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Digitalization at WHU
Leading the way in digital development and thinking.
Discover more about digitalization at WHU
Digital @ WHU
How is digitalization implemented at WHU?
Since the inception of WHU, breaking the mold and looking towards the future has been an integral part of the school’s pioneering attitude and identity. Alongside WHU’s key characteristics of performance, practical relevance, international exposure, and personal development, technology plays a key role in driving its position as a top German business school. At the forefront of trends, research, and developments, WHU ensures that it consistently contributes intellectually, in methodology, and to thought leadership focused on digital themes. WHU enriches face-to-face learning with digital means and tools to offer the best learning experience for students.
Center & Labs at WHU
Cutting edge research –
Reacting to a rapidly changing digital environment.
Center of Digitalization
The Center of Digitalization, headed by Professor Stefan Spinler, acts as a platform for WHU faculty with an emphasis on teaching and research in all areas of digitalization to enable close integration of theory and practice.
Digital Research Design Lab
The digital research design lab is fostering innovation and new methodology in the field of research. The group of faculty members joined forces to spearhead, test, and drive the use of new research tools at WHU.
One-Button Studio (OBS)
WHU’s new OBS serves two purposes: Firstly, it offers the ideal teaching environment for a full synchronous online lecture with a high degree of interaction. Secondly, it offers, an easy-to-use recording setup that can be used by anyone without any previous video production experience to produce high-quality video content.
Virtual Reality Lab
Supported by the Schneider Foundation and maintained by Professor Christina Günther, the Lab is used for research purposes and provides an experimental space. The Lab enables the development and administration of VR-based training, the organization of VR meetings, and prolonged studies may help researchers in the field of VR and behavioral economics both methodologically and practically.
Video Lab
Hosted by WHU’s video department, the Video Lab is the creative hub for all digital content and videos. The content produced here serves marketing as well as teaching purposes.
Finance Lab
The WHU Finance Lab offers twelve computers equipped with the latest ‘Eikon’ software, allowing students to process trading simulations with real-time data and analyze stock market data. Work in the lab provides content for future lectures, but also assists research at WHU.
Definition –
What is meant by digitalization?
In its traditional sense, digitalization relates to the conversion of analogue values into digital formats. The digitalization of companies means that digital technologies allow the development of optimized or new processes, products, services, or even business models. This creates new revenue and value creation potential. However, the term digitalization is often used as a synonym for digital revolution, digital transformation, or digital disruption.
"Digitalization is the use of digital technologies to transform a business model and provide new revenue and value-producing opportunities; it is the process of moving to a fully digitally enabled business." (Source: Professor Spinler, based on Gartner 2019)
Scope and history of digitalization
Digitalization increasingly encompasses all areas of life and work. Thus, the digital transformation and digital changes we see within both society and the economy, but also in science and education, are now ever-present. In the 20th century, information technology (IT) was still used primarily for automation and optimization, modernizing the home and workplace. Computer networks and software products such as office programs and Enterprise Resource Planning systems were an important driver of digital change.
At the beginning of the 21st century, disruptive technologies and innovative business models move in. Digitalization now stands for autonomy, flexibility, individuality, leading into the fourth industrial revolution, otherwise known as digital disruption or Enterprise 4.0.
Digitalization of the economy
The digitalization of the economy in particular, is bringing about fundamental changes: new ways of scaling and distributing resources, information, digital workplaces, or the fusion of the virtual world and reality to transform entire companies, sectors, and industries. At the same time, the producing industries are transformed by developments like Smart Factory concepts, robotics, digital process chains, Internet of Things (IoT), or 3D printing.
Artificial Intelligence (AI), Big Data, and Cloud Computing also enable new ways and applications of data analytics. Through digital devices such as data glasses, virtual reality headsets or gesture control, also the world of meetings, training, and entertainment have been fundamentally changed and digitalized. Electronic purchasing and distribution platforms, social networking solutions or virtual customer profiles and personalized apps, enable completely new sales processes and opportunities.
The future of digitalization
The progressive upheaval caused by digitalization is a hot topic and not free of criticism. In particular, the developments with regard to artificial intelligence and machine learning raise questions of technical, informational, and business ethics.
Where does digitalization provide added value or result in a loss of personal and informational autonomy? What are the opportunities and risks of the increased dependence on IT and IT companies? Where does the responsibility lie for the consumers of digital goods and services? In addition to business world, dealing with the opportunities and consequences of digital change and the digitalization of the economy in the 21st century, becomes increasingly more significant for other fields like law, medicine, sociology, and psychology.
