, Jim Halfens and DamonDooijeweerd took a long hard look at the way theirmarket was being served. Certain they could add extra

value, they started up a company of their own called Sinq Commu-nication & Event Design.

Sinq is a product of the Nyenrode Start up Accelerator, an initia-tive whereby the university provides office space and other facilitiesto give starting entrepreneurs a leg-up. The venture initially startedtrading by staging events for its clients. Now, some 18 months laterand with a staff of six, Events is just one of the five categories of servicesthe company offers; the other four are Concepts, Cross Media,Entertainment and Productions. From its base at Nyenrode, Sinqprovides high-profile communication solutions for an equallyhigh-profile clientele that includes Microsoft, KLM and ABN AMRO.

The link to Nyenrode is strong, says Halfens, also because Sinqstill operates from Nyenrode Castle. He goes on to explain thatbeing able to receive clients in the historic environment of a leadingbusiness university is a great marketing tool which never fails to

impress. “We are proud to be living proof of the success of theNyenrode Accelerator, although with a clientele and ambitiousprojects like ours, we can no longer be referred to as a startup.”

Tough act to followOne such ambitious project, reflecting the level of services providedby Sinq, was the recent introduction in the Netherlands of theToyota Auris, the replacement for Toyota’s highly successful Corolla.Sinq was one of several parties pitching for this project. Halfensexplains that their creative interpretation quickly convinced theclient, Toyota importer Louwman and Parqui, that they were themost capable contender. “We work with the latest technologies andaspire to be different, trendsetting and innovative – all the thingsclients expect from a young, dynamic company.”

Looking back, Halfens concedes that while this was a spectacularproject that that was brought to a successful conclusion, it was notwithout its challenges. In addition to the practical aspects, theclient’s overriding objective had to be realized. The target group’slongstanding enthusiasm for the Corolla had to be transferred to

the new model, and to Toyota’s new course in this segment. In otherwords, Sinq had to sell the new Toyota to the people who will haveto sell it on a much larger scale.

The location selected for the launch, the Westergasfabriek formergasworks in Amsterdam, has a trendy, modern feel to it, a goodmatch for the car’s predominantly young end-user target group. Italso had the space needed to build up the tension and expectationSinq sought to generate. And the circular building matched thetheme All around Auris, chosen for the event. “After the show, theaudience congregated around the car,” says Halfens. “They wereconstantly affected by its latent presence without even realizing it.”

Halfens stresses that for an event like this, it’s vitally importantto thoroughly research the target group and adapt the marketingapproach accordingly. “We discovered that the Auris has two targetgroups, which is why we decided to stage the event across two days.”The first day was for dealers, who will sell the new model to the publicin showrooms across the country. They are generally small players,but there are many of them. The second day it was the turn offleet owners: the managers of corporate car fleets for example, whoare more business-oriented and wield more commercial clout.Segmenting the target groups like this proved very successful.

Escalating interestThe balance in the event was crucial: the car had to remain the centerof attention while the entertainment, spectacular as it was, had tomaintain a supporting role. Halfens explains that Sinq built up theinterest in the car progressively. “We used an ingenious system ofmoving drapes in combination with dramatic sound and lighting.”After just hearing the car’s engine, the audience was shown a fleetingglimpse of its headlights, then its taillights too, then the bodywork.Eventually the whole car was visible and could be driven off thestage. “By escalating the interest in this way, expectations were kepthigh and the car remained the star of the show.”

Sinq prides itself on being result-oriented: the client’s objectivesmust be realized and the message must be communicated. Halfens:“The client was particularly impressed with our originality, approachand commitment, and judging by the level and duration of attendance,the event was greatly appreciated by the target groups.” It’s now up tothe two segments of that target group to demonstrate that they areequally adept at passing on our message to their customers.

starting up in style

The following companies are currently in residence at theNyenrode Start up Accelerator.

• catalyst exhibit international…

… specializes in advice, design and realization of three-dimensional brand presentations.www.catalystexhibit.com

• ctm solution…

… is a high-level web-based platform for an efficient contractingand procurement process.www.eu-supply.com

• did, dutch interior design…

… is a contemporary furniture brand for young Dutch designers.www.dutchinteriordesign.com

• dwh concept development…

… offers SME companies concepts, advice and support formarketing and sales.www.conceptdevelopment.nl

• givacard…

… has based its business plan on the idea of credit card-sizedgift vouchers.www.givacard.nl

• jadf…

… takes the customer as starting point for its services in marketand sector research and analysis.www.jadf.nl

• magic screens…

… offers point-of-sale advertising at roadside service stations.www.magicscreens.nl

• medsupport europe…

… helps manufacturers in the medical sector to realize theirEuropean expansion plans by providing marketing and salesservices.www.medsupporteurope.com

