Potenzial: Strategy

The increasing interconnectedness of production systems and the use of IoT devices generates a considerable amount of employee or customer data - whether directly or indirectly. The EU General Data Protection Regulation (EU-GDPR), effective 25 May 2018, results in a massive increase in the rights of data subjects and documentation obligations arising from the processing of personal data [1]. Those who do not respect these rights and/or fail to comply with their obligations face painfully increased fines of up to EUR 10 million (in serious cases EUR 20 million) or 2 % (4 %) of the annual turnover.

Ideas become innovations if the intended product or service creates added value for the customer. Special features, an extraordinary design or tailoring to individual customer needs may represent a unique selling point in the competitive environment. RWTH Aachen in scientific cooperation with Fraunhofer offers advanced training programs on practical methods and best practices how to establish successful technology and innovation management.

Clearly defined objectives and a systematic risk assessment are the prerequisite for efficient customer integration. Here we show that the core to achieve this is: (i) a workshop-based process for planning and integration of customers into the development of services and (ii) a structured data base of customer integration methods. Out of this database an individual set of methods - depending on the task and the context - can be composed.

Volatile markets and global and inter-industrial networks are creating a radically more dynamic market environment calling for considerably greater on-demand flexibility and reductions in resource deployment. This results in a need for action in two further areas, namely increasing transformability and responding to demographic change. Today’s businesses have to respond to evolving these trends. Manufacturing will also have to adapt to the increasing dynamism of sales markets and the radical challenges thrown up by the innovation process, particularly in regard to energy and resource efficiency and the increasing hybridization of products using mechatronics, software and services. Innovative approaches are needed to accelerate the product creation process, optimize the transitions from product development to production, and ensure that the cost of manufacturing is competitive. This study examines constructive approaches in the area of urban production for sustainable added value in ...

Multivendor capable service companies are facing growing challenges concerning the alignment of their technological capability portfolio to dynamic market requirements. This paper presents a method that enables practitioners from technical service companies to systematically manage their capability portfolio using both qualitative and quantitative data. Thereby decision makers are provided with a tool to help them shaping the company’s service portfolio.

For businesses, the main problem with cloud computing is the loss of control over own data. After all, one cannot know what cloud provider staff might read or copy processed or stored data. Not so with providers based on Sealed Cloud technology. This basic technology encrypts all data, and any access is rendered impossible by a series of technical measures. Not even the cloud provider has access to the data, not only during transfer and within the database, but also during data processing.

The recently released book „Große deutsche Familienunternehmen“ [3] describes the history of the 50 biggest family-run companies older than 100 years. Those companies are not „Hidden Champions“ but „Champions of Survival“. Being ranked among the biggest companies in Germany after a development over more than four generations these businesses can serve as an example for outstanding management practices or at least a reason to rethink the own strategy.