Hurdles on the way to the circular economy

The current economy is still predominantly linear in design. This means that resources are mined, processed, consumed and ultimately end up in landfills. In a truly sustainable economy, however, material cycles would have to be closed and completely new business models would have to be designed that decouple growth from resource consumption. Researchers from the Institute of Management and Strategy at the HSG, together with the University of Lausanne, have asked Swiss SMEs what reasons prevent them from switching to such business models.

Getting into the flow when talking to the robot

More and more digital user interfaces can be operated by spoken language. However, many of the interactions with these so-called voicebots remain unsatisfactory for the users. Researchers at the HSG have therefore devoted themselves to the question of when we find such conversations with voicebots particularly pleasant and what this has to do with the much-invoked "flow experiences".

Efficiently and competently through the data jungle

Data-driven processes are becoming increasingly important for many companies. Managers must therefore know how to deal with the growing mountains of data and how best to communicate about it. Prof. Dr. Martin Eppler from the Institute for Media and Communication Management at the HSG gives an insight into his book "How to Talk about Data" in the video.

Insights into the EU project "MISTRAL"

Many projects to promote renewable energies fail due to the resistance of the local population. The EU has therefore launched a programme called MISTRAL, which aims to support young researchers who are dedicated to the social acceptance of such projects.

The rhetorical battle for Ukraine

In the Ukraine conflict, it is not only the weapons that matter. The two heads of state, Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Selensky, are also engaged in an intense exchange of blows on a communicative level. Prof. Dr Ulrich Schmid from the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of St.Gallen analyses the communication strategies of the two opponents in the video.

HSG Impact Award 2022: Life Design

Life Design is a scientific design approach that originated at Stanford University under the title "Design Your Life". There, the innovation method Design Thinking was applied to the design of one's own future and career for the first time. Prof. Dr. Sebastian Kernbach got to know this approach in 2018 as part of an SNSF fellowship at Stanford and has been steadily developing it ever since. Together with Prof. Dr. Martin Eppler and Prof. Dr. Sabrina Bresciani, he has combined it with insights from positive psychology, behavioral economics, and knowledge visualization. This has resulted in the new approach of "Life Loops", which has been published in various articles and in the book "Life Design".

HSG Impact Award 2022: Ethics of the Covid-19 pandemic

The Covid 19 pandemic has preoccupied society like no other topic over the past two years. It became clear right from the start that the questions and problems associated with the pandemic are not only of a virological, economic, and statistical nature, but also have social and ethical dimensions at their core. In a series of articles in leading public media in the German-speaking world, Prof. Dr. Thomas Beschorner and Prof. Dr. Martin Kolmar intervened in this discussion to contribute to the debate with well-founded factual analyses and normative reflections.

HSG Impact Award 2022: The Future of Work

The Corona pandemic has kept the world on tenterhooks since 2020. In addition to the fundamental economic and In addition to the fundamental economic and social challenges, there has also been an abrupt change in the way companies work together: Home office, virtual collaboration, and the increased use of digital communication tools gained enormous importance due to the crisis. The research project "Resilience and High Performance at Hilti in Times of Pandemic" by Prof. Dr. Heike Bruch, Prof. Dr. Nils Fürstenberg, and Frederik Hesse was dedicated to this topic in view of these comprehensive challenges, with the aim of supporting Hilti in successfully overcoming this global crisis.

51st St.Gallen Symposium: Collaborative Advantage

After three years online, this year's St.Gallen Symposium took place on site again. Every year, the event brings together major figures from politics, business and society with young talents to promote intergenerational dialogue.

How German Ministers favor their hometowns

The executive members of German regional states should actually act in the overall interest of their region. However, as a new study with the cooperation of the Swiss Institute for International Economics and Applied Economic Research of the HSG (SIAW-HSG) reveals, this is not always the case. When allocating resources in the form of public employees, the studied incumbents favored their hometowns to a relevant extent. Co-author Mariana Lopes da Fonseca of the SIAW-HSG, drawing on other studies, concludes that these distortions probably exist independently of the institutional context and the type of government formation.

