Unlocking the culture code – the value of corporate culture
Nov
14
06:00 PM - 09:00 PM
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Summary
On November 14, 2024, the UBS Center and Università della Svizzera italiana gathered a significant audience in a joint event to explore the critical role corporate culture plays in both the triumphs and failures of businesses today. In his keynote lecture, Prof. Luigi Guiso delved into the evolving understanding of corporate culture in economic research and business. The panelists concluded that corporate culture is a living, dynamic construct shaped by leadership, values, and societal influences.
Read our summary
On November 14, 2024, the UBS Center and Università della Svizzera italiana gathered a significant audience in a joint event to explore the critical role corporate culture plays in both the triumphs and failures of businesses today. In his keynote lecture, Prof. Luigi Guiso delved into the evolving understanding of corporate culture in economic research and business. The panelists concluded that corporate culture is a living, dynamic construct shaped by leadership, values, and societal influences.
Read our summary
The panel discussion brought together Luigi Guiso, Sergio P. Ermotti (UBS), and Ernst Fehr (University of Zurich), with USI Rector Luisa Lambertini as moderator.
Speaker
Luigi Guiso is the Axa Professor of Economics at the Einaudi Institute for Economics and Finance. He has directed the Finance Programme at CEPR of which he is still a fellow. He has held teaching positions at the University of Rome, the European University Institute, the University of Chicago, Graduate School of Business and at Northwestern University, Kellogg School of Management. He is a recipient of several publishing awards. Luigi Guiso has broad research interests. Besides his work in the field of households finance, he has contributed research in the field of labor economics, firms’ investment and financial decisions, entrepreneurship and banking, political economy and institutions, and in the field of culture and economics.
Sergio P. Ermotti ist seit April 2023 Group CEO der UBS Group AG und Präsident der Geschäftsleitung der UBS AG. Bereits von 2011 bis 2020 war er Group CEO des Unternehmens. Er kehrte von Swiss Re zu UBS zurück, wo er bis Ende April 2023 Präsident des Verwaltungsrats war. Bevor er 2011 zu UBS stiess, war er bei der UniCredit Group tätig, wo er von 2007 bis 2010 als Group Deputy Chief Executive Officer und Head of Corporate & Investment Banking and Private Banking arbeitete und davor als Head Markets & Investment Banking Division tätig war. Zwischen 1987 und 2004 arbeitete er in verschiedenen Positionen bei Merrill Lynch & Co. in den Bereichen Aktienderivate und Kapitalmärkte. 2001 wurde er Co-Head of Global Equity Markets und Mitglied des Executive Management Committee für Global Markets & Investment Banking.
Professor of Economics, Direktor am UBS Center
Ernst Fehr promovierte 1986 an der Universität Wien. Seine Arbeit hat gezeigt, wie soziale Motive die Zusammenarbeit, Verhandlungen und Koordination zwischen Akteuren beeinflussen und wie sich dies auf das Funktionieren von Anreizen, Märkten und Organisationen auswirkt. Seine Arbeit identifiziert wichtige Bedingungen, unter denen die Zusammenarbeit floriert und zusammenbricht. Die Arbeit an den psychologischen Grundlagen von Anreizen informiert uns über die Vorzüge und Grenzen finanzieller Anreize für die Vergütung von Mitarbeitern. In anderen Arbeiten hat er die Bedeutung der Unternehmenskultur für die Leistung von Unternehmen gezeigt. In neueren Arbeiten zeigt er, wie sich soziale Motive darauf auswirken, wie Menschen über Fragen im Zusammenhang mit der Umverteilung von Einkommen abstimmen und wie Unterschiede in der inneren Geduld der Menschen mit der Ungleichheit des Wohlstands zusammenhängen. Seine Arbeit hat innerhalb und außerhalb der Wissenschaft mit mehr als 100.000 Zitaten von Google Scholar große Resonanz gefunden, und seine Arbeit wurde mehrfach in internationalen und nationalen Zeitungen erwähnt.
