
Prof. Dr. Dr.
Tomi Laamanen
Professor of Strategic Management
Tomi Laamanen is Chaired Professor of Strategic Management and Director of the Institute of Management & Strategy at University of St.Gallen. He holds PhDs in Finance and Strategy and until his appointment at the HSG in 2011, he served as the Head of the Institute of Strategy of Aalto University in Finland. At present, Tomi is Academic Director of the Master Program in Strategy and International Management (SIM) and of the HSG PhD Program in General Management. His research covers the strategic management field broadly ranging from corporate strategy to strategy execution. A special emphasis of his research is on mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and, in particular, on acquisition programs and serial acquirers, management’s cognition, strategy processes and strategic issue management, and digital platforms for strategy execution. Tomi is past Editor-in-Chief of Long Range Planning, past Associate Editor of Strategic Management Journal, and past Member of the Board and Executive Board of the Strategic Management Society. In addition, he has in the past held multiple leadership roles in the Academy of Management and European Academy of Management and is member of the editorial review boards of Academy of Management Journal, Academy of Management Discovery, Journal of Management Studies, and Strategic Management Journal.
Member of Competence Centers
Lecturer Further Education
Prof. Dr. Dr. Tomi Laamanen
Tomi Laamanen is chair holder and professor of Strategic Management, Director of the PhD Program in General Management and Academic Director of the Master Program in Strategy and International Management (SIM) at the University of St.Gallen. Previously, he was Professor of Strategic Management and Director of the Institute of Strategy at Aalto University (1997-2011), Dean of the Faculty of Management (TKK, Tuotantotalous) (2001-2002) and visiting professor at the University of St. Gallen and the Graduate School of Management (GSOM) of St.Petersburg State University (2011-2013). Tomi Laamanen holds doctoral degrees in strategy and finance. Tomi Laamanen conducts research in the field of strategic management. Special emphasis is placed on mergers and acquisitions, particularly on acquisition programs and series buyer and strategy processes, managerial cognition and capability dynamics. Professor Laamanen’s works were published in leading international journals like the Strategic Management Journal, the Journal of Management, the Journal of International Business Studies, the Journal of Management Studies, the Academy of Management Learning and Education, the Research Policy, the Long Range Planning and the Journal of Business Finance and Accounting, Strategic Organization and Harvard Business Review. Tomi Laamanen is Editor-in-Chief of Long Range Planning (2016–present), former Associate Editor of the Strategic Management Journal (2009-2015) and a member of editorial boards of the Academy of Management Journal, the Academy of Management Discoveries, the Journal of Management and the Strategic Management Journal. He also initiated and edited three special editions; on “Strategy Processes and Practices” in the Strategic Management Journal (2018), on “Business Models, Ecosystems, and Society in the Sharing Economy” at the Academy of Management Discoveries (2018), and on “Dispersion of Corporate Headquarters in Contemporary Firms” in the Journal of Management Studies (2017). As for strategic consulting, Professor Laamanen worked with companies of various industries as chairman, board member, consultant or strategy coach. He was chairman of five companies, including the listed SSH Communications Security Corporation (2002-2009: NASDAQ: SSH) and a board member in five other companies, including Helsinki’s second largest retail bank. Among the companies he worked with are ABB, Aldata Solution Oyj, Alma Media Oyj, Audi AG, Cable & Wireless Plc, Credit Suisse AG, Deltagon Oy, Electrobit Oyj, Elisa Oyj, Eltel Oy, Emtele Oy , Fortum Oyj, Fresenius SE, Forbo AG, Halton Oy, Helsingin OP Pankki Oyj, Honkarakenne Oyj, KPMG Finland and Switzerland, Kesko Oyj, Lemminkäinen Oyj, LähiTapiola, Metso Oyj, Nokia Oyj, Nokia Siemens Networks, Orion Oyj, Ponsse Oyj, Pöyry Oyj, Sanoma Oyj, SSH Communications Security, Teliasonera Oyj, TÜV-SÜD AG, UPM Kymmene Oyj, Wärtsilä Oyj and YIT Oyj. Particular focus in his applied research was on the Swiss private banking industry. Cooperation with KPMG resulted in seven studies that documented the state of private banking in Switzerland. Tomi Laamanen is a member of the senior management, a Board Member and Treasurer of the Strategic Management Society. He led two special conferences of the Strategic Management Society (in Lapland and St. Gallen), managed the Strategy Research Fund (SRF), the Strategy Process Interest Group of the Strategic Management Society, and the Strategic Activities and Practices (SAP) Interest Group of the Academy of Management. He is also former Chairman of the Strategic Management Interest Group of the European Academy of Management (2013-2017).