• onp advies…

… is developing a chain of ‘care hotels’ where senior citizensand others can enjoy a sojourn in an environment of luxury.www.hoteloverhuizen.nl

• stichting mpos/fitclass…

… offers high school students and their teachers sports facilitiesas a way of fighting obesity.www.fitclass.nl

• the sourcing company…

… provides a complete package of professional ICT services to mid-sized companies and strategic consultancy to larger corporations.www.thesourcingcompany.nl

• werelds koken…

… combines a country’s cuisine and culture for a travel experiencethat will tickle more than the taste buds.www.wereldskoken.com

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combating crime

Citizenpolice

police detective work can only be done by well trained professionals. but that doesn’t mean

interested amateurs cannot lend a hand. the internet gives them a platform.

by terri j. kester

permits a collective thought process to gain momentum that mayultimately lead to criminals being brought to justice.

Web 2.0Smilda refers to his department’s interactive approach to their workas “Web 2.0”. Coined and popularized by O’Reilly, the US mediacorporation, the phrase refers to a perceived second generation ofweb-based communities and services that facilitates collaborationand sharing, using the World Wide Web as its platform. Web 2.0 hasbecome shorthand for new, more open and interactive ways ofworking. Smilda: “Of course it takes courage to involve citizens inpolice work. Some of my colleagues feel threatened by radical inno-vations like this website. Nonetheless, I am regularly approached bypolice staff from other Dutch cities. I’m sure it’s just a matter of timeuntil all districts hook up with us, which will make the site evenmore useful.”

According to Smilda, Dutch market researcher and consultant

ave you ever fancied yourself as the new SherlockHolmes, someone whose powers of association anddeduction could solve even the most complex crimes?Or perhaps you have more in common with Watson,

Holmes’s trusted sidekick whose observations often provedextremely useful. Then this is your chance to put your talent tothe test. The Dutch police has launched a website, www.politie-onderzoeken.nl, which invites the public to help solve suspectedmurder cases.

Last December, a cold case was the first to be posted on the site.It gives insight into the violent death of 18-year-old Sjaak Gerwig,whose body was dredged up from a canal in Utrecht in April 1995.The website offers a reward of €15,000 for information leading tothe arrest of the perpetrator of the crime. It includes a map of thecrime scene, details of the investigation, press reports and evenillustrations of the wounds inflicted on the victim.

What makes the website unique is the fact that the public is notonly given access to information and invited to come forward withideas, but, if appropriate, their ideas are also posted on the site forall to read and comment on. Frank Smilda, a police detective whoplayed a key part in launching the site, puts things into interna-tional perspective. “Eighty percent of the Dutch population hasaccess to the Internet. That means we occupy fourth place in globalterms, while in Europe we’re top of list together with Finland.” Heconcedes that law enforcement agencies in other countries, forexample in the US, also put homicide cases on the Net, but sincethey don’t offer access to contributions from the public, they do notspark a chain reaction. Sharing all relevant ideas and information

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«the work of amateur

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new witnesses and a new

scenario for the murder»

three dutch police officers are participating in the current

edition of nyenrode’s public sector mba (psmba), which is

due to graduate next year. the students are:

• frank smilda, team leader detection division,

utrecht regional police force (see main article)

• saskia blaauw, district information coordinator,

utrecht regional police force

• denise van geertruij, bonaire police force,

netherlands Antilles

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Maurice de Hond made clever use of the possibilities of Web 2.0methods in his campaign to exonerate the convict in what becameknown as ‘the Deventer murder case’. “I checked his weblog everyday and was impressed with the way he inspired and motivatedthousands of people, including many experts, to join in his fight toget the case reopened. He managed to involve something like10,000 people in a case that might otherwise have been handled byten police officers.”

For the time being, the number of people responding to theGerwig case through politieonderzoeken.nl is somewhat smaller,but its impact is nonetheless significant. The launch of the sitemade the Dutch evening news on TV, and it totted up over 50,000hits in the first month. The work of amateur detectives produced sixnew witnesses and a new scenario for the murder, and Smildareceived the 2006 Police Innovation Prize from the Dutch Ministryof Internal Affairs for his pains (see page 12). “The authorities are

very pleased with initiatives of this kind,” he says, “because theyknow that ultimately they will lead to a new kind of government.”

In July a second, ‘hotter’ suspected murder case from a differentpolice district was added to the website, and a third will follow inthe autumn. What Smilda would really like to do, however, is solvea truly hot case of homicide by posting it on the site on the day it iscommitted. “This morning, the body of a cleaner was discovered ina school in Enschede,” he says. “If we were able to publish such acase on the site immediately after the body is discovered, includingphotos and film footage, the chances that the public can help uswould be much better.”

