Ir. L. Kester (Linda)

Assistant Professor 
Product Innovation Management

Biography

Linda Kester is an Assistant Professor of Strategic Marketing at the Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering, Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands. She received her Master’s Degree in Strategic Product Design with honors (cum laude) from the Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering of Delft University of Technology in 2006. After having studied Mandarin Chinese in Beijing for several months, she returned to Delft and started her Ph.D. project in 2007 to investigate the antecedents and consequences of new product development portfolio decision-making processes. In September 2011 she successfully defended her thesis and received the cum laude investiture. Linda has published her work in several international peer reviewed journals as well as in peer reviewed conference proceedings. Additionally, Linda regularly presents her work at various international companies to help them improve their portfolio decision-making. Her research has received financial support from the Institute for the Study of Business Markets (ISBM) and the Marketing Science Institute (MSI). In 2009 she won the research proposal competition organized by the Product Development & Management Association (PDMA) in the US. In her free time Linda enjoys sports such as cycle racing, dancing, and power yoga.

Education

• August 2010 - present 
  Delft University of Technology
  Assistant Professor Strategic Marketing
• Jan 2007- Sept 2011
  Delft University of Technology
  PhD Candidate Portfolio Management (cum laude)
• Mar 2008- July 2008 
  University of Utah (US)
  Visiting Researcher
• June 2006- Sep 2006 
  Beijing Language and Culture University (China)
  Mandarin Chinese
• Sept 2003- Feb 2006 
  Delft University of Technology
  Master degree Strategic Product Design (cum laude)
• Feb 2005- June 2005 
  University of Otago (New-Zealand)
  Visiting researcher

Specialisation / field of research

• New product portfolio decision-making / portfolio management
• Strategic decision-making

Lectures and/or coaches students on:

• ID 4330 New Product Economics
• Graduation projects that relate to strategic decisions in NPD and marketing

Publications

Click here for an overview of my publications. 

Awards and grants:

2010: ISBM Dissertation Competition: finalist
2010: PDMA Research competition: winner
2009: ISBM Dissertation Competition: finalist
2008: Research grant from the Institute for the Study of Business Markets (ISBM)
2008: Research grant from the Marketing Science Institute (MSI)

Working papers

• Kester L., Griffin, A., Hultink, E.J. (2012). Unraveling Process Dynamics in Strategic New Product Portfolio Decision-Making. To be submitted to: Academy of Management Journal. 
• Kester L., Hultink, E.J., Griffin, A. (2012). Antecedents and consequences of NPD portfolio success. To be submitted to: Journal of Product Innovation Management.
• Kester L., Hultink, E.J., Griffin, A. (2012). An empirical test of the portfolio decision-making model. To be submitted to: Journal of Marketing.

Journal publications

• Kester L., Griffin A., Hultink E.J., Lauche K. (2011). Exploring portfolio decision-making processes. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 28: 641-666.
• Kester L., Hultink E.J., Lauche K. (2009). Portfolio decision making genres: a case study. Journal of Engineering & Technology Management, 26: 327-341.

Conference proceedings / presentations

• Kester, L., Griffin, A., & Hultink, E.J. (2011). Antecedents and consequences of portfolio decision-making effectiveness. 35th PDMA Conference, October 29-November 2, Phoenix, Arizona.
• Kester, L., Griffin, A., & Hultink, E.J. (2011). An empirical test of the antecedents and consequences of portfolio decision-making effectiveness. 18th International Product Development Management Conference, June 5-7, Delft, The Netherlands. 
• Kester L., Griffing A., Hultink E.J. (2011). An empirical test of portfolio decision-making effectieveness. AMA winter educator’s conference, February 18-20, Austin.
• Kester L., Griffing A., Hultink E.J. (2010). An initial test of a portfolio decision-making effectiveness model. ISBM Academic Conference: Advances in B-to-B Marketing, August 11-12, Boston.
• Kester L., Griffing A., Hultink E.J., Lauche K. (2010). Processes for making strategic new product portfolio decisions. Annual meeting of the Academy of Management, August 7-10, Montreal.
• Kester L., Griffin A., Hultink E.J. (2010). An empirical investigation into portfolio decision-making effectiveness. 32^nd INFORMS Marketing Science Conference, June 17-19, Cologne, Germany.
• Kester L., Griffin A., Hultink E.J. (2010). An empirical investigation into portfolio decision-making effectiveness. 17^th International Product Development Management Conference June 6-8, Murcia, Spain.
• Kester L., Griffin A., Hultink E.J., Lauche K. (2009). An Integrated Model of Portfolio Decision-Making Processes. 33^rd PDMA Conference, October 31-November 4, Anaheim, Calafornia.
• Kester L., Griffing A., Hultink E.J., Lauche K. (2009). Toward a general model of portfolio decision-making effectiveness. Annual meeting of the Academy of Management, August 7-11, Chicago.
• Kester L., Griffing A., Hultink E.J., Lauche K. (2009). Modeling portfolio decision-making processes.16^th International Product Development Management Conference June 7-9, Twente, The Netherlands.
• Kester L., Hultink E.J., Lauche K. (2008), An exploratory study of the practices and challenges of portfolio decision making genres. 32^nd PDMA Conference 13-14 September, Orlando, US.
• Kester L., Hultink E.J., Lauche K., Badke-Schaub P. (2008). An exploratory study of the practices and challenges of portfolio decision making genres. 15th IPDM Conference 1-2 July, Hamburg, Germany.
• Kester L., Hultink E.J., Badke-Schaub P., & Lauche K. (2007). Pitfalls and problems in portfolio management: A highly complex decision making process. NDM8 Conference 5-7 June, Pacific Grove, California.
• Garrett T., Kester L., & Hultink E.J. (2006). The role of the design agency in the development of brand identity for FMCG. Academy of Marketing Conference 3-6 July, London.