CircuBAT Subproject 7: Sustainable Business Models

Electric cars are likely to dominate the automotive market of the future because they represent a more climate-friendly alternative to conventional vehicles. However, it is important to keep the environmental impact of the production of e-car batteries as low as possible. The CircuBAT research project funded by Innosuisse is addressing this challenge. In its subproject 7, the Institute for Economy and the Environment of the HSG together with EMPA are working out possible business models for a circular economy in battery production and their impact on the environment.

Academic GIFts: Fighting economic crises

Imagine difficult economic times. The past financial crisis. The recent coronavirus pandemic. How can central banks and governments stabilize their country´s economy in such trying circumstances? And how does this work in a monetary union?

Ukraine-Russia crisis: "Putin has not forgotten Obama's insult"

After the Cold War, the relationship between the West and Russia relaxed, but only for a short period of time. In an interview, Prof. Dr. Ulrich Schmid from the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at HSG explains the reasons for the gradual return to divisiveness and looks at the current Ukraine conflict from a Russian perspective.

SQUARE opening: Video message from architect Sou Fujimoto

Knowledge Bank: Ulrike Landfester on "Critical Literacy"

"Information is not knowledge", Albert Einstein is supposed to have once said. But how - being flooded by information day after day - do we gather knowledge from it? Prof. Dr. Ulrike Landfester on the value proposition of "Critical Literacy".

Artificial Intelligence in Swiss Law

Swiss lawmakers have long neglected the issue of artificial intelligence (AI). Prof. Dr. Melinda Lohmann contributed to the Digital Society Initiative's position paper "A Legal Framework for Artificial Intelligence", which was presented to Swiss parliamentarians. (in German)

Academic GIFts: How do political decisions affect house prices?

Number of bedrooms, floor and garden space, kitchen standard or distance to the next train station. Whichever structural housing attributes or locational factors make living in a house less or more pleasant affect its price. But how does each individual characteristic affect this price? That’s where hedonic house pricing comes into play. The hedonic price function models the price of a property as a function of its various attributes. By Kathleen Kürschner Rauck & Eren Aydin, Swiss Institute of Banking and Finance & Universität Hamburg.

11th Consumer Barometer of Renewable Energy

Climate change is now recognized as a reality by a large majority of the population. 78 percent of the Swiss say they have never experienced as many extreme weather events as in 2021. For nine out of ten respondents, climate protection remains very important in times of the pandemic. The latest edition of the Consumer Barometer of Renewable Energy shows that there is an increasing demand for climate-friendly solutions for mobility and buildings in Switzerland. There is growth potential above all in the convergence of solar energy, electric mobility, heat pumps and battery storage. The study was conducted by the University of St. Gallen in cooperation with Raiffeisen Switzerland and EnergieSchweiz.

Identifying tax avoidance blind spots

About a week ago, the OECD agreed on a global minimum tax for international corporations. However, a study co-authored by a researcher at the Institute of Accounting, Controll and Auditing shows that shifting profits to low-tax locations has been far from the most common means of tax avoidance among U.S. companies. The method developed by the researchers can also be used in the future to assess the impact of tax reforms such as that of the OECD. (in German)

Academic GIFts: How the IoT can improve daily processes

In a purely digital world, processes can be easily traced by IT systems. In our real world, there is no central IT system to do this. But the internet of things, IoT, provides an abundance of smart objects that collect data about activities and surroundings. Since this data is not complete, the challenge is to select relevant data and to correlate it with the activities in the processes. Ronny Seiger and Barbara Weber, two researchers at the Institute of Computer Science (ICS-HSG), provide new tools and methods to find these correlations and help analyze and check processes in the physical world. The tools are useful for processes in domains as production, healthcare, mobility and even cooking.

Corona and Business Model Innovation – Oliver Gassmann interviews Sportradar founder Carsten Koerl

How a crisis can not only be a threat, but an opportunity to rethink an entire business model and drive innovation. Oliver Gassmann in conversation with Sportradar founder and CEO Carsten Koerl about sports data, eSports, customized user journeys, and employee commitment in times of the corona pandemic.

