"Publishing Scholarly Research" Seminar at WHU-Otto Beisheim School of Management, Vallendar, Germany

A major part of what I proposed to do during my sabbatical was to deliver my "Publishing Scholarly Research" seminar at universities abroad.  My German colleague, Tillmann Wagner, arranged for me to conduct this seminar at his university, WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management, just outside of Koblenz, Germany.

Another chance to conduct my publishing seminar...at WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management

The 21 Ph.D. students who participated in the 20-hour course (spread over three days) were very engaged and asked great questions during the three day seminar.

The left half of the class............and........the right half of the class.

When we finished the seminar, we had a drink to celebrate the end of three very intense days together discussing the research publication process from beginning to end.

Learning to celebrate success!

Thanksgiving Dinner in Koblenz, Germany

For the first time since we have been married, Candy and I were both out of the country for Thanksgiving.  My friend Tillmann Wagner, and his wife Monica, took us out to dinner to Buffalo in Koblenz, Germany.

Monica Wagner, Candy, Dwayne, and Tillmann Wagner at "Buffalo"

Candy enjoyed NOT having to fix dinner for 18 (as she did in 2014).  She did like having someone else preparing her meal, But, we both  missed the time we normally spend with family and friends.

The group of 18 that came to our house for Thanksgiving in 2014.

A Weekend as a Tourist in Brugge, Belgium

One city that we never made it to when we lived in Maastricht in 2006 was Brugge, Belgium.  So, Brugge was at the top of our list of places to visit while we are in Liege.

Christmas Market at the Belfort Tower in Brugge, Belgium

It was cold and rainy all weekend...we are told that is almost always the case.  But, we did all of the typical tourist activities...city bus tour, boat ride, chocolate, fries, waffles, and the beer museum.

Candy and Dwayne in the "Venice of the North" (Brugge, Belgium)

Over 500 Belgian beers...where does one start?  (Where's my buddy Kirk when I need him?)

Belgium...home of the French Fries.  (So, why are they called "French" fries?)

I continue to take pictures of steps...this is on a bridge over the canal in Brugge.

"Students as Customers" Presentation in Liege, Belgium

I was invited to make a presentation to the faculty at HEC School of Management at the University of Liege.  The presentation was entitled, "Thinking of Students as Customers: Implications for Teaching and Serving Students in Business Schools".

I gave my presentation over lunch, which was free to attendees...probably the main reason 20 people attended!

The Dean of HEC School of Management, Adrain Hopgood, was among those in attendance; he even tweeted about the presentation.  (Click here.)  I am seldom the focus of a tweet.  (Is that the way to say it?)

Using my hands to help me present!

HEC had my name on monitors throughout the building...not sure you can read it here.

Candy's Return to Maastricht, The Netherlands

We took the train up (north) to Maastricht on Sunday morning (about 20 miles).  Although I have probably been to Maastricht about 15 times during the past 17 years, Candy had not been back since we lived there for 7 months in 2006 when I was on a Fulbright scholarship to teach at the University of Maastricht.  So, we invited Jos and Marian Lemmink for lunch on the Vrijthof.

On a bridge over the Maas River, with the St. Servaasburg bridge (the oldest bridge in the Netherlands; circa 1200) in the background.

Candy, Marian and Jos Lemmink, and Dwayne (with another Tripel Karmeliet) on the Vrijthof in Maastricht

Afterwards we took the bus (still Bus Number 3) to Wolder to walk through our old neighborhood. On the street we met Ber and Ria Schrijnemeeckers...our former neighbors (across the street...which, as it turns out, is Belgium).  They invited us into their home for coffee and pie.

Ria, Dwayne, Candy, and Ber

We finished the day by walking to Lisa Bruggen's house (another colleague and co-author of mine) before we walked back to the Maastricht train station.  (Too bad Candy lost her Fit-Bit...she would have easily bested Mallory today!)

Dinner at Cecile's in Liege, Belgium

The day after the tragedy that occurred in Paris, my Liege colleague, Cecile Delcourt, invited Candy and me to dinner at her house on Saturday evening.  (Yes...we are fine here in Liege!)  We tried to use Google Maps and GPS on my phone to walk there, but the technology got quite confused (as did I) for the last 400 meters.  But, we did make it to her house where we had a wonderful dinner with her family (Fabrice and Stina) and another visitor, Damilare--a former graduate student at BGSU.

Dwayne, Candy, Stina, Fabrice, Cecile, and Oluwadamilare Adeyeri

I should point out that Stina is quite the (service marketing) child prodigy...Cecile started her out early reading a certain textbook on the topic...what a bright kid.

Stina's first book...on Services Marketing (the European edition)!

Settling into a New Work Routine (at the Liege "Panera"), Liege, Belgium

About halfway between our apartment and my office in Liege I have found a reasonably close Panera "equivalent," Le Pain, to get breakfast and work.  Unfortunately, it does not have unlimited tea refills, but the pastries are quite nice.  And, free WiFi, of course!

