Markus Schwaninger


Markus Schwaninger is an Austrian economist and Professor of Management at the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland, and Director of the International World Organization of Systems and Cybernetics. He is known for his co-authorship of the St. Galler Management-Model.

Life and work

Schwaninger was born in Salzburg, Austria. After several years of practical experience in private and public organizations, he studied economics at the University of St. Gallen. In 1980 he obtained his doctorate at the University of Innsbruck, Austria, and in 1987 obtained his Habilitation at the University of St. Gallen with a postdoctoral thesis on integral planning.
In 1990 Schwaninger was called to the Institute of Management at the University of St. Gallen, where he is appointed Professor of Management. He also directs the International World Organization of Systems and Cybernetics.
Schwaningers research and teaching are focused on the management of complex dynamic systems, with a methodological emphasis on Organizational Cybernetics and System Dynamics. His research projects to date have been related to organizational intelligence, model-based management, the design, transformation and learning of organizations, and systemic issues of sustainability.

Selected publications

Schwaninger is author of more than 200 publications in six languages, and editor of the works of Hans Ulrich and Aloys Gälweiler. Books, a selection:
Articles, a selection: