Institute for Finance, Controlling, & Economics

Overview

Financial markets and economic systems play a fundamental role in shaping the global economy — for companies, for nations, and ultimately for every individual.The Institute for Finance, Controlling, and Economics serves as the competency center at the University of Applied Sciences Wiener Neustadt for research, teaching, and applied knowledge in the fields of finance, controlling, and economics.

Finance

Finance complements the real economy by analyzing the structure and functioning of financial markets. It investigates how prices are formed, how financial instruments are used, who the market participants are, and how risks can be measured and managed.

In the context of corporate finance, finance is typically broken down into three main areas:

• Financing – the procurement of capital
• Investment – the allocation and use of capital
• Risk management – the identification and control of financial risk

Together, these areas support informed, value-creating decision-making in both the private and public sectors.

Controlling

Controlling acts as a strategic partner in the management of organizations. It ensures transparency, supports planning and decision-making, and drives the alignment of business activities with long-term goals.

This discipline focuses on:

• Performance measurement and management
• Cost and profitability analysis
• Planning, budgeting, and forecasting
• Data-driven decision support using modern business intelligence tools

By providing actionable insights and steering mechanisms, controlling plays a critical role in enabling efficient and sustainable business management in today’s data-rich environment.

Economics

Economics forms the conceptual foundation of all business-related disciplines. It explores human behavior under conditions of scarcity and aims to answer essential questions: Which choices generate the greatest benefit for individuals, a firm, or society?

The field distinguishes between microeconomics, which examines individual decision-making and market structures, and macroeconomics, which focuses on aggregate phenomena such as inflation, unemployment, growth, and fiscal and monetary policy. Both perspectives contribute to understanding and shaping sound economic policy and long-term business strategies.

Teaching

The Institute for Finance, Controlling & Economics is responsible for the academic and organizational coordination of all courses in finance, economics, and controlling across all degree programs and faculties at the University of Applied Sciences Wiener Neustadt.

Our teaching activities span a wide range of study programs, with a particular focus on the following:

• Master Sustainable Finance and Digital Transformation
• Master of Business Consultancy International (MBCI) – Treasury & Investment Spezialisierung
• Master Controlling & Business Intelligence (MCOBI)
• Finance specializations in the English-language Bachelor Business Consultancy International (BBCI) and the German-language Bachelor Wirtschaftsberatung (BWB)

Our goal is to deliver high-quality, practice-oriented education that equips students with the analytical tools and applied knowledge needed to succeed in a rapidly evolving economic and financial landscape.

Research

The Institute for Finance, Controlling & Economics engages in theoretical research as well as applied research that is closely aligned with current developments in industry and policy. Our research activities support our teaching activities and are enriched through ongoing collaboration with national and international partners from academia and the private sector.

Key Research Areas

• Corporate Finance
  Investment decisions, financing strategies, corporate governance, and capital structure in firms
• Financial Markets
  Functioning and efficiency of capital markets
• Sustainable Finance
  Financial strategies and instruments that integrate environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors into decision-making
• Digitalization and Controlling
  The role of digital tools, data analytics, and business intelligence in modern performance management and strategic decision-making
• Mathematical / Quantitative Finance
  Development and application of mathematical models for asset pricing and risk management
• Financial and Economic Education
  Innovative teaching methods, including the use of digital media in economics and finance education

Selected Past Projects

• ESG preferences of institutional investors and alternative asset managers
• The Austrian microcredit market
• Determinants of corporate capital structures
• Efficiency analysis of stock markets
• The Austrian market for corporate bonds

Current Projects

• Banks in Lower Austria
• Central banks and sovereign debt markets
• Cross-country real options in international business strategies
• Modelling portfolios of sustainable assets