The event of the joint project of the Institute for Management Control & Consulting and the Institute for Corporate Finance was entirely devoted to the theme Business and Religion. Financially supported within the first High Research Impact Call of the Business School, the research project investigates the influence of religious and secular values on family firms and their managerial decisions. In the course of qualitative interviews with family firms from the DACH region, initial findings were obtained for this still scarcely researched topic area.

In addition to a short presentation of the interdisciplinary project, the first research results were also presented. Dr. Tanja Wolf gave an insight into the sources and effects of convictions and values in family businesses. The results show that there are rather different shades of religious and secular beliefs and values instead of a dichotomous separation between religious and secular. In addition, an increasing secularization was found among the companies studied. The second research area, the influence of Socioemotional Wealth (SEW) and religiosity on Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) decisions in family firms, was presented by Ass.-Prof. Dr. Thomas Brunner-Kirchmair. Family firms focusing on the protection of the SEW in M&A have a long-term horizon and pay attention to the cultural fit between family and target firms and an ethically "correct" behavior. Religiosity in M&A decisions leads to an increased reluctance of family firms to engage in M&A and also to less diversification.

A special highlight of the evening was the interesting panel discussion on the topic "Which values will drive family firms in the future?". Chaired by Univ.-Prof. Dr. Martin Hiebl, Mr. Reinhard Honeder of Honeder Naturbackstube GmbH and Mr. Peter Augendopler of Backaldrin International The Kornspitz Company GmbH discussed their exemplified values in their family firms. Mr. Augendopler's explanation of his family firm’s importance for him was very memorable for all those present. He sees the company Backaldrin International not only as a family firm, but rather as a representation of interests.

The well-attended event came to a pleasant end with a subsequent buffet and an exciting exchange of ideas.