Graduate Business School celebrates Dissertation-by-Practice presentations in partnership with Kube Interiors
Griffith College’s Graduate Business School recently celebrated the achievements of two postgraduate students, Leslie Valdez and Keith Karleen, who successfully completed their Dissertation by Practice projects in collaboration with leading Irish kitchen design company, Kube Interiors.
The Dissertation-by-Practice is an innovative academic pathway that allows students to address real-world industry challenges through applied research. This year’s presentations, held on the 31st of July 2025, showcased high-impact insights developed in partnership with Kube Interiors, bridging academic research and commercial application.
Leslie Valdez (MSc in Global Brand Management) conducted a three-panel Delphi study exploring the psychological, social, and financial drivers and barriers influencing Irish homeowners' adoption of kitchen solutions. Drawing on perspectives from consumers, Kube staff, and competitors, Leslie’s project offered strategic recommendations to improve Kube’s marketing, pricing transparency, and customer engagement. The work was praised for its originality and practical value.
Keith Karleen (MSc in International Business Management) focused on enhancing Kube’s talent acquisition and onboarding processes through strategic alignment of internal culture, recruitment messaging, and digital transformation. His findings emphasised the importance of brand image, agility, and internal storytelling to attract and retain top talent in a competitive retail environment.
Both students were formally recognised with Certificates of Commendation, co-signed by Aine McManus, Head of Faculty at the Graduate Business School, and Patrick McGrath, Managing Director at Kube Interiors.
“It was a pleasure to work with Leslie and Keith. The opportunity to leverage the energy of these students to challenge our thinking was fantastic. From our perspective the collaboration has been a great success.” - Patrick McGrath, Managing Director, Kube Interiors.
“I have had the opportunity to work with various companies whilst studying and gain valuable experience that I feel confident in bringing into the workforce. These experiences have helped me build a strong professional network and a clearer vision of my career path.” - Leslie Valdez (Master of Science in Global Brand Management).
This collaboration marks a continued commitment by Griffith College to embed experiential, industry-relevant learning into its postgraduate programmes.
Our congratulations to Leslie Valdez and Keith Karleen for their outstanding contributions.