There are many possible perspectives for the scientific analysis of and practical approach to corporate management. Three of the most important of these perspectives are:

• Accounting und finance

• Governance, organization, and personnel management

• Strategic management and market-oriented management

The research and teaching at the Institute for Strategic Management and Management Control concentrates mainly on combining and integrating these three management perspectives in order to find solutions to both academically interesting and real-life business challenges.

Examples include the development of operative and strategic performance management systems (especially ratio and incentive systems) in various types of organization, for example large companies, family businesses or non-profit organizations; making management decisions across company borders make, buy or ally); managing corporate cooperations, and the stakeholder-oriented financial management of businesses.

Emphasis in Teaching

To prepare our graduates for a successful career, we provide students with the basic tools required to work in corporate management and management control. In addition, we strive to educate our students by encouraging personality development, helping them to gain soft skills in team-oriented group projects, and involving them in research and applied projects. In accordance with Wilhelm von Humboldt’s philosophy of university education, we see students as part of the process of generating knowledge here at the Institute. Our students specializing in Strategic Management and Management Control (SBWL) are not anonymous customers, consuming a service they have bought and paid for, but rather members of the “Universitas” or community of teachers and learners at the Institute. This sets us and our education apart from traditional business schools. Our close contacts to the business community make it possible for us to offer our students numerous opportunities to get to know potential employers even before graduation. As the Institute responsible for the WU Top League and the Center of Excellence, it is important to us to demonstrate that highly gifted students can be encouraged and promoted without being “isolated” in elite schools.

Practical Impact

We have always emphasized the importance of communicating with the business community. We hope to learn from skilled business people how we can make our teaching and research even more applicable to real-life business. In return, we can provide the business world with new ideas in the field of management and encourage the transfer of knowledge between academics and practice. Our partner models, tailored to fit the fields most of our graduates find work in, facilitate close contact between students, potential employers and Institute faculty through cooperative projects and events.

Emphasis in Research

In research, we want to make a contribution to the development of knowledge in the field of management. Our research principles are oriented towards those of the international scientific community, and we work together with partners from numerous renowned international universities. Our goal is to make our research results recognized internationally by publishing in top journals. Our practical projects and cooperative work with corporate partners ensure that the research we do addresses problems faced by the business community and is relevant to real-life business practice. We also try to encourage our best students to consider a research career.