Award-winning research
The success of researchers at WU is demonstrated through high-quality publications and the acquisition of competitive third-party funding. In order to recognize the outstanding research achievements of WU employees, the university awards prizes and awards annually.
- WU Journal Ratings: Star Journal Awards and Performance Bonuses for exceptional research achievements
- WU Best Paper Award
- Excellent third-party funding
- Awards for acquiring third-party funding within the framework of research projects
WU Journal Ratings: Star Journal Awards and Performance Bonuses for exceptional research achievements
With effect from January 1, 2016, the collective agreement negotiated with the scientific works council on performance bonuses for academic staff came into force. Sections 2 and 4 of the agreement regulate the performance bonuses and divide them into two types: (a) Star Journal Bonuses (§ 2), (b) Performance Bonuses for exceptional research achievements in organizational units (§ 4).
The implementation details of this performance bonus regulation are addressed in the operational agreement.
Top publications in the WU Star Journal List - 2026 awards
| Awarded Person | Year of the Award | Publication |
| Heß, Simon | 2026 | Eyting, M., Xie, M., Michalik, F., & Heß, S. et al. (2025). A natural experiment on the effect of herpes zoster vaccination on dementia. Nature, 641, 438-446. doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-08800-x |
| Reisenbichler, Martin | 2026 | Reisenbichler, M., Reutterer, T., & Schweidel, D. A. (2026). Applying Large Language Models to Sponsored Search Advertising. Marketing Science, 45(1), 123-141. doi.org/10.1287/mksc.2023.0611 |
| Reutterer, Thomas | 2026 | Reisenbichler, M., Reutterer, T., & Schweidel, D. A. (2026). Applying Large Language Models to Sponsored Search Advertising. Marketing Science, 45(1), 123-141. doi.org/10.1287/mksc.2023.0611 |
| Kamleitner, Bernadette | 2026 | Gerhart, J. V., Senyuz, A., & Kamleitner, B. (2025). Awe helps NFTs. The added value of object-inspired awe for blockchain-based digital art. International Journal of Research in Marketing, 42(3/A). doi.org/10.1016/j.ijresmar.2025.05.002 |
| Schreier, Martin | 2026 | Dahl, D. W., Noble, C. H., Schreier, M., & Toubia, O. (2025). Better Innovation for a Better World. Journal of Marketing, 89( 6), 100-118. doi.org/10.1177/00222429251322774 |
| Schreier, Martin | 2026 | Peres, R., Schreier, M., Schweidel, D. A., & Sorescu, A. (2025). Blockchain meets marketing: from concept to impactful research. International Journal of Research in Marketing, 42(3), 487-490. doi.org/10.1016/j.ijresmar.2025.06.003 |
| Louis-Sidois, Charles | 2026 | Louis-Sidois, C. (2025). Both Judge and Party? Investigating the Political Unbiasedness of Fact-checkers. Journal of the European Economic Association, 23(6), 2137-2164. doi.org/10.1093/jeea/jvaf011 |
| Chaudhuri, Sumon | 2026 | Chaudhuri, S., & De Bruyn, A. (2026). Bots Bargaining with Humans: Building AI Super-Bargainers with Algorithmic Anthropomorphization. Journal of Marketing Research (JMR), 56(2), 234-256. doi.org/10.1177/00222437251375323 |
| Rahal, Rima-Maria | 2026 | Rahal, R. M., & Schulze Spüntrup, F. (2025). Cognitive processes of ingroup favoritism across 20 countries: An eye-tracking investigation of culture, behavior, and cognition. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 122(32), Artikel e2417456122. doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2417456122 |
