The challenge: growing dynamics and increasing complexity

The 21st century is characterized by challenges that are unique in the history of mankind. Technological advances and social developments, together with a high level of interconnectedness due to globalization and the rise of the Internet are dramatically changing the world’s dynamics. Change is happening faster, is more complex, and occurs on a more profound level. Predicting changes is therefore becoming increasingly difficult. As a result, management tasks have never before been as demanding as they are today.

Simultaneously, entrepreneurial opportunities have never before been as great and diverse as in our times. For executives to operate effectively in this promising yet risky economic environment, they need to be equipped with a broad range of knowledge and skills. Having specialist knowledge of just one domain is not sufficient anymore. Tomorrow’s leading executives will have to combine know-how in the areas of strategy, innovation, organization and change management, and have profound knowledge of how to manage and control business from a financial perspective. They will need analytical and creative skills, to think and act as entrepreneurs. Highly-developed social and intercultural skills will be a must. They will not remain passive in the face of change, but actively shape organizations and lead them into the future.

Our answer: organizational leadership

The master program ‘Strategy, Innovation, and Management Control’, which is taught entirely in English, prepares tomorrow’s executives for their role as organizational leaders. The program combines theory, practice, and instruction in relevant social skills, for an integrated approach to ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP. Great emphasis will be placed on developing the ability to identify new entrepreneurial opportunities and, based on that ability, to developing strategies for achieving sustained success. Also highly important is the consistent organizational planning of strategy implementation, and management control.

This master program is offered by WU’s Department of Strategic Management and Innovation:

• Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (Prof. Franke/Prof. Lettl)
• Institute for Public Management (Prof. Meyer)
  
• Institute for Strategic Management and Management Control (Prof. Speckbacher)
• Institute for Corporate Governance (Prof. d’Arcy)
• Institute for Strategic Management (Prof. Hoffmann).

Establishing ties with top business schools around the globe is high on our agenda and negotiations to establish student exchange programs with top international institutions are currently underway.

What is particularly impressive about WU’s new master program “ Strategy, Innovation, and Management Control,” is its systematic combination of the strategic and the finance perspective on managing business, and the program’s strong international orientation, which offers an ideal preparation for a career in general management in an internationally operating company. Wolfgang Ruttenstorfer Chairman of the supervisory board VIG Vienna Insurance Group and long time CEO of OMV AG

"The key fundament for the future of mankind is based on education and knowledge. However, the survival of the human race in dignity and welfare on our blue planet needs innovation which only can be secured by entrepreneurship driven in turn by ownership and willingness to take risk. Thus, we have to teach and to motivate our students to take the chance translating knowledge into innovation. Thus, I wish the new Master Curriculum in "Strategy, Innovation, and Management Control" all the best! Alexander von Gabain Founder of Intercell AG