TUM School of Management

Wanderer, Guardian, Pioneer, or Architect – which owner type are you? 🌐

Congratulations to Prof. Dr. Miriam Bird for developing and publishing the Ownership Competence Tool!

The Ownership Competence Tool is based on the research paper “The strategic role of owners in firm growth: Contextualizing ownership competence in private firms”, which analyzes data from more than 2,500 German owner-managed companies.

💡 One key finding: firms are more likely to grow when owners score above average on both competencies – especially in younger firms. This research has now been turned into a practical tool for business owners.

🚀 The tool utilizes 23 questions to assess two ownership competencies that set successful business owners apart:
🔹 Matching competence – the entrepreneurial instinct for spotting the right opportunities
🔹 Governance competence – the ability to build robust governance structures and balance different stakeholder interests

After answering all questions, participants receive their owner type along with specific, actionable recommendations.

👉 Try the tool: https://www.ownership-competence.de/de/take-questionnaire
📄 Read the research article: https://sms.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/sej.1497

🇩🇰 Advanced International Trip: Copenhagen 🇩🇰
7 days – 6 companies – 20 students

🎓 As part of the course “Advanced International Study Trip”, 20 students from Heilbronn and Munich explored Copenhagen to gain firsthand insights into Denmark’s business landscape and its approach to strategy, branding, innovation, and international growth.

Beyond company visits, the trip also offered an opportunity to experience local culture firsthand, from exploring Nyhavn and trying traditional smørrebrød to enjoying a sunny canal swim and experiencing Copenhagen’s unique biking culture.

🏢 Throughout the week, we had the opportunity to engage with leading organizations across consulting, hospitality, software development, and international business support, including M***a, Carlsberg, NIMB, Boston Consulting Group, Bain & Company, and AHK Denmark.

💡 Key takeaways from Copenhagen:
🔹 International strategy requires balancing global ambitions with local market understanding.
🔹 Brand identity as a competitive advantage – Strong positioning and customer experience drive long-term success.
🔹 Different approaches to work and competitiveness – Exploring different working cultures offered perspectives on how companies operate and grow.

👏 A huge thank you to all our hosts for their time, hospitality, inspiring discussions, and valuable insights.

🌳 Take Charge for a greener planet

Our Bachelor in Sustainable Management & Technology at TU München campus in Straubing aims to provide students with basic business knowledge for developing sustainable technologies, products, and processes.

🏆 1% of the elite group worldwide holding the triple crown accreditation
1️⃣st campus in Germany focusing 100% on sustainability, bioeconomy, and biotechnology
🍃 100% sustainability specialization within the required modules

📍 TUM Campus Straubing
⏳ Apply by July 15!
➡️ https://www.mgt.tum.de/programs/bachelor-in-sustainable-management-technology?&utm_source=mgt_website&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=0048_ba_bsmtapplication_06-2026&utm_term=bsmt

essentry joins the QTEM network as a Corporate Partner. 👏
 
With essentry, expands its collaboration with companies at the forefront of digital technologies, strengthening the link between academia and practice.
 
As an Academic Partner in QTEM, the TUM School of Management has brought essentry into the network, building on an existing collaboration and intensifying the exchange in areas such as data analytics and AI.
 
💬 “We are very excited to welcome essentry to the QTEM network, strengthening our partner portfolio and our commitment to equipping students with data analytics and AI-driven skills,” says Rainer Kolisch, Professor of Operations Management and TUM School of Management’s Dean of QTEM.
 
The partnership builds on previous joint activities and will continue with a joint hackathon in early July, bringing together students and practitioners.
 
➡️ Read more on our website. Link in bio. 🔗
 
I .muenchen

🤝 Strengthening European research collaboration on Family Enterprise

We were delighted to host a joint research workshop between the TUM Global Center for Family Enterprise and the HEC Paris – Dieter Schwarz Center for Family Business at TUM Campus Heilbronn.

🚀 Over two days, researchers exchanged insights and explored new avenues for collaboration — reinforcing a shared commitment to advancing research and highlighting how interdisciplinary research is driving the field of family enterprise forward.

🇫🇷 We’re excited to see this Franco-German collaboration continue to grow and look forward to the next exchange! 🇩🇪