The Open Science Initiative "Next Generation"

With the "Next Generation" initiative, the University of St.Gallen (HSG) encourages young scientific talents to inform the public and decision-makers about new scientific discoveries. Prof. Dr. Christian Keuschnigg and students on the open science project "Next Generation", the challenges of producing the texts and the benefits for the general public. (in German)

HSG Impact Award 2021: Staying on Top of the Crisis

The Corona pandemic began as a public health crisis. However, it quickly affected almost every aspect of life. This included the global economy. During a crisis, businesses and policy makers need accurate and up-to-date information. Unfortunately, this information is not always available. Prof. Dr. Charlotta Sirén, Research Associate Michael Hudecheck, Prof. Ph.D. Joakim Vincent and Prof. Dr. Dietmar Grichnik tackled this problem in their research project "Staying on Top of the Crisis".

HSG Impact Award 2021: Portfolio model for sustainable investments

Sustainable investments are among the most important trends in the capital markets. They take into account verifiable criteria from the environmental, social, and responsible corporate governance fields. At the University of St.Gallen, Prof. Dr. Sebastian Utz developed a novel portfolio model. It mutually optimizes risk, return, and sustainability impact and makes it possible to identify unused sustainability in investments and efficiently redirect capital towards sustainable challenges. (in German)

HSG Impact Award 2021: Monitoring Consumption Switzerland

The Corona pandemic paralyzed the global economy within a few weeks. Production, trade, and consumption came to a brief standstill in the spring of 2020. Consumption by private households plays a crucial role in assessing the economic situation, as it accounts for about 50% of Switzerland's gross domestic product. But how can consumption be measured and analyzed in real-time? The "Monitoring Consumption Switzerland" dashboard developed by Prof. Dr. Martin Brown and Prof. Dr. Matthias Fengler provides detailed weekly data on consumption expenditure in Switzerland. (in German)

The School of Medicine's "Skills Training"

Practical exercises for future physicians: The School of Medicine's "Skills Training" prepares students for their future field of activity in medicine. As a supplement to theoretical specialist knowledge, it enables students to get to grips with practical work and is also an important component of the Joint Medical Master's training at the HSG.
Prof. Dr. Kuno Schedler, Academic Director of the School of Medicine, and Dr. med. Peter Krähenmann on the close cooperation between the Cantonal Hospital St.Gallen, HSG and the University of Zurich as well as the first experiences of the Joint Medical Master students.

Academic GIFts: How We Die

Writers have always written about death. Helping us make sense of the inevitable. Recently, there has been an explosion of autobiographical texts by writers facing their own death. What can we – medicine and society as a whole – learn from them?

COVID-19 and hospital management

Prof. Dr Alexander Geissler on the COVID 19 pandemic and the enormous challenges for hospitals and the health system. Which key figures are decisive for an assessment of the pandemic situation? And why only intelligent control can make the fragmented healthcare system future-proof. (in German)

Truly Sustainable Strategies

Although many companies are committed to sustainability, environmental and social crises are advancing. This is partly because many companies' strategies tend to view sustainability as a means to an end of financial success. The Truly Sustainable Strategies approach, on the other hand, places the addressing of existing sustainability challenges at the center of corporate action. Dr. Tabea Bereuther from the Institute for Economy and the Environment at the HSG has taken a closer look at these strategies in her dissertation.

Academic GIFts: Academia and Populism

Populists promise to bring power back to "the people". They value "wisdom of the crowds" more than scientific expertise. But what about those populist leaders who are scientific experts themselves?

In the Lab: Transformatics

In our new video series "In the Lab", we shed light on research projects in the making, provide insights into initial interim results and show where the research journey is headed. In the first episode, cultural and media scientist Prof. Dr. Jörg Metelmann and organisational psychologist and transformation consultant Dr. Björn Müller explain their interdisciplinary research project "Transformatics". (in German, English Subtitles)

The manipulation of the chatbots

Many companies use chatbots to communicate with their customers. Depending on how they are designed, they can have more or less influence on buying behaviour. Very subtle features also play a role.

If the boss is an algorithm

Artificial intelligence is advancing in the field of personnel management: whether it is being used to find suitable employees for open positions or to monitor and evaluate the work of and performance of current employees… and this can all be done automatically. Where have these types of algorithms already taken over executive positions in Switzerland and what effects this can have on the relationship between employees and their company? These topics have been investigated by the Research Institute for Work and Working Environments at the HSG (FAA-HSG). This video also examines what is legally permissible in regard to surveillance in the workplace.

