Zoltán Gaál

CV

Zoltán Gaál is a professor emeritus at the Institute of Management, University of Pannonia. He is a chemical engineer (MSc from University of Chemical Engineering 1971) and economic engineer (MSc Budapest University of Technology 1975). He received his candidacy from the Hungarian Academy of Science in 1984 and his habilitation from the University of Miskolc in 1996. His research interests include the relationship of organisational culture and strategy and the interaction of knowledge management, knowledge transfer and culture. He served as Dean of the Faculty of Engineering between 1991 and 1998 and as the Rector of the University of Pannonia between 1998 and 2007. He was president of the Hungarian Rectors’ Conference between 2002 and 2004 and has served as chair of the Board of Directors at the Herend Porcelain Manufactory since 2005 up until today. He is member of the “Verband der Hochschullehrer für Betriebswirtschaftslehre”.

Research program

Prof. Gaál is a strategic planner and consultant to local municipalities within the Creative City-Sustainable Region (KRAFT) integrated regional development program based on the basic and applied methodology of KRAFT. He is responsible for coordinating research as well as all related practical fieldwork for implementing research results. He coordinates the professional development of the KRAFT methodology. His task is to establish KRAFT points across the Western Transdanubian region, especially involving the Pannon Cities Alliance. This activity is fundamentally of preparation and organisation, most importantly building cooperative networks of trust. He acts as strategic consultant and assists in developing large-scale feasibility studies. On occasion he is involved in teaching, through the development and coordination of training programs.

iASK-question

How can we create the conditions for a KRAFT index that ensures its unbiased implementation?