Dr. Ann-Kristin CORDES
Endowed Professorship for Digital Business Transformation
3 questions - 3 answers
Digital transformation in small and medium-sized enterprises - what exactly does that mean?
The aim is to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the region on their path to digitalization. The focus here is on data-driven business models and how these can be developed in companies. A project funded by the German government, "Mittelstand 4.0 Kompetenzzentrum Lingen", serves as my background. This project was aimed precisely at developing data-driven business models for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from the retail, trade and manufacturing sectors. That's why the topic of the job advertisement for this endowed professorship immediately appealed to me.
What are your plans and goals for this research group over the next few years?
Together with the first employees - there will be 3 to 4 of them - there will be events and workshops as well as accompanying projects that address the following questions: How can I successfully use new technologies in my company? How can I digitalise my business model? What skills are required for a digital company? How can I identify the right AI solutions for my company? The research groups will be continuously expanded over the next few years in order to be able to support more and more SMEs in Vorarlberg. However, this will require further funding from industry. Building a network and raising further funds is therefore also part of the team's work.
In your opinion, what is particularly important when it comes to digital transformation in companies?
Companies should be more and more concerned about leveraging the unconscious knowledge of young employees and allowing them to be inspired. Young people in particular bring with them an unconscious knowledge of the new technologies that they use privately. In standardized processes that prevail in hierarchical organizations, they are usually unable to contribute this knowledge. This absolutely requires a new understanding of leadership. I see great opportunities here if managers recognise this dormant potential of existing knowledge and bring it to light. It is completely normal that this poses major challenges for companies that have grown over time.
To the Digital Business Transformation research groups
