TY - JOUR A1 - Bürkner, Leonhard A1 - Westner, Markus T1 - KI erfolgreich einführen: Status quo und Erfolgsfaktoren in deutschen Großunternehmen JF - Wirtschaftsinformatik & Management N2 - Viele deutsche Großunternehmen experimentieren derzeit intensiv mit künstlicher Intelligenz (KI), stehen aber vor der Frage, wie sich erste Pilotprojekte in einen nachhaltigen, wirtschaftlich wirksamen Einsatz überführen lassen. Eine empirische Studie mit 34 Chief Information Officers (CIO) und IT-Entscheidern in deutschen Großunternehmen zeigt: 112 identifizierte KI-Use-Cases, ein klar erkennbarer Reifezuwachs – aber auch deutliche Hürden bei Daten, Kompetenzen und Akzeptanz. Der Beitrag fasst den Status quo zusammen, validiert zentrale Erfolgsfaktoren aus der Forschung und leitet konkrete Empfehlungen für die Praxis von IT- und Fachbereichsverantwortlichen ab. KW - Künstliche Intelligenz KW - Generative KI KW - Wirtschaftsinformatik KW - Digitalisierung KW - Management KW - KI-Adoption KW - KI-Einführung KW - KI-Use-Cases KW - KI-Reifegrad KW - Großunternehmen Y1 - 2026 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1365/s35764-026-00593-6 N1 - Corresponding author der OTH Regensburg: Markus Westner PB - Springer ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Käss, Sebastian A1 - Strahringer, Susanne A1 - Westner, Markus T1 - Archetypes, Situations, and Practices : a Guide to Successful Low-Code Adoption JF - Information Resources Management Journal N2 - This paper extends prior work on low-code by explaining when adoption archetypes occur and how to use them. Motivated by information technology (IT) talent shortages and uneven low-code development platform (LCDP) outcomes, the paper seeks practical guidance for post-adoption choices in work systems. Using a multiple mini case study of 36 cases in large German organizations, this study analyzes interviews and context questionnaires with within-/cross-case coding and pattern matching against a 13-factor model. This analysis identifies situations that trigger three adoption archetypes—application development democratizers, synergy realizers, and IT resource shortage mitigators—and one non-adoption archetype, intricacy adversaries. The analysis also maps advantages and disadvantages and distills 12 good practices. Across adoption cases, efficiency is the dominant goal, whereas non-adoption stems from high application sophistication. The results give actionable guidance: align goals to an archetype, stick to LCDP standards, involve IT and foster an open culture, invest in skilling, reuse platform components, and reserve LCDPs for less-complex apps while planning architecture early. KW - Business-managed IT KW - Low-Code Development KW - Citizen Development KW - Shadow IT KW - Multiple Mini Case Studies KW - Work Systems Theory KW - Good Practices Y1 - 2025 U6 - https://doi.org/10.4018/IRMJ.396005 SN - 1040-1628 VL - 38 IS - 1 PB - IGI Global ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Westner, Markus ED - Hofbauer, Günter T1 - Generative AI in Business BT - Opportunities, Challenges, and Strategic Implications Authors Markus Westner T2 - Artificial Intelligence in Business and Engineering N2 - Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) is transforming industries at an unprecedented rate, offering novel opportunities for productivity and innovation. This article explores the adoption of GenAI, highlighting its accelerated uptake compared to previous technologies. Key topics include productivity gains through GenAI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Klarna’s AI assistant), challenges such as data quality and organizational readiness, and the implications for business strategy. Practical recommendations for managing generative AI adoption and maximizing its impact on both individual and organizational levels are also provided. The analysis underscores the necessity of aligning AI capabilities with customer needs and creating data-driven, adaptable business models. KW - Generative AI KW - Productivity KW - Technology Adoption Y1 - 2025 SN - 978-3-17-046742-2 SP - 38 EP - 50 PB - Kohlhammer CY - Stuttgart ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Preiß, Niklas A1 - Westner, Markus T1 - From Agents to Copilots: a Systematic Review of Digital Assistant Technology Adoption in Proprietary Productivity Software T2 - Annals of Computer Science and Information Systems N2 - This study provides a systematic review of how the impact and adaptation of digital assistant technologies (DATs) are defined, operationalized, and studied, synthesizing key domains where DATs generate or are expected to generate value. Based on an analysis of 61 articles published since 2013, it identifies five main areas of impact: productivity and efficiency, business development, resource optimization, quality enhancement, and the promotion of learning and creativity. The review highlights DAT adoption across various disciplines and industries, while revealing limited longitudinal research on benefits and adaptation. Key gaps remain in understanding strategic use and sustained impact. Future research should explore longitudinal comparisons of recently introduced generative AI-driven DATs and their organizational implications. This review contributes to information systems research by structuring current knowledge on DAT adoption and outcomes, and by proposing a research agenda to support deeper exploration of their value and long-term integration. KW - Digital Assistant Technology KW - Copilot KW - Generative AI KW - Technology Adoption KW - Productivity Y1 - 2025 U6 - https://doi.org/10.15439/2025F3271 SN - 2300-5963 VL - 43 SP - 565 EP - 576 PB - Polish