Education
Degree |
University |
Ph.D. in finance | School of Economics & Business, Aalto University, Finland |
Ph.D. in strategy | School of Science, Department of Management, Aalto University, Finland |
M.Sc. in finance | School of Economics & Business, Aalto University, Finland |
M.Sc. in strategy | School of Science, Department of Management, Aalto University, Finland |
Work experience
Year |
Position |
University |
2011-2013 | Visiting Professor | St. Petersburg State University, Russia |
1997-2011 | Director of the Institute of Management | Aalto University, Finland |
1997-2011 | Professor of the Institute for Strategic Management | Aalto University, Finland |
2001-2002 | Head of Management Department | Aalto University, Finland |
Awards
Award |
Awarding organization |
Distinguished Service Award for the role as the chair of the Strategic Management Interest Group | European Academy of Management |
Distinguished Service Award at the Strategic Management Society | Strategic Process Interest Group |
Distinguished Service Award for the role as the chair of the Strategizing Activities and Practices Interest Group | Academy of Management |
Best Teacher Award of the year | Aalto Executive Education |
Best Teacher Award of the year | Department of Industrial Management of the Aalto School of Science of Aalto University |
Outstanding Reviewer Awards. Managerial and Organizational Cognition division, the Business Policy and Strategy division, and the Organizational and Management Theory division in multiple years. | Academy of Management |
Best Paper Runner-Up at the Strategic Management Society Conference | Strategic Management Society |
Co-Author of several Strategic Management Society PhD Student Best Paper Awards | Strategic Management Society |
Journal Articles
- Natalia Vuori, Barbara Burkhard, Tomi Laamanen, Christopher Bingham (2024). Heuristics in Organizations: Toward an Integrative Process Model. Acadamy of Management Annals. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.5465/annals.2022.0194
- Keil, T., Deutsch, Y., Laamanen, T., Maula, M. (2022). Temporal Dynamics in Acquisition Behavior: The Effects of Activity Load on Strategic Momentum. Journal of Management Studies, 60(1), 38-81. Society for the Advancement of Management Studies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/joms.12849
- Vuori, N., Laamanen, T., Zollo, M. (2022). Capability Development in Infrequent Organizational Processes: Unveiling the Interplay of Heuristics and Causal Knowledge. Journal of Management Studies. Society for the Advancement of Management Studies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/joms.12891
- Andrews, D. S., Nell, P. C., Schotter, A. P. J., Laamanen, T. (2022). And the subsidiary lives on: Harnessing complex realities in the contemporary MNE. Journal of International Business Studies. Springer Nature Switzerland AG. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1057/s41267-022-00552-4#citeas
- Weiser, A., Laamanen, T. (2022). Extending the Dynamic Equilibrium Model of Paradox: Unveiling the dissipative dynamics in organizations. Sage Journals, Organization Theory, Volume 3, Issue 3. SAGE Publications. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/26317877221090317
- Weiser, A., Jarzabkowski, P., Laamanen, T. (2020). Completing the Adaptive Turn: An Integrative View of Strategy Implementation. Academy of Management Annals, 14(2), 969-1031. The Academy of Management. https://journals.aom.org/doi/10.5465/annals.2018.0137
- Luoma, J., Laamanen, T., Lamberg, J. (2020). Toward a routine-based view of interfirm rivalry. Strategic Organization, 1-14. Sage Publications Ltd., United Kingdom. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1476127020931359