Mass creativitypolitieonderzoeken.nl, which is partly in English, has attractedattention beyond the Dutch borders. The Sydney Morning Heraldincluded it in an article about ‘crowdsourcing’, a play on the wordoutsourcing. And from the UK Charles Leadbeater, an expert on thepower of mass creativity who has been consulted by parties as diverseas the Royal Shakespeare Company and the European Commission,personally approached Smilda for information about the site.

Smilda has great expectations of the potential of motivatedInternet communities. He subscribes to the view formulated byJames Surowiecki in his book The Wisdom of Crowds, that the valueof individual experts is often overrated. He is in no doubt that,in time, the interactive methods pioneered by websites like politie-onderzoeken.nl will revolutionize the services offered by lawenforcement agencies. For his executive master’s degree in infor-mation management Smilda has written a thesis that took himon “a journey of discovery into the unknown reaches of theInternet” In the introduction, he encourages the reader to visit thewebsite: “And should you have the golden tip, then you stand towin 15,000 euros…”

utrecht police wins innovation prize

On behalf of the Utrecht police force, Frank Smildareceives the 2006 Police Innovation Prize forpolitieonderzoeken.nl from the hands of Internal AffairsMinister Guusje ter Horst. The award included a checkfor €35,000. Ter Horst pointed out that the initiativemay help the Dutch government achieve its ambition ofreducing crime by 25 percent by the year 2010. “The jurysees this website as a way of keeping pace with a socialreality: the channeling of public involvement in policedetection work,” she said. “This way of doing so is veryinnovative and connects with a society in which the useof the Internet continues to grow.” Quoting from thejury report, she added that both the method used andthe goal of involving the public were innovative: “Theinitiative fits in well with the orientation on the citizen:cooperation with the public will increase confidencein the police. In short, the project works both ways.”

«the authorit ies are very

pleased with in it iat ives of

this kind, because ultimately

they will lead to a new kind

of government»

combating crime professional services institute

Serving you rightfrank kwakman, the new driving force of nyenrode’s professional services institute, proposes to

put the university in the vanguard of this fast developing field.

by terri j. kester

very cloud has a silver lining – if you can spot it. ForFrank Kwakman, the heavy cloud of economic malaisethat hung over the Netherlands at the start of thiscentury raised the question what it would take to

survive under the circumstances as a professional service provider.How do you acquire new clients? And – just as important – how do

you keep them? The deeper he dug, the more convinced he was thatthis was going to be a growth sector. The decision to focus his careerentirely on this field proved a good one: in June he gave his inaugural

lecture at Nyenrode as the first professor of professional services ata Dutch university.

In his new capacity Kwakman heads the Professional ServicesInstitute, a powerhouse that draws on the energy and brain powerof various faculty members. A masterclass on how to run a businessin this field, which addresses aspects that are often neglected, willsee its second edition this autumn. Research is another focus of theinstitute. Kwakman has pinpointed three key research areas: “First,I want to find out more about the macro-economic significance ofthe sector, for example in terms of its driving force, areas of growthand company size. Secondly, I intend to study the management andguidance of service organizations in order to identify the conditionsfor them to succeed. And thirdly I would like to study sector-relatedmatters in the legal field, branding, and so on.” Next to growthareas like ICT consultancy and executive search he also plans to lookat smaller companies, for example in market research.

New groundHis Nyenrode chair and the stimulating environment of the institute,Kwakman believes, will help to develop new ground. He has alreadyidentified nine areas for managers to focus on and has found that,

E«you must realize that

selling yourself is inherent

to the services f ield»

issue 3, fall 2007 • nyenrode now 1514 nyenrode now • issue 3, fall 2007

frank kwakman:

«service providers should

devote more t ime to

relationship management and

try harder to understand

what their customers want»

Attractive fieldAs for the future, Kwakman expects the burgeoning knowledgeeconomy to be an important driver in increasing the share ofprofessional services in the Dutch GDP. By 2010, around 800,000people – ten to fifteen percent of the Dutch labor force – will beworking in this field. As professional firms grow and multiply, thenumber of questions requiring an academic perspective will growapace. This will make this complex and fragmented field moreattractive for academics at Nyenrode and other universities.

On the down side, Kwakman sees some of the knowledge vestedin professional companies seeping away beyond the Dutch borders.Particularly in larger organizations, strategic decisions are increas-ingly taken abroad. Another challenge is the perceived dearth ofprofessional talent. Legal firms, for example, frequently complainthat the hotshot lawyers and managers they need to handle importantaccounts are thin on the ground. Kwakman points out that giventhe fierce competition for top talent there are no easy answers.

given the right coaching, some professionals are better employed ina managerial capacity. His career with the Holland ConsultingGroup has made him an expert on management consultancy.His professorship provides an opportunity to look beyond: “I amfascinated by fields that are more affected by market mechanisms,such as educational consultancy and the legal professions. Thoseare areas where entrepreneurship and market orientation have a lotof catching up to do.”