Gudrun Sander on diversity as a management task

Prof. Dr. Gudrun Sander on the advantages of heterogeneous teams in challenging times of crisis. How can the diversity of employees be used to achieve corporate goals? And why is diversity management first and foremost a management task? (in German)

Prof. Fabrizio Zilibotti on the economic side of the COVID 19 pandemic

How could the economic consequences be mitigated? Which macroeconomic measures could be helpful in this respect? And what does this crisis mean for Europe and Switzerland?

Quality versus efficiency in healthcare?

In areas such as health care or education, there is high cost pressure. At the same time, this type of service can only be made more efficient to a limited extent, as direct interpersonal contact is often essential for its benefit. The HSG's Institute of Information Management has investigated which approach is best suited to resolving this contradiction. How, for example, can visits to doctors be arranged in such a way that new technologies not only lead to greater efficiency but also to a better quality of life and treatment for patients? (in German)

Retirement provision 4.0

Society is getting older and older, which puts the current system of old-age provision increasingly into financial distress. In addition, there are other social trends that increase the need for reform of the social security system. Against the background of these developments, the Institute of Insurance Economics at the HSG derived possible fields of action and examined their acceptance by the population.

More transparency in supply chains thanks to Blockchain

Blockchain technology could bring more transparency to global supply chains and thus ensure greater social and environmental sustainability. First pilot projects in this area have already been launched. One of these has been accompanied by the Institute for Supply Chain Management at the HSG, which has investigated the stumbling blocks that exist for such solutions.

Miriam Meckel and Damian Borth on "Vocally Yours"

Prof. Dr. Miriam Meckel and Prof. Dr. Damian Borth on their project "Vocally Yours" which operates at the interface of artificial intelligence and journalism. Deep neural networks will be used to turn an author's text into recordings using their voice. How can journalists use this new technology? How can illegal use and so-called deepfakes be prevented? (in German)

Why is climate change relevant for business?

Prof. Dr. Judith Walls on the carbon footprint of companies, the influence of consumers on corporate strategies and the significance of the "Friday for Future" movement. To what extent can renewable energies and biodiversity affect climate change?

Wilhelm Mundt on "Trashstones"

The sculptor Wilhelm Mundt on his work group "Trashstones", art & transience as well as the changes that have occurred over the years in his reflections on art and sculpture. (in German)

Emanuel de Bellis on personalizing the customization experience

"It is not sufficient to roll out standardised user interfaces. Instead, they need to be adjusted towards the way consumers think." Emanuel de Bellis on mass customization platforms and the apparent Western bias in their design. De Bellis is Vice Director and Assistant Professor for Marketing and Research Methods at the Institute for Customer Insight at the University of St.Gallen (ICI-HSG).

Patrick Emmenegger on the Federal Council elections in 2019

Prof. Dr. Patrick Emmenegger on the outcome of the 2019 Federal Council elections, the battle for seats in the Federal Council and considerations on concordance, power and one seat for the Green Party in the Federal Council. (in German)

#2minutes: Martin Eling on cyber risks

The magazine Science has published an article about cyber risks. In the article, Martin Eling, Professor for Insurance Management at the University of St.Gallen (HSG), and an international team of scientists discuss how the challenges of cyber attacks can be analyzed.

Academic GIFts: Mondays For Meaning

Leaders need to be close to their own personal meaning to provide a compelling vision and purpose to their followers. This is shown by a study by Petra Kipfelsberger, Institute for Leadership and Human Resource Management of the University of St.Gallen.

Global Competitiveness Report 2019

In the Global Competitiveness Index 4.0 comprising the most competitive countries in the world, Switzerland is ranked 5th behind Singapore, the USA, Hong Kong and the Netherlands. The Executive School at the University of St.Gallen (ES-HSG) has once again carried out this year’s survey of business leaders of Swiss companies. An interview with Dr. Tobias Trütsch, Head of Economics Division of the Executive School of the University of St.Gallen. (in German)

Academic GIFts: What is crowdsourcing?

Crowdsourcing works best in collaborativ settings - with collaborative crowds. In other settings, such as crowdsourcing competitions, individuals become less creative over time. This is shown in a study by Ivo Blohm, Assistant Professor for Data Science and Management at the Institute of Information Management (IWI-HSG).

