Information Systems II

(0:00) Welcome. Today, I would like to introduce you to WIUS, one of two departments at the University of Stuttgart for business informatics. My name is Georg Herzwurm.

(0:12) I began my academic career at the University of Cologne, where I completed my doctorate and habilitation. I then accepted a position at the Technical University of Dresden as a professor of business informatics and have been working here at the University of Stuttgart since 2003. (0:33) WIUS stands for Business Informatics at the University of Stuttgart.

(0:38) My department focuses on the topic of software-intensive business. (0:45) We deal with two different types of companies. On the one hand, there are companies whose main component is IT products with a high software content, or pure software products such as SAP, Google, Microsoft, Apple and Samsung.

However, digitalisation, together with the Internet of Things, also means that in other sectors, such as industry or the service sector, software components are important elements of a product, and here too, methods, approaches and concepts are needed to generate digital value. Our department would like to make a small contribution to developing concrete methods, strategies and approaches in this area. The research is based on a solid theoretical foundation and uses state-of-the-art scientific methods.

On the other hand, we also want to produce results that are applicable and, for example, help companies to overcome the challenges of digitalisation. (2:05) In terms of content, we primarily deal with methods for developing and (2:09) managing products or business models, but the form of (2:14) cooperation also plays an important role in a networked digital world (2:20). Both development and marketing very often take place via so-called (2:25) platforms, where different laws apply than in a normal product market. (2:32) For example, a platform economy is characterised by the creation of an ecosystem where you sometimes work with competitors, but also with partners who offer complementary products, which then together represent a useful digitalised solution for the customer. (2:58) iTunes is an example of such a platform, but we also see this in the (3:02) industrial IoT environment, where Bosch, for example, is attempting to (3:08) build a platform for the Internet of Things.

(3:14) The customer is at the centre of our research, and should also be at the centre of (3:20) companies. Nowadays, this means strong interaction, (3:25) flexible response to changing customer requirements, (3:29) support for customers in identifying and formulating their (3:33) needs, with agile, iterative approaches playing a key role. A special role and the topic of quality management is something we also, or especially, value in the digital, fast-paced, agile world.

(3:52) So, that's it for now. (3:54) I hope I've managed to spark your interest in our (3:58) research work. (3:59) I would be delighted to see you at one of our events (4:04) or if you read our papers, which I hope will be of help to you.

(4:10) I welcome any questions, comments or suggestions, (4:16) and finally, I wish you all the best for your future endeavours (4:21) and, above all, stay healthy.