As digitization advances, the number of cyberattacks on enterprises increases. To counteract, cyber security culture (CSC) provides a holistic approach, shaping people’s values and beliefs in its process. The objective of this research is to determine factors that lead to the successful establishment and maintenance of a CSC, by quantitatively verifying data collected in a previous qualitative study. The established conceptual model includes four main determinants and eight hypotheses. To further evaluate these factors a survey with 55 participants from industry was conducted. The collected data were statistically analyzed with a structural equation model (SEM). The analysis confirmed two factors from the research model: ‘Awareness & Knowledge’ and ‘Continuous Development’. The results emphasize the importance for enterprises to prioritize and cultivate these key factors for the successful establishment of CSC. Continuous education, embedded in a culture characterized by learning and adaptability, is necessary to defend against potential cyber threats and vulnerabilities.

The growing digitalization of our times creates substantial threats to organizational performance through cyber risk. This research examines the relationship between integrated cyber risk management (CRM) and cybersecurity performance. The research combines a systematic literature review (SLR) with data from nine semi-structured interviews with cybersecurity experts working in different industries to achieve its goals. The SLR established a solid theoretical foundation which led to hypothesis development before qualitative content analysis using Mayring’s deductive method analyzed the interview data. The analysis revealed five essential components for successful CRM implementation which include Awareness, Resources, Technology, Organization and Processing. The research demonstrates that organizations should adopt a flexible and adaptive method. The research results further led to a refined conceptual model which incorporates additional influencing elements such as proactive corporate strategy, management understanding, commitment, robust risk culture and comprehensive risk planning. The research demonstrates that organizations must adopt a complete integrated cyber risk management system to maximize cybersecurity performance and offers actionable recommendations for organizations that want to enhance their cyber resilience. Future research needs to validate the proposed model quantitatively while investigating how CRM determinants affect cybersecurity performance metrics in detail.

The threat of cyberattacks is evolving at an accelerated pace, with human beings identified as the most vulnerable element within cybersecurity. Sectors poised for future growth, such as healthcare and insurance, may encompass critical infrastructure operations and are therefore particularly susceptible to these threats. In recent years, the notion of resilience has gained prominence across various academic fields and has been adapted to the context of cybersecurity, resulting in the emergence concept of cyber resilience. This paper investigates cyber resilience in relation to individual employees. Therefore, the term ‘Cyber Resilient Employee’ is derived from theory and put into context. Subsequently, a literature analysis is carried out resulting in a conceptual research model. Consequently, an empirical study with thirteen employees from the healthcare insurance industry is performed and evaluated. This results in a final research model delineating four determinants of a Cyber Resilient Employee: ‘Expertise and Experience’, ‘Pragmatism’, ‘Eagerness to learn’ and ‘Discipline’. The research is constrained by the validation of practical applicability, the abstinence of a quantitative part and limitations associated with no assertion of comprehensiveness in the literature review.

As digitalization advances, the number of cyberattacks on companies increases. To counteract, Cyber Security Culture (CSC) provides a holistic approach, shaping people’s values and beliefs in its process. The successful establishment of a CSC could be especially important for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with limited resources. The objective of this research is to determine factors leading to the successful establishment and maintenance of a CSC in SMEs. A literature review was conducted, in which existing literature has been reviewed on the topic of CSC and associated determinants. A conceptual model including four main determinants and eight hypotheses was established. To further evaluate these factors, ten guided interviews with experts from German SMEs were conducted and evaluated by means of a qualitative content analysis according to Mayring. As a result, a research model with the determinants for the successful establishment of a CSC in SMEs was finalized. The four resulting main factors are: Awareness & knowledge, resources, support from top management and continuous development.

Companies are increasingly faced with new challenges and have to adapt to rapidly changing conditions. Agility and digitalization can help companies to overcome problems and offer a wide range of options for implementation. Furthermore, HR departments in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have been facing further challenges for years, such as the shortage of skilled workers and trainees and changing stakeholder requirements. In light of these enduring complexities, it is pertinent to inquire into the efficacy and constraints of leveraging agility and digitalization within SMEs, particularly concerning HR practices. This study endeavors to explore the nuanced interplay between agility, and digitalization within the SME context. The ensuing qualitative study endeavors to dissect this intricate nexus, culminating in the articulation of a hypothesis model aimed at illuminating the intricate dynamics at play.

