Insight Blog

Automated Product Suggestions with Needs-based Configurators:

How might future configuration systems be designed to refocus attention on the buying experience and to make sales more fun and efficient? In cooperation with Audi AG, Johanna Hasenmaile and Philipp Scharfenberger investigated a new type of product configurator: needs-based configurators.

New Podcast Series “New Mobility Planet” with Andreas Herrmann & Björn Bender (SBB):

New podcast series “New Mobility Planet”: What influence do new technologies, COVID-19 or transportation planning have on the way we move and organize? The two experts Björn Bender of SBB and Andreas Herrmann discuss these and other exciting questions weekly in the podcast series “New Mobility Planet”.

Smart Mobility: Andreas Herrmann as expert for “Tagesspiegel Background”:

The Tagesspiegel Background informs daily about Insights on New Mobility. It introduces leading scientists and voices that shape the future of mobility, amongst others Andreas Herrmann.

Great ICI presence at ACR and AOM Conferences 2020:

Our Institute for Customer Insight will be present with 9 papers at the 2020 Association for Consumer Research (ACR) Conference in October and with 1 paper at the 2020 Academy of Management Conference (AOM) in August.

When Products Become Autonomous—Recommendations for Adoption:

Results of the Smart Products Report 2020 suggest that smart products already have a high adoption potential in Switzerland. At the same time, these novel products, which are getting increasingly independent encounter skepticism, distrust and fears due to their new product features.

Self-Driving Cars Are Set to Revolutionize Urban Mobility:

The development of autonomous vehicles (AVs) could make the urban environment greener and more livable and help support sustainable transportation systems. But how the technology plays out will depend on the characteristics of cities, according to our new report together Boston Consulting Group (BCG).

Tunnels in Switzerland – Climate sinner?:

Andreas Herrmann and Klaus Radermacher compare the CO2 emissions of cars, trains and planes on the popular route from Zurich to Milan and open our eyes to the surprising truth about climate friendliness.

The car system: Germany and the reinvention of mobility:

Martin Stuchtey and Andreas Herrmann are working on a challenging agenda that will call on the three parties – the automotive industry, the state and society – to systematically rethink their approach.

Swiss Influencer Marketing Report 2020:

The Swiss Influencer Marketing Report 2020 is the first study to examine the relationship triangle between Swiss marketing executives, influencers and millennials (age 13-30). Learn more about the key findings.

How to foresee shocks, surprises, and pandemics?:

In the past months we had the opportunity to curate a Special Issue on the topic of customer foresight with the Marketing Review St Gallen. In the following we will present you a few teasers for the articles in the issue.

Anna-Christina Leisin-Strecker on Psychological Safety

Leading in uncertain times:

More Psychological Safety in Uncertain Times: Leaders can create a work environment, in which employees are not afraid and feel safe to contribute. Find new ideas in the dissertation of Anna-Christina Leisin-Strecker, how leaders can foster psychological safety at work.

Podcast on “Mobility-as-a-Service”:

Could the future of mobility lie in shared modes of transport rather than personal vehicles? The Future of Mobility Podcast series brings together top voices of the sector, innovators and shapers who are invited to give their standpoints and recommendations on how new mobility concepts shape the future of transportation.

“Die Produktion der Konsumgesellschaft”:

The consumer society is at a crossroads, because it is not only the consumption of a good that creates value, but also its non-consumption. In his book, Ernst Mohr explains how we communicate social closeness and distance to certain social groups through the non-use of certain things and the consumption of certain other things, and how we produce this through communication.

Autonomous vehicles – a remedy for today’s traffic burden?:

Are autonomous vehicles (AV) a remedy for today’s traffic burden? Favourable regulations for AV introduction is an essential prerequisite to unleash the benefits of autonomous vehicles. Learn more about what politicians can do today to prepare for tomorrow.

