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Liechtenstein public companies and state monopolies in national and European law

Project Description

In the modern State public undertakings are used for multiple purposes. Liechtenstein, like other countries, is following the long-standing trend of having various public tasks fulfilled by state owned undertakings or enterprises close to the state.
While public enterprises play an important role in Liechtenstein's state and economic structure, little to no research has been carried out in this subject. In particular, the scientific treatment of fundamental constitutional and administrative law aspects as well as EEA law issues is still incomplete or non-existent. The research project will close this gap.

Relevance to Liechtenstein

Mit Blick auf das Beteiligungsportefeuille des Landes Liechtenstein und verschiedene Eignerstrategien liegt der Schluss nahe, dass öffentliche Unternehmen auch in Zukunft einen nicht geringen Anteil am staatlichen Wirtschaftsleben ausmachen werden.
Eine fundierte und umfassende Aufbereitung der öffentlich-rechtlichen Grundlagen öffentlicher Unternehmen in Liechtenstein bildet eine Grundlage für eine Evaluierung des status quo als auch für mögliche Innovationen betreffend die Ausgestaltung öffentlicher Unternehmen und der weiteren Einbindung Privater zur Erbringung von bspw Versorgungsleistungen.
Dieses Forschungsvorhaben widmet sich im Rahmen einer ersten Grundlagenforschung somit – ganz im Sinne der Eignerstrategie sowie Leistungsvereinbarung der Regierung des Fürstentums Liechtenstein für die Universität Liechtenstein bzw zwischen dieser und der Universität – besonders Themen von regionaler Relevanz. In weiterer Folge liefert das Forschungsvorhaben einen wichtigen Beitrag zur Prosperität dieser Region und des Landes Liechtenstein.
Das Forschungsvorhaben sieht sich im Zeichen der Kernthemen «Verantwortung und Gesellschaft». Durch die Kenntnis der wesentlichen Rechtsgrundlagen können Schlüsse auf eine bestmögliche Organisationsgestaltung
öffentlicher Unternehmen gezogen, der Trend zur Ausgliederung staatlicher Aufgaben besser verstanden und eingeordnet sowie letztlich die unternehmerische Verantwortung des Staats im Sinne einer Corporate Social
Responsibility besser wahrgenommen werden.

Scientific, Economic and Societal Impact

Mit Blick auf das Beteiligungsportefeuille des Landes und verschiedene Eignerstrategien liegt der Schluss nahe, dass öffentliche Unternehmen auch in Zukunft einen nicht geringen Anteil am staatlichen Wirtschaftsleben ausmachen werden. Insofern ist die Notwendigkeit einer erstmaligen umfassenden verfassungs-, verwaltungs-, und europarechtlichen Betrachtung des Kontextes, innerhalb dessen der Staat wirtschaftlich tätig wird, evident.
Gerade im Hinblick darauf, dass es in diesem Bereich an einschlägiger Fachliteratur mangelt, ist es umso wichtiger, eine wissenschaftliche Grundlage zu erstellen und für die Allgemeinheit bereitzustellen.
Eine fundierte und umfassende Aufbereitung der öffentlich-rechtlichen Grundlagen öffentlicher Unternehmen in Liechtenstein bildet eine Grundlage für eine Evaluierung des status quo als auch für mögliche Innovationen betreffend die Ausgestaltung öffentlicher Unternehmen und der weiteren Einbindung Privater zur Erbringung von bspw Versorgungsleistungen.

Keywords

Corporate Social Responsibility

Project Participants

Employee
Mag. iur. Magdalena Friedrich BA
- Project Manager
Project Manager
Employee
Mag.iur. Nicola Pfisterer
- Project Collaborator
Project Collaborator
Employee
Dr. iur. Judith Ellen Sild
- Project Manager
Project Manager
Employee
Mag. iur. Vanessa Pfurtscheller
- Project Manager
Project Manager

Liechtenstein Companies in International Private Law

Project Description

The research project deals with the question as to the legal assessment of Liechtenstein companies, and in addition the legal forms of the foundation and the trust, under civil law abroad. For Liechtenstein, a country with more resident legal persons than individuals, this question is of far-reaching importance and national interest. The case law of various national courts in Europe illustrates that the Liechtenstein private foundation in particular has drawn suspicion in recent years. There is the general suspicion that it facilitates the wrongful transfer of assets, leading to courts stripping the foundation of its legal capacity. In order to do so, the substantive public policy objection has served as a fallback, which enables the core of the respective domestic legal systems to take priority over the harmonisation of European company law.
With a view to Liechtenstein as a financial centre in the coming decades, the reputation of Liechtenstein companies and the associated political acceptance abroad is imperative. The recognition of each legal form is important, because it has an impact on the other legal forms. Against this background, the recognition of the charitable foundation without the recognition of the private-benefit foundation abroad is unconceivable. New Liechtenstein companies will only be established if they are recognised under civil law abroad.
The aim of the present research project, undertaken in partnership with Liechtenstein associations, organisations and institutions, is to take action against these developments abroad and to strengthen the reputation of Liechtenstein companies and foundations, so that Liechtenstein can also continue to successfully position itself as a financial centre.