Information Processing Society ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Köhler, Jessica A1 - Harl, Maximilian Victor A1 - Westner, Markus A1 - Strahringer, Susanne T1 - Can AI be a Scholar? A Systematic Review on the Role of Generative AI in Systematic Literature Reviews T2 - 2025 27th International Conference on Business Informatics (CBI), 09-12. September 2025, Lisbon, Portugal N2 - Systematic literature reviews (SLRs) are foundational for research but resource-intensive to conduct. With the rise of large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT, generative AI (GenAI) tools are being increasingly explored for their potential to support and transform the SLR process. This study presents a systematic review of peerreviewed articles that examine how LLM-based GenAI tools are used in different SLR phases. Following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, we screened 1,846 publications published since January 2021 until April 2025 and selected 54 for in-depth analysis. Each study was coded by review phase, prompting approach, automation level, validation type and challenges. Our findings show that GenAI is most often used to support in the screening, search, and writing phases, typically through Basic Prompting and under human oversight. While many studies report efficiency gains, concerns remain regarding validity, transparency, and methodological rigor. Moreover, GenAI is frequently applied to isolated tasks but is rarely embedded in a structured, methodologically guided review processhighlighting the need for clearer phase-specific guidance and standards. We offer a structured, phase-specific synthesis that highlights both the promise and the current limitations of GenAI in literature reviews and thereby offer practical recommendations for the responsible use of GenAI in literature reviews. KW - Generative AI KW - Large Language Models KW - ChatGPT KW - Systematic Literature Review KW - Evidence Synthesis KW - AI-assisted Literature Review Y1 - 2025 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1109/CBI68102.2025.00012 PB - IEEE ER - TY - BOOK A1 - Westner, Markus A1 - Strasser, Artur T1 - Objectives and Key Results verstehen und anwenden N2 - Dieses essential gibt eine strukturierte und kompakte Einführung in die Objectives and Key Results-Managementmethode. Es erläutert Herkunft, Definition und Einsatzzweck von Objectives and Key Results (OKR) und beschreibt deren zentrale Bestandteile. Leser:innen erfahren, wie gute Objectives und Key Results formuliert werden und welche Strategien sich zur erfolgreichen Implementierung eignen. Zudem werden praxisrelevante Erfolgs- und Misserfolgsfaktoren analysiert, die den Einsatz von OKR maßgeblich beeinflussen. Ein fundierter Leitfaden für alle, die OKR als Steuerungsinstrument in Organisationen verstehen und wirksam einsetzen möchten. KW - Objectives and Key Results (OKR) KW - Zielmanagement KW - Performance Management KW - Strategieumsetzung KW - Kennzahlen / KPI Y1 - 2025 SN - 978-3-658-50381-9 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-50382-6 PB - Springer Gabler CY - Wiesbaden ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Westner, Markus A1 - Preiss, Niklas T1 - Unraveling jingle-jangle fallacies in digital assistant technologies : a comprehensive systematic review and research agenda T2 - Proceedings of tenth international congress on information and communication technology : ICICT 2025, London, Volume 9 N2 - Digital assistant technologies (DATs) such as chatbots, virtual assistants, and intelligent agents have gained widespread attention, yet inconsistent terminology remains a critical challenge. The fragmented nature of previous research has led to significant confusion due to overlapping and interchangeable use of terms across industries. This systematic literature review, following the PRISMA protocol, consolidates the current state of knowledge on DATs and addresses the prevalent jingle-jangle fallacies in their terminology. Analysis of 137 articles identified keycharacteristics, applications, and conceptual overlaps of various DATs, uncovering 39 distinct technologies categorized under three overarching concepts: assistants, chatbots, and agents. Despite shared functionalities, terminological inconsistencies persist across different sectors, presenting challenges for both academic research and practical implementation. This review emphasizes the need for standardized terminology and clearer classification frameworks to facilitate broader DAT adoption across organizational contexts. Y1 - 2025 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-96-6438-2_15 SP - 199 EP - 227 PB - Springer ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Reicheneder, Matthias A1 - Westner, Markus A1 - Matschi, Markus T1 - IT nearshoring and offshoring in German large companies: current status, motives and selection criteria N2 - This study analyses current IT nearshoring and offshoring practices in large German companies. For this purpose, 33 CIOs and IT managers were interviewed. Due to the shortage of skilled labour in Germany, the main driver behind the geographical relocation of IT services abroad is the availability of resources in other countries. This also applies to the selection of suitable IT services for nearshoring and offshoring. While IT near- and offshoring was historically initiated primarily due to cost savings, this aspect plays a subordinate role today. Although the interviewees still see cost savings as a benefit, they expect this advantage to erode in the future due to the narrowing gap in international cost differences. Companies are mainly offshoring application services but are increasingly