Modi-Covid19: Bio-Economic and -Politics Simulation:

Within just three months, the fight against the Covid19 pandemic has left the international political and economic cooperation in a wreckage. In a qualitative simulation by Prof. Ernst Mohr further challenges posed by a hypothetical mutant of Covid19 are analyzed.

Robo Shopping Photo by Gabrielle Ribeiro on Unsplash

How do “autonomous shopping systems” change the future of shopping?:

Technologies are becoming ever smarter, able to make decisions and complete tasks on behalf of consumers. In their new paper in the Journal of Retailing, Emanuel de Bellis and Gita Johar analyse barriers to adoption of autonomous shopping systems and suggest ways to overcome them.

Life-Design-Bild-von-Mudassar-Iqbal-auf-Pixabay

No more rumination and procrastination! Here´s how to lead yourself from Intention to Action!:

Désirée Rehnert and Sebastian Kernbach contributed to the Career Conference of the Academy of Management in Vienna by presenting preliminary results of their research project on career design. Creativity and mastering emotion regulation help setting meaningful intentions and drive action.

How will the global electric vehicle market look like in 2035 and will it be sustainable?:

Nele Rietmann, Beatrice Hügler and Theo Lieven take a look into the future of electric vehicles in their new article, soon to be published in the Journal of Cleaner Production. According to their findings, electric mobility will account for approx. 50% of all passenger cars in 26 countries by 2035.

Forbes: “One thing people love even more than winning money: not losing it!”:

Forbes refers to a study on loss aversion recently published in the Journal of Consumer Psychology by a research team in which Prof. Andreas Herrmann participated. The study provides evidence on how to overcome this cognitive error in decision-making.

how to succeed on the path to digitization

How to Succeed on the Road to Digital Transformation: Agile and User-Centered Software Development:

The path to digital transformation is agile and customer-oriented – Our research in cooperation with AUDI AG examines the key challenges and success factors in the collaboration between Developers, Designers, and End Users

Traffic Jam Foto von Mikechie Esparagoza von Pexels

Less Traffic Jams thanks to fewer Cars:

Even though cars embody freedom and independence in our society and also have emotional significance, Prof. Andreas Hermann and Klaus Radermacher call for a rethinking of mobility in light of the traffic situation. They see in Switzerland the potential for a test track on which mobility can be tested as a service.

How smart is Switzerland?:

The Smart Products Report 2020 is the first report to shed light on the perception and use of smart products in Switzerland and provides an overview of the novel benefits and risks they carry.

How to boost sales based on weather?:

Weather is omnipresent in our daily lives and affects how consumers evaluate products – but only under certain conditions. In their new paper, Tobias Schlager, Emanuel de Bellis, and JoAndrea Hoegg found that weather causes consumers to mentally simulate product usage only when the weather state and the activity match.

“OPINION LEADERS & BRANDING” – THE ROLE AND SIGNIFICANCE OF OPINION LEADERS FOR BRANDS:

The 9th Brand Excellence Circle (BEC) took place on 22 November 2019 in Wetzlar at Leica Camera AG. With the main theme “Opinion Leaders & Branding” the participants gathered at one of the leading manufacturers of camera systems and optics. The main topic was discussed from different perspectives. The focus was on the questions of

Once again…University of St. Gallen ranks fourth in Financial Times ranking!:

We are heading the global table for Masters in International Management (MiM) for the 9th year. Together with our strong position in other rankings, we could secure the 4th place overall in Europe for the 3rd consecutive year.

Innovation for Transformation – Challenges of Ambidexterity in the Automotive Industry:

While innovations in the core business ensure current survival, innovations in the future business contribute to the future competitiveness of established manufacturers. A study in cooperation with the Volkswagen AG is investigating how the tensions of exploitation and exploration can be solved.

