Last week, the Faculty of Business, Economics and Statistics at the University of Vienna had the great pleasure of awarding the 7th Oskar Morgenstern Medal to Professor Phanish Puranam (INSEAD) - one of the world's leading experts in organizational design and strategy.
The Oskar Morgenstern Medal, the Faculty's highest distinction, honors scholars whose work has made outstanding contributions to economics and related fields. Prof. Puranam was recognized for his pioneering research on organization design, combining analytical rigor with practical relevance and offering valuable insights into how AI and human collaboration can be integrated into the organizations of the future.
The award ceremony, held on 9 October 2025 in the Sky Lounge, brought together distinguished guests from academia, business, and politics - including Federal Minister Eva-Maria Holzleitner, Rector Sebastian Schütze, and Dean Karl F. Dörner - to celebrate Prof. Puranam's achievements.The Oskar Morgenstern Medal was presented by Professor Markus Reitzig, who also delivered the laudatory speech highlighting Prof. Puranam's inspiring scientific journey and exceptional impact on organization science.
Following the ceremony, Prof. Puranam gave an inspiring public lecture, "Designing Organizations in the Age of Algorithms," exploring how technology is reshaping the way we work and how organizations can remain both goal-oriented and human-centric in the age of AI.
We warmly congratulate Prof. Phanish Puranam and thank all who joined us in celebrating this outstanding scholar and thought leader!
In a recent interview with the University of Vienna's Rudolphina magazine, Prof. Puranam further reflects on what it takes to build human-centric organizations and universities in the age of AI - a fascinating read for anyone interested in the future of work and learning.