Relevance to Liechtenstein

The research project deals with the question as to the legal assessment of Liechtenstein companies, and in addition the legal forms of the foundation and the trust, under civil law abroad. The aim is to act in co-operation with Liechtenstein associations, organisations and institutions against the non-recognition of Liechtenstein companies abroad which has wrongly taken place in the past and to strengthen the reputation of Liechtenstein legal forms.

Keywords

Corporate Law International civil law comparative law analysis Foundation Law Asset Management

Participating Institutions

Chair of Company, Foundation and Trust Law / Project Lead
Liechtensteinische Treuhandkammer / Partner
Regierung des Fürstentums Liechtenstein / Partner
VLGST - Vereinigung liechtensteinischer gemeinnütziger Stiftungen und Trusts e.V. / Partner

Publications

Liechtenstein: A Location for Philanthropy - A Need for Action and Development Potential in the Non-Profit Sector

Project Description

The growing importance of philanthropic activity globally raises the issue of whether and how Liechtenstein can allow for the realisation and further development of non-profit projects.
Through the reform of foundation law, the charitable foundation's position has been promoted.
Foundation law's flexibility and the comprehensive foundation governance system, comprising both preventative and repressive measures, are worth noting.
The project explores the question of which financial market sectors require which actions. It will be examined whether the introduction of a Liechtenstein Foundation Governance Code would provide greater legal certainty and boost Liechtenstein's reputation as an ideal jurisdiction for philanthropic structures.

Relevance to Liechtenstein

The project explores the question of which financial market sectors require which actions.
It will be examined whether the introduction of a Liechtenstein Foundation Governance Code would provide greater legal certainty and the extent to which such soft law provisions would enable Liechtenstein to strengthen its position as ideal jurisdiction for philanthropic structures in comparison to other jurisdictions.

Keywords

Corporate Law Non-profit-research (NPO, NPI) trust foundation Asset Management

Publications

Lernen von Maiensässen: Bestandsaufnahme, Analyse und Handlungsempfehlungen

Project Description

...

Project Participants

Dr. sc. Anna-Lydia Capaul
- Project Manager
Project Manager

Learning from Maiensäss - On the aesthetic and atmosphere of weekend homes

Project Description

The aim of the PhD project is to capture and compare the atmospheric and aesthetic features of the Maiensässe. Learning from Maiensässen creates an impulse for an alternative sustainable development strategy. In the foreground is the rediscovery of sensual and sensory qualities, which shape atmospheres and have been forgotten by today's architectural culture. It will be carried out an inventory. The Liechtenstein, Vorarlberg, Grisons, Ticino and Valais have zones, which indicate the presence of culturally and historically valuable settlements. In the focus of the research are two different typologies. It is the former agricultural small settlements, which today are used for recreation. And case studies in form of individual traditional Maiensässe. The research covers various scales. In the settlement, the "community" has a high priority and in the buildings is the "individual" in the foreground. Based on the exemplary examples of the dialogue from the man with nature, the sociological aspects and cultural sustainability is examined through the lens of atmospheric and aesthetic phenomena.

Keywords

Cultural Sustainability in the Alps weekend cottages alpine architecture

Project Participants

Dr. sc. Anna-Lydia Capaul
- PhD-Student
PhD-Student
Employee
Prof. em. Dipl. Arch. ETH Urs Meister
- Supervisor
Supervisor

Learning from in-between territories: In search of expanding the practices of architecture

Project Description

The reign of generic individualism in today's globalized environment has led to repetitive urban and architectural design based on transience rather than lasting impressions, resulting in what Marc Augé has described as "non-places". Despite the ephemerality and sense of dispersion that results from globalization, the human need for belonging and identification strongly remains and raises the following question: how can we situate ourselves in an everyday urban environment, that is characterized by continuous change and temporary commitments, the rise of mass-produced, and standardized "non-places"? The research project aims at finding answers to this question by way of an empirical study. The study explores alternative approaches to the reigning style of generic individualism and draws attention towards more situated design practices growing out of the interaction between the inhabitants and their surroundings. The project adopts qualitative empirical research methods in form of interviews and ethnographic research in order to gain a deep understanding of already existing practices that succeed to "de-generify" the present day global city. The purpose of this study is to explore deeper and more innovative modes of engagement with the surrounding urban environment and to consider the idea of a shared local community. The research will result in a portfolio of relevant practices and outline a theoretical foundation for future research in the field of architectural design.