Enriching the cross-cultural employee satisfaction literature in the remote work context, our qualitative study develops a cross-cultural and multi-dimensional model illuminating how four dimensions affect employee satisfaction. Our analysis is based on a complex qualitative research design comprising in total 53 semi-structured interviews of individual contributors and leaders from Germany and Japan. Findings reveal that employee satisfaction and the underlying cultural, contextual and personal factors and ramifications extensively vary across these countries. As part of our model, we identified a series of national, organizational, managerial, and individual dimensions that influence employee satisfaction in multiple ways. The data gathered confirm that cultural aspects have a significant impact on employee satisfaction on three of the dimensions which emerged from our data (organizational, national, and individual). Based on our findings we formulate specific propositions, guiding future research and practice.

Digitalization is changing many areas of society and has an impact on recruiting processes.Many companies are facing the challenge of making their application processes more attractive for potential candidates.The use of gamification is becoming a new trend, which is aimed particularly at Generation Y and Z, who have grown up in the age of digitalization.The potentials and challenges of gamification are wide-ranging for applicants and companies.The framework of a qualitative empirical study according to Mayring is used to investigate this research topic.A literature review provides current findings of former research studies.The research design is based on interviews with HR experts.The potentials are reflected in a higher employer attractiveness, applicant quality and more efficiently designed processes.At the same time the implementation of gamification involves some challenges, including additional requirements, like digitalization and data protection, deterrent effects and finding the fitting target group.

The Covid-19 virus has triggered a worldwide pandemic and therefore many employees were required to work from home which caused numerous challenges. With the Covid-19 pandemic now in its third year, there are already several studies available on the subject of home offices. To investigate the impact of remote work on employee satisfaction and trust, this quantitative study aims to review existing results and formulate hypotheses based on a conceptual model created through a qualitative study and extensive literature review. The research question is as follows: Does home office during Covid-19 affect employee satisfaction and trust? To test the hypotheses, a structural equation model was constructed and analyzed. The culture of trust and flexibility are identified as the biggest influencing factors in this study.

This paper deals with the topic exhaustion and motivation when working from home. It is the first study from Germany to apply the job demands-resources model of Demerouti and Bakker [1] in the context of home office. By so doing, a deductive approach is followed, and a conceptual model is formed based on a comprehensive literature review with the inclusion of relevant publications up to April 2022. Subsequently, the model is exploratively adapted according to the results and a recommendation for practical action as well as suggestions for future studies are presented. The study was able to provide significant evidence that the communication climate has a positive influence on motivation, the perceived support, the connectedness and the trust between employee and supervisor. Further, trust is influenced by the perceived connectedness with the company. Finally, work pressure in the home office and the lack of segmentation have a positive impact on exhaustion.

Following scientific contribution bundles results from the research project "CyberWuP", which is supported by the Ministerium des Inneren, für Digitalisierung und Kommunen Baden-Württemberg (Germany). Results on three research questions of related studies are presented. Key data on the current equipment and know-how regarding cybersecurity in SMEs as well as information on the required support of SMEs are provided. In addition, a structural equation model is used, which shows the significant positive influence of "motives for crime" and "lack of prevention" on cybercrime as a threat to SMEs.

The digital revolution has been gathering pace for years. Companies benefit significantly from digital data and the fast processing of high storage volumes. However, it is also necessary to consider the threats to companies that arise from digital espionage attempts. The aim of this study is to identify determinants with a significant impact on the threat potential of industrial espionage in SME. It is based on a qualitative approach and a content analysis according to Mayring. The study proves that employee training plays a major role in preventing industrial espionage. In addition, the degree of innovation and the nature of trade secrets also play a major role. It should also be contemplated whether companies are targeted victims or are more at risk from large-scale automated attacks. Based on the findings a revised conceptual model has been created.

Stock news is distributed through several web portals. As a stock investor, one should always stay up to date: news, whether positive or negative, can have significant impact on the price of securities or shares. Especially on web portals for financial forecasting, one can often find not only essential news about companies, but also expert tips, recommendations, and articles about the situation in certain industries and regions. With the multitude of different web portals that can be accessed on the internet today, it is important, especially from the point of view of a web portal operator, to know which factors significantly generate a benefit for the customer. Therefore, this research project aims to identify major drivers for the success of web portals for financial forecasting from a costumer point of view. The project was carried out in cooperation with the start-up Aktienaufstieg.de. The developed model in this work is examined with a quantitative approach, using structural equation modeling to evaluate the answers of 100 participants. The results of this study calculated with Smart PLS show that especially the offer of web portals as well as the services have a positive and significant influence on the success of web portals for financial forecasting. The results of the structural model are therefore not only useful from the perspective of investors, but also for web portals in financial forecasting in general.

