Veröffentlichungen von Julian Frey

Konferenz-Artikel (Peer Reviewed)

Finze, N., Frey, J., Beimborn, D., and Wagner, H. (2024)
We Are the Change: How Work-related Identities Influence Inertia during Digital Transformation
Proceedings of the 45th International Conference on Information Systems (ICIS), Bangkok, Thailand

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To maintain a competitive edge in the context of an ever-increasing range of digital ap-plications and services, incumbent firms initiate a process of digital transformation. Nev-ertheless, the tendency to adhere to established organizational forms and processes, even in the face of superior alternatives, has been observed to impede the pace of digital trans-formation. We thus answer the following question: How do work-related identities affect different inertia dimensions in digital transformation? By answering this research ques-tion, this study demonstrates the influence of different work-related identities, namely organizational identity, team identity, professional identity, and job identity. It contrib-utes to the theoretical understanding of the influence of work-related identities on differ-ent dimensions of inertia and provides practical insights toward a deeper understanding of the differential impact of digital transformation and to anticipate the potential for identity to arise inertia in the transformation process.

Frey, J., Finze, N., Hund, A., and Beimborn, D. (2024)
From Communication to Motivation: Leveraging Scaling Agility for IT-Business Alignment
Proceedings of the Pacific Asia Conference on Information Systems (PACIS), Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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IT-business alignment is a crucial objective for organizations and is influenced by the structural changes brought about by digital transformation. One such structural change, Scaling Agility, has been identified as influential on IT-business alignment at the strategic level. However, its precise roles and concrete activities in this context, which contribute to a better alignment, have yet to be studied. We therefore seek to answer the question: What is the role of Scaling Agility in IT-business alignment? A qualitative case study series with four organizations over two years surfaces a total of twelve activities within the four activity categories: (1) Understanding and Appreciation, (2) Fostering Trust and Openness, (3) Propelling Togetherness, and (4) Achieving Self-Determination. These activities can be aggregated into three levels: communicator, mediator, and motivator. The study extends the literature on the beneficial role of Scaling Agility and concrete activities in IT-business alignment in the context of digital transformation.

Mittermeier, F., Hund, A., Beimborn, D., Frey, J., and Hildebrandt, Y. (2024)
Externalizing Digital Options Thinking: How Corporate Venture Builders Generate Opportunities to Invest in Digital Innovation
Proceedings of the 32nd European Conference on Information Systems (ECIS), Paphos, Cyprus

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To avoid conflicts with the core business and the existing organizational identity, incumbents increasingly externalize their digital innovation activities by handing them over to separate innovation units. While IS research provides knowledge on how internally driven innovations are initiated and developed in such units, we do not yet understand how they capitalize on internal resources, combine them with external ones, and pursue competitive actions with digital technologies. To address this issue, we apply a digital options thinking lens to investigate how corporate venture builders (CVBs) generate digital options for incumbent firms, ie, opportunities to invest in digital innovations. Based on a case study with six CVBs, we find that such units bundle incumbents’ resources and digital innovation trends (novel technologies and digital business models) into digital options through four roles. Furthermore, we demonstrate the importance of adding a detailed preparation process to the digital options framework.

Finze, N., Frey, J., Hund, A., Beimborn, D., and Wagner, H. (2023)
“Who Am I When Everything has Changed?” The Impact of Scaled-agile Organizations on Professional Role Identity
Proceedings of the 44th International Conference on Information Systems (ICIS), Hyderabad, India

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As digital technology continues to advance, organizations require more flexibility to meet the needs of their customers and remain competitive. To do so, many incumbent organizations fundamentally change their established structures and processes to implement scaled-agile organizations (SAO), emulating digital organizations and leveraging development speed and customer focus. However, when everything changes, there are significant effects on the employees’ identities. Thus, we explore how implementing an SAO affects employees’ professional role identities (PRI). The paper follows a case study approach analyzing two cases with 21 interviews, observational, and secondary data collected over a period of 18 months. We contribute to the literature by identifying three effects of an SAO implementation on PRI (threat, empowerment, and extension) and describing how individuals react based on the effect on their PRI. We inform practitioners on the overall SAO implementation process and consequences for professionals, offering a new perspective on organizational transformation challenges.

Frey, J. (2023)
Scaling Agility in Incumbent Firms: A Literature Review
Proceedings of the 44th International Conference on Information Systems (ICIS), Hyderabad, India

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Scaling agility as a process of applying agile concepts to more extensive parts of the organization promises incumbent firms to achieve the same benefits as their digital competitors. However, copying digital-born companies' approaches seems problematic, as incumbent firms are distinct from their digital competitors. Thus, this research aims to consolidate what we know about scaling agility in incumbent firms. To answer this question, I conduct a structured literature review to understand scaling agility for incumbent firms better, resulting in the four dimensions of structure, methodology, governance, and dependencies with nine themes: coordination, processes, roles, effectiveness, risk management, budgeting, measurement, architecture, and culture/mindset. Moreover, the review develops six avenues for future research. With this, the literature review provides an integrative picture of scaling agility, enhances conceptual clarity, and helps practitioners by providing an overview to use in their efforts to scaling agility in incumbent firms.

