Three research projects honoured with "HSG Impact Award 2024"

In 2024, a total of three awards will be presented to: the research project "Designing hybrid work based on evidence" by Prof. Dr. Stephan Böhm, Dr. Martina Hartner-Tiefenthaler (TU Vienna) and Tarek Carls; the project "Green Investments and Top Income Inequality" by Prof. Dr. Ola Mahmoud and Lea Tschan; and Prof. Dr. Thomas Burri and "The First University of St.Gallen Grand Challenge – The EU A.I. Act 2023".

The jury, consisting of practitioners and university members, assessed applications from a wide range of HSG research disciplines. The prizes will be awarded during the Dies academicus next Saturday, 25 May 2024.

Rules of the game for hybrid forms of work

The flexibilization of work location and time has become an important factor for many companies in the battle for talent. The coronavirus pandemic has accelerated this development. Even though many companies are calling for a return to the office after the end of the pandemic, it is becoming increasingly clear that the future of office work will be hybrid – i.e. partly in the office and partly remote. But what is the best way to implement this form of collaboration? This is where the project by Prof. Dr. Stephan Böhm, Tarek Carls, and Dr. Martina Hartner-Tiefenthaler (TU Wien) comes in. Initiated by the Center for Disability and Integration at the University of St.Gallen and Audi AG, this project identifies ways in which hybrid teams can organise their collaboration in order to increase both efficiency and health.

Green investments and unequal top incomes

Green finance has fundamentally changed the financial industry. Investments in this area are crucial for sustainable projects and climate neutrality. The research project by Prof. Dr. Ola Mahmoud and Lea Tschan examines the relationship between green investments and income inequality, drawing on data sets from 87 countries from 2004 to 2020, and shows that green investments influence inequality through innovation and technological change. The social significance of green finance is illustrated in the study using examples from Switzerland. Conclusion: Political decision-makers need to balance green investments with social measures in order to ensure an inclusive and sustainable transition. The research project was supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF).

The EU A.I. Act and the Grand Challenge

In July 2023, a unique competition took place at SQUARE at HSG, in which the planned EU law on artificial intelligence was tested using AI applications. 12 teams from various disciplines took part to test the practicality of the law and developed suggestions for improvement. The event was of great benefit to both the technology companies and the participants, as it provided legal assessments and deepened understanding of the practical application of the law. The event also attracted media interest and received wide, positive coverage.