Research & Publications
Our knowledge base – Generating thought leadership through research and publications.
WHU is home to an expert faculty whereby professors conduct a diverse range of projects, studies, and release leading publications addressing and answering relevant questions on the topics of digitalization in all areas and sectors of management.
Motivating innovation – Faculty and practitioners driving next-gen thinking.
Our expert and diverse faculty are actively engaged in research contributing not only to the curriculum, but intellectually to the wider research and business community. They consistently contribute to thought leadership regarding digital themes.
Professor Holger Ernst
Chair of Technology and Innovation Management
Intellectual Property Management
Strategy
Entrepreneurship
New Product Development
Strategy
Entrepreneurship
New Product Development
Professor Dries Faems
Chairholder of Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Technological Transformation
WHU Innovation Ecosystem Hub
Entrepreneurship
Innovation and Organization
Technological Transformation
Entrepreneurship
Innovation and Organization
Technological Transformation
Professor Christina Günther
Chairholder of IHK-Chair of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises
Industrial Organization
Field Experiments in Organizations
Hidden Champions
Field Experiments in Organizations
Hidden Champions
Assistant Professor Irina Heimbach
Digitalization, Marketing, and Sales Group
Digitalization
Digital Marketing
Information Systems
Digital Marketing
Information Systems
Professor Christoph Hienerth
Chair of Entrepreneurship and Creativity
Social Entrepreneurship
New Product Development
Corporate Entrepreneurship
New Product Development
Corporate Entrepreneurship
Professor Arnd Huchzermeier
Chair of Production Management
Management-Quality and Industrial Excellence
Future Supply Chains in the Consumer Goods Industry
Global Supply Chain and Risk Management
Sustainability
Future Supply Chains in the Consumer Goods Industry
Global Supply Chain and Risk Management
Sustainability
Professor Ove Jensen
Chairholder of Sales Management and B2B Marketing
B2B Marketing
Personal Selling
Sales Management
Personal Selling
Sales Management
Professor Nadine Kammerlander
Chair of Family Business
Innovation
Entrepreneurship
Governance in Family Firms
Entrepreneurship
Governance in Family Firms
Dr. Peter Kreutter
Director Development
Digitalization in the Non-Profit Sector
Professor Miriam Müthel
Chairholder of Organizational Behavior
International Management
Organizational Behavior
Business Ethics
Organizational Behavior
Business Ethics
Professor Serden Ozcan
Chair of Innovation and Corporate Transformation
Evolution of Firms
Competitive Strategies and Strategic Renewal
Growth Ecosystems
Competitive Strategies and Strategic Renewal
Growth Ecosystems
Professor (interim) Martin Prause
Economics Group Universität Koblenz/Landau
Machine Learning
Business Simulation
Data Science
Artificial Intelligence
Business Simulation
Data Science
Artificial Intelligence
Professor Utz Schäffer
Director of Institute for Management Accounting and Control
Strategy Execution
Management Controlling
Management Governance
Management Controlling
Management Governance
Professor Sascha L. Schmidt
Chair and Head of the Center for Sports and Management (CSM)
e-sports
Digital Transformation
Sports Innovation
Impact of New Technologies in Sports
Digital Transformation
Sports Innovation
Impact of New Technologies in Sports
Professor Christian Schlereth
Chair of Digital Marketing
Digital Marketing
Digital services
Energy pricing and consumption
Price Management
Digital services
Energy pricing and consumption
Price Management
Professor Liji Shen
Chair of Operations Management
Approximation Algorithms
Mathematical Programming
Metaheuristics
Mathematical Programming
Metaheuristics
Professor Stefan Spinler
Chair of Logistics Management
Real Options Analysis
Analytics Edge
Logistics & Supply Chain Management
Analytics Edge
Logistics & Supply Chain Management
Professor Arne Strauss
Mercator Endowed Chair of Sustainable Urban Transport
Professor Carl Marcus Wallenburg
Chair of Logistics and Services Management
Logistics Management
Logistics Services Providers
Supply Chain Controlling
Risk Management in Supply Chains
Logistics Services Providers
Supply Chain Controlling
Risk Management in Supply Chains
Theses – A driven community tackling digital themes.
