Friedrich Gennheimer Prize

Friedrich Wilhelm Gennheimer was born in 1930 in Neustadt an der Weinstraße as part of the Gennheimer Brothers sparkling wine cellars. His professional career began with a degree in business administration. In 1970, he was offered a teaching position for general business administration at the vocational schools in Speyer. This teaching position was accompanied by an appointment as a civil servant for life. In 1971, he was transferred to the Staatliche Höhere Wirtschaftsfachschule in Ludwigshafen. There, Gennheimer accepted an employment contract, also for business administration. Just one year later, he was appointed "Professor at the University of Applied Sciences" and moved to the Ludwigshafen department of the Rhineland-Palatinate University of Applied Sciences. Gennheimer taught in the fields of marketing, human resources and training. From 1979 to 1987, he also headed the Ludwigshafen department as dean and was responsible for founding the Worms department (now an independent university) and the later East Asia Institute in Ludwigshafen. Gennheimer retired in February 1996, although in the two years that followed he continued to teach the subject of communication and contracting policy at the East Asia Institute in the Department of Business Administration II.

Friedrich Gennheimer died in 2022 and left a will, which is now being administered by Prof. Dr. Siegfried Englert. Englert was one of the co-founders of the Wine Campus Neustadt and a former professor at the East Asia Institute of the Ludwigshafen University of Business and Society. In memory of Gennheimer, the Friedrich Gennheimer Prize was established in spring 2023 together with the Haniel Foundation as the awarding institution. 

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The current difficult economic situation, high inflation and the challenges posed by the many crises and global uncertainties are leading to losses in turnover and profits for many companies. However, in terms of sustainable corporate management, it is important that companies develop strategies to successfully overcome crises and emerge stronger from them. Strategies for successful market development, customer approach and customer loyalty play a key role here, which is why the marketing and sales area in particular has an important role to play in crisis management.

Outstanding Bachelor's and Master's theses from the Ludwigshafen University of Business and Society and the Wine Campus Neustadt can be submitted. Practical work is just as welcome as theoretical papers. Nominations are submitted via the supervisors at the end of each winter semester. This is followed by a pre-selection of the best works by the participating departments of the university and the president of the university. The Haniel Foundation submits the selected works to external reviewers and makes the final selection of the award winners on the basis of expert opinions. The Haniel Foundation appoints the external reviewers and coordinates the review process.

On November 8, 2024, the two prizes will be awarded in a ceremony in Friedrich Gennheimer's name by the Ludwigshafen University of Business and Society at the Wine Campus Neustadt.