Keywords

non-place generic city sense of place heterotopic space community

Project Participants

Employee
Dr. sc. Dalal Elarji MSc Arch
- PhD-Student
PhD-Student
Employee
Prof. Peter A. Staub
- Supervisor
Supervisor
Prof. Dr. Tatjana Schneider
- Co-Supervisor
Co-Supervisor

Learning Analytics

Project Description

The aim of the project is to prepare a prototype toolset for LA higher education organizations for data driven learning and assessment (e.g. help students to take an active learning path, target at risk- students, assess completion and student success). This will be conducted by collecting, aggregating, analysing, reasoning, and visualizing large scale educational data.
Prjoect partners are: Leibniz University of Hannover, Graz University of Technology, Open University in the Netherlands, and HTW Berlin - University of Applied Sciences.

Keywords

Education Learning Big Data Analytics

Project Participants

Leading Knowledge Workers Effectively: A Comparison Between Good and Bad Leadership Practices in Europe and Asia

Project Description

....

Project Participants

Employee
Dr. rer. oec. Ingo Erich Bildstein
- Principal Investigator
Principal Investigator

Leadership in young firms

Project Description

Growth in young companies also requires them to hire new employees. Along with that change, interpersonal leadership in entrepreneurs' roles is becoming increasingly important for company success. However, the correlation between entrepreneurship and leadership has seldomely been observed, or even empirically investigated. The theoretical basis is based on the Full-Range-Leadership-Model which differentiates between the passiv-avoidant, transactional and transformational leadership styles. The sample of 474 interview respondents consists of 102 entrepreneurs and 372 employees. Results illustrate that the transformational leadership in young companies often, the transactional leadership sometimes to often, and the passiv-avoidant leadership rarely get used. In contrast to existing research findings from analysis of large, established companies, the transformational and transactional leadership styles are more distinct. The external assessments of leadership styles by employees were similar to the self-assessments of the entrepreneurs and results illustrate a strongly significant correlation between the leadership styles. This existing research results are partly refuted and suggest that the differences between a self-assessment and external assessments are influenced by the context. The results of the hierarchical, multiple regression-analysis show different predictory qualities for the individual leadership styles. Therefore, the entrepreneurs' assessment of the laissez-faire leadership styles are a significantly negative predictor for company success, while the two scales of Management by Exception proved to be a significantly positive predictor. In the assessment of the leadership styles through the employees, the transformational leadership style explains a significant proportion of variance compared to the transactional leadership style, through which the augmentation hypothesis of Bass (1987) can be accepted and confirmed.

Keywords

Entrepreneurship Leadership

Project Participants

Employee
Prof. em. Dr. Urs Baldegger
- Supervisor
Supervisor
Employee
Dr. rer. oec. Simon Zäch MBA Entrepreneurship
- PhD-Student
PhD-Student
Employee
Prof. Dr. Andreas Hack
- Co-Supervisor
Co-Supervisor

Leadership in young firms

Project Description

Since firms exist, there is the need to lead employees. The main target in leading employees is the realization of an effective leadership. In the 80ies, Bernhard M. Bass developed the Full-Range-Leadership model and started a new era in the leadership research. The model consists of three different leadership behaviors (laissez-faire, transactional and transformational leadership). Laissez-faire describes a leader who does not take responsibility of his position to lead. Compared with that, transactional leadership is based on an exchange e.g. on a target agreement among leader and employees. Transformational leaders influence employees by compelling visions, personal credibility and change of values.

In the past 20 years, basic conceptual and empirical findings on the Full-Range-Leadership model were developed. Several empirical studies have proven that a positive relationship between transformational and transactional leadership and performance exists. However, the research results at the organizational level are contradictory. Several studies could show a direct link between leadership behavior and the company's performance, while others have failed to support this connection. The differences in the findings can be connected to diverse causes or limitations. Repeatedly postulated, but often neglected, is that leadership success is significantly influenced by the context of the corporate environment.

Addressing this research gap and based on the Full-Range Leadership model, the main objective of this research is an empirical examination of the leadership behavior in young companies. Specifically, the connection between leadership behavior and firm performance will be estimated and empirically evaluated.

Keywords

Entrepreneurship Leadership

Project Participants

Employee
Prof. em. Dr. Urs Baldegger
- Supervisor
Supervisor
Employee
Dr. rer. oec. Simon Zäch MBA Entrepreneurship
- PhD-Student
PhD-Student
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