recognising the potential to have higher-value tasks, e.g. project management and enterprise architecture management, performed from geographically more distant countries. Companies that only engage in IT nearshoring provide less than a third of their IT services in this way. Companies with IT offshoring presences have a higher degree of IT nearshoring/offshoring and perform almost half of their IT services abroad using their own resources. The most popular countries are Portugal for nearshoring and India for offshoring. KW - Nearshoring KW - Offshoring KW - IT Services KW - Drivers KW - Selection Criteria KW - Large Companies KW - Study Y1 - 2025 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:898-opus4-85311 N1 - This document is an English translation of the article: Reicheneder, M., Westner, M. & Matschi, M. IT-Near- und Offshoring in deutschen Großunternehmen: Aktueller Stand, Motive und Auswahlkriterien. HMD (2025). https://doi.org/10.1365/s40702-025-01150-2 N1 - Die deutsche Originalveröffentlichung ist abgelegt unter: https://opus4.kobv.de/opus4-oth-regensburg/frontdoor/index/index/start/0/rows/10/sortfield/score/sortorder/desc/searchtype/simple/query/IT-Near-+und+Offshoring+in+deutschen+Gro%C3%9Funternehmen%3A+Aktueller+Stand%2C+Motive+und+Auswahlkriterien/docId/7958 CY - Regensburg ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Preiß, Niklas A1 - Westner, Markus T1 - Towards a Taxonomy for Digital Assistant Technologies: Addressing the Jingle-Jangle Fallacies T2 - 38th Bled eConference: empowering transformation: shaping digital futures for all: conference proceedings, 8.-11.6.2025, Bled N2 - This study proposes a unified taxonomy for Digital Assistant Technologies (DATs) to resolve terminological inconsistencies and eliminate »Jingle-Jangle fallacies.« By employing a systematic taxonomy development method on 137 papers, the framework categorizes DATs across four meta-characteristics: AI technology, context, intelligence, and interaction. This taxonomy facilitates the clear differentiation of three primary DAT concepts: assistant, chatbot, and agent. By providing a structured framework, the study enhances conceptual clarity, fosters more focused research, and ensures better alignment of DATs. Y1 - 2025 SN - 9789612869984 U6 - https://doi.org/10.18690/um.fov.4.2025.1 SP - 1 EP - 20 PB - University of Maribor Press ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Hassmann, Tobias A1 - Westner, Markus T1 - A Framework for Rigorous Execution and Presentation of Expert Interviews in IS and Digital Transformation Research T2 - Advances in Information Systems Development: Exploring New Horizons and Opportunities N2 - This article addresses the inconsistent conceptualization of expert interviews in information systems (IS) research by providing a structured framework for their rigorous execution and presentation. Through a thematic analysis of 28 method-relevant papers, key characteristics and good practices for executing expert interviews are identified. Additionally, 39 highly cited IS studies were reviewed to examine expert interview utilization in IS research and to identify good practices for presenting expert interview outcomes, which are further validated on nine digital transformation (DT) studies. Our findings highlight the adaptability and varied applications of expert interviews in IS research and offer recommendations to strengthen rigor in their preparation, execution, and presentation of outcomes. Theoretical and practical implications are provided to guide a more systematic and rigorous use of expert interviews in IS research. Y1 - 2025 SN - 9783031878794 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-87880-0_4 SN - 2195-4968 SP - 63 EP - 86 PB - Springer Nature CY - Cham ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Westner, Markus A1 - Reicheneder, Matthias A1 - Matschi, Markus T1 - From Captive Centers to Global Integration BT - Organizational Models and Good Practices in Information Technology Nearshoring and Offshoring JF - Information Resources Management Journal N2 - Contemporary developments in virtual work and global talent management are transforming information technology (IT) nearshoring and offshoring practices, yet research on organizational responses remains limited. Through expert interviews with 33 IT executives (76% chief information officers) from Germany's top 500 companies, this article examines organizational models, strategies, and good practices in IT nearshoring and offshoring. It reveals a shift from traditional captive centers toward fully integrated global teams, enabling high-value task delivery and reflecting increased workforce maturity. Companies are expanding their operations driven by talent needs rather than cost savings, with success factors including employee integration and robust on-site management. This study contributes to theory and practice by providing a framework for understanding organizational models in global IT delivery and offering actionable insights for executives, emphasizing workforce integration over geographical separation. KW - Offshoring KW - Informationstechnik KW - Internationale Arbeitsteilung KW - Organisationsstruktur KW - IT-Nearshoring KW - IT-Offshoring KW - Global IT-Teams KW - Organizational Models KW - Distributed Work Y1 - 2025 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:898-opus4-80406 SN - 1533-7979 N1 - Corresponding author der OTH Regensburg: Markus Westner VL - 38 IS - 1 PB - IGI Global ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Holler, Nathalie A1 - Westner, Markus T1 - Factors Influencing Cloud Computing Adoption in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: