Christian Belz Award for reality-oriented marketing management goes to Iris Schmutz

The prize honors the best dissertation of all marketing professors of the University of St.Gallen of the last two years for relevant, problem-oriented, substantial and innovative results. It is endowed by Starrag with 10,000 Swiss francs.

Starrag is thus setting an example: In addition to its technological innovation in the construction of machine tools, new forms of cooperation with customers are just as crucial in order to jointly realize solutions and productivity advances.

In her research, Iris Schmutz diagnoses the reality of pricing in industrial companies and shows that the existing, normative models of price management fall far short. Pricing is associated with high time and action pressure as well as internal and external uncertainties, and in companies many responsible persons and areas are challenged in the process. The results are a typology of how to deal with price information and innovative solutions for professional and successful pricing processes in companies.

Methodologically, the quantitative study is impressive, the organizers say, but an accompanying price panel with price experts from well-known industrial companies was also particularly productive. The work provided valuable insights for companies wondering whether investments in their pricing are worthwhile and, if so, where and when they should invest. These insights are important for pricing managers themselves, their superiors, as well as for strategic corporate management.

The Institute's St. Gallen Marketing Day, which was attended by around 90 participants, dealt with current and forward-looking topics. Examples include the integration of sustainable strategies at traditional providers, brand reputation, data strategy and privacy, scenarios for metaverse, and trends in customer behavior.