University of Hamburg Business School

Mission, Vision and Values

In keeping with Hamburg’s reputation as a mercantile city, there has been a long tradition of business research at the University. In 1927, Curt Eisfeld became the University’s first professor of business administration at the Faculty of Law and Political Science and helped establish the degree program.
In 2008, the Department of Business Administration was formed as one of four departments of the Faculty.
In 2014, the Department was transformed into the Faculty of Business Administration, now known as the University of Hamburg Business School. In 2016, the Faculty established a Management Transfer Lab to develop and coordinate connections with practice, and in 2018, the Faculty formed its own Graduate School to promote young researchers.

Our Mission
Building on Hamburg’s history as an international trade metropolis, we develop and teach contemporary approaches to business. In our research and research-based education we focus on evidence-based decision-making. We contribute valuable data-driven insights and foster critical thinking for a sustainable future.

Our Vision
Our vision is to be a leading Business School in Europe for quantitative and empirical research with high economic and societal impact and for research-based education that develops future leaders to shape a sustainable future.

Our Values
Our values are inspired by the Hanseatic “honorable merchants” who have shaped commerce in Hamburg for centuries. They are recognized as smart and successful business leaders with a global network and a pronounced sense of responsibility for their own companies, for society, and for the environment. Honorable merchants are trustworthy, down-to-earth, and unpretentious.

Excellence: We are committed to excellence in everything we do.
Impact: We contribute to society by generating innovative, relevant insights based on rigorous research and by educating critical thinkers who make a difference in the world.
Responsibility: We uphold and encourage sustainable, socially responsible behavior.
Openness: We engage openly with other disciplines, communities and cultures. We embrace diversity in all its forms.
Connectedness: We are a collegiate and supportive community that fosters cooperation and gives researchers and students the autonomy to flourish.