41st St. Gallen Symposium
The 41st St. Gallen Symposium was held from 12th–13th May 2011 on the campus of the University of St. Gallen. Entrepreneurs, top managers, politicians, scientists and many of society’s leading lights met to discuss the key principles of management associated with the topic of “Just Power”.
A year after the major anniversary celebrations and the implementation of a restructuring of the content and programme, the focus was on the challenge presented by a new premises and the improvement of our new concept. Following the completion of renovation work on the University of St. Gallen shortly after the 40th St. Gallen Symposium, we were once again able to return to the alma mater. The return to the traditional venue presented the ISC with a few challenges. However, the move to the new premises also opened up numerous opportunities for the ISC which we could exploit to the advantage of our participants. The newly designed piazza offered the perfect surroundings in which to create an intimate, yet generously spacious meeting zone with an atmosphere which greatly contributed to the informal dialogue held there. For the second time only, background sessions were also held in the context of the St. Gallen Symposium which allowed the participants to gain a deeper insight into current affairs and the development of the management theory today. Moreover, extremely positive feedback from last year led to the presenter roles in the plenary, work and background sessions once again being entrusted to topic leaders. In addition, the new one-on-one concept has been developed further and now offers the ideal format for critical, controversial and enthralling dialogue. The Organisation Committee is convinced in this respect that, through the consistent implementation of these innovations, dialogue can be enhanced even more, particularly between the generations.
This year saw the 41st ISC-Team, consisting of 28 students from the University of St. Gallen, assuming responsibility for the arrangement, planning and organisation of the St. Gallen Symposium. The enormous success of the 41st St. Gallen Symposium would be unthinkable without the generous support of numerous partners and, in particular, the more than 400 members of the Circle of Benefactors which, through their financial and idealistic commitment, lay the cornerstone for the further development of the St. Gallen Symposium. They deserve the sincere thanks of all members of the Organisation Committee.
The entire 41st ISC-Team would like to express its heartfelt thanks to the members of the Board of Trustees of the St. Gallen Foundation for International Studies and, in particular, its President, Dr. Josef Ackermann, for their support. Their resolute efforts on behalf of and personal commitment to our student initiative contributed decisively to the success of this year’s St. Gallen Symposium. Particular thanks are due to the employees of the St. Gallen Foundation for International Studies who at all times have been unstinting in their support of the ISC.
With regard to the very generous hospitality which the ISC has enjoyed since its founding in its alma mater, the University of St. Gallen (HSG), we wish to express our thanks to all employees, especially both the current and former Presidents, Prof. Thomas Bieger and Prof. Ernst Mohr respectively. Warm thanks are also due to their Administrative Director, Mr Markus Brönnimann. We were able at all times to rely on the generous and extremely active support of the HSG. The university deserves a very special thank you in this respect.
The 41st ISC-Team would also like to take this opportunity to thank its supporting lecturer, Prof. Dr. Urs Fueglistaller, Managing Director of the Swiss Research Institute of Small Business and Entrepreneurship at the HSG, for the splendid manner in which he supported our work during the entire year.
Last but not least, the 41st ISC-Team wishes to thank the around 1’000 participants who, through their attendance, ensured that the dialogue in St. Gallen became a reality. We are already looking forward to the 42nd St. Gallen Symposium which will be held from the 3rd to the 4th May 2012 on the campus of the University of St. Gallen.