Opening the black box of postdoctoral studies

While the PhD journey is largely documented, post-doctoral studies are much less so, in particular the months - or years - between the thesis defense and the first job position in academia. Based on the experience of the two authors, the objective of this chapter is to open the black box of post-doctoral studies in management sciences. Neither advocacy nor criticism, the chapter shows the possibilities offered by postdoctoral studies, but also the risks more often invisible for PhDs starting this journey. This chapter also offers practical advice in the search for a postdoc in management sciences, as well as certain points to consider before embarking on this path.