30 May 2017. The programme offers lectures from the whole spectrum of topics included under the umbrella of business administration. The School of Management is expecting around 400 guests, who have been invited from the fields of science, economics and politics. The conference is being organised by Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Stölzle and his team from the Logistics Management professorship (LOG-HSG).

The conference will focus on the discussion about the relevance of university research in practice, as well as the opportunities presented by combining research and practice. The conference will deal with current issues from the field of economics. In addition, academic issues will be discussed such as whether MOOCs and virtual study courses are digital rivals for universities. Also under discussion will be the competition between "rigour and/or relevance": Should researchers primarily strive for the pure execution of their methodical craft, which is referred to as "rigour"? Or should they be focusing their efforts on choosing topics of research that are relevant to society as a whole?

On the first day, the organisers are also inviting visitors to the workshop "Design Thinking in Teaching and Training". The aim of this interactive session is to give lecturers a comprehensive understanding of design-thinking methods. In the workshop "Evidence-Based Management", HSG researchers will present basic research with a practical orientation from St.Gallen. The "Science Angels World Café" and the podium event "My Journey to Professorship: Apply- But Do It Right" are especially targeted at junior researchers.

Guests at the conference include, alongside others, the following experts:

• Prof. Dr. Roman Boutellier, Innovations and Technology Management at ETH Zurich

• Dr. Christoph Franz, President of the Administrative Board at Roche Holding AG

• Prof. Dr. Anthony Goerzen, International Business at the Queen' s School of Business

• Andreas Meyer, CEO of SBB AG

• Dr. Suzanne Thoma, CEO of the BKW Group

Prof. Dr. Georg Schreyögg, Free University of Berlin, and Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Weber, University of Paderborn, will talk about the developments that have taken place in business administration teaching and the content-related and the methodical challenges facing researchers today in the podium discussion "Paths Through Research".