Digitalization plays an important role at WHU whether in research, publications, or learning environment. Students contribute further by pinpointing core issues at the climactic point of their studies. Every year, a large number of theses are written in the field of digitalization. These include topics such as:
- Artificial Intelligence, machine learning and its applications in business
- Blockchain technology and its implications for businesses, e.g., in the area of finance or supply chain management
- Economics of digital currencies
- Technological disruption, digital transformation, digital business models in different industries and company sizes
- Industry 4.0
- Digitalization in Marketing, e.g., social media and influencer marketing, voice control assistants, digital brand equity, AI driven marketing
- E-commerce and emerging online markets
- The development of eSports
- Robo-advisory
- Electro-mobility and autonomous driving, e.g., autonomous trucks in supply chain management
- 3D printing technologies
- Demystifying big data
- Business opportunities and applications of VR, AR, online gaming
- Data protection legislation
- Digital services
IdeaLab!
WHU Founders' Conference
The IdeaLab! – WHU Founders' Conference is one of the leading conferences for startups and entrepreneurship in Europe, organized entirely by 12 WHU students. Taking place for the 23rd time in 2024, it is known for providing a platform for the exchange of ideas and visions between students, academics, entrepreneurs and VCs. Participants value the high-quality networking opportunities and the significant connections that can be made here, such as the startup DailyDeal, which received its first funding here and was later sold to Google for more than 100 million dollars.
Business Meets Tech
WHU's Tech Initiative
Business Meets Tech aims to connect the tech and business world on campus through internal education (two accredited tech tracks in Applied Product Development and Applied Data Science and workshops): in particular by organizing a 24-hour hackathon as a pre-event of IdeaLab! (recently attended by 150 students from all over Europe), supporting the digitalization of processes at WHU: e.g., the development of Moodle 2.0, managing VallerLunch, and building a network (connections to top-tier tech universities and monthly events).
TEDxWHU
Independent TED-Event
TEDxWHU provides a platform for revolutionary, inspiring and creative thinkers. It is designed to stimulate dialog through a TED-like experience. TEDxWHU is an intensive, full-day conference with numerous speakers. Between speeches, the conference offers networking opportunities and a Meet & Eat where participants can engage directly with the speakers. The theme of the 10th conference in February 2024 is "Risks - A Growth Catalyst?".
WHU Inside Business
WHU Inside Business interviews company executives and top managers on issues relating to digitalization, supply chain management, entrepreneurship, and finance. Since the start of the initiative in 2016, over 30 videos on various topics have already been made available by the students, who work closely with WHU professors and the school's video departments.
WHU Web3 Technology Club
The club looks beyond the hype and buzzwords surrounding Web3. Web3 is seen as a groundbreaking industry with extreme growth potential. We believe that Europe, as an economic hub, should seize the new opportunity to create a competitive tech industry that can keep up with the dominant players from China and the US. The club's mission is to bring together bright and motivated people who want to help shape the industry and pursue a career in this field. The aim of founding the club is to create a "Silicon Valley"-like environment for Web3 companies in Germany and Europe.
Digitalization and business – Leading discussions and ideas for tomorrow.
What is the role of the CDO in a modern organization? What is it like to work for a global company like Facebook? What are best practices for business during times of digital transformation?
The student club WHU Inside Business offers a dedicated channel to digitalization and its surrounding questions, tackling important topics and providing insights through interviews with industry experts and key figures.
Programs and Modules
Education in the digital age – Transforming the curriculum with cutting-edge knowledge.
WHU professors teach the latest content including digital advancements relevant to their respective area of expertise, such as Fintech in finance courses or automated supply chains in supply chain management courses. WHU offers dedicated modules on digital topics that complement the main curriculum, such as coding basics in our Bachelor and Master programs, through to Machine Learning in the Kellogg-WHU EMBA, and a variety of guest lecturers providing expert knowledge on the latest digital topics. Addressed throughout the curriculum for all study programs at WHU, digitalization is an important topic with dedicated modules, workshops, and electives on digital themes that accompany studies.
Learning Environment
Extracurricular and extraordinary – Bringing technology to the classroom.
Contact
Want to know more? –
Contact our Center of Digitalization.
Contact our Center of Digitalization.
Professor Stefan Spinler
Professor of Logistics Management
Academic Director Center of Digitalization
Academic Director Center of Digitalization
Quicklinks