A Systematic Review JF - Informatica N2 - This paper investigates the factors influencing cloud computing adoption in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through a systematic literature review. The analysis identified twelve key factors influencing the adoption of cloud computing in SMEs. Based on the Technology-Organisation-Environment (TOE) model and the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), a conceptual framework was developed for future research. The most important factors are cost, organisational readiness, compatibility, relative advantage and top management support. Other influential factors include security, perceived usefulness, firm size, government support, perceived ease of use, vendor support and competitive pressure. The majority of studies were conducted in Asian countries, including developing countries, limiting the generalisability of the findings to SMEs in more developed economies. This research highlights the need for cloud computing solutions that not only reduce costs and ensure high levels of security and privacy, but are also easy to use and integrate. Further research is recommended to explore these factors within SMEs in more developed economies. KW - cloud computing adoption KW - small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) KW - technology-organization-environment (TOE) framework KW - systematic literature review KW - digital transformation Y1 - 2025 U6 - https://doi.org/10.31449/inf.v49i1.6971 SN - 1854-3871 VL - 49 IS - 1 PB - Slovenian Association Informatika ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Reicheneder, Matthias A1 - Westner, Markus A1 - Matschi, Markus T1 - IT-Near- und Offshoring in deutschen Großunternehmen: Aktueller Stand, Motive und Auswahlkriterien JF - HMD Praxis der Wirtschaftsinformatik N2 - Die vorliegende Studie untersucht die aktuelle IT-Near- und Offshoring-Praxis in deutschen Großunternehmen. Dafür wurden 33 CIOs und IT-Führungskräfte mittels Interviews befragt. Haupttreiber der geografischen Verlagerung von IT-Services ins Ausland ist die Ressourcenverfügbarkeit in anderen Ländern, bedingt durch den Fachkräftemangel in Deutschland. Dies trifft auch auf die Auswahl geeigneter IT-Services für das Near- und Offshoring zu. Während IT-Near- und Offshoring historisch primär aufgrund von Kosteneinsparungen initiiert wurde, spielt dieser Aspekt heute eine untergeordnete Rolle. Die Interviewteilnehmer und -teilnehmerinnen sehen in Kosteneinsparungen zwar immer noch einen positiven Effekt, erwarten aber, dass dieser in Zukunft aufgrund der Angleichung des Kostenniveaus schwinden wird. Die Unternehmen verlagern hauptsächlich Applikationsbetrieb und -entwicklung, erkennen jedoch zunehmend das Potenzial, auch höherwertige Aufgaben, z. B. Projektmanagement und Unternehmensarchitekturmanagement, aus geografisch entfernteren Ländern erbringen zu lassen. Unternehmen, die ausschließlich IT-Nearshoring betreiben, erbringen weniger als ein Drittel ihrer IT-Services aus nahegelegenen Ländern. Firmen mit IT-Offshoring-Präsenzen weisen einen höheren IT-Near‑/Offshoringgrad auf und verlagern knapp die Hälfte der eigenen IT-Serviceerbringung ins Ausland. Die beliebtesten Länder sind Portugal für das Nearshoring und Indien für das Offshoring. KW - Nearshoring KW - Offshoring KW - IT Services KW - Drivers KW - Selection Criteria KW - Large Companies KW - Study KW - Motive KW - Auswahlkriterien KW - Großunternehmen KW - Studie Y1 - 2025 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:898-opus4-79582 SN - 1436-3011 N1 - Corresponding author der OTH Regensbrg: Markus Westner PB - Springer Nature CY - Wiesbaden ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Hassmann, Tobias A1 - Westner, Markus T1 - IS executives and sustainability BT - A literature review T2 - 26th International Conference on Business Informatics (CBI), 09-13 September 2024, Vienna, Austria N2 - The pressing global sustainability challenges, encapsulated in the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), require profound transformations across multiple levels. It is imperative for the Information Systems (IS) discipline to engage in addressing these challenges. This paper aims to contribute to this imperative through a scoping literature review, examining factors that enable IS executives to drive sustainability outcomes within organizations, utilizing the Input-Mediator-Outcome (IMO) framework. By analyzing 31 articles from important IS journals and conferences between 2008 and 2024, this review identifies key input factors for sustainability outcomes, such as individual IS executive inputs, the role of the Top Management Team (TMT) setting and organizational contexts, as well as external influences. In addition, it explores how team-specific processes can augment sustainability efforts. The paper concludes by proposing future research questions to address underrepresented SDGs, investigate external impact factors more thoroughly, and emphasize the role of individual IS executive inputs. These insights aspire to advance the understanding of IS executives’ potential to influence sustainability in organizational settings. KW - IS executives KW - chief information officer KW - chief digital officer KW - sustainability KW - literature review Y1 - 2024 SN - 979-8-3315-2909-3 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1109/CBI62504.2024.00017 SN - 2378-1971 PB - IEEE ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Späth, Carina A1 - Westner, Markus T1 - Navigating Agile Transformations BT - Success Factors in German Companies T2 - SaudiCIS 2024 Proceedings:1st Saudi Conference on Information Systems, November 19 to 21, 