- de Groote, J. K., Kleindienst, I., Hoegl, M., Schweizer, D., Laamanen, T. (2019). Similarity perceptions in investor reactions to acquisition announcements. Long Range Planning. Elsevier. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0024630118304369
- Welch Guerra, X., Pavicevic, S., Keil, T., Laamanen, T. (2019). The Pre-Deal Phase of Mergers and Acquisitions: A Review and Research Agenda. Journal of Management. SAGE. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0149206319886908
- Laamanen, T. (2019). Dynamic attention-based view of corporate headquarters in MNCs. Journal of Organization Design, 8(16). Wiley. https://jorgdesign.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s41469-019-0056-7#citeas
- Tenhiälä, A., Laamanen, T. (2018). Right on the Money? The Contingent Effect of Strategic Orientation and Pay System Design on Firm Performance. Strategic Management Journal, 39(13), 3408-3445. Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1002/smj.2953
- Burgelman, R., A., Floyd, S., Laamanen, T., Mantere, S., Vaara, E., Whittington, R. (2018). Strategy processes and practices: Dialogues and intersection. Strategic management journal, 39(3), 531-558. Wiley, New York, NY [u.a.]. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/smj.2741/epdf
- Ocasio, W., Laamanen, T., Vaara, E. (2018). Communication and attention dynamics: An attention-based view of strategic change. Strategic Management Journal, 39(1), 155-167. Wiley, New York, NY [u.a.]. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/smj.2702/epdf
- Bertrand, O., Betschinger, M., Laamanen, T. (2017). Effects of subnational regional corruption on growth strategies in emerging economies: Evidence from Russian domestic and international M&A activity. Global strategy journal. Wiley, Malden, Mass.. https://doi.org/DOI: 10.1002/gsj.1204
- Nell, P., Kappen, P., Laamanen, T. (2017). Reconceptualising Hierarchies: The Disaggregation and Dispersion of Headquarters in Multinational Corporations. Journal of Management Studies, 54(8), 1121-1143. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/joms.12313/epdf
- Laamanen, T. (2017). Reflecting on the past 50 years of Long Range Planning and a research agenda for the next 50. Long range planning : LRP, 50(1), 1-7. Elsevier, Oxford. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lrp.2017.02.001
- Laamanen, T., Lamberg, J., Vaara, E. (2015). Explanations of Success and Failure in Management Learning: What Can We Learn From Nokia’s Rise and Fall?. Academy of Management learning & education : AMLE, 15(1), 2-25. Academy of Management, Briarcliff Manor, NY. https://doi.org/10.5465/amle.2013.0177
- Heimeriks, K., Bingham, C., Laamanen, T. (2015). Unveiling the Temporally Contingent Role of Codification in Alliance Success. Strategic Management Journal, 36(3), 462-473. Wiley, Chichester. https://doi.org/10.1002/smj.2224
Conference Papers
- Tomi Laamanen, Di Bian (2023). Failing to Prepare is Preparing to Fail: Acquisition Load and Forecasting Errors in Acquisition Integration. Strategic Management Society 43rd Annual Conference, Toronto. https://www.alexandria.unisg.ch/handle/20.500.14171/118664
- Thomas Starck, Xena Welch Guerra, Alexander Paul Wallot, Tomi Laamanen (2023). Value Creation of M&A Advisors: A Bargaining Perspective. https://www.alexandria.unisg.ch/handle/20.500.14171/118665
- Laamanen, T., Weiser, A. (2022). Sensegiving and Sensemaking Dynamics in Platform Ecosystems: The Case of Metaverse. https://www.alexandria.unisg.ch/handle/20.500.14171/108610
- Janotte, A., Laamanen, T. (2021). The Role of Temporal Attitude in Strategic Decision-Making. 41st Strategic Management Society Annual Conference. Strategic Management Society. https://www.alexandria.unisg.ch/handle/20.500.14171/110052
- Janotte, A., Laamanen, T. (2021). The Joint Effects of Regulatory and Temporal Focus on Firm Survival During Industry Discontinuity. 81st Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management. Academy of Management. https://www.alexandria.unisg.ch/handle/20.500.14171/110159
