It is with great pleasure that we announce that starting January 1st, 2026, the Chair of Sociology, led by Patrik Aspers and supported by a team of nearly 20 people, will join IIDM.
Patrik Aspers’s research spans several fields, focusing on organization and decision-making, as exemplified in his book Uncertainty: Private Problems and Public Solutions (Oxford University Press, 2020). He also leads an SNF-funded project on marketplaces, with which most of his postdocs are affiliated. Aspers has been at HSG since 2019 and is currently the President of the Swiss Sociological Association and the Academic Director of the DOK Doctoral Program @ HSG.
Another large part of the activities at the Chair of Sociology is the research hub led by Prof. Sabine Hoidn, which focuses on human-centred transformation processes. She currently leads four Horizon Europe projects, contributing expertise in socioeconomic impact analysis, stakeholder engagement, training concepts, sustainable governance strategies, and gender equality promotion. Sabine Hoidn also leads the Student-Centred Learning Lab (SCLab), which develops evidence-based models and practices for student-centred teaching and supports innovation in higher education through research.
Integrating the Chair of Sociology into the IIDM strengthens our thought leadership in international management and diversity management, in terms of both research and practice. With the integration of the Chair of Sociology, two competence centres will also join IIDM-HSG:
Competence Centre Mastering the Unknown (CCMU)
Competence Centre for Educational and Social Transformation (EST)
We are looking forward to working together and with each other’s teams productively, to learn from one another, and to contribute to each other’s research, courses and industry projects!
The IIDM Team
The Institute for International Management and Diversity Management (IIDM-HSG) focuses on addressing economic, organisational, and societal challenges in a globalised world by combining management and social science perspectives.
IIDM-HSG integrates research, executive education, and collaboration with organisations across industries to support internationally active stakeholders and socially responsible organisations. The Institute’s work spans international management, diversity management, and sociology, bringing complementary insights into global business, inclusive organisational development, and the societal dynamics shaping markets, work, and employment.
SUBJECT AREAS
IIDM-HSG works across three interconnected subject areas:
Together, these areas bring complementary insights into global business, inclusive organisational development, and the societal dynamics shaping markets, work, and employment.
COMPETENCE CENTRES
The Institute operates through a well-established competence centre structure, enabling focused expertise and strong practical relevance:
IIDM-HSG employs around 50 staff members and is led by Winfried Ruigrok, Gudrun Sander, Stephan Böhm and Patrik Aspers.
IIDM-HSG engages with partners from academia, business, policy, and society to advance research, education, and practice in international management, diversity, and societal transformation.