2024, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia N2 - This study investigates how companies overcome challenges in agile transformations. Through interviews with ten experts from German companies across different industries, we identify key drivers, challenges, and success factors. Our findings reveal inefficiency, mimetic isomorphism, and competitive pressure as primary transformation drivers. We categorize challenges and solutions into people, organizational, and process-related factors, emphasizing the central role of human elements. The study presents 14 key success factors, with management involvement, commitment to agility, and strategic staffing emerging as crucial. These insights provide a framework for understanding and implementing agile transformations, offering guidance for organizations. Our results contribute to both theoretical understanding and practical application of agile methodologies in corporate settings. KW - Agile Transformation KW - Organizational Change KW - Success Factors KW - Change Management KW - Digital Transformation Y1 - 2024 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:898-opus4-78700 UR - https://aisel.aisnet.org/saudicis2024/46 PB - Association for Information Systems Electronic Library CY - Dhahran ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Hillebrand, Patrick A1 - Westner, Markus A1 - Matschi, Markus T1 - Key factors of successful CIOs N2 - This study examines key factors of successful CIOs in large German companies. With a median tenure of 4.0 years, German CIOs, most of whom (43%) still report to the CFO, have a significantly shorter tenure compared to other C‑level positions. The results of 60 interviews with successful German-speaking CIOs, who primarily have an above-average tenure, reveal various key factors for successful CIOs: The foundation for success is to ensure secure and efficient IT operations. Through effective and innovative change pro-jects, the CIOs interviewed make the added value of IT transparent and act as bridge-builders between IT and the business. In this way, they have a positive impact on the corporate culture and establish IT as a success factor in the business in the long term. Successful CIOs themselves are not “techies” but are characterized by a high level of leadership competence and a high level of business expertise, coupled with visionary thinking. This enables them to align IT in a future-oriented manner and to anticipate de-mands and potential for and from the business units at an early stage. The future devel-opment of the CIO organization and the paradigms in IT, on the other hand, was discussed controversially by some of the study participants—for example, there is still no uniform opinion on the relevance of the CDO position. KW - CIO roles KW - Success factors KW - CIO tenure KW - Chief Information Officer Y1 - 2022 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:898-opus4-66882 N1 - This document is an English translation of the article Hillebrand, P., Westner, M. & Matschi, M. Schlüsselfaktoren erfolgreicher CIOs. HMD 59, 762–779 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1365/s40702-022-00867-8 ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Späth, Carina A1 - Westner, Markus T1 - Challenges in Agile Transformations: A Comprehensive Review T2 - 16th Mediterranean Conference on Information Systems (MCIS) 2024, Proceedings, October 3rd to 5th, 2024, Porto, Portugal N2 - This paper investigates the challenges organizations face during agile transformations, a critical adaptation in today's fast-paced business environment. Despite the potential benefits, many companies struggle with the implementation of agile methodologies. Through a systematic literature review of recent publications, we identify and categorize 19 challenges into three main areas: people, leadership, and organisation/processes. Our findings highlight that the most significant issues arise within the 'people' category, including plan-driven thinking, lack of knowledge, and inefficient collaboration. Leadership challenges involve insufficient management support and cultural mismatches, while organisation/process-related issues encompass inadequate planning and coordination. By synthesizing these challenges, this study provides a comprehensive overview aimed at helping practitioners anticipate and mitigate potential obstacles, thereby increasing the likelihood of successful agile transformations. These insights extend existing knowledge and emphasize the need for a holistic approach to manage the people, the leadership, and the organisation/process challenges of agile transformation. KW - agile methodologies KW - agile transformation KW - change management KW - organizational challenges Y1 - 2024 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:898-opus4-78320 UR - https://aisel.aisnet.org/mcis2024/32/ UR - 978-989-33-6886-2 PB - AIS eLibrary ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Westner, Markus A1 - Cuesta Gorostidi, Irene A1 - Gutierrez Rodriguez, Uxue A1 - Oyarbide-Zubillaga, Aitor A1 - Fernández Rodríguez, Isabel T1 - Enhancing work-based learning through the i-wobal project and its digital school of work-based learning (WBL) facilitators T2 - 17th annual International Conference of Education, Research and Innovation (ICERI2024), Seville, Spain. 