Prof. Dr. Andreas Herrmann appointed Visiting Professor@LSE:

Professor Dr. Andreas Herrmann is appointed Visiting Professor at LSE Cities from September 2019 onwards. LSE Cities is an international centre at the London School of Economics and Political Science that carries out research, graduate and executive education. It studies how people and cities interact in a rapidly urbanising world, focusing on how the physical form and design of cities impact on society, culture and the environment.

Rail journeys with additional costs:

Train, plane or car? The debate about traffic emissions is too short-sighted today. Travelling by train is comparatively environmentally friendly, but CO2 emissions must be taken into account when building rails, tunnels and bridges. Without arguing against rail travel, Prof. Dr. Andreas Herrmann and management consultant Klaus Radermacher argue in the current ZEIT article for

Being one in a Million – the value of uniqueness in mass-customized products:

Being one in a million – Pia Burghartz, Emanuel de Bellis, Franziska Krause, Nikolaus Franke, and Gerald Haeubl show at different international conferences how product uniqueness can create value for customers in a mass customization context.

Future needs origin: Transformation strategies in the automotive industry:

How can proud companies with a long-standing legacy successfully reinvent themselves? Our research in cooperation with the BMW Group examines the success factors of contemporary strategy work and the potential of leveraging a company’s unique identity.

Deutsche Telekom: From a public company to a magenta-colored experience:

What do customers expect from brands in the future? How do companies stand out in a saturated industry? And do companies need a color brand? These and many other questions were answered by Alexander Engelhardt, Vice President Brand Management at Deutsche Telekom AG, at the largest marketing event of the University of St. Gallen.

What are the real CO2 emitters among the means of transportation?:

The current climate debate is largely about the ecological footprint of our transportation systems. But what are the real CO2 emitters?

The glass consumer in the age of smart products:

Data are the new currency in the business world, as they offer incomparable private insights into the lives of consumers. What can companies do in order not to lose consumer trust?

How do we want to live in ten years?:

How about a bit of fortune telling? Learn about a method that allows you to gain insights about the future to understand what consumers may want in the future.

What is really important on the way to autonomous driving?:

Discussions regarding autonomous driving are currently very much focused on the new mobile generation 5G, which should serve as a building block for an autonomous future. According to Prof. Dr. Andreas Herrmann, however, such discussions are misleading.

The Digital Behavior Change Journey – How does digital organizational transformation work?:

Change is only successful if the people within an organization live the change. Thus, the actual challenge is: to support each individual within an organization in their personal change. Our research reveals ways to precisely master this challenge digitally.

Research: MAKE IT HAPPEN – Clarity and agency in times of unlimited possibility:

How does one find orientation in the midst of complexity? Which path do you chose when any path is possible? The Competence Center for Intrapreneurship outlines a practical method to gain clarity and agency in the times of endless opportunities and translate ideals into actions.

Publication: These 7 technologies change marketing – What marketeers need to know to be successful in the future:

Hype or fundamental change – which new technologies should marketeers understand? The trend report of the newly founded Big Marketing Technology Lab identifies 7 relevant technology trends.

Research: How language may entice us – The subtle influence of consumption vocabulary on communication about products in online discussion forums:

Social media platforms hold great potential from a company’s point of view but they are also associated with the challenge of maintaining control over the way products (and services) are discussed on the Internet.

challenges opportunities voice marketing

Publication: Alexa is talking to my customer! Challenges and Opportunities in Voice Marketing:

Virtual assistants and smart speakers have been adopted by customers more quickly than smartphones at the same point in time. What do these new interaction possibilities mean for brands and marketing?

Research: Influence of narcissistic communication in social product configurators:

Social product configurators allow consumers to receive feedback from peers on their mass-customized product. Does the type of communication between consumers influence the configuration process?

Publication: What does the Future of Asset Management Look Like? 7 Key Trends Reshaping the Industry:

The asset management industry undergoes a structural transformation. The ICI think tank RFS analyses in its most recent publication seven key trends reshaping the industry and what incumbents can do to be prepared for the future.

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