Since few people are blessed with both professional and mana-gerial talent, Kwakman thinks it’s a good idea to recruit temporarymanagers outside a company. He also has sound advice for thepersonal branding of service professionals. “This business has astrong individual focus; you must realize that selling yourselfis inherent to the services field. You have to ask yourself: how doI want to be perceived? And how can I rise above the crowd? I teachpeople to make choices and find out where they can excel. Thisthought process has to be sparked, both in companies and in theminds of individuals.”

One-man bandsKwakman’s methods and ideas are equally valid for large and smallorganizations, though the vast majority are small. “Ninety percentof professional service firms have less than ten employees,” he says,“and 70 percent of those are one-man bands. But I also have clientswho are quoted on the stock exchange and who cover a range ofdisciplines. However, they too must sharpen their competitive edgeand ask themselves where their talents lie.”

In other areas, too, Kwakman sees plenty of room for improve-ment: “Across the board, professional service providers shoulddevote more time to relationship management and try harder tounderstand what their customers want – even if the hours are notchargeable. They should develop their communication skills too.”He also calls the unthinking aspiration to grow into question. “Youhave to ask yourself why you want to grow, what you want toachieve by growing. Is your organizational structure ready to grow?And how will growth benefit your customers? Don’t forget thatgrowth isn’t always reflected on the balance sheet. You can alsoincrease the quality of your services, for example.”

“Only a fraction of all legal graduates join law firms. Part of the solu-tion may lie in making it more attractive for them to do so. A closelook at the way a business is organized can also be helpful. Profes-sionals should not try to do everything themselves, but delegatesome tasks to less highly qualified colleagues. Such cost savings willbenefit the company and also trickle through to its clients.”

While it’s interesting to study future scenarios, Kwakman is wellaware that all predictions are based on today’s growth economy:“No one really knows how the demand for professional services willdevelop. There is one thing, however, that is beyond doubt: justbeing a good professional is no longer enough.”

Prof. Dr. Frank Kwakman is professor in professional services atNyenrode Business Universiteit and chairs the Nyenrode ProfessionalServices Institute.

every field has its own specific issues.

frank kwakman identified some of them and

helped service companies to look for answers.

Legal: Our law firm is not sufficiently known locally. Howcan we remedy this?Your number one priority must be to stimulate word ofmouth publicity. Enhance your reputation by giving peoplecause to positively talk about you. Secondly, you shouldwork on a clearly defined profile. Choose areas of operationthat will strengthen each other. Don’t hesitate to restrictyour area of operation and base your choices on what youknow about your competitors.

Education: Soon Dutch schools will be free to choose theirown educational consultant. How can we ensure they willstay with us?Don’t give them any reason to consider an alternativeconsultancy. Ask yourself how loyal your clients are, andwhether they may be interested in long-term contracts.It may be wise to consider restricting your services. Acomprehensive review of your business may be necessary.

Engineering: We would like to reposition the managementconsultants of our engineering firm to secure projects thatattract more attention. How can we achieve this?Firstly, formulate the reasons why you want to do this.Then focus on the strategic business issues of your existingcustomers. This will help you connect with assignments ofwhich you already have experience. Be aware of the dangerthat you will have to face a diverse range of competitors.Lifetime Achievement Award.

«you have to ask yourself

why you want to grow,

what you want to achieve

by growing»

professional services institute

16 nyenrode now • issue 3, fall 2007 issue 3, fall 2007 • nyenrode now 17

Dearth of researchIt is my considered opinion, as I explained during my inaugurallecture at Nyenrode, that auditors should have the guts to experimentin order to introduce innovation into the profession and secure itsplace in the business world, not just for the present but also for thefuture. True product innovation must be firmly based on researchdata about the demands of the market. At the moment, there is adearth of sound academic research results in the profession, andwhat market research is carried out has only limited scope. KPMGpartner Robert K. Elliott, a former chairman of the American Instituteof Chartered Public Accountants, made a significant contributionin this field, but very little has happened since then.

The auditing profession is characterized by a conservative attitude.This must change, and practitioners must realize that the currentlegal protection does not make the auditor’s report unassailable.Like any other service provider, auditors should be constantly awareof the shifting demands and opportunities of the market. Thisrequires regular and structural analysis of the demand for productsthat provide assurance. I passionately advocate structural partnershipsbetween audit professionals and academics, because educationalinstitutions have the means and knowledge to conduct in-depthresearch. Together we can take a multidisciplinary approach to theexploration of market demand.