| Amberger, Harald | 2026 | Amberger, H., Wilde, J., & Wu, Y. (2025). Cross-border Investment, Deterrence, and Compliance Effects of Ownership Transparency. Journal of Accounting and Economics, 80(2-3), Artikel 101809. doi.org/10.1016/j.jacceco.2025.101809 |
| El Kihal, Siham | 2026 | El Kihal, S., Erdem, T., Schulze, C., & Zhang, W. (2026). Customer Return Rate Evolution. International Journal of Research in Marketing, 43(1), 71-91. doi.org/10.1016/j.ijresmar.2025.03.003 |
| Lutter, Franz Stephan | 2026 | Wang, Y., Ma, F., Wang, H., & Tzachor, A. et al. (2025). Doubling of the global freshwater footprint of material production over two decades. Nature Sustainability, 8, 1554-1566. doi.org/10.1038/s41893-025-01661-2 |
| Wlömert, Nils | 2026 | Wlömert, N., Papies, D., & van Heerde, H. (2025). Driving Music Demand in the Age of Streaming: Understanding the Heterogeneity in Curated Playlist Effectiveness. Journal of Marketing. Vorzeitige Online-Publikation. doi.org/10.1177/00222429251395986 |
| Hanspal, Tobin | 2026 | Hackethal, A., Hanspal, T., Hartzmark, S. M., & Bräuer, K. (2025). Educating Investors about Dividends. Review of Financial Studies, Artikel hhaf074. Vorzeitige Online-Publikation. doi.org/10.1093/rfs/hhaf074 |
| Preinerstorfer, David | 2026 | Kock, A. B., & Preinerstorfer, D. (2025). Enhanced power enhancements for testing many moment equalities: Beyond the 2- and ∞-norm. Journal of the American Statistical Association. Vorzeitige Online-Publikation. doi.org/10.1080/01621459.2025.2591282 |
| Abou Nabout, Nadia | 2026 | Dündar, U., Abou Nabout, N., & Skiera, B. (2025). Getting the pace right: Performance of budget allocation heuristics in online advertising. International Journal of Research in Marketing. Vorzeitige Online-Publikation. doi.org/10.1016/j.ijresmar.2025.09.006 |
| Dündar, Ugurcan | 2026 | Dündar, U., Abou Nabout, N., & Skiera, B. (2025). Getting the pace right: Performance of budget allocation heuristics in online advertising. International Journal of Research in Marketing. Vorzeitige Online-Publikation. doi.org/10.1016/j.ijresmar.2025.09.006 |
| Grisold, Thomas | 2026 | Grisold, T., Berente, N., & Seidel, S. (2025). Guardrails for Human-AI Ecologies: Norm-Based Coordination and Design for Predictability. Management Information Systems Quarterly (MISQ), 49(4), 1239–1266. doi.org/10.25300/MISQ/2025/18058 |
| Arenas Arroyo, Esther | 2026 | Arenas Arroyo, E., Fernandez-Kranz, D., & Nollenberger, N. (2025). High speed internet and the widening gender gap in adolescent mental health: Evidence from Spanish hospital records. Journal of Health Economics, 102, Artikel 103014. doi.org/10.1016/j.jhealeco.2025.103014 |
| Greiner, Ben | 2026 | Greiner, B., Grünwald, P., Lindner, T., & Lintner, G. et al. (2026). Incentives, Framing, and Reliance on Algorithmic Advice: An Experimental Study. Management Science, 72(1), 302-322. doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2022.02777 |
| Lindner, Thomas | 2026 | Greiner, B., Grünwald, P., Lindner, T., & Lintner, G. et al. (2026). Incentives, Framing, and Reliance on Algorithmic Advice: An Experimental Study. Management Science, 72(1), 302-322. doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2022.02777 |
| Wiernsperger, Martin | 2026 | Greiner, B., Grünwald, P., Lindner, T., & Lintner, G. et al. (2026). Incentives, Framing, and Reliance on Algorithmic Advice: An Experimental Study. Management Science, 72(1), 302-322. doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2022.02777 |
| Fiedler, Susann | 2026 | Fahrenwaldt, A., Olsen, J., Rahal, R. M., & Fiedler, S. (2025). Intuitive Deontology? A Systematic Review and Multivariate, Multilevel Meta-Analysis of Experimental Studies on the Psychological Drivers of Moral Judgments. Psychological Bulletin, 151(4), 428-454. doi.org/10.1037/bul0000472 |