Frey, J. and Beimborn, D. (2023)
Coordination and identity in digital transformation organizing
Proceedings of the 39th EGOS Colloquium, Cagliari, Italy

Frey, J., Mittermeier, F., and Beimborn, D. (2023)
Digital Transformation: How Scaling Agility Affects Value Creation Paths
Proceedings of the 2023 Americas Conference on Information Systems (AMCIS), Panama City, Panama

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Structural changes are a key element of digital transformation and affect value creation paths such as digital agility. Scaling agility constitutes such a structural change. Research has highlighted the need to increase our understanding of the underlying changes to understand the microfoundations that undergird digital transformation. Thus, we look at how scaling agility affects value creation paths by answering the question, “How does the structural change of scaling agility affect changes in value creation paths in digital transformation?” We conduct a multiple case study with four organizations. The study surfaces three observations of this structural change that enable digital agility: Cross-functionality to allow for the emergence of creative ideas, fostering self-organizing to seize digital opportunities, and higher value chain interconnectedness for improved delivery. Furthermore, we identify two barriers as inhibitors of such transformations: complexity trap and resource foundation. We contribute to understanding digital transformation and provide valuable insights for practitioners.

Frey, J., Hund, A., and Beimborn, D. (2023)
Scaling Agility for Digital Transformation: How Organizations Manage Arising Tensions
Proceedings of the 83rd Academy of Management Conference, Boston, US

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Scaling agility has emerged as a response by incumbent organizations to take on digital transformation efforts. However, scaling agility comes with organizational challenges, especially tensions that need to be addressed. Therefore, we employ an exploratory common process case study series design to answer the following research questions: Which tensions underlie scaling agility efforts, and how can they be resolved? We identify four tensions and demonstrate resolution strategies to manage these tensions. With this, we seek to uncover how scaling agility can be designed to minimize tensions and maximize the effectiveness of scaling agility. In doing so, we provide valuable insights for researchers and practitioners.

Finze, N., Frey, J., Hund, A., Beimborn, D., and Gewald, H. (2022)
Cross-functional Identity? The Impact of Scaled-agile Organizations’ Transformation Processes on Professional Role Identity.
Proceedings of the Special Interest Group on Adoption and Diffusion of Information Technology (DIGIT) (Pre-ICIS Workshop), Copenhagen, Denmark

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Within the ever-faster changing digitalized world, organizational work models constantly evolve towards increased agility to ensure innovation and competitive performance. Initially, agile methods were designed for small teams to develop software products. However, the focus has shifted towards combining and strategically expanding agile teams into scaled-agile organizations (SAOs). Traditionally, individuals’ role perception was highly dependent on hierarchical structures. However, when a new organizational model is implemented, hierarchical roles and structures change. To understand how the transformation into SAOs affects individuals’ professional role identity (PRI) and how they reconstruct their PRI in SAOs, we conduct a qualitative case study with employees holding various positions in SAOs. Our work contributes to the literature by providing insights into individuals’ opportunities and challenges within SAO transformation processes. Our preliminary findings indicate PRI changes from team-based to product-based PRIs as a reaction to the (novel) cross-functional SAO structure. However, if the transformation is involuntary we see inherent role conflicts, identity losses, and the occurrence of agile silos as employees try to retain their previous PRIs.

Frey, J., Hund, A., and Beimborn, D. (2022)
Designing Scaled-agile Organizations: A Taxonomy of Design Criteria
Proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Wirtschaftsinformatik, Nuernberg, Germany

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Scaled-agile organizations (SAOs) have emerged as a popular response to the rapid digital transformation of entire industries. However, we currently lack a conceptual understanding of potential design choices of SAOs and calls for effective organizational structures remain only partially answered. Hence, we seek to answer the question of how different designs affect the implementation of SAOs in incumbent organizations. We do this by developing a taxonomy following the approach by Nickerson et al. and based on data from six cases studies. Our findings provide a taxonomy that identifies a set of eight design criteria across two levels. The taxonomy advances our understanding of the different SAO designs and helps to increase the conceptual clarity of SAOs. We provide a valuable basis for further research and supply practical insights.

Frey, J., Hund, A., and Beimborn, D. (2021)
Scaling Agility: How Organizations Balance Tensions in Scaled-agile Organizations
Proceedings of the 42nd International Conference on Information Systems (ICIS), Austin, Texas, USA
(Research in Progress)

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Scaled-agile organizations (SAOs) have emerged as a response by incumbent organizations to take on digital transformation efforts. However, these structures come with challenges, especially paradoxical tensions that need to be addressed. Therefore, we employ an exploratory common process case study series design to answer the following research questions: Which tensions underlie SAOs and how can these tensions best be balanced? We identify eight tensions on three levels and along two dimensions and show preliminary resolution strategies to manage these tensions. With this, we seek to shed light on how SAOs can be designed to minimize tensions and maximize their impact on strategic agility. In doing so, we provide valuable insights for researchers and practitioners.

Frey, J., Holotiuk, F., and Beimborn, D. (2020)
Debating Digital Innovation: A Literature Review on Realizing Value from Digital Innovation
Proceedings of the 15th International Conference on Wirtschaftsinformatik, Potsdam, Germany

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Digital innovation has developed into an intensely discussed area of research in the information systems field. While there is much research that focuses on the description of the phenomenon, the evidence for value creation that digital innovation can enable for organizations is less synthesized and visible. With this in mind, we conduct a literature review to identify innovations based on information technology and to answer the research question of where digital innovation can create economic value for organizations. Our synthesis depicts existing value dimensions of digital innovation with the help of five value loci. Moreover, we derive a set of white spots and research directions that surface three potential avenues for future research. We contribute to digital innovation research in that we (1) analyze and synthesize the existing digital innovation value literature and (2) propose avenues for future digital innovation value research.

Frey, J., Hund, A., and Beimborn, D. (2020)
Achieving Digital-enabled Strategic Agility Through Resolving Tensions in Scaled-Agile Organizations
Proceedings of the EJIS Special Issue Workshop (Pre-AMCIS Workshop), Salt Lake City, USA
(Research in Progress)

Sonstige

Holotiuk, F., Beimborn, D., Hund, A., Wagner, H., Frey, J., and Moormann, J. (2020)
Digital Innovation Labs - Developing Digital Innovation to Accelerate Digital Transformation