Innovation funnelTo be successful, such partnerships call for a structured approachand process. Numerous studies confirm that, to achieve positiveresults, the organization and management of innovation processesare at least as important as the practical technological aspects.In the accountancy field, the model of the ‘innovation funnel’ cancontribute to a structured approach to the innovation process.

The model starts by generating a host of ideas. Acting as a filter,the funnel selects only those ideas that pass a critical test. Theyare further developed in draft form, with technical, financialand marketing criteria being applied at various intervals. Duringthis process ideas can still be rejected, for only ideas satisfying theapplicable criteria are developed further. Regular tests are againperformed during this phase to ascertain whether the productmeets the agreed standards. Again, the outcome of these tests mayresult in the decision to abort the development of a particular product.Products should only be launched if the market is ready for them, inother words if they can start their lifecycle.

Structuring the processThe innovation funnel may be used to structure the process of productdevelopment in accountancy in the following way. An umbrellaorganization consisting of the board of IFAC (International Federationof Accountants) and the national professional organization couldconduct in-depth research, for example, and themes for productinnovation could be based on the results. A working group can thenspecify the goal and elaborate on the product innovation. Sub-committees may be appointed where appropriate. The workinggroup is responsible for setting the timetable and agreeing the useof resources.

In this scenario, universities and research institutes contributeideas and get involved in conducting focused research at therequest of the working group or the IFAC board. Ideas may alsocome from IFAC’s business network and from professional organiza-tions. Throughout the process, the working group monitors andassesses all product development ideas and concepts. Finally, theprocess comes full circle when the product users provide feedbackwhich the umbrella organization can use to identify new opportu-nities for product innovation.

Prof. B. Majoor RA is professor in accountancy at Nyenrode BusinessUniversity, partner in the Department of Professional Practice atKPMG and a member of the International Ethics Standards Boardfor Accountants (IESBA) of IFAC.

accountancy

Fresh startfor auditing?accountancy professor barbara majoor explains why innovation is vital to the future of auditing.

by barbara majoor

t the start of the 21st century, the environment inwhich auditors operate is changing fast. Some ofthem would benefit from a more critical mindset, and

from a sharper focus on the many questions the profession is facing.Questions like these: is the sector responding appropriately to sig-nals that the public values the information contained in financialstatements less and less? If not, is the traditional auditor’s reportthen losing its value? Do auditors pay sufficient attention to develop-ments in the field of XBRL (eXtensible Business Reporting Language,a technology making financial management information moreaccessible) and to continuous auditing? Are they aware of theopportunities these developments offer for product renewal? Anddoes the profession recognize that it may be risking its position if itcontinues to sit on the fence?

Auditors are not known for their passion for product renewal.Theirs is a profession that cherishes its comfortable position, whichis sustained by the statutory audit requirement – the core productof its current services. The Dutch Civil Code obliges companies tohave their financial statements audited by a Register Accountant(chartered accountant) or an authorized Accountant-Administratie-consulent. However, in my view the profession’s lack of interest inproduct renewal can result in its usefulness being eroded, withthe ultimate consequence of public demand for auditing servicesdisappearing entirely. This may well prove to be a very real danger,though many in the profession don’t allow themselves to admit it.

Broader application of XBRL technology and continuous auditingcan play a role in renewing the products offered by the audit profes-sion. As the phrase suggests, continuous auditing means that auditsare performed on an ongoing basis. In other words, they will nolonger rely on random sampling – the trademark of current audits inthe Netherlands – but all transactions will be fully audited. This willproduce continuance assurance about the adequacy and effective-ness of the internal controls and the integrity of the information.

A

barbara ma joor:

«the ultimate consequence

is that public demand for

audit ing services will

disappear entirely»

barbara majoor’s milestones on the road to

structural innovation in auditing

• The audit profession should continuously innovate in orderto maintain its position as an independent profession.

• Since, in the Netherlands, the profession does not properlyfulfill its role in the public discussion about the changingmarket for assurance products, product development shouldbe embedded in the structure of the audit profession.

• At both the national and international levels, there shouldbe structural analysis of the potential innovation themesbased on analysis or reconciliation of the supply and demandof audit products.

• There is not enough focus on product development ineducation and research.

• Academic education and training in accountancy are aprecondition for the innovation of audit products andare essential to the future of the profession.

• Too little scientific research is done in product developmentin auditing and assurance, both inside and outside theNetherlands.

• The principles of the innovation funnel can be used as a basisto research new audit products.

• Cooperation in the field of product innovation betweenuniversities and the audit profession will produce betterand more sustainable results.

• Product innovation relies on a culture in which people andideas are not judged exclusively on financial or scientificresults.