- Bian, D., Chi, W., Haleblian, J., Laamanen, T. (2021). When Beauty is Beastly: Facial Attractiveness of Female CEOs and Investor Reactions to Acquisitions. Academy of Management 81st Annual Conference. https://www.alexandria.unisg.ch/handle/20.500.14171/110838
- Bian, D., Laamanen, T. (2021). Playing it Safe: Imitating Peer Aspirations in Setting Synergy Aspirations in Acquisitions. Strategic Management Society Annual Conference Toronto. https://www.alexandria.unisg.ch/handle/20.500.14171/110839
- Laamanen, T., Zimmermann, A., Bian, D. (2019). Composition of Acquisition Sequences: The Effects of Different Types of Acquisition Patterns on Acquirer Performance. https://www.alexandria.unisg.ch/handle/20.500.14171/98168
- Kunisch, S. G. T., Laamanen, T., Schulte Steinberg, A., Ambos, B. (2019). Organizational Practice Adoption in the MNC: A Trait Activation Theory Approach. , 1. Academy of Management Proceedings, 1. Academy of Management. https://www.alexandria.unisg.ch/handle/20.500.14171/98361
- Weiser, A., Laamanen, T. (2019). Tight or Loose – An Integrative Perspective on Organizational Structures of Renewal. , 1. Academy of Management Proceedings, 1. Academy of Management. https://journals.aom.org/doi/10.5465/AMBPP.2019.17770abstract
- Gegenhuber, T. K., Heimstädt, M., Reischauer, G., Splitter, V., Hoffmann, W. H., Ansari, S., Laamanen, T., Majchrzak, A., Whittington, R. (2019). Digital Strategizing: Crafting Strategy in the Age of Platforms, Ecosystems, and Online Communities. Academy of Management Proceedings. Academy of Management. https://journals.aom.org/doi/10.5465/AMBPP.2019.10073symposium
- Laamanen, T., Zimmermann, A., Bian, D. (2018). Not all Roads lead to Rome: Different Approaches to Ambidexterity in Acquisition Sequences. https://www.alexandria.unisg.ch/handle/20.500.14171/101356
Work Reports
- Hintermann, C., Rosenast, G., Rüdisühli, M., Tomi Laamanen, Kata Isenring-Szabó (2023). Clarity on Swiss Private Banks - In Search of Profitable Growth. Clarity on Swiss Private Banks, 1. https://www.alexandria.unisg.ch/handle/20.500.14171/118635
- Hintermann, C., Cloughesy, K., Rosenast, G., Rüdisühli, M., Laamanen, T., Isenring-Szabó, K., Maureau, G., Ruhstaller, S., Burger, T. (2021). Clarity on Performance of Swiss Private Banks - Stronger banks pull ahead as weaker banks decline. , 2021. KPMG AG Schweiz, Zurich, Switzerland. https://assets.kpmg/content/dam/kpmg/ch/pdf/clarity-on-performance-of-swiss-private-banks-2021.pdf
- Marckstadt, F., Dimke, M., Laamanen, T., Bian, D., Isenring-Szabó, K., Ates, Y., Heil, S., Schwucht, C., Gnan, N., Neubauer, P., Barras, N., Eidenmueller, N. (2020). Transformation Champions - Turning Opposites into Complements. Transformation Champions - Turning Opposites into Complements. Deloitte AG Germany, Germany. https://www2.deloitte.com/de/de/pages/strategy-analytics/articles/erfolgsfaktoren-fuer-die-transformation.html
- Hintermann, C., Cloughesy, K., Rosenast, G., Laamanen, T., Isenring-Szabó, K., Maureau, G., Ruhstaller, S. (2020). Clarity on Performance of Swiss Private Banks - Crisis as a catalyst for change. KPMG AG Schweiz, Zurich, Switzerland. https://home.kpmg/ch/en/home/insights/2020/08/clarity-on-performance-of-swiss-private-banks.html#/
- Hintermann, C., Cloughesy, K., Laamanen, T., Isenring-Szabó, K., Zeidan, J. (2019). Clarity on Performance of Swiss Private Banks - Bigger is better in the quest for success. KPMG AG Schweiz, Zurich, Switzerland. https://assets.kpmg/content/dam/kpmg/ch/pdf/clarity-on-performance-of-swiss-private-banks-2019-en.pdf
- Hintermann, C., Cloughesy, K., Rosenast, G., Antes, N., Maureau, G., Martel, D., Laamanen, T. (2018). Clarity on Performance of Swiss Private Banks - Recovery of a divided industry. KPMG AG Schweiz, Zurich, Switzerland. https://www.alexandria.unisg.ch/handle/20.500.14171/100187
