Risks and returns, price equilibria, or systemic risk – if a situation involves multiple criteria or actors, concepts such as the Nash equilibrium and Pareto optimality can help in decision-making. So far, the Nash and Pareto concepts have been regarded as inherently different. Birgit Rudloff, deputy head of the Institute for Statistics and Mathematics at WU (Vienna University of Economics and Business), has now shown, however, that the two concepts coincide under certain conditions. If the Pareto optimization problem for any non-cooperative game is constructed in a specific way, the set of all Pareto optimal solutions coincides with the set of all Nash equilibria. This insight makes it possible to apply Pareto optimality methods and algorithms to Nash equilibria.

One of the most effective strategies in the fight against the pandemic is also one of the cheapest: FFP2 masks are an effective means for curbing the spread of COVID-19. So why are we seeing such a strong anti-mask sentiment in the population? How can people be convinced to wear the much-maligned piece of cloth? Researchers at WU (Vienna University of Economics and Business) have come up with an unconventional suggestion: They recommend personalizing face masks.

Multinational companies and their top management have a special role to play in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). A team of researchers from WU (Vienna University of Economics and Business) and Copenhagen Business School has found that women in upper management at major companies have a particularly positive effect on the achievement of the SDGs.

For the first time, Earth observation satellite images allow researchers to make a comprehensive assessment of the global impact of mining activities. Victor Maus from WU’s Institute for Ecological Economics led the mapping of 100,000 km² of mining areas around the world. The result: Land of high value for biodiversity conservation and climate stability is most impacted by mining: This applies to 29% (29,171 km²) of the global mining area. The researchers also found that tropical and subtropical forests correspond to 60% (8,533 km²) of the area of forest removed for mining between 2000 to 2019.

Politicians, regulators, and pundits have criticized banks' financial reporting as a key culprit of the problem in the financial crisis 2008–2009 and have called for changes. But is the criticism really justified? What changes are necessary? In a recent study, Professor Christian Laux from the Institute for Finance, Banking and Insurance at WU (Vienna University of Economics and Business) and his co-authors examine the disclosure and recognition of losses of international banks during the financial crisis. The authors also investigate the consequences of a regulation that reduces the impact of losses on banks’ required regulatory capital. The evidence is important to guide standard setting and recent debates in bank regulation.

The International Political Economy Society (IPES) has honored Jonas Bunte, professor of international political economy at WU Vienna, for his book “Raise the Debt: How Developing Countries Choose Their Creditors.”

We give credit to the people behind WU Vienna’s outstanding research achievements.

Turning an old car airbag into a backpack or pieces of truck tarp into shoulder bags – this is called upcycling. A study carried out at WU (Vienna University of Economics and Business) shows that the story behind a product can be an important incentive to buy. The previous identity of a product can make buyers think about the product’s history and create a sense of owning something unique.

In today’s age of digitalization and artificial intelligence, data is becoming an increasingly important asset for society. We live in a data-based and data-driven economy. New business models depend on the availability of reliable, up-to-date data that guarantees transparency and resilience. However, if this data is not properly processed and maintained, it is often useless. A team led by Professor Axel Polleres, head of the Institute for Data, Process and Knowledge Management at the Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU), has conducted a study to determine which data is actually important to people and developed methods to make data easier to use, for both people and machines.

In the late 1970s, the Chinese government launched an ambitious program to promote private sector development – after decades of suppression and violent condemnation of anyone engaged in private capitalism. A study carried out at the Vienna University of Economics and Business investigates the precarious work done to reintroduce economic activities that had previously been considered illegal, immoral, and anachronistic. The study finds that such seemingly ‘transgressive’ change was facilitated through the negotiation and construction of regulatory and rhetorical distinctions that progressively reshaped understandings of what was (or was not) consistent with Chinese socialism.

The annual report is one of the most important publications of any publicly listed company. However, only very little is known about the readers of annual reports and the things they are interested in.

Food insecurity affects almost 33% of the world’s population.