18 nyenrode now • issue 3, fall 2007 issue 3, fall 2007 • nyenrode now 19

ith a name like Selmore, who needs a missionstatement? Tripping nicely off the tongue, thename makes the company’s focus abundantlyclear. A dynamic advertising agency established

in Amsterdam’s city center in 2005, Selmore offers “hard sell in asoft shell”. The subtext is that it doesn’t believe in pushing productsdown people’s throats, but would rather seduce them to buy thingsthey really want.

Apart from a communications agency, Selmore is also a smalltown. Two small towns, in fact. One of them is in Missouri, USA. Theother comes to life on the website of Selmore, Amsterdam. Dragyour mouse along Main Street and you’ll see stores selling tools,sportswear and home furnishings, as well as a barbershop and atourist office. Click on the map and you can check out ‘old stuff’ inthe garage, ‘cases of interest’ – i.e. advertising campaigns – in a for-mal garden, ‘attractions’ at a roller-skate park and Selmore’s mis-sion, appropriately heralded by church bells.

When the company kicked off it had already landed two majorclients: Fortis insurance and Coca Cola (see xxx). Its five founders –two copywriter/art director teams and managing partner Ottovan der Harst – abandoned successful careers with large inter-national agencies to embark on this new challenge. In the two anda half years since Selmore started operating, its staff has expandedto 21. The office covers most of the ninth floor of the formerpost office building next to Amsterdam Central Station, and thecurrent client base includes names like De Volkskrant, Thomas Cookand Skoda.

advertising

it takes guts to give up a top position with a global corporation and face the cutthroat

competition in the advertising industry with a five-man band. otto van der harst did,

and he does not regret it.

by terri j. kester

A town calledSelmore

«if you can persuade people

to change to another car

brand, you can also persuade

them to change jobs»

W

otto van der harst:

«choosing a name for the

new venture was l ike

starting a rock band: we

wanted to storm the charts»

20 nyenrode now • issue 3, fall 2007 issue 3, fall 2007 • nyenrode now 21

advertising

prise came as something of a shock: “A whole array of services I’dcome to take for granted just fell away. It was a humbling experi-ence that absorbed an enormous amount of energy. We started byinvesting in the company, especially in creative talent. Our own rep-utation helped, but even so getting the team together wasn’t easy.But then, if you can persuade people to change to another carbrand, you can also persuade them to change jobs.”

Talking of cars, Selmore is persuading consumers to change toSkoda. The campaign stresses the value for money offered by theCzech automobile, advising people to “follow the Skoda driver”.Other accounts won by Selmore are Unilever brand Conimex (“alocal jewel”) and media clients Quote and Sky Radio. After 20 yearswith the same agency, De Bijenkorf (“the Harvey Nichols of theNetherlands”) plans to launch its first Selmore-created campaignthis autumn.

Van der Harst talks openly about the cutthroat competition inthe world of advertising, where stealing each other’s clients and tal-ent is the order of the day. “Some clients change agencies every twoyears,” he sighs. “We do each other no favors. The competition justnever stops.” Although 80-hour working weeks are no exceptionand his salary is somewhat diminished, he insists that he wouldn’thave it any other way. After just two and a half years, Selmore has ahealthy balance sheet.

Fundamental emotionsGetting a venture like Selmore off the ground involves a lot of soulsearching and philosophizing about the key to success in advertis-ing. Van der Harst: “You need to acquire the psychological insightthat invisibly governs the market. You have to get completelyinvolved and yet keep your distance, home in on the heart of thematter and trigger the right people.” The emphasis in the promo-tion of products is subject to – often subtle – change. A refrigerator,for example, is no longer designed to keep things cool, but to keepthem fresh – just one instance of a new insight with huge conse-quences for an entire industry.

Fundamental human emotions also play a key role in the indus-try. The founder of Revlon once said that his company manufac-tures cosmetics, but that in the stores it sells hope. And there is nodoubt that the consumer is prepared to pay to keep negative feel-ings like fear and guilt at bay. But this only works, says Van der

Harst, if the professionals who are addressing those feelings get thethought sequence right.

Selmore’s international ambitions are starting to gain momen-tum. Its first penetration of the German market is a campaign for ajoint MTV/O2 product enabling the viewing of music clips onmobile phones and the Internet. Van der Harst also hopes to sell theaward-winning Coca Cola campaign outside the Netherlands. He isin no doubt that Amsterdam is the right place to be for a communi-cation company with a long-term perspective like Selmore: “It’s acity with a cosmopolitan mindset. I see no obstructions to takingSelmore to an international level.”

PPGHJWT Group’s Amsterdam office. For years, he also sat on theinternational board of management, which deals with globalstrategic issues. “Our motto was ‘underpromise and overdeliver’,”he recalls. “We wanted our clients to feel they were getting the best.”