11-13 November, 2024 N2 - The i-WOBAL project, supported by Erasmus+, strategically enhances work-based learning (WBL) in higher education and vocational training across Europe, with a particular focus on supporting the professional development of company and academic facilitators of students engaged in WBL environments. This initiative launches the i-WOBAL didactical guide, together with the establishment of the digital school of WBL facilitators, a digital learning space designed to translate the theoretical framework of the guide into practical, actionable strategies for facilitators. The project is the result of the coordinated work of a consortium of 7 higher education and vocational training institutions from 5 different European countries. The digital school of WBL facilitators serves as a training hub where facilitators from both academic institutions and the business sector receive specialised training to effectively guide and support students. The digital school offers a structured curriculum, including modules on relevant soft skills, to ensure that facilitators are well equipped to manage and enhance the WBL experience for students. This paper describes the curriculum and pedagogical approaches of the digital school of WBL facilitators, its role in facilitating the practical application of WBL strategies and the collaboration of the partners to bring in their unique expertise. The collaborative nature of the i-WOBAL project, involving a consortium of European educational and corporate institutions, promotes a shared culture of best practice and continuous innovation in WBL. The potential scalability of this model offers significant implications for future educational policies aimed at standardising and improving the facilitation of WBL across different educational systems and market environments. KW - Work-Based Learning (WBL) KW - Professional Development KW - Educational Innovation KW - Mentorship in Education KW - Digital Training Y1 - 2024 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:898-opus4-78459 SN - 978-84-09-63010-3 SN - 2340-1095 PB - IATED CY - Sevilla ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Hantsch, Carolin A1 - Westner, Markus T1 - Governance of IT/OT Convergence: A Review of Academic and Practitioner Literature T2 - 16th Mediterranean Conference on Information Systems (MCIS) 2024, Proceedings, October 3rd to 5th, 2024, Porto, Portugal N2 - The convergence, i.e., integration, of Information Technology (IT) and Operational Technology (OT) is a critical aspect of digital transformation in industries, driving efficiency, innovation, and competitive advantage. However, this integration also introduces significant challenges, particularly in governance. This paper presents a comprehensive literature review of IT/OT convergence, focusing on the governance challenges and strategies drawn from both academic and practitioner literature. The findings reveal that effective governance is crucial for successful IT/OT convergence, requiring clear definitions of roles and responsibilities, cross-functional collaboration, and a unified approach to mitigate risks and align organizational goals. Key IT/OT convergence governance strategies include establishing a Center of Excellence, adopting a risk-based approach, and fostering a culture of change. The paper highlights the need for further research to develop comprehensive governance frameworks and empirically examine the impact of governance on IT/OT convergence success. This paper provides valuable insights for both researchers and practitioners navigating the complexities of IT/OT convergence and governance in the era of Industry 4.0. KW - IT/OT Convergence KW - Governance KW - Digital Transformation KW - Industry 4.0 Y1 - 2024 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:898-opus4-78335 UR - https://aisel.aisnet.org/mcis2024/7/ SN - 978-989-33-6886-2 PB - AIS eLibrary ER - TY - GEN A1 - Capellmann, Dominik A1 - Westner, Markus T1 - ChatGPT in Software Engineering: Potentials, Challenges and Possible Applications for Unit Testing and Code Debugging T2 - 21st International Conference on Applied Computing 2024 Y1 - 2024 ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Ho, Joe Ee A1 - Ooi, Boon Yaik A1 - Westner, Markus T1 - Application Integration Framework for Large Language Models T2 - 2024 5th International Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Data Sciences (AiDAS), Bangkok, Thailand, 03-04 September 2024 N2 - Large Language Models (LLMs) have unlocked new opportunities in processing non-structured information. However, integrating LLM into conventional applications poses challenges due to their non-deterministic nature. This paper introduces a framework designed to effectively integrate LLM into intermediate modules by ensuring more consistent and reliable outputs. The framework includes three key components: the Sieve, which captures and retries processing of incorrect outputs; the Circuit Breaker, which stops processing persistently incorrect outputs; and the Optimizer, which enhances processing efficiency by combining inputs into single prompts. Experimental results employing structured methodology demonstrate the framework's effectiveness, achieving significant improvements a 71.05% reduction in processing time and an 82.97% reduction in token usage while maintaining high accuracy. The proposed framework, agnostic to specific LLM implementations, aids the integration of LLMs into diverse applications, enhancing automation and efficiency in fields such as finance, healthcare, and education. KW - error handling KW - token efficiency KW - AI integration KW - data pipeline optimization KW - automation KW - data processing framework Y1 - 2024 SN - 979-8-3315-2855-3 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1109/AiDAS63860.2024.10730541 SP - 1 EP - 6 PB - IEEE ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Hantsch, Carolin A1 - Westner, Markus A1 - Matschi, Markus T1 - IT/OT-Konvergenz: Status-Quo und Umsetzungsempfehlungen JF - HMD