As one of the approximately 25 institutes at HSG, our Institute connects research and practice. We transfer the knowledge obtained through research and teaching into operational practice. It is essential to strike a balance between academic rigor and content that is understandable and applicable.
Our institute was founded in 1946, making it the second oldest institute at the University of St.Gallen (HSG). The HSG institute concept allows institutes to act largely autonomously and are, in return, mostly self-financed. Thus, we are part of one of the leading business universities in Europe (or even the world) and can also act entrepreneurially, similar to a well-managed small business.
Despite its autonomy, institute´s employees are part of the University of St.Gallen and benefit from a stable environment and all the advantages this brings. Our staff, for instance, has access to the sports facilities at HSG as well as the HSG cafeteria and library. Moreover, with an HSG IT account, you can connect to the WLAN of almost any university worldwide (Eduroam).
As a university institute, we have numerous international connections to the academic community within our research fields, linking us with researchers worldwide who, like us, focus on small business, family businesses, and entrepreneurship. We combine this internationality with a strong regional connection and the aspiration to create a kind of familial work environment where everyone at the institute dedicates themselves jointly to our objectives.
One of the great advantages of a university environment is that we are in constant contact with young individuals at the height of their intellectual capacity. This keeps us youthful. Additionally, universities are often at the forefront of developments in the IT sector. For example, universities were already using email when the rest of the business world didn't even know what email was. Notably, the internet also achieved global breakthroughs thanks to inventions at CERN.