| Rahal, Rima-Maria | 2026 | Fahrenwaldt, A., Olsen, J., Rahal, R. M., & Fiedler, S. (2025). Intuitive Deontology? A Systematic Review and Multivariate, Multilevel Meta-Analysis of Experimental Studies on the Psychological Drivers of Moral Judgments. Psychological Bulletin, 151(4), 428-454. doi.org/10.1037/bul0000472 |
| Kuschnig, Nikolas | 2026 | Sepin, P., Vashold, L., & Kuschnig, N. (2025). Mapping mining areas in the tropics from 2016 to 2024. Nature Sustainability, 8, 1400-1407. doi.org/10.1038/s41893-025-01668-9 |
| Sepin, Philipp | 2026 | Sepin, P., Vashold, L., & Kuschnig, N. (2025). Mapping mining areas in the tropics from 2016 to 2024. Nature Sustainability, 8, 1400-1407. doi.org/10.1038/s41893-025-01668-9 |
| Vashold, Lukas | 2026 | Sepin, P., Vashold, L., & Kuschnig, N. (2025). Mapping mining areas in the tropics from 2016 to 2024. Nature Sustainability, 8, 1400-1407. doi.org/10.1038/s41893-025-01668-9 |
| Abou Nabout, Nadia | 2026 | Hotz-Behofsits, C., Wlömert, N., & Abou Nabout, N. (2025). Natural Affect DEtection (Nade): Using Emojis to Infer Emotions from Text. Journal of Marketing. Vorzeitige Online-Publikation. doi.org/10.1177/00222429251315088 |
| Hotz-Behofsits, Christian | 2026 | Hotz-Behofsits, C., Wlömert, N., & Abou Nabout, N. (2025). Natural Affect DEtection (Nade): Using Emojis to Infer Emotions from Text. Journal of Marketing. Vorzeitige Online-Publikation. doi.org/10.1177/00222429251315088 |
| Wlömert, Nils | 2026 | Hotz-Behofsits, C., Wlömert, N., & Abou Nabout, N. (2025). Natural Affect DEtection (Nade): Using Emojis to Infer Emotions from Text. Journal of Marketing. Vorzeitige Online-Publikation. doi.org/10.1177/00222429251315088 |
| Speckbacher, Gerhard | 2026 | Speckbacher, G., & Wiernsperger, M. (2025). Peer Evaluations in Diverse Teams: How External Validation of Team Performance Influences Ingroup Favoritism. Accounting, Organizations and Society, 114, 1-15. Artikel 101595. doi.org/10.1016/j.aos.2025.101595 |
| Wiernsperger, Martin | 2026 | Speckbacher, G., & Wiernsperger, M. (2025). Peer Evaluations in Diverse Teams: How External Validation of Team Performance Influences Ingroup Favoritism. Accounting, Organizations and Society, 114, 1-15. Artikel 101595. doi.org/10.1016/j.aos.2025.101595 |
| Hanspal, Tobin | 2026 | Balakina, O., Bäckman, C., Hackethal, A., & Hanspal, T. et al. (2025). Personal Financial Advice and Portfolio Quality. Review of Finance, Artikel rfaf077. Vorzeitige Online-Publikation. doi.org/10.1093/rof/rfaf077 |
| Reisenbichler, Martin | 2026 | Heitmann, M., Jansen, T. P. J., Reisenbichler, M., & Schweidel, D. A. (2025). Picture Perfect: Engaging Customers with Visual Generative AI. Journal of Marketing. Vorzeitige Online-Publikation. doi.org/10.1177/00222429251356993 |
| Engelmann, Alexander | 2026 | Reischauer, G., Engelmann, A., & Hoffmann, W. H. (2025). Politicized Framing of the Future: Encouraging Innovation in Mature Ecosystems in the Face of Asymmetric De Alio Entrants. Journal of Management Studies. Vorzeitige Online-Publikation. doi.org/10.1111/joms.13253 |
| Hoffmann, Werner H. | 2026 | Reischauer, G., Engelmann, A., & Hoffmann, W. H. (2025). Politicized Framing of the Future: Encouraging Innovation in Mature Ecosystems in the Face of Asymmetric De Alio Entrants. Journal of Management Studies. Vorzeitige Online-Publikation. doi.org/10.1111/joms.13253 |
| Reischauer, Georg | 2026 | Reischauer, G., Engelmann, A., & Hoffmann, W. H. (2025). Politicized Framing of the Future: Encouraging Innovation in Mature Ecosystems in the Face of Asymmetric De Alio Entrants. Journal of Management Studies. Vorzeitige Online-Publikation. doi.org/10.1111/joms.13253 |
