Prof. Ph.D.

Björn Ambos

Professor of Strategic Management

Björn Ambos is a chair holder and professor of strategic management, and Director of the Institute of Management & Strategy (IOMS-HSG) at the University of St. Gallen. Professor Ambos studied business administration at the University of Hamburg and Florida State University with a focus on international management and organization (degree in business administration, Dr. rer. pol.). In 2006 he received his habilitation from the Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU). Prior to his appointment at the HSG, Prof. Ambos taught and researched i.a. at the University of Edinburgh, the University of Hamburg, Bocconi University, Queens Universiy, Florida International University and Vienna University of Economics and Business.

Member of Competence Centers

Prof. Dr. Björn Ambos

Björn Ambos is Professor of Strategic Management and Director of the Institute of Management & Strategy (IOMS) at the University of St. Gallen. Professor Ambos studied business administration at the University of Hamburg and Florida State University with a focus on international management and organization (degree in business administration, Dr. rer. pol.). In 2006 he received his habilitation from the Vienna University of Economics and Business. Prior to his appointment at the HSG, Prof. Ambos taught and researched i.a. at the University of Edinburgh, the University of Hamburg, Bocconi University, Queens Universiy, Florida International University and Vienna University of Economics and Business.

Prof. Ambos conducts research into the topics of strategy, organization and innovation in multinational companies. In 2014, he was appointed Senior Editor of the Journal of World Business, and in 2015 he also became Senior Consulting Editor of the Global Strategy Journal. He also works for the editorial boards of the Strategic Management Journal, the Journal of International Management, the Management International Review and the Journal of International Business Studies. In addition, Prof. Ambos was a member of the Board of the European International Business Academy (EIBA) and held various positions within the Strategic Management Society. For example, in 2012 and 2015 he was Program Chairman of annual and thematic conferences of the Strategic Management Society in Prague and St. Gallen. Finally, Prof. Ambos was a scientific advisor to the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and worked as an expert within the framework of the EFI Expert Group of the German Bundestag.

Professor Ambos has several years of experience working in industry in international management positions in Vietnam, Italy, Paris and New York. The list of his research and consulting partners includes i.a. Astellas, Airbus, Federal Court of Justice, Die Presse, Eli Lilly, Ford, France Telecom, Helvetia, Hutchison 3G, Honda, Jungheinrich, JP Morgan, Kia Motors, L’Oreal, Nike, ÖVP, Pfizer , Porsche, Puma, Roland Berger, Royal Dutch Shell, die Rewe Group, das Royal Scottish National Orchestra, SAP, Siemens, Solvay, Unilever, Telekom Austria, Volkswagen and Villeroy & Boch.

The results of his research work were been published in numerous international journals like the International Business Review, Journal of International Management, the Journal of World Business, Long Range Planning, Management International Review, as well as in Organizational Science, Research Policy and the Strategic Management Journal. In the past ten years he has presented his scientific work in the form of articles and lectures at more than sixty universities and conferences.

Education

Year

Degree

University
2006 Venia docendi (Dr. habil.) Vienna University of Economics and Business, Austria
2001 Ph.D. in International Management University of Hamburg, Germany
1998 Degree in business administration (MA) University of Hamburg, Germany and Florida State University, USA
1994 Undergraduate degree (BA) University of Hamburg, Germany

Work experience

Year

Position

Organization
2011-2014 Visiting lecturer Queen’s University, UK
2009-2011 Visiting lecturer Bocconi University, Italy
2010 Visiting lecturer Florida International University, USA
2006-2012 Professor Vienna University of Economics and Business, Austria
2003-2006 Lecturer University of Edinburgh, UK
2001-2003 Assistant Professor Vienna University of Economics and Business, Austria
1998-2001 Research Assistant University of Hamburg, Germany
1992-1998 Product manager Rainbow Tours – A.S. Reiseveranstaltungsgesellschaft bmH in Paris, New York, Venice, South Africa and Vietnam

