Innovation, modernization, globalization are buzzwords that have dominated our societies for the past 30 years or more. While dynamic elites invoke these concepts in hopes of achieving economic growth and social change, others regard them with skepticism if not to say outright hostility. Yet, few who use these terms understand their meaning and understand how the local and the international world are inexorably connected. This lecture will use both positive and negative examples to illustrate out interconnectedness and the implication for us as future leaders in our professions.

Univ. Prof. Dr. Reinhard Heinisch

Nearly everything in our lives is shaped by political outcomes, by policies and politics. At its very basis, politics is deciding who gets what when and where. The cities we build depend on building codes, zoning laws, und planning processes, all of which are stirred by politics. Politics constrain the economy by rules and regulations that shape market outcomes. In area after area, from health to tourism, from social affairs to foreign relations, from transportation to education nearly every aspect in society is dependent on underlying policies and the laws and regulations they create. The way these policies come about often conforms to clearly predictable patterns and distinct modes depending on the kinds of actors, interests, institutions, and resources involved. To understand some of the basic concepts and ideas behind policy making can help any professional in any field to prepare themselves for their career.

Univ. Prof. Dr. Reinhard Heinisch

Information search is an integral part of the purchase decision process. Services such as tourism products have higher demands from customers in terms of decision taking as opposed to products. This lecture provides insights into buying decision making under high risk as experienced with travel products and sheds light onto the relevance and role of information search and specific information sources connected to travel decision making. It will contrast decisions made for services with those made for fast moving consumer goods.
Travelers buying decision process and the relevance of information searchSynopsis: Information search is an integral part of the purchase decision process. Services such as tourism products have higher demands from customers in terms of decision taking as opposed to products. This lecture provides insights into buying decision making under high risk as experienced with travel products and sheds light onto the relevance and role of information search and specific information sources connected to travel decision making. It will contrast decisions made for services with those made for fast moving consumer goods.

Ass. Prof. Dr. Astrid Dickinger

To be announced.

Prof. Dr. Thomas Boyle

Competition of cities and regions increases continuously. Cities create their own corporate identity and it provides the intellectual frame for the goals to be formulated for the city. External communication functions as publicity for the product ‘city’. Internal communication appeals to the general public. Most urban planners take the image of a city or reagion for granted. With an urban transformation the image of a city can change. Giving the example of some surprising examples we will approach the worldwide scenario of cities.

Ass. Prof. Dr. tech. Dr.h.c. Andreas Hofer

Two decades after the fall of the Iron Curtain, the global economic crisis currently slows down a so far quite dynamic urban development in Eastern and Southeastern Europe. At the same time, the region is getting prepared for two large-scale events that both constitute an enormous potential as well as challenges for the respective city regions: The European Football Championship 2012 in Ukraine and Poland and the 22nd Winter Olympics in Sochi 2014.

We discuss the challenges and opportunities of the Region of Sochi / Krasnaya Polanya at the forecast of the Winter Oympics in 2014. The aim of the track “Architecture and Urban Design” is to develop sustainable and economic solutions through thinking about urban design goals for Sochi. This lecture is the Kick-off for the  workshop.

Ass. Prof. Dr. tech. Dr.h.c. Andreas Hofer

During the last years of globalization,public spaces of urban areas increasingly came under pressure. On the one hand, the only interests of globally acting companies was to privatize public space. On the other hand, the right of all urban citizens to use the public space actively as their location of cultural and social development needs to be taken into account. We will discuss examples of innovative public space design, which promote so-called “un-volumetric architecture”, contemporary use of the public space and the creation of urban identity.

Ass. Prof. Dr. tech. Dr.h.c. Andreas Hofer

To be announced.

Mag. Stefan Oberhauser