News15.10.2024

University of Fribourg/Switzerland and Holcim partner to establish Research Group on Resilient Strategies of Multinational Companies

Photo caption: 
First row: Prof. Dr. Katharina Fromm, Rector of the University of Fribourg, Jan Jenisch, Chairman of the Board of Holcim,
Second Row from left: Dr. Svetlana Flankova, Senior Researcher, Prof. Dr. Dirk Morschett, Dean of the Faculty, Viviane Lehmann,Teaching & Research Assistant

Over the last decade, companies have faced various disruptive crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic, financial crises, geopolitical tensions, natural disasters, and supply chain breakdowns. These events highlight the growing unpredictability and instability in the business environment, often described by the term "VUCA" (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, Ambiguity). In such a VUCA world, it is critical for companies to develop resilient strategies. “Resilience” refers to the capacity of a company to anticipate, prepare for, quickly respond to, and adapt to sudden disruptions in the business environment to survive and even to prosper.
It is the general objective of the joint research project of Holcim and the University of Fribourg to increase the knowledge about the development and the content of resilient strategies, which acknowledges the increasing relevance of resilience in a VUCA environment to reach the long-term objectives of companies, and especially multinational companies. The research group will develop practically relevant insights through scientifically rigorous management research. The new insights will also be used to teach students about the strategic management of companies with a focus on resilience. Topics will include agility, diversification, near-shoring, decentralization, circular economy, and stakeholder relationships.

Dr. Svetlana Flankova, a senior researcher in the field, will lead the research group. She has already taken up her work at the University of Fribourg, after moving to Fribourg from the University of Liverpool. She has previously investigated environmental sustainability, an important building block of a resilient strategy.
Prof. Dirk Morschett and Prof. Rudolf Grünig from the Department of Management who have conceptualised the research group together with Holcim, explain: „Thanks to the financial support of Holcim, the University of Fribourg has been able to recruit a senior researcher with international experience as head of the Holcim-endowed research group and will be able to advance an important research area. Due to the turbulent business environment in which companies nowadays have to navigate and operate profitably, more knowledge about the development of resilience is required.” Holcim provides financial support to the university's foundation which allows a targeted and transparent use of private funds for strategic projects of the university. As in all such public-private partnerships, the freedom of research and teaching is guaranteed.

About Holcim

Holcim is a global leader in innovative and sustainable building solutions with net sales of CHF 27.0 billion in 2023. Our 63,448 employees are driven by our purpose to build progress for people and the planet across our regions to improve living standards for all. We partner with our customers to offer the broadest range of advanced solutions, from sustainable building materials ECOPact and ECOPlanet, to our circular technology ECOCycle®, all the way to Elevate’s advanced roofing and insulation systems.
Learn more about Holcim on www.holcim.com, and by following on LinkedIn.

For further information, contact:
Prof. Dirk Morschett, Chair for International Management, dirk.morschett@unifr.ch
Florence Monnet, Foundation of the University of Fribourg, Florence.monnet@unifr.ch
Livio Brandenberg, Holcim Media Relations, livio.brandenberg@holcim.com.