Strategic themes

The Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB) aims to contribute to a future with more healthy years for everyone. The health of individuals is inextricably linked to their social and economic environment. Many factors play a role in healthy ageing, which is why an interdisciplinary approach to public health is of paramount importance. That's why we focus on Healthy Society as one of our interdisciplinary themes. The research and education related to Healthy Society within FEB are all concentrated in the faculty's Centre for Public Health in Economics and Business (CPHEB). The Centre's main aim is to stimulate, support and disseminate interdisciplinary research and education in economics, business and management to promote a healthy society with more healthy years.

The domains of research CPHEB focuses on are:

• Cost effectiveness/insurance
• Data-driven health
• E-health
• Networked health organizations and professionals

More information

Read more about CPHEB's research and activities on their website.

Read more about the 'Healthy Society' focus area for students on our education pages.

Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence are major developments in today’s society, and affect business strategy and tactics and even entire business models. Thus, these developments have important implications for the functioning of marketing, logistics and innovation strategy. We live in a data-driven world, therefore developing the ability to work with data and digital technologies, and to make ethical and informed decisions based on insights from large data sets, is of paramount importance. Consequently, research and education about digital business, data science and analytics are one of the priorities of the Faculty of Economics and Business. Which is why we have identified Digitalization and AI as one of our interdisciplinary themes. The research and education related to digital business within FEB is concentrated in the faculty’s Groningen Digital Business Centre (GDBC). The activities and objectives of the centre focus on strengthening the digital sector, mainly in the Northern Netherlands.

Together with various parties, the GDBC works to establish a knowledge platform; serve as a matchmaker between Northern digital SMEs and students; establish a multidisciplinary educational programme and a multidisciplinary, practically driven research agenda.

More information

Read more about GDBC’s activities on their website.

Read more about the focus area ‘Digitalization and AI’ for students on our education pages and watch the video below to see how digitalization and AI is embedded in our education.

In a world of globalization, technological innovation, and (disruptive) societal challenges, organizations need leaders who can navigate complex governance structures and understand the dynamics that influence individual and collective decision-making. Effective leadership and governance are essential to helping organizations adapt, innovate and succeed in a complex, fast-changing and interconnected world. Thus, Leadership and Governance is one of the Faculty of Economics and Business' (FEB) interdisciplinary themes.

Through teaching and research, FEB aims to contribute to an understanding of macro-level governance frameworks and micro-level leadership processes. This dual approach enables us to shed light on the broader implications of governance and leadership, while also paying attention to the conditions that shape behavior, decision-making and organizational dynamics.

In our research and education, we take an interdisciplinary approach, exploring the ethical, strategic, and operational dimensions of leadership and governance. Our research not only advances the field of management and leadership research, but also has practical impact, by generating applicable knowledge for organizations and policy makers alike. Through teaching and research, FEB aims to foster sustainable growth in organizations and help them face global challenges and uncertainties.

Governance

Since the Enron scandal in 2001 and the financial crisis in 2008, the apparent lack of effectiveness of boards has been the core of heated debates. As a consequence, to avoid more corporate problems, many new regulatory systems have been put into place to control decision making by corporate boards. However, ongoing corporate scandals and public discussions about board remuneration decisions illustrate that, despite increased regulation, boards are still not always effective in managing their organizations.

Therefore, identifying the conditions under which boards thrive remains an important question. Another central aim of the theme Leadership and Governance is to examine the conditions that will make boards effective. FEB aims to contribute valuable knowledge on why boards are not always effective in meeting shareholder demands, and which conditions will help them to improve their functioning.

More information

Read more about the focus area Leadership and Governance for students on our education pages.

Future Prosperity and Sustainability

At the Faculty of Economics and Business, we choose to focus on future prosperity and sustainability, instead of on a narrow concept of growth – in terms of more profits, income, market shares and consumption. We aim to look beyond prosperity as growth in wealth, towards a sustainable future in which growth is balanced with the preservation of all aspects of life, whether material, social or ethical. This approach addresses the question of how prosperity can grow without undermining its foundations, such as natural resources, climate stability, or social conditions. Sustainability is expressed in economic, social, and governance (ESG) indicators and is essential to enable both human beings and other species on the planet to flourish: to live well in the material, social and ethical sense. Businesses, consumers, civil society organizations, and governments can contribute to a flourishing world, by ensuring that prosperity is not just about wealth and profit, but also about enabling all species to thrive.

More information

Read more about the interdisciplinary theme Future Prosperity and Sustainability on the theme's startpage.

Read more about the focus area Future Prosperity and Sustainability for students on our education pages.

In a world increasingly affected by climate change, energy and the transition to sustainable energy systems are critical issues. The role of energy in society has significant economic and business implications. Thus, Energy Transition and Climate Change is one of the interdisciplinary themes of the Faculty of Economics and Business. This theme focuses on the economic and business analysis of the role of energy and climate change in societies. All the research on the theme Energy Transition and Climate Change within FEB is concentrated in the faculty’s Centre for Energy Business and Economics Research (CEnBER).

About CEnBER

CEnBER applies state of the art academic knowledge to important societal issues. The Centre aims to cooperate with external stakeholders in order to contribute to solving problems related to Energy Transition and Climate Change.

CEnBER’s business and economic analysis is conducted on a variety of levels: micro, meso, and macro. Knowledge of energy business and economics on various levels enables researches to adequately assess the effects of different types of policy measures. On micro level, the research is directed at decisions made by energy producers, network operators, energy-intensive firms as well energy consumers. On meso level, the research focuses on the design of energy markets, the interaction between consumers and producers and the regulation of energy markets. On the macro level, attention is paid to international trade in energy and the relationship between energy prices and the macro economy.

A particular research topic within CEnBER is the effect of environmental policies directed at energy production or consumption. Issues discussed include the optimal design of policy measures to curb carbon emissions, such as energy taxes, emissions trading schemes, environmental standards and subsidies for renewables.

More information

Read more about CEnBER's activities on their website.

Read more about the focus area Energy Transition and Climate Change for students on our education pages.