Luisa Lambertini is Rector of Università della Svizzera italiana and Professor of International Finance at EPFL and at USI. She has been Associate Vice-President of the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), at the head of the Doctoral School (with 2400 students and 22 programmes) and of continuing education. Professor Lambertini has held the chair of International Finance at EPFL since 2009, which she arrived at after a brilliant academic career developed at prestigious American universities such as the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) and Boston College. A world-renowned expert in the fields of international finance, macroeconomics and political economy, she has worked with a number of major international institutions, notably as an advisor to the European Central Bank (Fiscal Policy Division), the Federal Reserve Bank and the Swiss National Bank. She was president of the International Banking, Economics and Finance Association (IBEFA). For many years she chaired the WISH Foundation (Women in Sciences and the Humanities) at EPFL, inaugurating innovative initiatives, financed by private donations, to promote women's careers in research.
Luigi Guiso is the Axa Professor of Economics at the Einaudi Institute for Economics and Finance. He has directed the Finance Programme at CEPR of which he is still a fellow. He has held teaching positions at the University of Rome, the European University Institute, the University of Chicago, Graduate School of Business and at Northwestern University, Kellogg School of Management. He is a recipient of several publishing awards. Luigi Guiso has broad research interests. Besides his work in the field of households finance, he has contributed research in the field of labor economics, firms’ investment and financial decisions, entrepreneurship and banking, political economy and institutions, and in the field of culture and economics.
Sergio P. Ermotti ist seit April 2023 Group CEO der UBS Group AG und Präsident der Geschäftsleitung der UBS AG. Bereits von 2011 bis 2020 war er Group CEO des Unternehmens. Er kehrte von Swiss Re zu UBS zurück, wo er bis Ende April 2023 Präsident des Verwaltungsrats war. Bevor er 2011 zu UBS stiess, war er bei der UniCredit Group tätig, wo er von 2007 bis 2010 als Group Deputy Chief Executive Officer und Head of Corporate & Investment Banking and Private Banking arbeitete und davor als Head Markets & Investment Banking Division tätig war. Zwischen 1987 und 2004 arbeitete er in verschiedenen Positionen bei Merrill Lynch & Co. in den Bereichen Aktienderivate und Kapitalmärkte. 2001 wurde er Co-Head of Global Equity Markets und Mitglied des Executive Management Committee für Global Markets & Investment Banking.
Professor of Economics, Direktor am UBS Center
Ernst Fehr promovierte 1986 an der Universität Wien. Seine Arbeit hat gezeigt, wie soziale Motive die Zusammenarbeit, Verhandlungen und Koordination zwischen Akteuren beeinflussen und wie sich dies auf das Funktionieren von Anreizen, Märkten und Organisationen auswirkt. Seine Arbeit identifiziert wichtige Bedingungen, unter denen die Zusammenarbeit floriert und zusammenbricht. Die Arbeit an den psychologischen Grundlagen von Anreizen informiert uns über die Vorzüge und Grenzen finanzieller Anreize für die Vergütung von Mitarbeitern. In anderen Arbeiten hat er die Bedeutung der Unternehmenskultur für die Leistung von Unternehmen gezeigt. In neueren Arbeiten zeigt er, wie sich soziale Motive darauf auswirken, wie Menschen über Fragen im Zusammenhang mit der Umverteilung von Einkommen abstimmen und wie Unterschiede in der inneren Geduld der Menschen mit der Ungleichheit des Wohlstands zusammenhängen. Seine Arbeit hat innerhalb und außerhalb der Wissenschaft mit mehr als 100.000 Zitaten von Google Scholar große Resonanz gefunden, und seine Arbeit wurde mehrfach in internationalen und nationalen Zeitungen erwähnt.
