Curriculum
Ph.D. students taking the standard track have to complete a total of 28 credits whereas Ph.D. students of the scientific track have to complete a total of 44 credits. Each of the following courses offers 4 credits.
The overall program is structured in four elements:
Basics of Strategy & Management
The first compulsory course is called “Theoretical Perspectives in Management”. It deals with crucial theoretical perspectives applied in management research such as resource-based view, transaction cost theory, evolutionary economics, behavioural theory, etc. The second course “Research Design & Methods” helps students to understand 'what is science' and elaborates on methodological and research design choices:
Basics of Strategy & Management (compulsory)
| Course |
Lecturer |
Term |
| Theoretical Perspectives in Management |
Prof. Dr. Christoph Lechner |
Fall |
| Research Design and Methods |
Prof. Dr. Heike Bruch |
Spring |
Research Streams in Strategy & Management
Management research today consists of several research streams. The Academy of Management currently lists more than twenty division and interests groups, ranging from Business Policy & Strategy, Organisational Behaviour, International Management, Entrepreneurship, Technology Management, etc. Management research today consists of several research streams. The Academy of Management currently lists more than twenty division and interests groups, ranging from Business Policy & Strategy, Organisational Behaviour, International Management, Entrepreneurship, Technology Management, etc.
The following lectures will provide you with an overview of the accumulated knowledge in selected research streams. Lecturers will discuss their individual research projects and enable you to participate in state-of-the-art research activities. Overall, you are obliged to take three electives. Make your choice upon agreement with your supervisor among the following courses:
Research Streams in Strategy & Management
| Course |
Lecturer |
Term |
| Competitive & Corporate Strategy |
Prof. Dr. Tomi Laamanen |
Fall |
| Strategy Process |
Prof. Dr. Tomi Laamanen |
Spring |
| Leadership Research |
Dr. Simon de Jong |
Fall |
| System Dynamics |
Prof. Dr. Markus Schwaninger |
Fall |
| Organizational Design |
Prof. Dr. Sebastian Raisch |
Spring |
Research Colloquia in Strategy & Management
Colloquia have to be taken after coursework and after the successful completion of your thesis proposal. They should support you in crafting your PhD thesis. You will learn about methodological and theoretical pitfalls and receive feedback in transforming your ideas into well crafted research papers. You may chose upon agreement with your supervisor two of the following seminars below:
Complementary Courses
The fourth element contains a set of activities that might find your interest. These courses are not compulsory for the standard track, however we strongly recommend them as means to strengthen your research skills, gain support from colleagues and participate from the knowledge and advice of experienced scholars. In addition, students with strong research ambitions should participate in advanced methods courses offered at the University of St.Gallen (e.g. Structural Equation Modelling, etc.):
Scientific Track
Access to the scientific track depends on the decision of the program committee of the PhD program in Management, composed of several members of the faculty. PhD students following the scientific track are required to complete a total of 44 credits. The following four courses are compulsory for the scientific track:
- Theoretical Perspectives in Management
- Research Design and Methods
- Competititve and Corporate Strategy
- Quantitative Research Methods - Exploratory Methods
All other regulations - as in the standard track - remain valid. The list of all courses has to be approved by the academic supervisor of each PhD student.