Prof. Dr. Markus Scholz
Table of contents
© Laura Jankowski
Professor of Business Management, esp. Responsible Management
NameMr Prof. Dr. Markus Scholz
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Press material on Prof. Dr. Markus Scholz can be found here.
Vita
Markus Scholz is Professor of Business Administration, with a focus on Responsible Management, at Technische Universität Dresden and a Visiting Scholar at INSEAD.
His research addresses the strategic challenges of societal transformation. It focuses on the political role and responsibility of business, Business and Democracy, Business and Human Rights, as well as strategic management and the sustainable transformation of organizations. His work combines rigorous academic research with a strong commitment to practical relevance and is aimed not only at the academic community but also at business leaders, policymakers, and civil society.
Following his studies in Business Administration, Economics, and Philosophy at Leibniz University Hannover and the London School of Economics and Political Science, he held research and teaching positions at several internationally renowned institutions, including the Centre for Philosophy of Natural and Social Science at the London School of Economics and the Zicklin Center for Business Ethics Research at the Wharton School.
In Vienna, he founded and directed the Institute for Business Ethics and Sustainable Strategy (IBES) at the Vienna Chamber of Commerce and Industry as well as the Christian Doppler-funded Josef Ressel Centre for Collective Action and Responsible Management (CARe). He also served as European Chairman of the Harvard Business School’s Microeconomics of Competitiveness Network.
His research has been published in leading international journals, including Business Ethics Quarterly, Business & Society, California Management Review, Journal of Business Ethics, MIT Sloan Management Review, Organization Studies, Organization Theory, and The British Journal for the Philosophy of Science. In recognition of his teaching excellence, Markus Scholz received the Teaching Award of Technische Universität Dresden in 2026, together with Benedikt Kapteina.
As an expert on the societal role and responsibility of business, Markus Scholz is frequently featured in national and international media, including ARD, ARTE, Der Spiegel, Die Zeit, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Financial Times, Forbes, Handelsblatt, Neue Zürcher Zeitung, ORF, WirtschaftsWoche, and ZDF.
In 2025 and 2026, Table.Media recognized him as one of the Top 10 Sustainability Thought Leaders in Academia in the German-speaking world.
In addition to his academic work, Professor Scholz advises corporations, family businesses, public institutions, and foundations on strategic transformation, Responsible Management, Corporate Political Responsibility, and the role of business in strengthening liberal democracies. He is also an internationally sought-after keynote speaker, executive educator, and moderator.
Since 2022, he has served as Chair of the Working Group on Business Ethics within the Schmalenbach Society.
Core research areas
- Innovation & Transformation
- Strategic management
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Responsible Management
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Business and Democracy
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Corporate Political Responsibility and Corporate Political Engagement
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Business and Human Rights
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Sustainability and Corporate Governance
Memberships
- Academy of Management
- Schmalenbach Society (Chair, Working Group on Business Ethics)
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Society for Business Ethics
- Verein für Socialpolitik (German Economic Association)
Publications
2026
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Corporate Democratic Action (CDA): Das Engagement von Unternehmen zum Schutz der liberalen Demokratie, 11 May 2026, In: Schmalenbach Impulse. 6, p. 1-9, 9 p.Electronic (full-text) versionResearch output: Contribution to journal > Comment/Debate
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CEO-Aktivismus zum Schutz der liberalen Demokratie: Eine empirische Vermessung von Wahrnehmung und Wirkung: Eine empirische Vermessung von Wahrnehmung und Wirkung, 2 Mar 2026, Köln: Institut der deutschen Wirtschaft Köln e. V. , 32 p.Electronic (full-text) versionResearch output: Other contribution > Other
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Why Do Companies Engage in the Creation of Private Governance? A Systematic Literature Review and Research Agenda, 2 Feb 2026, In: Journal of Business Ethics. 24 p.Electronic (full-text) versionResearch output: Contribution to journal > Research article
2025
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Wirtschaft mit Werten: Warum Unternehmen Verantwortung übernehmen müssen, 3 Nov 2025, Droemer Knaur, 192 p.Research output: Book/Report/Anthology > Monograph
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Kammerspiele – die Positionen der Kammern in Deutschland zum Thema Rechtsextremismus, Nov 2025, In: Zeitschrift für Wirtschafts- und Unternehmensethik: zfwu. Haltung zeigen – Demokratie stärken, p. 283-300, 18 p.Electronic (full-text) versionResearch output: Contribution to journal > Research article
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Business school teaching case study: when to speak up for democratic values, 4 Sep 2025, Financial TimesResearch output: Other contribution > Other
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ESG 2025 – Relevanz, Herausforderungen und strategische Perspektiven in deutschen Unternehmen: Kurzbericht auf Basis einer Civey Studie, Jul 2025, 12 p.Electronic (full-text) versionResearch output: Other contribution > Other
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Corporate Leaders and Corporate Citizens, Jun 2025Research output: Contribution to conferences > Paper
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Unternehmen und ihre politische Haltung - Die erweiterte Rolle des Aufsichtsrats, Mar 2025, Board - Zeitschrift für Aufsichtsräte, 6 p.Research output: Other contribution > Other
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Schnell ist der Ruf beschädigt, 3 Feb 2025, In: Frankfurter Allgemeine : Zeitung für Deutschland ; Ausgabe DResearch output: Contribution to specialist publication > Feature article/Contribution (Feuilleton)
This information is provided by the FIS.
Further activities
2013
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Panel discussion: Anti-Korruption und Compliance Blaguss, P. (Speaker), Pisec, K. (Speaker), Wutscher, W. (Speaker), Scholz, M. (Organiser) 28 Nov 2013 Activity: Organising or participating in an event > Organising an event
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Die Unternehmensethik als Instrument und was die Übernahme gesellschaftlicher und ökologischer Verantwortung noch bedeuten könnte Scholz, M. (Speaker) 11 Nov 2013 Activity: Talk or presentation at external institutions/events > Keynote > Invited
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Darwinism in Economics Scholz, M. (Speaker) 22 Sep 2013 Activity: Talk or presentation at external institutions/events > Talk/Presentation > Invited
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The Limits of Creating Shared Value Scholz, M. (Speaker), De Los Reyes, G. (Speaker) 13 Sep 2013 Activity: Talk or presentation at external institutions/events > Talk/Presentation > Contributed
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Business Ethics als Strategie: Was ist eigentlich Shared Value? Scholz, M. (Speaker) 13 Jun 2013 Activity: Talk or presentation at external institutions/events > Talk/Presentation > Invited
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Business Organizations and the Struggle for Survival Scholz, M. (Speaker) 11 Apr 2013 Activity: Talk or presentation at external institutions/events > Talk/Presentation > Invited
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Third-Party Funding in Academia: Relevant and Rigor Research at Business Schools Scholz, M. (Speaker) 7 Apr 2013 Activity: Talk or presentation at external institutions/events > Talk/Presentation > Invited
2012
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Aktuelle Trends in Corporate Governance & Business Ethics Scholz, M. (Speaker) 15 Sep 2012 Activity: Talk or presentation at external institutions/events > Keynote > Invited
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Beyond the Grip of the Sovereign: Deliberation, ‘We-Reasoning’ and the Legitimacy of Business Norms and Standards in a Globalized World Scholz, M. (Speaker) 13 Jul 2012 Activity: Talk or presentation at external institutions/events > Talk/Presentation > Contributed
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Organizational Ecology: No Evolution after All Scholz, M. (Speaker) 16 Jan 2012 Activity: Talk or presentation at external institutions/events > Talk/Presentation > Invited
This information is provided by the FIS.