Luisa Lambertini is Rector of Università della Svizzera italiana and Professor of International Finance at EPFL and at USI. She has been Associate Vice-President of the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), at the head of the Doctoral School (with 2400 students and 22 programmes) and of continuing education. Professor Lambertini has held the chair of International Finance at EPFL since 2009, which she arrived at after a brilliant academic career developed at prestigious American universities such as the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) and Boston College. A world-renowned expert in the fields of international finance, macroeconomics and political economy, she has worked with a number of major international institutions, notably as an advisor to the European Central Bank (Fiscal Policy Division), the Federal Reserve Bank and the Swiss National Bank. She was president of the International Banking, Economics and Finance Association (IBEFA). For many years she chaired the WISH Foundation (Women in Sciences and the Humanities) at EPFL, inaugurating innovative initiatives, financed by private donations, to promote women's careers in research.
Press
For many companies, corporate culture is a cornerstone of their business that influences the performance and, not least, determines the value of the company. But why is it (still) so important and, above all, how great is the risk of it becoming an end in itself? Get answers from the interview with Prof. Luigi Guiso from the Einaudi Institute for Economics and Finance who was the keynote speaker at our Opinion event in Lugano.
For many companies, corporate culture is a cornerstone of their business that influences the performance and, not least, determines the value of the company. But why is it (still) so important and, above all, how great is the risk of it becoming an end in itself? Get answers from the interview with Prof. Luigi Guiso from the Einaudi Institute for Economics and Finance who was the keynote speaker at our Opinion event in Lugano.
Luigi Guiso is the Axa Professor of Economics at the Einaudi Institute for Economics and Finance.
Outline
In our joint event with the Università della Svizzera italiana in Lugano we explored the critical role corporate culture plays in both the triumphs and failures of businesses today. By combining insights from economic research and real-world practice, we shed light on key questions such as: Why is corporate culture so crucial? How does corporate culture influence business performance, including firm value, risk-taking, and long-term success? What are the mechanisms that create and sustain an effective corporate culture, and how can it be measured?
The event was held in English. For our Italian-speaking guests on-site, we offered simultaneous translation from English to Italian.
In our joint event with the Università della Svizzera italiana in Lugano we explored the critical role corporate culture plays in both the triumphs and failures of businesses today. By combining insights from economic research and real-world practice, we shed light on key questions such as: Why is corporate culture so crucial? How does corporate culture influence business performance, including firm value, risk-taking, and long-term success? What are the mechanisms that create and sustain an effective corporate culture, and how can it be measured?
The event was held in English. For our Italian-speaking guests on-site, we offered simultaneous translation from English to Italian.
Program
| 17.30 |
Door opening |
| 18.00 |
Welcome address Luisa Lambertini (Università della Svizzera italiana) Ernst Fehr (University of Zurich) |
| 18.10 |
Keynote lecture Luigi Guiso (Einaudi Institute for Economics and Finance) |
| 18.40 |
Panel discussion with Q&A Sergio P. Ermotti (UBS Group AG) Ernst Fehr (University of Zurich) Luigi Guiso (Einaudi Institute for Economics and Finance) Moderation: Luisa Lambertini (Università della Svizzera italiana) |
| 19.45 |
Flying dinner |
| 21.00 |
End of event |
| 17.30 |
Door opening |
| 18.00 |
Welcome address Luisa Lambertini (Università della Svizzera italiana) Ernst Fehr (University of Zurich) |
| 18.10 |
Keynote lecture Luigi Guiso (Einaudi Institute for Economics and Finance) |
| 18.40 |
Panel discussion with Q&A Sergio P. Ermotti (UBS Group AG) Ernst Fehr (University of Zurich) Luigi Guiso (Einaudi Institute for Economics and Finance) Moderation: Luisa Lambertini (Università della Svizzera italiana) |
| 19.45 |
Flying dinner |
| 21.00 |
End of event |
Venue
Università della Svizzera italiana
Aula magna, Via Giuseppe Buffi 13, 6900 Lugano
(Google Maps)