The 1990s were the halcyon days for Internet startup companies,which broke away to make their own way in an industry that wasreinventing itself. Meanwhile the existing advertising agencies,with print campaigns and 30-second commercials as their corebusiness, were becoming more professional but also more finance-driven, and the pressure to perform increased. In the Netherlands,all large agencies were foreign-owned. Van der Harst stresses thathe did not become bored with the world of big-time advertising,but he began to feel that the accountants were taking over. “Inadvertising, you need a certain playfulness,” he says. “Our clients arenot looking for a mirror image of their own grey-suit thinking.”Choosing a name for the new venture was an exciting moment: “Itwas like starting a rock band: we wanted to storm the charts.” Sel-more came alive on the novel website, and kicking off with clientslike Fortis and Coca Cola ensured that it hit the ground running andgot lots of publicity from day one.

Suits and poetsAdvertising is an industry of ‘suits and poets’. The poets are the cre-ative staff, while the suits stand for account managers, planners andstrategists – the people clients feel they can trust. Somewhat reluc-tantly, Van der Harst admits to being a suit. With business develop-ment as his key responsibility, he describes himself as Selmore’smemory and conscience. He confesses that, after being in charge of240 staff at PPGHJWT, getting back to the basics of a fledgling enter-

Art and economicsBack in the eighties, his degree in history and political sciencehardly pointed Van der Harst toward a career in advertising. How-ever, while still at college he was offered a job in qualitative marketresearch, and he soon realized advertising was the field for him. “I likegetting involved in different sectors and use my commonsense,” hesays. “In advertising, mathematicians and poets work together. Youneed an understanding of psychology, business and economics, butalso of art and design.”

Van der Harst also wanted to live in the fast lane and be part ofthe media revolution, where a talent for lateral thinking and a tastefor the natural tension that exists between creative people wereindispensable. Not long before its merger with JWT, he joined PPGHas a research and planning manager. It was to be the start of a bril-liant career with the company that spanned 17 years. He assumedresponsibility for prestigious accounts like Postbank and DutchRailways, and in 1998 he took over as managing director of the

«our clients are not looking

for a mirror image of their

own grey-suit thinking»

selling more of the real thing

Coca Cola unites people, not just in Holland but allover the world. That is the message of Selmore’scampaign for Coke’s new 4pack which recently receiveda coveted Effie award for “ideas that work”. The campaignconsistently uses the number 4 in different ways tosuggest fraternization in both the nuclear family andthe family of man in all its diversity. Entitled 4 the wholefamily, the campaign has I’d like to teach the world to singas its soundtrack for different media.

«if you can persuade people

to change to another car

brand, you can also persuade

them to change jobs»

issue 3, fall 2007 • nyenrode now 23

campus close-up

Seen and herdgenerations of students cherish memories

of the deer that were their neighbors

at nyenrode. by gert immerzeel

alfway through August, the peace and quiet Nyenrode’sdeer normally enjoy is shattered by the arrival ofa new class of MSc students. This may be a littledisturbing, but it’s for their own good: the students

traditionally paint half of the 500 meters of wrought iron fencingsurrounding the deer park, so that the entire fence has a new coatof paint every two years.

Since 1910 the herd has inhabited an island near the castlesurrounded by a moat. Typically consisting of one buck and tendoes, it has a stable in chalet style with a thatched hayloft. Fallowdeer – a subspecies indigenous to Europe – have been popularwith hunters since the Middle Ages. Their coats, which are normallychestnut with white spots, can also range in color from black toalmost white. In some years the Nyenrode herd has boasted fourdifferent colors.

In September, when the students retire to other parts of thecampus, the buck is getting ready to claim his harem of does. Hisantlers have grown to maximum size and he tests their strength,for lack of other males, on trees and fences. As king of the herd,he has first go at any food that’s on offer. A few weeks beforethe rut starts, however, he observes a period of fasting to increasehis chances of mounting as many female deer as possible. Comewinter, the deer grow a dense coat of hollow hairs, which duringthe molting season are used as nesting material by birds broodingon the estate.

When he has accomplished his task, the buck discards hisantlers. The birth of the first fawns five weeks later spells the endof his dominant role in the herd, which passes to the oldest doe.The sweetly spotted Bambis spend their first days sheltering out ofsight, but in the evening, emboldened by the fading light, they dartaround the meadow showing off to their mothers and aunties.

The hay stacked in the loft gets the deer through the winter, butlike the other inhabitants of the campus they like a varied diet. Thisis why the hay is supplemented with compressed feed, chestnuts,dry leaves and spare bread from the student restaurant. At the endof the year, when the fawns can fend for themselves, some of themare moved to other homes, and the annual cycle starts again.

