Wie können deutsche familienkontrollierte Hidden Champions des B2B-Sektors ihre digitale Transformationsstrategie so gestalten, dass ein unternehmerischer Erfolg resultiert? Entwurf eines review-basierten und empirisch konkretisierten Modells

This dissertation explores how family-controlled German global market leaders (“hidden champions”) in the B2B sector bring digital transformation to success. The theoretical background focuses on business success research, the resource- and knowledge-based approach, change management theory, and business model research. The argumentation is that digital transformation builds on extensive knowledge and technological innovation, but these need to be applied newly into business strategies in order to enable company success.
Drawing on these different perspectives on family business success, this research conducted a review of existing empirical studies and a comprehensive mixed method qualitative research approach consisting of the analysis of 20 interviews and an in-depth workshop with the target group.
First, the systematic review of twenty-eight empirical studies, which are predominantly quantitative in design, offered insight into opportunities, risks, success factors and success effects of digital transformation. Digital transformation processes are based on the interaction of acting-people-related and technology-related aspects and promise technical, informational, and economic opportunities for businesses. A model based on the review insights describes the impact of success factors. However, the way in which these success factors interact to enable “hidden champions” to benefit from digital technologies has not been researched so far.
Second, using qualitative content analysis and interpretation of the interviews with twenty-nine experts from twenty companies and a workshop in a sample company, the interacting processes of the digital transformation strategy in family-controlled German “hidden champions” in the B2B sector can be revealed. The analysis provides a model of interdependencies that provides a detailed overview of the interactions of the key elements of digital transformation. Seven areas in the company are affected by a digital transformation strategy, with nine relations of interaction between these areas. These areas and relations can be assigned to the success factors of digital transformation.
Based on the results of this empirical study, suggestions on how to design digital transformation processes are derived. The resulting 7-areas/9-interactions-model attempts to make a valuable contribution to the research of digital transformation processes in the business context, as it structures relevant categories, which had been qualitatively substantiated.