| Randl, Otto | 2026 | Randl, O., Simion, G., & Zechner, J. (2025). Pricing and Constructing International Government Bond Portfolios. Journal of Financial Economics, 173, Artikel 104152. doi.org/10.1016/j.jfineco.2025.104152 |
| Simion, Giorgia | 2026 | Randl, O., Simion, G., & Zechner, J. (2025). Pricing and Constructing International Government Bond Portfolios. Journal of Financial Economics, 173, Artikel 104152. doi.org/10.1016/j.jfineco.2025.104152 |
| Zechner, Josef | 2026 | Randl, O., Simion, G., & Zechner, J. (2025). Pricing and Constructing International Government Bond Portfolios. Journal of Financial Economics, 173, Artikel 104152. doi.org/10.1016/j.jfineco.2025.104152 |
| Lettl, Christopher | 2026 | Garaus, C., Konlechner, S., & Lettl, C. (2025). Problem Solving Strategies for Creativity in Business Model Design: A Configurational Study. Journal of Management Studies. Vorzeitige Online-Publikation. doi.org/10.1111/joms.13200 |
| Isaak, Andrew | 2026 | Isaak, A. J., Istipliler, B., Bort, S., & Woywode, M. (2025). Regulation, Corruption, and Decentralized Autonomous Organizations: Insights from Bitcoin Trading and Platform Founding Between 2011 and 2023. Organization Science, 36(6), 2210-2244. doi.org/10.1287/orsc.2023.18467 |
| Kaiser, Ulrike | 2026 | Kaiser, U., Schnurr, B., Fuchs, C., & Schreier, M. et al. (2025). Signatures and de-objectification: How asking individual producers to sign their work increases work performance and work satisfaction. International Journal of Research in Marketing. Vorzeitige Online-Publikation. doi.org/10.1016/j.ijresmar.2025.09.002 |
| Schreier, Martin | 2026 | Kaiser, U., Schnurr, B., Fuchs, C., & Schreier, M. et al. (2025). Signatures and de-objectification: How asking individual producers to sign their work increases work performance and work satisfaction. International Journal of Research in Marketing. Vorzeitige Online-Publikation. doi.org/10.1016/j.ijresmar.2025.09.002 |
| Rehbein, Oliver | 2026 | Rehbein, O., & Rother, S. (2025). Social Connectedness in Bank Lending. Review of Financial Studies, 38(9), 2759-2809. doi.org/10.1093/rfs/hhaf014 |
| Zechner, Josef | 2026 | Dangl, T., Halling, M., Yu, J., & Zechner, J. (2025). Social Preferences and Corporate Investment. Journal of Financial Economics, 172, Artikel 104139. doi.org/10.1016/j.jfineco.2025.104139 |
| Zednik, Anita | 2026 | Zednik, A. (2025). Strategic residential location choice: how parents game priorities in school matching. Management Science, 71(12), 10486-10504. doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2021.03711 |
| Hausknost, Daniel | 2026 | Brand, U., Hausknost, D., Brad, A., & Eyselein, G. et al. (2025). Structural limitations of the decarbonization state. Nature Climate Change, 15, 924-931. doi.org/10.1038/s41558-025-02394-y |
| Masak, Tomas | 2026 | Waghmare, K., Masak, T., & Panaretos, V. (2025). The Functional Graphical Lasso. Annals of Statistics, 53(5), 1857-1885. doi.org/10.1214/25-AOS2521 |
| Fischer, Kai | 2026 | Fischer, K., Martin, S., & Schmidt-Dengler, P. (2025). The Heterogeneous Effects of Entry on Prices. Journal of the European Economic Association, Artikel jvaf061. Vorzeitige Online-Publikation. doi.org/10.1093/jeea/jvaf061 |
| Dobusch, Laura | 2026 | Dobusch, L., van Eck, D., Janssens, M., & van den Brink, M. (2025). The Inclusionary Effects of Performing Work: A Practice‐Theoretical Study of Airport Security Work. Journal of Management Studies. Vorzeitige Online-Publikation. doi.org/10.1111/joms.13272 |
