On November 4, Sebastian Junker successfully defended his doctoral thesis at the University of Mannheim. His disputation marked the completion of his dissertation entitled “Delegation of Pricing Authority in Sales – An Empirical Investigation of Influencing Factors and Consequences in Business-to-Business Markets.” His work addresses an important and highly relevant topic at the intersection of sales management and pricing, providing valuable empirical insights for practitioners in the B2B sector.

The dissertation was completed at the Chair of B2B Marketing, Sales & Pricing | Prof. Homburg, University of Mannheim under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Christian Homburg, with Prof. Dr. Florian Kraus serving as the second examiner. In his research, Sebastian Junker demonstrates that the delegation of pricing authority is not only the result of central corporate directives but can also be actively influenced by salespeople through their knowledge of customer needs. By shifting the focus from mere risk mitigation to leveraging profit potential, his dissertation provides a more nuanced understanding of pricing delegation, linking strategic corporate objectives with frontline execution. Moreover, he shows that delegation is not a simple yes/no decision, but that its effectiveness largely depends on the extent to which it is granted and implemented at the operational level.

The successful defense of his dissertation reflects Sebastian Junker’s dedication, perseverance, and the outstanding quality of his academic work. We are very proud and warmly congratulate him on this significant milestone, wishing him every success and fulfillment in his future professional journey! 👏👨‍🎓🚀