Almost everyone on the globe had to adjust to new conditions as a result of Covid-19 in conjunction with digitization. Contact and entry limitations damaged global business, trade and social connections. In addition, there is an increasing impact of digitization in supply chain. Regarding these disruptions current publications emphasize that global value chains are transforming to become more resilient. This study analyzes potential factors that might increase resilience in such a dynamic environment. The research is based on a quantitative empirical study to test the formulated hypotheses. The research questions were investigated trough a survey with logistics professionals. Two hypotheses were established as significant throughout the study. These are the robustness and responsiveness of global value chains, which have a substantial impact on their resilience. Both are determined direct or indirect by digital technologies. The complexity of global value chains had no discernible effect on the resilience of the system. A structural equation model is used to analyze the data's processing. This is achieved via a hypothesis model. As a result, major implications on global value chains' resilience can be found.

With the digital transformation, companies will experience a change that focuses on shaping the organization into an agile organizational form. In today's competitive and fast-moving business environment, it is necessary to react quickly to changing market conditions. Agility represents a promising option for overcoming these challenges. The path to an agile organization represents a development process that requires consideration of countless levels of the enterprise. This paper examines the impact of digital transformation on agile working practices and the benefits that can be achieved through technology. To enable a solution for today's so-called VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity und Ambiguity) world, agile ways of working can be applied project management requires adaptation. In the qualitative study, expert interviews were conducted and analyzed using the grounded theory method. As a result, a model can be presented that shows the influencing factors and potentials of agile management in the context of the digital transformation of medium-sized companies.

Digitization is one of the main drivers of changing the way of work within enterprises because new business models evolve from recent digitization processes. Besides the ongoing information technologies in the world of business, it is important for small and medium-sized enterprises to care for their employees and to ensure employee satisfaction. This paper aims at assessing the influence of digitization on employee satisfaction in small and medium-sized companies. This paper is based on qualitative empirical research with focus on expert interviews. The transcribed expert interviews were evaluated using the Grounded Theory approach. Grounded Theory is a method that is particularly suitable for theory building and for identification of new and unknown relationships. The objective of this study is to provide recommendations for small and medium-sized enterprises regarding when they face increasing challenges as a result of volatile market environments and versatile digitization processes to ensure employee satisfaction. Our study identifies emerging factors which influence employee satisfaction.

With the rise of Artificial Intelligence over the last years, virtual assistants, so-called bots, are becoming more relevant than ever before. Especially the technology triggers a growing interest in numerous fields of application. Technologies like machine learning enables the integration of emotion management and thus provides the opportunity to enhance interaction with the user. Hereby, apprenticeship as a contextual research setting proves to be a particularly promising use case. Our paper examines the potentials and challenges of emotionally sensitive applications in a training environment. The results of a qualitative approach demonstrate extensive benefits especially in the individualization of the learning process. Hereby, gamification can represent an interesting aspect in this context. However, fears emerge that the technical implementation may not sufficiently cover pedagogical backgrounds and that the applications may encounter low acceptance.

In recent years, the tourism industry has been undergoing a period of transformation, not least due to innovative and disruptive business models entering the market.Companies are increasingly focusing on customer needs and try to meet them with digital approaches.The early recognition of rapidly changing needs and their reactions is challenging.This paper examines four factors influencing the potentials of the changing customer needs and ongoing digitization in the tourism industry.A hypothesis model developed in previous qualitative research is examined in this paper with a quantitative approach using structural equation modeling.157 responses from the target group were analyzed to test the factors digital marketing, data mining, digital services and online travel communities.The results of this paper show that digital marketing and data mining have a positive as well as highly significant influence on the potentials of digital approaches in a tourism industry with changing customer needs.

Meanwhile the rapidly advancing digitisation affects almost all areas of society and business. This development is based in particular on the omni-present use of digital information technology. One of these technologies awarded with special potential related to business is the distributed ledger technology. The objective of this study is to investigate influences on the potentials of blockchain technology, being one distributed ledger technology, in the area of supply chain management. An empirical, qualitative data collection attained through expert interviews forms the data basis. The conceptual model is derived by using Grounded Theory Methodology to evaluate the interviews. Important influencing factors (trust, efficiency, costs, control, privacy, scalability) for the potential of blockchain technology in supply chain management and moderating effects (use case, knowledge, collaboration, regulations) form the conceptual model in order to deduce recommendations for business.