Working at Le Pain in Liege.

First Day in the HEC-ULg Office, Liege, Belgium

I have about a 10-minute walk to the next office on my sabbatical travels...at HEC Management School at the University of Liege.  (Unlike Paderborn, the ground between the apartment and this building is flat.)

First day as Visiting Professor at HEC Management School ULg

In order to get me into the system (and access to the internet) at the University of Liege, as a Visiting Professor, they had to put me into the system somehow.  Since I am not faculty here (although, I am listed on the Department of Marketing web site...click here), they decided to enter me into the system as a student.  So, I got a student ID today…apparently I can now use it to get student discounts!!!

My new student ID!

Lots of space, but not many books, in my HEC-ULg office.

Sunday Lunch (and Beer!) in Liege, Belgium

After shopping at the Market (on Sundays in Liege), we walked over to where my office will be while I am in Liege.  Just down the street we went to Le Vaudree II for lunch.  They have about 300 different beers there, so I asked for a recommendation as to which "blonde" beer I should have with my sandwich.  "Tripel Karmeliet" was the waiter's recommendation.  It was excellent!

Two days in Belgium, two beers..Finding a better beer than Tripel Karmeliet is going to be a challenge!

Later, to get a least a little bit of exercise, Candy and I hiked up the 384 steps of Montagne de Bueren.  If we do that every day then perhaps I will be able to do a beer a day.

Another picture of steps for my collection...or, at least a justification for my one beer/day diet.

Arrival in Liege, Belgium (Leaving from Paderborn, Germany)

We had quite the adventure today in traveling from Paderborn, Germany, to Liege, Belgium.  Our German train arrived one hour after it was supposed to in Cologne.  Fortunately, my Paderborn assistant (Carina Witte) scheduled a 90-minute gap between switching trains...so, we had enough time to drag all of our luggage from one track to another, get a very quick lunch, and have Candy go quickly out of the train station so she could see the Cologne Cathedral next door.  Once we got to our Liege apartment I had to drag all of our bags up the three flights of (very narrow) steps.  (We will pack much lighter next time!)  We quickly unpacked so that I could set up our Internet connection to watch the University of Pittsburgh-Notre Dame football game (recall that she is in the Pitt band)...I got it all working just minutes before the game began.

Rooting for Pitt (we did see Samantha!) and drinking the Leffe beer that was left in the refrigerator.

A Relaxing Walk though the Woods near Paderborn, Germany

For my last afternoon in Paderborn, the Marketing Department (minus Andreas Eggert, who "doesn't do Fridays") took Candy and I for a walk in the woods just outside of Paderborn.

The path we walked on at Alter Pilgerweg.

A (the?) reason for the walk was so that we would have an "alibi" to stop and get dessert and a coffee at the Wald und Wiesen restaurant next to the woods.  (Someone has suggested that I have included many pictures with food as a prevalent theme!)

Dwayne, Carina, Eva, Cristina, and Candy after dessert and coffee.

Final Session of "Publishing Scholarly Research" Seminar, University of Paderborn, Germany

The last 30 minutes of our 20-hour "Publishing Scholarly Research" seminar was held in Student Pub at the University of Paderborn.  There the students were taught (and then practiced) the final step of the publishing process...celebrating good news!  (Usually that would mean celebrating the happiness that comes from knowing that a manuscript was accepted for publication at a journal...but, in this case, it meant celebrating that the seminar was over.)  I felt that it was important to make sure that the students knew how to celebrate...so, I treated them to a drink and observed their celebration activities!

The successful conclusion of the "Publishing Scholar Research" seminar.

Presentations and Discussions at the University of Paderborn, Germany

On Monday I gave a presentation to about 20 of the business faculty at the University of Paderborn on our paper entitled, "Extreme Makeover: Short- and Long-Term Effects of a Remodeled Servicescape."  On Tuesday I met with Prof. Dr. Stefan Jungblut and several graduate students at the University of Paderborn's International Forum in Economics and Management to discuss issues around pursuing Ph.D. degrees abroad.

Some of the IFEM students and Prof. Dr. Stefan Jungblut next to me in the back row.

Visiting Automobile Museums in Stuttgart, Germany

Anja, Dieter, and Helga took Candy and I to the Mercedes-Benz museum and for a brief stop at the Porsche museum in Stuttgart, Germany.  There were some very nice-looking cars being displayed at each.  (You could purchase a Mercedes in the basement of the museum...Anja was a bit disappointed that neither of her "dads" bought her one.)  And, outside of the Porsche museum, an incredible Porsche sculpture displayed three cars about 40 meters above the ground in a round-a-bout.  Very cool.  Here are two of the pictures I took...

Just outside of the Porsche museum in Stuttgart, Germany

And, in black and white...