Awards

Year

Award

Awarding organization
2013 Best Paper Award of the International Management Division Academy of Management
2012 Runner Up: CEMS Course of the Year Award “Global Strategic Management” CEMS
2012 Finalist of the “Best Conference Paper Award”, Special Conference Singapore Strategic Management Society
2009 IMR International Marketing Award EIBA Annual Conference
2009 Best MBA Lecturer Vienna University of Economics and Business
2008 Course of the Year Award in “Global Strategic Management” CEMS
2007 Best Paper Award on Emerging Markets EIBA Annual Conference

Journal Articles

  • Ambos, B., Brandl, K., Perri, A., Scalera, V. G., Van Assche, A. (2021). The nature of innovation in global value chains. Journal of World Business, 56(4). Elsevier Science. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jwb.2021.101221
  • Ambos, B., Leicht-Deobald, U., Leinemann, A. (2019). Understanding the Formation of Psychic Distance Perceptions: Are Country-level or Individual-level Factors more Important?. International Business Review, 28, 660-671. Elsevier. https://doi.org/doi.org/10.1016/j.ibusrev.2019.01.003
  • Ambos, B., Kunisch, S. G. T., Leicht-Deobald, U., Schulte Steinberg, A. (2019). Unravelling Agency Relations inside the MNC: The Roles of Socialization, Goal Conflicts and Second Principals in Headquarters-Subsidiary Relationships. Journal of World Business, 54(2), 67-81. Elsevier Science. https://www.alexandria.unisg.ch/handle/20.500.14171/99063
  • Beugelsdijk, S., Ambos, B., Nell, P. C. (2018). Conceptualizing and measuring distance in international business research: Recurring questions and best practice guidelines. Journal of International Business Studies, 49(9), 1113-1137. Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41267-018-0182-4
  • Beugelsdijk, S., Nell, P. C., Ambos, B. (2017). When do distance effects become empirically observable? An investigation in the context of headquarters value creation for subsidiaries. Journal of International Management, 23(3), 255-267. Elsevier. https://www.alexandria.unisg.ch/handle/20.500.14171/102016
  • Ambos, B. (2016). Comment on ‘Regional Headquarters: The spearhead for Asia Pacific marketsʼ, Philippe Lasserre. Long Range Planning, Volume 29, Issue 1, February 1996, Pages 30–37. Long Range Planning, 1-3. Pergamon Press. https://www.alexandria.unisg.ch/handle/20.500.14171/103641
  • Ambos, T., Ambos, B., Eich, K., Puck, J. (2016). Imbalance and Isolation: How Team Configurations Affect Global Knowledge Sharing. Journal of International Management, 22(4), 316-332. Elsevier. https://www.alexandria.unisg.ch/handle/20.500.14171/103642
  • Håkanson, L., Ambos, B., Schuster, A., Leicht-Deobald, U. (2016). The Psychology of Psychic Distance: Antecedents of Asymmetric Perceptions. Journal of World Business, 51(2), 308-318. Elsevier Science. https://www.alexandria.unisg.ch/handle/20.500.14171/104708
  • Kunisch, S., Menz, M., Ambos, B. (2015). Changes at Corporate Headquarters: Review, Integration and Future Research. International Journal of Management Reviews, 17(3), 356-381. Blackwell Publ., Oxford. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijmr.12044
  • Ambos, B., Leinemann, A. (2015). Switzerland and Europe: Close Neighbours or Distant Relatives?. Die Unternehmung, 69(2), 193-205. Nomos, Zürich. https://www.alexandria.unisg.ch/handle/20.500.14171/106256
  • Kunisch, S., Schulte Steinberg, A., Ambos, B. (2015). Corporate Parenting Reviews : Die Strategische Bedeutung der kritischen Überprüfung der Konzernzentrale. Zeitschrift Führung + Organisation (zfo), 84(1), 25-31. Schäffer-Poeschel, Stuttgart. https://www.alexandria.unisg.ch/handle/20.500.14171/106774

Conference Papers

 

Alina Sonnenschein
M.Sc.
PhD Candidate, Research Associate

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Laura Weiss
M.Sc.
PhD Candidate, Research Associate

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Natasha Senn
Executive Assistant & Marketing

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