| Dikova, Desislava | 2026 | Delios, A., Hu, T., Yu, S., & Zhou, N. et al. (2025). The insights from the crowd: Drawing inferences from many approaches to key empirical questions in international business. Journal of International Business Studies, 56, 1102-1124. doi.org/10.1057/s41267-025-00808-9 |
| Laux, Christian | 2026 | König, P., Laux, C., & Pothier, D. (2025). The Leverage Effect of Bank Disclosures. The Accounting Review. Vorzeitige Online-Publikation. doi.org/10.2308/TAR-2024-0186 |
| Maier, Lukas | 2026 | Maier, L., Schreier, M., & Dahl, D. W. (2025). The Open Design Effect. Journal of Marketing Research. Vorzeitige Online-Publikation. doi.org/10.1177/00222437251373034 |
| Schreier, Martin | 2026 | Maier, L., Schreier, M., & Dahl, D. W. (2025). The Open Design Effect. Journal of Marketing Research. Vorzeitige Online-Publikation. doi.org/10.1177/00222437251373034 |
| Pichler, Anton | 2026 | Filatova, T., Akkerman, J., Bosello, F., & Chatzivasileiadis, T. et al. (2025). The power of bridging decision scales: Model coupling for advanced climate policy analysis. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 122(38), Artikel e2411592122. doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2411592122 |
| Hajro, Aida | 2026 | Hajro, A., Zilinskaite, M., & Gibson, C. B. (2025). The Refugee Journey: An Exploration of the Role of Organizations and Psychological Processes. Organization Science. Vorzeitige Online-Publikation. doi.org/10.1287/orsc.2023.17726 |
| Zilinskaite, Milda | 2026 | Hajro, A., Zilinskaite, M., & Gibson, C. B. (2025). The Refugee Journey: An Exploration of the Role of Organizations and Psychological Processes. Organization Science. Vorzeitige Online-Publikation. doi.org/10.1287/orsc.2023.17726 |
| Wilhelm, Miriam | 2026 | Xiao, C. Y., Wilhelm, M., Pagell, M., & van der Vaart, T. (2026). The Role of Public and Buyer-Driven Governance for Supplier Sustainability Development in China. Journal of Operations Management, 72(1), 64-80. doi.org/10.1002/joom.70017 |
| Höllerer, Markus | 2026 | Kuric, I., & Höllerer, M. (2025). Theorization as a Prerequisite for Diffusion: How and why Multimodal Expression Matters. Academy of Management Review. Vorzeitige Online-Publikation. doi.org/10.5465/amr.2023.0193 |
| Kuric, Ines | 2026 | Kuric, I., & Höllerer, M. (2025). Theorization as a Prerequisite for Diffusion: How and why Multimodal Expression Matters. Academy of Management Review. Vorzeitige Online-Publikation. doi.org/10.5465/amr.2023.0193 |
| Simion, Giorgia | 2026 | Simion, G., & Rigoni, U. (2025). Understanding Households’ Bank Bond Holdings. Review of Finance, 29(3), 819-850. doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5099561, doi.org/10.1093/rof/rfaf014 |
| Schumacher, Christian | 2026 | Schumacher, C., Keck, S., & Gupta, A. (2025). Violence and Competition: The Effect of Mass Shootings and Domestic Terrorism on Organizational Risk-Taking in Response to Performance Shortfalls. Academy of Management Journal. Vorzeitige Online-Publikation. doi.org/10.5465/amj.2023.0306 |
| Fattinger, Felix | 2026 | Bossaerts, P., Fattinger, F., Rotaru, K., & Xu, K. (2024). Emotional Engagement and Trading Performance. Management Science, 70(6), 3381-3397. doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2023.4883 |
| Meyer, Renate | 2026 | Meyer, R. E. (2025). Wicked crises and the (in)capacity to act. Administrative Science Quarterly, 70(4), 867-883. doi.org/10.1177/00018392251363998 |
You can find the list of all publications that have been awarded through the WU Star Journal List and the Department Journal Ratings here.
