Rudolf Sallinger Awards for MCI Graduates

Rudolf Sallinger Fund honors academic work on family businesses | Main prize awarded to Franziska Klotz, special prize to Stefan Goldmann from the Entrepreneurial School®

As part of this year’s call for submissions on "Family Businesses in Austria" by the Rudolf Sallinger Fonds, two graduates of MCI were honored for their outstanding academic theses. Their award-winning work impressed with strong practical relevance, sound analysis, and fresh perspectives on the topic of family enterprises. One main prize and three special prizes were awarded.

The main prize went to Franziska Klotz (Master in Entrepreneurship & Tourism) for her excellent academic thesis on internal communication in family-run hotels during business succession (“Interne Kommunikation in familiengeführten Hotels im Zuge der Unternehmensübergabe: Eine vergleichende Studie.”) In addition, Stefan Goldmann (Master in Management, Communication & IT) received a special prize for his innovative thesis “Process Professionalization for SMFEs in the Fashion Retail Industry.”

Anita Zehrer, Head of the Center for Family Business at MCI, congratulates: “With their outstanding theses, both graduates address key issues faced by family businesses and develop well-founded, practice-oriented solutions. I am delighted that their work contributes valuable insights to entrepreneurial practice, and that we were able to support them through our center.”

About the Rudolf Sallinger Award

Each year, the Rudolf Sallinger Award honors excellent academic achievements by students and researchers in the field of “Family Businesses in Austria.” The most convincing exposé or best academic thesis addressing current challenges in family business is recognized with the main prize, which is endowed with €2,500.