PhDr. Oliver Scharfenberg, CEO of Syntharis Group, researches trust signals and their effect on decisions. His main topics are employer seals and applicant behavior, seals of quality and consumer behavior, employer branding and recruiting, and, more recently, visibility in AI search. His doctoral dissertation (DTI University, 2024) analyzed the market for employer seals in Germany and their influence on applicant behavior. His work combines such empirical studies, including an experiment with 1,093 participants, with practical guides for employers.

Eleven of his publications are listed on ResearchGate, including articles in the International Journal of Progressive Research in Engineering Management and Science, his doctoral dissertation and two books published in 2026.