Which leaders make companies more sustainable? An interview with Judith Walls.

What traits and characteristics can we look for in leaders that indicate that they will move their companies towards better social and environmental performance? An interview with Judith Walls, Chair for Sustainability Management of the Institute for Economy and the Environment (IWÖ-HSG).

Academic GIFts: Globalisation and the Concentration of Talent

Globalisation facilitates the flows of capital, goods, and ideas and it provides firms with access to new markets. Yet, the benefits from globalisation are not distributed equally. How do these imbalances feed back into the allocation of talent across competing teams? A research project by Ulrich Schetter (Swiss Institute for International Economics and Applied Economic Research at the HSG) and Oriol Tejada (ETH Zurich) provides answers to these questions.

Martin Kolmar: "The comfortable life is not the good life"

Prof. Dr. Martin Kolmar compares our consumption to a never ending story. What stands at the end of our consumption? Which neuroscientific aspects are associated with consumption? And what did the old virtues teach us? A video interview. (in German)

#2minutes: Maël Schnegg on the "Landscape Monitor"

Disruption is on everyone's lips. New technologies but also rapid social change can quickly become a disaster for many companies and their established business models. This makes it more important for companies to systematically monitor their own environment in order to identify threatening trends at an early stage. But what is the best way to do this? Dr. Maël Schnegg from the Institute for Accounting and Controlling at the HSG has helped to develop a tool for this challenge.

Zilla Leutenegger on "Staircase: Lonely at the top"

The Swiss artist Zilla Leutenegger on her work "Staircase: Lonely at the top", her art concept and the sgraffito technique used for the first time in her work. An art interview. (in German)

Tony Cragg on art and sculpture

"The most human thing in the world is art." Tony Cragg on the essence of sculpture, on form and material, and sculptures as radical political attitude. An art interview. (in German)

#2minutes: Josh Hsueh on the effects of family business on entrepreneurs

What is the influence of family business background on next-generation entrepreneurship? An interview with Josh Hsueh, Ph.D., post-doctoral researcher at the Center for Family Business at the University of St.Gallen.

Academic GIFts: Who is liable for self-driving cars?

To err is technical: Even autonomous cars can cause accidents. Who has to answer for the damage caused by the the vehicle "Trooper" in a careless moment? Melinda Lohmann, Assistant Professor of Business Law with special emphasis of Information Law, explains the case from the perspective of European law.

Felix Lehner on the artist Hans Josephsohn

Felix Lehner, founder and managing director of Kunstgiesserei St.Gallen and Galerie Felix Lehner AG, on the artist Hans Josephsohn. Which sculptural and artistic questions have occupied Josephsohn throughout his life? What is so special about his work "Standing Figure, Untitled, 1962", which can be seen at the University of St.Gallen? And how important is the "counterpart" in all his works? (in German)

#2minutes: Damian Borth on the new AI research at the HSG

The HSG becomes a research center for artificial intelligence. It is the first Swiss university to receive an NVIDIA supercomputer. Damian Borth, Professor of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning at the University of St.Gallen, talks about the "DGX-2" and its potential for research. (English subtitles)

Wolfgang Jenewein on "positive leadership"

Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Jenewein on "Empowerment" and "Positive Leadership". Why do traditional leadership methods no longer work? How important are empathy and communication for leaders and the ability "to see people and to recognize their individuality"? A video interview. (in German)

Learning Center: Sou Fujimoto on «Open Grid – Choices of Tomorrow»

Architects Sou Fujimoto and Marie de France talk about their project "Open Grid", the new Learning Center at the University of St.Gallen. How does the building fit into its surroundings? What are the project's focal points and which aspects are decisive for a modern learning environment that embraces the digital future?

Knowledge Bank: Christoph Aymanns on Bitcoin

Prof. Dr. Christoph Aymanns on the Bitcoin boom of the last couple of months. What characterizes the crypto currency? How can it be used and what could the future of the crypto currency look like?

Tony Schwartz on Donald Trump

"Donald Trump is an empty vessel, he is a black hole. He spent his whole life trying to fill that hole. That's the essence of Donald Trump." An interview with Tony Schwartz, Ghostwriter of Donald Trump's book "The Art of the Deal" and CEO of "The Energy Project", at the St. Gallen Symposium 2017.