- Hintermann, C., Cloughesy, K., Rosenast, G., Antes, N., Erni, G., Laamanen, T., Bian, D. (2017). Clarity on Performance - Some limited change. Not radical enough. KPMG AG Schweiz, Zurich, Switzerland. https://assets.kpmg/content/dam/kpmg/ch/pdf/clarity-on-performance-of-swiss-private-banks-en.pdf
- Schimmer, M., Laamanen, T., Brunier, F., Meyer, T. D., Trantopoulos, K., Eichenberger, L., Centonze, M., Rickelt, A., Böckmann, A. (2017). Switzerland's TOP 500 Fueling Transformational Growth. Accenture. https://www.accenture.com/ch-de/top500-2017
- Hintermann, C., Christe, A., Mammarella, M., Gallmetzer, M., Rosenast, G., Laamanen, T. (2016). Clarity on Performance of Swiss Private Banks - Further and faster: radical change needed. KPMG AG Schweiz, Zurich, Switzerland. https://www.alexandria.unisg.ch/handle/20.500.14171/105158
- Hintermann, C., Christe, A., Venzin, N., Gallmetzer, M., Rosenast, G., Laamanen, T. (2015). Clarity on Performance of Swiss Private Banks - The widening gap. KPMG AG Schweiz, Zurich, Switzerland. https://assets.kpmg/content/dam/kpmg/pdf/2016/03/ch-clarity-on-performance-of-swiss-private-banks-en.pdf
- Welch Guerra, X., Laamanen, T., Samanta, A., Koller, S. (2015). Serial acquirers - Getting your ducks in a row. Deloitte AG, Zurich, Switzerland. https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/ch/Documents/mergers-acqisitions/ch-en-corporate-finance-m-and-a-survey-2015.pdf
- Laamanen, T., Reuter, E., Steiger, F. (2015). Turning regulation into value. KPMG AG Schweiz, Zürich. https://www.alexandria.unisg.ch/handle/20.500.14171/107291
Academic Positions
Year |
Position |
Organisation |
2018-2023 | Associate Editor, Member of the Board, Member of the Executive Board | Strategic Management Journal, Academy of Management Journal, Academy of Management Discoveries, Journal of Management |
2018 | Guest Editor Special Issue on „Business Models, Ecosystems and Society in the Sharing Economy“ | Academy of Management Discoveries |
2016-2023 | Editor-in-Chief | Long Range Planning |
2018 | Guest Editor Special Issue on „Strategy Processes and Practices“ | Strategic Management Journal |
2017 | Guest Editor Special Issue on „Dispersion of Corporate Headquarters of Multinational Companies“ | Journal of Management Studies |
2009-2015 | Associate Editor | Strategic Management Journal |
In addition, Tomi Laamanen is a member of the Executive Board and the Board of the Strategic Management Society and its Treasurer. He has chaired two special conferences of the Strategic Management Society (in Lapland and St. Gallen), the Strategy Research Fund (SRF), the Strategy Process IG of SMS and the Strategizing Activities and Practices (SAP) IG at the Academy of Management. In addition, he is Past Chair of the Strategic Management SIG of EURAM.
Board- and Advisory Functions
Professor Laamanen has worked with companies from various industries in various roles as Chairman, Board Member, Advisor or Strategy Trainer. He has been Chairman of five companies including the publicly listed SSH Communications Security Corporation (2002-2009: NASDAQ: SSH) and Board Member of five others, including the second largest retail bank in Helsinki. The companies he has worked with include ABB, Aldata Solution Oyj, Alma Media Oyj, Audi AG, Cable and Wireless Plc, Credit Suisse AG, Deltagon Oy, Electrobit Oyj, Elisa Oyj, Eltel Oy, Emtele Oy, Fortum Oyj, Fresenius SE, Forbo, Halton Oy, Helsinkin OP Pankki Oyj, Honkarakenne Oyj, KPMG Finnland and Switzerland, Kesko Oyj, Lemminkäinen Oyj, LähiTapiola, Metso Oyj, Nokia Oyj, Nokia Siemens Networks, Orion Oyj, Pöyry Oyj, Sanoma Oyj, SSH Kommunikationssicherheit Oyj, Teliasonera Oyj, TUV-SUD AG, UPM Kymmene Oyj, Wärtsilä Oyj and YIT Oyj.