Praxis der Wirtschaftsinformatik N2 - Organisationen machen große Anstrengungen zur Verbesserung ihrer Ambidextrie, d. h. ihrer Fähigkeit sowohl Exploitationsziele (z. B. Effizienz, Vorhersagbarkeit) als auch Explorationsziele (z. B. Anpassbarkeit, Innovation) zu erreichen. Obwohl gemäß der Praxisliteratur Technologie in Software-Projekten dabei eine zentrale Rolle spielen kann, gibt es kaum Forschung dazu, wie technologische Faktoren Ambidexterie in Software-Projekten beeinflussen. In dieser Studie untersuchen wir die Rolle dreier technologischer Faktoren: kontinuierliche Integration, Standardisierung und Microservice-Architektur. Die Ergebnisse einer Mehrinformanten-Umfrage in 95 Projekten in der Schweiz und Dänemark zeigen, dass kontinuierliche Integration und Standardisierung mit höherer Ambidexterie einhergehen, während der Zusammenhang zwischen Microservice-Architektur und Ambidextrie nicht signifikant ist. Unser Artikel geht über die existierende Forschung hinaus, indem er zeigt, dass kontinuierliche Integration und Standardisierung nicht nur Exploitation, sondern auch Exploration fördern können. Wir diskutieren auch Gründe für den insignifikanten Zusammenhang zwischen Microservice-Architektur und Ambidextrie. N2 - This study examines IT/OT Convergence in 31 predominantly large German companies. It presents an “IT/OT Governance Framework” as a specific model for successful convergence implementation. The analysis reveals a heterogeneous level of convergence maturity across the examined companies, the majority of which are at the beginning or in the implementation phase. Close cooperation between IT and OT is favored, but without IT completely taking over OT. An IT/OT tandem consisting of a CIO and a central OT responsible person is seen as the ideal way to take responsibility. Six specific recommendations were derived from the interviews and included in the IT/OT Governance Framework developed. These include ensuring top management support, using security as a driver, introducing a central OT responsible person, bringing IT and OT teams physically closer together, continuously demonstrating the added value of convergence, and taking a step-by-step approach to implementation. KW - IT/OT Convergence KW - Operational Technology KW - OT KW - Governance Y1 - 2024 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:898-opus4-77937 N1 - Corresponding author der OTH Regensburg: Markus Westner PB - Springer Nature ER - TY - GEN A1 - Kratzer, Simon A1 - Strahringer, Susanne A1 - Westner, Markus T1 - Fractional CIOs in SMEs BT - Study Results on an Emerging IT Leadership Model T2 - 2024 2nd International Conference on Management Information Systems (ICMIS 2024), September 28-30, 2024, Tokyo, Japan N2 - To remain competitive, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) need to man-age information technology (IT) effectively. Unlike larger organisations, SMEs often face limited resources and challenges in attracting talent, and typically lack the need for a full-time Chief Information Officer (CIO). In response, a growing number of professionals around the world are offering CIO services on a part-time, shared basis to multiple clients. This model provides SMEs with affordable and flexible access to experienced IT leadership. Known as 'fractional CIOs', these professionals deliver significant value, yet there has been little academic re-search into this phenomenon. Our study, conducted between 2020 and 2023 with 62 Fractional CIOs in 10 countries, aims to fill this gap. It provides a clear defini-tion of fractional CIOs, outlines their engagement models and identifies the key factors that contribute to their success. The findings are intended to enlighten both academics and industry professionals. KW - Fractional CIO KW - Strategic IT Management KW - SME Y1 - 2024 VL - 2 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Hantsch, Carolin A1 - Westner, Markus A1 - Matschi, Markus T1 - IT/OT Convergence: Status Quo and Implementation Recommendations N2 - This study examines IT/OT Convergence in 31 predominantly large German companies. It presents an "IT/OT Governance Framework" as a specific model for successful convergence implementation. The in-terviews revealed that companies are at very different stages of maturity in implementing IT/OT conver-gence. The analysis reveals a heterogeneous level of convergence maturity across the interviewed compa-nies, the majority of which are at the beginning or in the implementation phase. Close cooperation between IT and OT is favoured, but without IT completely taking over OT. An IT/OT tandem consisting of a CIO and a central OT responsible person is seen as the ideal way to take responsibility. Six specific recommen-dations were derived from the interviews and included in the IT/OT Governance Framework developed. These include ensuring top management support, using security as a driver, introducing a central OT re-sponsible person, bringing IT and OT teams closer together, continuously demonstrating the added value of convergence, and taking a step-by-step approach to implementation KW - IT/OT Konvergenz KW - IT KW - OT KW - Governance KW - Framework Y1 - 2024 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:898-opus4-77586 N1 - This document is an English translation of the article Hantsch, C., Westner, M. & Matschi, M. IT/OT-Konvergenz: Status-Quo und Umsetzungsempfehlungen. HMD (2024). https://doi.org/10.1365/s40702-024-01111-1 N1 - Die deutsche Originalveröffentlichung ist abgelegt unter: https://opus4.kobv.de/opus4-oth-regensburg/frontdoor/index/index/docId/7793 ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Hassmann, Tobias A1 - Westner, Markus ED - Marcinkowski, Bartosz ED - Przybyłek, Adam ED - Jarzębowicz, Aleksander ED - Iivari, Netta ED - Insfran, Emilio ED - Lang, Michael ED - Linger, Henry ED - Schneider, Christoph T1 - Enhancing Expert Interviews: Insights from Information Systems and Digital Transformation Research T2 - 32nd International conference on information systems development (ISD 2024), August 26-28, 2024, Gdańsk, Poland T2 - Harnessing Opportunities: Reshaping ISD in the post-COVID-19 and Generative AI Era N2 - Expert interviews, a commonly employed qualitative data collection procedure in information systems (IS) research, lack consistent conceptualization. This paper aims to address this gap by providing a conceptual framework and comprehensive guidelines for a rigorous implementation of expert interviews, supported by real-world examples. After a systematic selection of method-relevant literature, a thematic analysis of twenty-eight articles, books, and book chapters is conducted to elicit the distinctive characteristics and rigorous conduct of expert interviews. Validation is provided by analyzing nineteen studies published in important IS outlets that use expert interviews. A particular focus is on a subset of five studies that cover digital transformation topics. The analysis reveals expert interviews’ flexibility as data collection procedure and shows the wide range of application opportunities for IS researchers. Lastly, we discuss theoretical and practical implications of our findings to enhance the rigor, systematic use, and relevance of expert interviews in IS research. KW - digital transformation KW - expert interviews KW - qualitative IS research KW - research methodology Y1 - 2024 SN - 978-83-972632-0-8 U6 - https://doi.org/10.62036/ISD.2024.48 PB - AIS eLibrary ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Westner, Markus T1 - Low-Code/No-Code: Citizen Developers and the Surprising Future of Business Applications JF - HMD Praxis der Wirtschaftsinformatik Y1 - 2024 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:898-opus4-74906 SN - 1436-3011 SP - 1067 EP - 1069 PB - Springer Fachmedien CY - Wiesbaden ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Brosig, Christoph A1 - Gräubig, Dix M. A1 - Strahringer, Susanne A1 - Westner, Markus T1 - Prerequisites and Causal Recipes for Manufacturers’ IT-Enabled Service Innovation Success JF - Communications of the Association for Information Systems N2 - For manufacturing firms, success in innovating IT-enabled services is a critical antecedent to benefit from digital servitization of their business models. Digital servitization literature has explored mechanisms for success in innovating IT-enabled services, indicating that the phenomenon is multifaceted and needs to be explained from multiple theoretical perspectives. We derive a conceptual model for success in innovating IT-enabled services covering its multifaceted nature by referring to knowledge-based and organizational control theory. We test this model using qualitative cases of IT-enabled service innovation initiatives in manufacturing firms and use set-theoretic analyses to account for the multifaceted nature of the phenomenon. The necessary condition analysis yields that a certain degree of service innovation capabilities is a prerequisite for success. With the results of a qualitative comparative analysis, we obtain five solution terms as causal recipes for success in innovating IT-enabled services. Our results contribute to research by offering a theory-based approach that explains the multiplicity of success in IT-enabled service innovation. Practitioners benefit from our results by understanding prerequisites and causal recipes for success while learning from unsuccessful initiatives in innovating IT-enabled services of manufacturing firms. Our study is also an example of how to rigorously calibrate qualitative data using a structured approach. Y1 - 2024 U6 - https://doi.org/10.17705/1CAIS.05509 SN - 1529-3181 VL - 55 SP - 205 EP - 256 PB - Association for Information Systems, AIS ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Käss, Sebastian A1 - Brosig, Christoph A1 - Westner, Markus A1 - Strahringer, Susanne T1 - Short and sweet: multiple mini case studies as a form of rigorous case study research JF - Information Systems and e-Business Management N2 - Case study research is one of the most widely used research methods in Information Systems (IS). In recent years, an increasing number of publications have used case studies with few sources of evidence, such as single interviews per case. While there is much methodological guidance on rigorously conducting multiple case studies, it remains unclear how researchers can achieve an acceptable level of rigour for this emerging type of multiple case study with few sources of evidence, i.e., multiple mini case studies. In this context, we synthesise methodological guidance for multiple case study research from a cross-disciplinary perspective to develop an analytical framework. Furthermore, we calibrate this analytical framework to multiple mini case studies by reviewing previous IS publications that use multiple mini case studies to provide guidelines to conduct multiple mini case studies rigorously. We also offer a conceptual definition of multiple mini case studies, distinguish them from other research approaches, and position multiple mini case studies as a pragmatic and rigorous approach to research emerging and innovative phenomena in IS. KW - Case study research KW - Multiple mini case study KW - Short case study KW - Methodological guidance Y1 - 2024 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s10257-024-00674-2 PB - Springer Nature ER -