TAMIU Ph.D. Student Komiak Successfully Defends Dissertation

This December, Paul Jonathan Komiak will become Texas A&M International University’s second graduate of the Ph.D. program in International Business Administration. He’s also the first graduate to have completed his entire A. R. Sanchez Jr. School of Business doctoral program at TAMIU.

Last week, Komiak successfully defended his dissertation, “How International are Multinational Corporations? Theory and evidence from Corporate Governance in the World’s Largest Corporations.” Komiak’s dissertation examined the international composition of the top management teams in the world’s largest multinational corporations.

Using a multi-theoretic approach to his research, he explored the link between international diversity of top management echelon with organizational characteristics and other parameters of performance, noting that the upper echelon of the majority of international firms remains less international than the widespread operations of these firms might imply.

TAMIU president Dr. Ray Keck lauded Komiak’s accomplishment.

“This is an incredibly competitive and rigorous program and Paul has shown himself most adept at the discipline, research and application needed to secure the Ph.D. We are especially delighted that he has further joined the community of scholars by becoming a faculty member,” Dr. Keck said.

Provost Pablo Arenaz said Komiak’s success continues to speak volumes for the young doctoral program.

“Paul is an excellent example of the quality of our students and graduates and we believe he sets a sterling standard for this young, but enormously promising program that has attracted a cohort of students from all around the world,” said Dr. Arenaz.

A. R. Sanchez Jr. School of Business Dean Dr. Steve Sears said the impressive program taps into the international business legacy that has shaped both Laredo and TAMIU.

“What better environment for the dedicated study of international business administration can you have than a city that has been at the crossroads of commerce for much of its existence, and the University that serves that community?” he noted.

As part of his TAMIU study, Komiak was able to spend a summer internship at Columbia University, where he conducted research under the tutelage of Dr. Karl Sauvant, a member of the Ph.D. program’s Global Advisory Board. His summer internship was supported through a US Department of Education “Business and International Education” grant secured by TAMIU Professor Tagi Sagafi-nejad, Komiak’s dissertation supervisor. Other members of his dissertation committee were Drs. Leonel Prieto, Milton Mayfield, and Jorge Brusa.

While a student, Komiak received first place in the Texas A&M University System’s Pathways Academic Conference’s business category for doctoral students and was a member of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and largest all-disciplinary honor society.

A native of Chicago , Komiak earned his MBA degree from the University of Chicago. His B.A. in Business/Economics was also received at the University of Chicago. After several years of work in industry, he applied to and was admitted to the Ph.D. program in the Fall of 2005.

Dr. Komiak is currently an assistant professor at Memorial University in Newfoundland, Canada, where he recently received a C$10,000 award from the Canadian Institute of Chartered Business Valuators.

For additional information on the A. R. Sanchez Jr. School of Business and its programs, visit: tamiu.edu/ssb

University office hours are from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily.

Journalists who need additional information or help with media requests and interviews should contact the Office of Public Relations, Marketing and Information Services at prmis@tamiu.edu