Martin Hiebl, a university professor in the area of management accounting and control at the University of Siegen, is currently a visiting professor at the JKU. He has been conducting research into family-owned companies from a controlling and risk management perspective for many years.

Family-owned businesses are a very important part of European economy and their ownership structure often means they can shape their long-term goals differently than non-family owned businesses. At the invitation of Prof. Birgit Feldbauer-Durstmüller and Prof. Helmut Pernsteiner, Martin Hiebl spoke about differences conduct and action pertaining to family-owned businesses in areas of, for example, dividend policy, capital structure, the professionalism of controlling practices.

The colloquium is organized in honor of o. Univ. Prof. Dr. Karl Vodrazka (1931-2016). Karl Vodrazka was a professor at the JKU between 1971 and 1999, a long-time department head at the Institute for Auditing, Trust and Accounting, as well as Dean and JKU Rector.