Arjen van Klink

Dr. Arjen van Klink serves as a lecturer in Next Strategy at Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences and directs the Business Innovation Knowledge Center. He has been affiliated with the university since 2016, contributing significantly to both education and research focused on strategic management for small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

Dr. van Klink earned his PhD from Erasmus University Rotterdam in 1995, where he researched port networks, urban development, and logistics management. Prior to his academic career, he worked at Rabobank in roles spanning sector development, strategy, and innovation, advising companies and mentoring innovative startups.

His research centers on strategic capacity in SMEs - the organization's ability to engage with the future through signaling developments, anticipating change, experimenting, learning, and adapting. He developed the Next Strategy Scan, a practical assessment tool that measures strategic capacity by examining aspects like discussion space within companies, strategy implementation monitoring, and innovation resources. Dr. van Klink emphasizes that strategic capacity is not about creating strategic plans but establishing a collective learning process throughout the organization.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals a consistent focus on practical strategic management solutions for SMEs. His work spans digital transformation, scenario planning, leadership development, and business model innovation, with particular attention to helping SMEs navigate complex economic and societal changes. He challenges the traditional view of strategy as mere planning, advocating instead for an integrated approach where dreaming, thinking, and doing work together to build organizational resilience.

• Member of the River Board (public-private platform for economic development)
• Former chair of the Supervisory Board of the Rotterdam Library (2013-2020)
• Former treasurer of the Rotterdam Housing Association
• Guest lecturer in the Master's program in Maritime Economics & Logistics at Erasmus University Rotterdam

Dr. van Klink actively engages students through the Business Booster program, where third-year business students help SMEs develop innovative business models. He also contributes to the Leadership minor and supervises multidisciplinary projects investigating value creation in urban development. His work bridges academic research with practical application, ensuring findings translate into actionable insights for SMEs facing operational and strategic challenges.