Kathrin Köster studied Economics, Chinese and Japanese studies at the Friedrich-Alexander University in Erlangen-Nuremberg / Germany, where she obtained her doctorate with distinction. Her dissertation focused on organizational development, namely privatizations in Japan.
In the 90s she held various international positions at the Japanese multinational Sony Corporation. In the early 2000s she was involved in the development of the Swedish-Japanese Joint Venture Sony Ericsson.
Kathrin Köster has more than a decade of consulting, coaching, and training experience in the following areas:
International Project Management:
- Global IT projects
- Technology transfer from European multinationals to subsidiaries in Asia
- Cross-border Research & Development Projects
- Global Supply Chain Projects
- International M&A Projects
Cross-cultural Management:
- Expatriate preparation and repatriation, area focus on East and South East Asian countries, US and Western Europe
- General training to increase intercultural sensitivity
- Coaching of expatriates having adaptation difficulties
Strategies for Asia:
- Opportunities and threats of the East and South-East Asian markets (mainly FDIs, Sourcing and Recruitment strategies)
Organisation Development:
- Optimisation of organisational structure and processes in between U.S, European and Asian operations
Strategic Management:
- Establishing a strategic management process in a multinational corporation
- Team building of multicultural teams
In winter 2003, Kathrin changed sectors, from private business to academia. She became professor of international management, organizational studies and leadership at Heilbronn University in Southern Germany. She also is an Honorary Visiting Professor of International Management at the School of Management at the University of Bradford in the UK.
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