WU Best Paper Award
The WU Best Paper Award is one of the highest research honors at WU, awarded annually to only a few individuals or teams. An independent international jury, with external guidance, recognizes the internationally outstanding research.
The award, funded by the Jubiläumsfonds of the City of Vienna for WU Vienna since 2000, is given in three categories. Since 2017, a fourth prize (New Research Avenues) has been awarded. This prize recognizes, across the three categories, the paper that best explores new paths away from the mainstream or brings the discipline closer to previously separate research fields.
Category 1: Focus on Individuals and Behavior
Category 2: Focus on Organizations and Institutions
Category 3: Focus on Markets and Society
Award Winners 2026 WUBPA
| Name | Categorie | Publication |
| Ben Greiner und Anita Zednik | Categorie 1 | Ambrus, A., Greiner, B., & Zednik, A. (2025). The effect of a 'None of the above' ballot paper option on voting behavior and election outcomes. Journal of Public Economics, 242, Artikel 105305. |
| Charles Louis-Sidois | Categorie 2 | Louis-Sidois, C.(2025). Both Judge and Party? Investigating the Political Unbiasedness of Fact-checkers.Journal of the European Economic Association, 23(6), 2137-2164. |
| Armon Rezai | Categorie 3 | van der Ploeg, F., Rezai, A., & Reaños, M. T. (2025). Third-Best Carbon Taxation: Trading Off Emission Cuts, Equity, and Efficiency. Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, 12(4), 1023-1058. |
| Esther Arenas Arroyo | Categorie 3 | Arenas Arroyo, E., Fernandez-Kranz, D., & Nollenberger, N. (2025). High speed internet and the widening gender gap in adolescent mental health: Evidence from Spanish hospital records. Journal of Health Economics, 102, Artikel 103014. |
| Thomas Grisold | New Research Avenues | Grisold, T., Berente, N., & Seidel, S. (2025). Guardrails for Human-AI Ecologies: Norm-Based Coordination and Design for Predictability. Management Information Systems Quarterly (MISQ), 49(4), 1239–1266. |
Excellent third-party funding
Third-party projects that have been acquired as part of national and international excellence programs or with the involvement of international research partners increase the visibility of WU as an internationally recognized research institution.
Excellent third-party funding - 2026 awards
| Prämierte Person | Projektname | Fördergeber |
| Lang, Michael | International Business Taxation | FWF doc.funds |
| Gugler, Klaus | WU PhD Program in Economics | FWF doc.funds |
| Holzinger, Clara | A comparative analysis of language regimes in NPOs | FWF ESPRIT |
| Gillings, Mathew | Examining discourses of corporate environmental wrongdoing | FWF ESPRIT |
| Lutter, Franz Stephan | CIRCEUS - A Circular Low Carbon EU and the Global South | FWF #ConnectingMinds |
| Halla, Martin | Economic Consequence of the Option Agreement in South Tyrol | FWF Einzelprojekte Internationale Programme |
| Bruckner, Martin | Reshaping food systems: value change transformation through reconnection | FWF Einzelprojekte Internationale Programme |
| Wagner, Christian | Monetary Policy, Intermediaries, and Asset Prices | FWF Weave/DFG Forschungsgruppe |
Awards for acquiring third-party funding within the framework of research projects
Performance bonuses are awarded for externally funded research projects that are supported by external research funding institutions based on international peer review evaluation.
You can find more information about it here.
The list of awarded third-party funded research projects can be found here.