H

22 nyenrode now • issue 3, fall 2007

human resources

SupervisingRandstad

performance and strategy of the company he founded. He prefers torefer such matters to Randstad itself. It is no secret, however, thatthe company he founded is doing well. In the first quarter of 2007,Randstad grew its revenue by 16 percent and its net income by 49percent. The trend continued in the second quarter, with a furtherincrease in revenue of 14 percent and in net income of 34 percent.Nevertheless, the investors were disappointed and the share pricedropped, because the market had anticipated a less cautious outlookfor the third quarter. One reason why the company fell short ofexpectations was a decrease in growth in the United States causedby continuing difficult market circumstances.

Frits Goldschmeding does not see any reason to panic. In hisview, there is no conclusive evidence that this is the forerunner ofa recession. There is no reason to doubt his intuition about the waythe economy is heading. He has kept records since 1960 of thenumber of people who work for Randstad. His view of the economicsituation is based on pencilled graphs which he makes of theserecords. In the late 1970s, he noticed that the rapid increase in thenumber of staff hired stalls every five years. After that, the curvegoes up again, and every ten years a recession causes a slump in thedemand for temporary staff. Goldschmeding believes he hit uponan effective tool to predict trends in the economy.

Eventually it was Bert de Groot, now Nyenrode’s dean, whoestablished a relationship between the number of temporary work-ers and the gross domestic product. “It’s a powerful method todetermine the state of the national economy,” Goldschmedingcomments. “These figures are available long before any official sta-tistics.”

Growth scenariosAlthough the precise content of his Nyenrode lectures has yet to bedetermined, Goldschmeding will certainly not hold a passionateplea for the unrestrained growth of companies. “You should onlyaspire to grow when necessary, which is by no means always thecase.” He prefers to see companies grow autonomously by expandingtheir existing activities. “But then again, growing through acquisition– purchasing growth – is sometimes necessary. You add a new elementto your business and then allow it to grow in line with the rest of thecompany. That is entrepreneurship.” He goes on to point out thatlarger companies are better equipped to spread the costs of, forexample, major IT projects: “So acquisitions can be an option forfurther growth”.

Goldschmeding’s views are diametrically opposed to the modusoperandi of the private equity parties that have attracted so muchattention recently. They acquire a company, dispose of any unprof-itable activities and then sell the remaining business. Goldschmeding:“I haven’t yet decided whether those private equity guys are entre-preneurs or just smart people with a financial background. Onething’s for sure though: they have the advantage, because they arenot obliged to operate within the context of the stock exchange. Thestock market robs you of your entrepreneurship. You have to produceresults, every quarter, which makes companies risk-averse.”

Prof. Dr Frits Goldschmeding occupies the Dr Jacques Postma chairat the Nyenrode Center for Entrepreneurship.

«the stock market robs you

of your entrepreneurship»

rits Goldschmeding will remain a Randstad share-holder for the long term.” The statement, made in anews release about Randstad’s results for the first six

months of 2007, was presented as if it was big news.In fact Goldschmeding announced as long ago as 1990 that he

wished to retain a long-term interest in Randstad, an internationallyoperating supplier of services relating to flexible work and humanresources. He explains that he reaffirmed this intention in order tomake a point. “It’s healthy for a business to be pressured to perform byits shareholders. However, it doesn’t do any harm to give Randstad’salmost 17,000 employees a sense of security. You could see it as asort of stewardship on my part.”

It’s nine years since Goldschmeding resigned as CEO of Randstad,but he has never released his hold on the company completely.In 1999 he acceded to the Supervisory Board of the Randstad group,thus adding in no small measure to his already busy agenda.He confirms that he still sees himself as an entrepreneur, adding:“Yesterday, I spent the whole day in a Randstad board meeting.Everybody was there, despite the holiday season.”

ProfessorshipFrom September, Goldschmeding has yet another job: teachingentrepreneurship at Nyenrode. Being an entrepreneur, he believes,is something that can be taught – and learned. The speech he gave atNyenrode at the start of the 2006-‘07 academic year started the balltoward his professorship rolling. “I was given half an hour for thatspeech, which meant that I had to considerably condense the infor-mation I wished to communicate. There was no time to go into anydepth. Nyenrode therefore invited me to deliver another lecture,and later the dean offered me a professorship.” Goldschmeding hasno intention, however, of lecturing to a room full of students everyweek. He would like to limit himself to about eight lectures a year.

Current performanceGoldschmeding cannot – and will not – say much about the current

‘F

frits goldschmeding, who recently joined the ranks of nyenrode’s faculty, is continuing to take

a keen interest in randstad, the company he founded in 1960. entrepreneurship, he believes, is

something that can be taught. by joost schmets