Institute of Management & Strategy at the University of St.Gallen (IFB-HSG)
Welcome to our website! We are independently financed and positioned within the University of St.Gallen as the first point of contact for all aspects of strategic management.
A few facts about our institute
1. place SIM
in the world wide FT ranking
100+ Master degrees
per year
30+ Countries
of the students
10+ PhD fellows
at the institute
20+ Business cooperations
on different topics
News
Prof. Lechner on the Podcast “Unruhige Zeiten”
5. June 2026How can leaders navigate uncertain times?
In the latest episode of the Unruhige Zeiten podcast, Prof. Dr. Christoph Lechner, Professor of Strategic Management at IFB-HSG, discusses the impact of geopolitical developments on businesses and the challenges facing leaders in an increasingly complex world. Tune in now
What Customer Workarounds Can Reveal About Your Business Model
21. May 2026Just published in Harvard Business Review: “What Customer Workarounds Can Reveal About Your Business Model”.
Most companies treat customer workarounds (e.g. account sharing, employees expensing tools their company doesn’t offer) as product feedback or compliance issues. We argue they’re something more useful: prototypes of business models that companies haven’t built yet. By the time a workaround exists, customers have already done the job. They’ve identified a gap in the way they can access, use, and pay for what you offer. They’ve demonstrated demand. And they’ve proven willingness to pay – this time in effort and time instead of money. The resulting monetization gap has a name: the Business Model Void. Spotting one is hard. Closing it before someone else does is harder. Read the full article here.
Global deal, local identity: the Aromat debate
16. April 2026A recently agreed deal between Unilever and McCormick is drawing attention beyond the M&A community.
The transaction — covering Unilever’s food business, including Knorr and Aromat— has also sparked debate in Switzerland about the future of a deeply embedded consumer brand.
Both Tages-Anzeiger and 20 Minuten featured perspectives from Xena Welch Guerra and Tomi Laamanen on the structural complexity of such transactions.
Integrated global brands like Knorr are embedded in tightly coupled production, supply chain, and IP systems, making the separation of individual brands challenging in practice.
At the same time, the case highlights how global M&A decisions can trigger strong local reactions. Aromat, produced in Thayngen, is widely perceived as part of Swiss culinary identity.
👉 Read the coverage here:
https://lnkd.in/dyKi23bV
https://lnkd.in/djmZq8ph
Introducing the Next-Generation of Business Model Innovation
2. April 2026The third edition of the Business Model Navigator, published in 2025, introduces 66 business model patterns, fresh global case examples, and a strong focus on AI-driven business model innovation. It also features a new chapter on business model testing and reveals previously hidden success factors. Business models tell the story of how organizations create and capture value – an essential capability in today’s dynamic economy.
Research
Business management has undergone enormous change in recent years. In particular, framework conditions have been changed by technical and digital developments. Our institute has a total of 5 chairs and 6 competence centers focusing on various strategic topics.
Teaching
The extensive range of courses offered at bachelor, master and doctoral level allows over 200 students per semester to build up comprehensive knowledge in the areas of strategic management, mergers and acquisitions and corporate governance. Our students benefit from close mentoring throughout the entire training process up to degree papers.
Executive Education
In addition to the high level of professional quality, our executive education programs impress with the exclusive network. The focus is always on personal contact with fellow students, speakers, executives or network partners. The heterogeneous field of participants from different industries promotes cross-industry and lasting contacts that will successfully contribute to your career.
Program overview
The Institute of Management and Strategy is the perfect choice for executive education programs in the areas of strategy, financen, general management and leadership. For many years, countless delighted participants have valued the high degree of practical relevance, the exclusive network and the renowned instructors.