Chapter 8

to the initiation, partial or complete support, handling, and maintenance of service exchange processes between economic partners by means of information technology (electronic networks)

• information

• communication

• transaction

which function via digital networks. This has given rise to three central platforms with different objectives, for procurement (e-procurement), sales (e-shop,) and trade (e-marketplace). A broader consideration also includes platforms for contact networks (e-community) and cooperation (e-company)

• selection value

• matching value

• transaction value

• communication value

This is how the process of change in companies is described by digitization technologies

• “..the creation of value or benefits in the company is purely digital, essentially on the basis of digital components or through an activity that is essentially based on digital technologies”

• must be distinguished from digital technologies, goods, and strategies.

• describe the design of relationships between a service provider and groups.

• Cyber-physical systems (CPS)/Internet of Things (IoT)/Smart Factory/Industry 4.0 (terms often used synonymously): Networking takes place horizontally, vertically, and across company boundaries.

• Big data: This technology enables scalable integration, extraction, and processing of large data sets.

• Cloud computing: The offer is made “as a service” via a server (cloud) from another location.

• Artificial intelligence (AI), extended intelligence (EI)/machine learning (partly used synonymously): Learning-capable algorithms analyze large data sets, derive, and execute action alternatives independently (AI). With EI, the human being decides on the alternative action.

• Digital platforms: Transaction-centered platforms bring together supply and demand (digital marketplaces); data-centered platforms create a complete system for the collection, processing, and evaluation of data streams from complementary components (digital ecosystem).

• Block chain technologies: These link data records (blocks) by an algorithm (cryptographic hash function) to a chain. The cryptographic hash function takes an arbitrary amount of data input and produces a fixed-size output of enciphered text.

1. It is essential for managers to build up new skills, as the economic and technical implementation requires an understanding of ICT technologies in terms of their trends and potential. One way to do this is to cooperate with digitally oriented startups.

2. External service providers or in-house ICT specialists with IT skills are needed, but there is often a shortage of the required specialists. The qualification of their own personnel or cooperation partners is therefore important for SMEs.

3. There is considerable legal uncertainty. This concerns both data security and questions of ownership of raw data. There are also a number of liability issues and unresolved transfers of rights and ownership in block chain technologies.

4. The digital infrastructure is becoming increasingly important; location decisions are influenced by transmission rates, reliability, and security of data networks. The prices for ICT services are falling, solutions such as “cloud-as-a-service” are inexpensive and allow decentralized, flexible forms of work and production that bring a certain independence from local locations. One bottleneck is the lack of broadband supply. Cultural influences such as internationality, availability of skilled workers, and regional clusters, e.g., through universities and scientific institutions, remain rel-

evant for locations.

The term refers to all technology from the two areas of information and communication.

A swarm is created when individuals interact with each other directly and without central control. This leads to an overall increase in efficiency.

One example is crowdsourcing, or outsourcing of a task that is usually carried out within an organization. The outsourcing is done to the crowd, i.e., to a group of volunteers on the Web (a prominent example is Wikipedia). The advantages of crowdsourcing are the use of the creativity and inventiveness of many people. Individuals are motivated to participate because their ideas are heard. In addition, incentives may be provided through rewards and prizes (Kiel, 2015). The

crowdsourcing platform is managed by artificial intelligence

• Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to computer systems that imitate human intelligence

• following factors are present:

  • the ability to learn

  • deal with uncertainty and probabilities

  • solve problems in an abstract way

determine whether computers can “think.” a test subject communicates with two interlocutors via a screen. Both pretend to be humans, but one of them is a chatbot, i.e., a text-based dialogue system. If, during the conversation, the test person could not determine which of the two interlocutors was the computer, the test would be considered passed and a strong AI present. However, no system has succeeded in doing this to date

• Computer vision: These extended possibilities of image recognition are used, for example, in autonomous vehicles to evaluate camera images.

• Biometrics: This is the recognition of a person based on individual biological characteristics.

• Speech recognition: This allows, for example, the ability to record texts on the computer.

• Natural language processing: Text and language are interpreted and thus translation programs are improved.

• Natural language generating: This enables independent writing of texts. • Sentiment detection: In text and speech, feelings are recognized, which can be used in customer service.

• Robots: The “artificial humans” represent the “royal road” of AI.

• A robot may not injure a human being or cause harm through inactivity.

• A robot must obey the orders of a human, unless such orders are contrary to the first law.

• A robot must protect its own existence as long as this protection does not conflict with the first or second law.

industrial robots are “universally applicable automatic machines with several axes, whose movements are freely programmable (i.e., without mechanical or human intervention) with regard to the sequence of movements and paths or angles, and are sensor-guided if necessary. They can be equipped with grippers, tools, or other manufacturing equipment and can perform handling and/or manufacturing tasks” (Länger, 2020). Collaborative industrial robots have been around since the mid-1990s. They work together with humans without separation by protective devices

• very high probability of automation (>70%)

  • office and secretarial staff

  • sales experts

  • catering services

  • commercial/technical business economists

  • postal and delivery services, cooks, bank clerks, warehouse management/logistics, metalworking, and accounting

• very low probability of automation (<30%)

  • childcare/education

  • health care/ nursing

  • management/corporate organization/strategy

  • mechanical engineering/industrial engineering, automotive engineering, sales/purchasing/trade, social work/pedagogy, care of the elderly, university teaching/research, and construction electrics

globalization mixed with new kinds of robotics, from artificial intelligence to technologies that make it easier to outsource services jobs. all about information: processing and transmitting it.

Electronic business means the initiation, support, handling, and maintenance of service exchange processes between economic partners via electronic networks. The success of e-business is based on the fact that a new value add is achieved.

Digital business models go hand in hand with the digital transformation. The creation of value or benefits within the company is purely digital on the basis of digital components, or through an activity that is essentially based on digital technologies. Typical digital business models include platforms.

The term “artificial intelligence” is used to describe computer systems that mimic human intelligence and have the ability to solve problems in an abstract way, the ability to learn, and the ability to deal with uncertainty and probabilities. Robots represent the “silver bullet” of AI.

The term globotics is composed of globalization and robotics. Digitization has resulted in significant shifts in professional activities. Some skills are becoming more important, especially soft skills. Repetitive activities are being eliminated, but new activities are also being added. A shift of employment to countries with lower wages is expected.