Speakers

Abstract: Digitalization is more important than ever. Yet, how to approach the development and scaling of digital technology is a question that keeps executives awake at night. Past evidence from sectors such as newspapers or video rental suggests that the creation of a standalone digital business is an adequate approach, while some manufacturing companies opt for the gradual digitalization of their existing businesses. Based on the study of successful and less successful industrial manufacturers, we isolated the process of digitalization that contributed to success, and found that it relies on two distinct and divergent phases. First is the “incubation phase”, where the aim is to achieve problem-solution fit and come up with digital pilots that fit the needs of early adopter clients. Second is the “scaling phase” when the aim is to develop a business model and product-market fit for broader client base. Given the distinct needs, the two phases require different organizational setups. In this talk, we will elaborate on the organizational setup required and, using examples of successes and failures, elaborate on the best practices that distinguished between success and failure.

Biography: Ivanka Visnjic is an Associate Professor of Innovation at ESADE Business School, where she also acts as the Director of the Institute for Innovation and Knowledge Management. Previously, Ivanka worked at a consulting firm McKinsey & Co, completed her PhD at KU Leuven in Belgium, held visiting posts at the University of Cambridge, at the University of California, Berkley (Haas Business School) and at London Business School. She also helped set up business-led partnership, Cambridge Service Alliance, at the University of Cambridge. Her research, teaching and advisory activities are at the intersection of innovation, strategy and operations management with focus on discontinuous technological shifts, disruptive and radical innovation in products and services and business model innovation. In particular, her work examines how established companies deal with uncertainty in their environment by developing and bringing to market novel technologies, shifting from product to service business models and delivering customer solutions and outcomes. Her research has been published in well-established academic journals, such as California Management Review, Journal of Operations Management, Journal of Product Innovation Management and others. Ivanka has received a number of awards and grants for her research, including Journal of Operations Management Ambassador Award in 2018 and IBM Faculty Award in 2012. She led joint research projects, gave keynote speeches, hosted workshops and worked closely with C-suite and senior management teams of a number of global companies, such as Atlas Copco, BAE Systems, Caterpillar, FC Barcelona, IBM, Novozymes, Pearson, Roche, Telefonica and Zoetis.

Abstract: Progress in IT and communication technologies are the main driver for the digital transformation in domains such as industrial automation and power industries. Devices, things, services and people are more and more connected in the IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) and a vast amount of data becomes available. New emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and advanced data analytics will impact the new digital industries in a strong way: old and established business models will fade out and new opportunities will appear. This will be the basis for autonomous systems in industry. In this talk, an industrial view on this new eco-system will be provided and discussed: how do IoT technologies play together with artificial intelligence and data analytics and how will this lead to autonomous systems in industry? Finally, some concrete examples from an industrial ABB perspective will be provided.

Biography: Dr. Marco Ulrich is heading the “Software Technologies” department at the ABB Corporate Research Center in Germany. In this role he is responsible for future technology development projects with internal ABB business units, international academic partners and start-ups to enhance ABB’s portfolio of digital solutions. Research fields range from IoT and communication topics to software architectures and cloud computing up to Artificial Intelligence, data analytics and operation management technologies. As a main driver of the digital transformation in industry he is the ABB representative in several international committees on Industrie-4.0 and IoT topics. Marco holds a doctoral degree in Physics from University of Heidelberg and the German Cancer Research Center on ultra-fast medical NMR phosphorus-spectroscopy of the human brain. Prior that, he received his diploma degree in physics from the University of Karlsruhe with the focus on solid state optics and electron-spin resonance.

Biography: Dr. CHEN Jin is a professor of Department of Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Strategy in Tsinghua SEM. He received his Bachelor in chemical process control in the Department of Chemical Engineering from Zhejiang University in 1989; and Ph.D. in Management Engineering in the Department of Management also from Zhejiang University in 1994. Dr. CHEN Jin went to MIT Sloan School of Management in 1998 as a visiting scholar. In 2000, he went to SPRU of Sussex University as a visiting fellow. Dr. CHEN Jin has been awarded Special Government Allowance from the State Council of China, and the Huo Yingdong Youth Teacher Prize and the Third “Young university teachers award” from the Ministry of Education of China. He awarded the Outstanding Youth Fund in 2002 by National Science Foundation of China. In 2009, he was selected for the China’s National Talents Project. In 2014, Professor Chen Jin was honored as a distinguished professor of Chang Jiang scholars, and actually he is the first Chang Jiang scholar in the field of China’s technological innovation management. Dr CHEN worked as the Executive Vice Dean of the Undergraduate School and the Chu Kechen Honors College before joined Tsinghua SEM. His research and teaching mainly focuses on management of technological innovation. Dr. CHEN Jin is a member of the Education Committee of CAE (the Chinese Academy of Engineering), the member of the division of management science in council for technology and science of Minister of Education, and vice chairman of the Chinese Association for Science of Science and S&T Policy. He serves as the chief editor of “Journal of Knowledge-based Innovation in China” and “Review of Evolutionary Economics and Economics of Innovation” and “International Journal of Innovation Studies”, the associate chief editor of “International Journal of Technology Marketing”, “Journal of Knowledge Management Studies”, “Journal of Foresight and Innovation Policy” and “Journal of Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management” and Executive Associate Editor of “Chinese Journal of Engineering Design”. Dr. CHEN Jin also serves as the member of editor committee of “International Journal of Technology Management”(SSCI Journal), “Science: Journal of Zhejiang University”(SCI Journal), “International Journal of Innovation and Technology Management”, “International Journal of Technological Learning, Innovation and Development” and “Journal of  Chinese Culture and  Management”, and the guest editor of “International Journal of Manpower”(2004). He is the member of editor committee of “Studies in Science of Science”, “Science Research Management”, “Journal of Systems Engineering”, “Systems Engineering-Theory & Practice”, “R&D Management”, “Journal of Management”, “Technology Economics”, “Science & Technology Progress and Policy” and “ Science and Technology Management Research”.