Our contributions reflect this perspective from two different angles:

The first paper, “Mind the Mess: A Matrix of Personal Knowledge Management Challenges across the Knowledge Lifecycle” (Falco Korn, Dennis Kolender, Rafael Ziolkowski, Erik Karger, Frederik Ahlemann), examines how knowledge workers navigate increasingly fragmented digital environments. Based on 27 semi-structured expert interviews, the study identifies 50 distinct challenges in personal knowledge management and structures them into a multi-layered framework spanning cognitive, behavioral, technical, and information-related dimensions. By mapping these challenges onto core knowledge management processes, the paper provides a systematic way to diagnose where and why personal knowledge management breaks—and lays a foundation for designing more effective support systems.

The second paper, “Organizing for Digital Business Model Innovation in Incumbent Firms: Which Digital Innovation Management Configurations Enable or Constrain Digital Business Model Innovation?” (David Hoffmann, Frederik Ahlemann, Rafael Ziolkowski, Erik Karger, Kalle Lyytinen, Stefan Reining), shifts the focus to the organizational level. Drawing on survey data from 251 firms and applying a configurational approach (fsQCA), the study identifies multiple pathways through which firms can successfully—or unsuccessfully—enable digitally driven business model innovation. The findings highlight that different configurations of digital innovation management can complement, substitute, or even counteract each other depending on strategic context and environmental turbulence, offering a more nuanced understanding of how organizations can structure for innovation.

Together, both papers contribute to a deeper understanding of how individuals and organizations can better navigate and shape digital complexity—very much in line with the broader ECIS2026 agenda.

This new title better reflects our current research trajectory and our focus on how digital innovation drives organizational excellence.

Along with our new name, we have relocated our offices. You can now find us in R09 R03 (same building, third floor), where we are happy to be sharing the corridor with our colleagues from the Chair of Enterprise Systems, Platforms, and Architectures (EPA).

We look forward to this new chapter and to welcoming you to our new premises!

The ECIS 2026 Doctoral Consortium is a highly selective event: participation is limited to 20 doctoral students, with each university permitted to nominate only one candidate. The consortium will take place June 12–14, 2026, at Villa Gallarati Scotti, a historic 18th-century estate near Milan, ahead of the main ECIS conference (June 15–17).

The dissertation project addresses a pressing challenge of contemporary academic life. Students increasingly procrastinate through social media, a phenomenon Korn conceptualizes as Social Media-Driven Academic Procrastination (SMAP). At the heart of the research is the question of how personalized, digital micro-interventions can reduce SMAP in a sustainable and theoretically grounded way. Methodologically, the project follows the echeloned Design Science Research approach by Tuunanen et al. (2024), which links problem and solution spaces across validated, self-contained stages. Through a combination of methods (e.g. in-depth interviews, structural equation modeling and prototype development), the project aims to develop an empirically grounded understanding of SMAP mechanisms, and from that, a class of archetype-specific, context-sensitive micro-interventions. The resulting design knowledge is intended to be transferable beyond the university context to related application areas.

Inside the Research: A Systematic Deep Dive

Driven by the increasing urgency of the global wildfire crisis, our team conducted a large-scale bibliometric study. By analyzing a dataset of 1,985 peer-reviewed publications sourced from Scopus, we have mapped the evolution of this field and identified the core pillars of current AI-driven fire management.

Our analysis highlights three critical thematic clusters that are shaping the industry:

• Geospatial & Climatic Analysis: Utilizing remote sensing to decode the complex relationship between climate patterns and fire outbreaks.
• Detection & Monitoring: Advancing algorithms that enable faster ignition spotting and real-time surveillance.
• Predictive Modeling: Developing machine learning models that assess risk and simulate fire behavior to stay one step ahead of the flames.

Setting the Agenda for the Future

Our findings underscore that while AI has made significant strides, the field must become even more integrated and transparent. In the paper, we propose a targeted research agenda focusing on three transformative areas:

1. Multimodal Data Integration: Merging diverse data streams for a holistic view of the fireground.
2. Explainable AI (XAI): Building "black box" models that provide understandable insights for human decision-makers.
3. Real-Time Collaboration: Enhancing the synergy between AI systems and emergency responders during active crises.

"With this study, we aim to provide a systematic understanding of the current AI landscape in wildfire research. Our goal is to support the scientific community in developing more robust, technological responses to the escalating challenges of wildland fires."

Read the full paper here: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s44163-026-01087-5

To address this gap, Prof. Dr. Frederik Ahlemann and his research team at the University of Duisburg-Essen have partnered with the management and technology consultancy Campana & Schott to conduct a large-scale empirical study. The goal: building an evidence-based picture of how AI will reshape organizations by 2030.

