Strategien der Digitalisierung in Familienunternehmen

In the practical guide *Strategies for Digitalisation in Family Businesses – Specific Digitalisation Approaches for Entrepreneurial Families and Family Businesses* (2019), Ulrich Bretschneider, Anne K. Heider, Tom A. Rüsen and Marcel Hülsbeck analyse digital transformation from the specific perspective of family businesses and entrepreneurial families. The starting point is the thesis that digitalisation is not merely a technological challenge, but above all a strategic and cultural transformation process that is significantly shaped by the influence of the entrepreneurial family.

The guide develops a nuanced framework that links digital technologies and trends with the digitalisation of processes, products and services, and systematically describes their impact on organisational change. Particular attention is paid to the mental models of family businesses, as well as to the mindset and skill set of the entrepreneurial family. Using the concepts of „digital openness“ and „digital readiness“, the authors demonstrate how different underlying family attitudes and competence profiles necessitate specific digitalisation strategies. From this, four typical scenarios are identified, for each of which practical strategic options for action are formulated.

In addition, the practical guide examines the digitalisation of products, services and core processes within the context of tradition, identity and the pressure to innovate. Strategies such as the „gradual digitalisation“ of existing offerings, the development of additional digital services, and organisational and cultural transformation are illustrated using concrete practical examples. A detailed case study on digitalisation at BPW KG rounds off the guide and illustrates how family business values, governance structures and technological innovations can be successfully combined.