With increasing digitalization, expectations are growing for systems that make a self-determined life possible for people in need. On the other hand, increasing technological development also brings challenges. Producers and distributors are facing increasing difficulties, especially when it comes to the market launch of Active Assisted Living (AAL) solutions. With the help of AAL systems, the aim is to enable older generations and persons in need of help to live longer and more indefinitely in their own homes. Despite the advantages and fundamental importance of this topic, there are some major challenges. According to literature, none of the existing studies describe, categorize and identify these challenges with the ulterior motive to be aware of them and to find a remedy. Within this quantitative study based on a qualitative pre-study, two fundamental hypotheses and influencing factors, Expenses and Integration Capability, could be identified and shown to be significant. The two main challenges in the market introduction of AAL solutions are therefore the immense expenditure involved and the limited integration capacity. Further challenges lie in the improvement of measures concerning Usability, Customization, Acceptance and Data Security. The elaboration of the collected data sets was carried out using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM).

An elaborate business model is the fundament of every firm as it describes the manner of functioning. In the course of new developments through digitization, business models and processes have changed enormously and new business models are emerging like never before. While theory and practice show a growing interest in the potential of new business models as a result of digitization, research to date has not yet shown the main impetus for how the potential of digital business models can be significantly used across industries. To achieve this, the authors conducted an empirical study based on a theoretical foundation and found four main drivers (with five items each) regarding cross-industry potentials of digital business models: Key Performance Indicators, Individualization, Efficiency and Communication. The findings of the structural equation model analysis show that three determinants (Key Performance Indicators, Individualization and Efficiency) do have a positive as well as significant influence on the potentials of digital business models. Just the determinants Communication do have a negative as well as insignificant influence on the potentials of digital business models.

Regarding the economy, Data Mining is one of the most interesting trends in recent years. It enables organizations of different branches of trade to make use of their data. This can ultimately lead to the creation of competitive advantages. Nevertheless, Data Mining requires expertise as well as a systematic approach. Both is especially lacking in many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). That is why particularly SMEs need to be supported in regard to the challenges of Data Mining. Therefore, a Data Mining framework that pays attention to the special features of SMEs was created at Aalen University of Applied Sciences. However, even this framework shows some potentials for extension. Because SMEs are especially dependent on thoroughly using their funds, this aspect also has to be considered when it comes to the application of Data Mining. This research investigates economical aspects, how SMEs can integrate cost-benefit considerations into the process of implementing Data Mining.

An elaborate business model is the fundament of every firm as it describes the manner of functioning. In the course of the new developments of digitization technologies such as Big Data and Data Science, business models and processes have changed tremendously and new business models pop up as never before. Although theory and practice show increasingly interest in the potentials of new business models through digitization, prior research has not demonstrated yet the main driver of its significantly use. To close this research gap, the authors implemented an empirical study based on a theoretical foundation and found four main driver (with five items each) regarding potentials of digital business models: Key Performance Indicators, Individualization, Efficiency and Communication. The results of the structural equation model (SEM) approach show that all four determinants do have a positive as well as significant influence on the potentials of digital business models. Interestingly, the main impact on the potentials of digital business models comes from Key Performance Indicators.

While a few studies have already shown the potential benefits of digitization so far, there are no empirically developed approaches demonstrating the potentials of changing customer needs in a digital world in the tourism. This paper develops such a conceptual model, which is able to explore the customer needs in the tourism industry. An empirical, qualitative data collection by expert interviews forms the data basis. Grounded Theory is used to evaluate the transcribed interviews, as this method is particularly suitable for identifying new or unknown relationships. This methodology of qualitative social research serves to derive theories from previously categorized data without using concepts generated from literature. The objective of this study is to provide recommendations for touristic companies that have to face the challenges and the changing market environment through digitization. The main factors influencing the potentials of changing customer needs identified (digital services, digital marketing, data mining and online travel communities) form the conceptual model in order to present recommendations for action. The results of the study show that a personalized approach to the customer on digital communication channels represents an essential requirement in the future provision of services. In order to meet the changing needs, bilateral communication between customers and companies must be guaranteed during the entire customer journey, especially in structurally weak regions.