<h2><strong>What the Study Investigates</strong></h2>

The study explores three core dimensions that are critical for both research and practice:

• Likelihood of AI developments: Which technological advances in AI are most probable by 2030 — and which are overestimated?
• Organizational impact: How will AI change business processes, IT landscapes, operating models, and the nature of work itself?
• Preparedness: How well-positioned are organizations today to navigate these changes — and where are the critical gaps?

<h2><strong>Why This Matters</strong></h2>

Despite the growing volume of AI-related predictions, decision-makers still lack a structured, empirically grounded outlook to inform strategic planning. This study aims to separate well-founded expectations from speculative forecasts — providing executives, IT leaders, and transformation teams with a reliable basis for action.

The survey takes approximately 15 minutes. We welcome responses from executives, IT leaders, and professionals across all industries. Your input will help shape a robust, practice-oriented perspective on the future of AI in organizations.
Feel free to share the survey link with colleagues and decision-makers in your network. The more perspectives we capture, the stronger the results will be.

You can visit the survey via this link.

The colloquium featured a rich program spanning a wide range of current research topics — from maturity models and human-AI task delegation to socio-psychological dynamics in virtual environments, digital micro-interventions, CBDC architectures, anthropomorphic digital human agents, and smart city business models.

At the heart of the event were in-depth paper discussions that gave participants the opportunity to reflect on ongoing work, receive constructive feedback, and explore new perspectives. The format once again proved to be a valuable platform for strengthening collaboration and scholarly exchange across institutional boundaries. We extend the thanks to all participating colleagues for the engaging and productive discussions.

the Chair of Information Systems and Strategic IT Management (SITM) is pleased to announce our course offerings for this semester, providing both theoretical foundations and practical insights to help you develop essential skills for your academic and professional future.

<h3><strong>Seminars & Projects (Bachelor & Master)</strong></h3>

• Seminar Papers via WISEM
• 2 IS Projects
  • LUMINA:Teacher – Entwicklung eines KI-gestützten Lehrassistenten für die Hochschullehre
  • DRIFT – Technische Machbarkeitsstudie für datengetriebene Interventionen gegen Prokrastination

<h3><strong>Bachelor Courses</strong></h3>

• IT Projektmanagement (ITPM)

<h3><strong>Master Courses</strong></h3>

• Strategic Planning of IS (SPIS)
• Business & IT Consulting (BITC)

<h3><strong>E1 Courses</strong></h3>

• PP1: Gesund & produktiv an der Uni und im Arbeitsleben

Join us this semester and take your skills to the next level! We look forward to seeing you in class.

You may find additional information here: https://sitm.ris.uni-due.de/teaching/summer-semester-26/ 

The panel, titled “Beyond Technology: Lessons, Challenges and Outcomes of AI Transformation” brings together practitioners and leaders who are actively shaping AI-driven change within their organizations. Prof. Ahlemann will guide the conversation alongside three distinguished speakers:

• Tessa Pfattheicher, Director AI Transformation at iteratec
• Jonas Poorthuis, Executive Assistant to the CEO at Wahl Management + Services GmbH & Co. KG
• Prof. Dr.-Ing. Patrick Tichelmann, Co-CEO & Founder of Detection X

The discussion will go beyond the technical dimensions of AI adoption and shed light on the real-world lessons, organizational challenges, and measurable outcomes that companies face during AI transformation journeys — topics that are central to the research agenda of our chair.

FUTURE LOGISTICS is an annual conference organized by startport, the logistics innovation hub of Duisburger Hafen AG. The 2026 edition takes place at the Museum der Deutschen Binnenschifffahrt in Duisburg and convenes innovators, industry leaders, and researchers from across the logistics and technology sectors.

For more information visit: https://futurelogistics-startport.de/agenda/ 
We look forward to Prof. Ahlemann's contribution to this important public discourse on responsible and effective AI transformation.

The LUMINA:Build team developed a custom-built architecture using an architecture of Angular, FastAPI, SQL Server, and Ollama for local LLM deployment to create an AI tutoring system with verified course material. The team implemented sophisticated tool calling capabilities enabling the AI to generate multiple answer formats including multiple-choice questions, fill-in-the-blank exercises, and other interactive learning activities.

Running in parallel, the LUMINA:Inquire team established the empirical foundation through systematic interviews and quantitative surveys, identifying critical pain points and translating these into evidence-based design requirements. Their research addresses whether AI supports or undermines long-term skill development and student autonomy.

The SYNAPSE team delivered impressive progress on the life operating system platform, significantly enhancing task management functionality and  overhauling the user interface. The result is a truly polished task management app that is both visually appealing and genuinely enjoyable to use, while maintaining the platform's Flutter-based cross-platform architecture.

Overall, a highly successful semester with exciting results that demonstrate the potential of combining rigorous research methods with practical software development. LUMINA:Build will be expanded in the coming semester. Interested students should watch for announcements here: https://www.ris.uni-due.de/studium/studienangebot/projekte/ and on our website.