The increasing application and use of AI have a significant impact on socio-technical work systems. In particular, challenges and requirements for leaders and leadership itself can be identified, highlighting the critical role of leadership for successful implementation (Mayer et al., 2025) and adoption of AI in the organization (Pfeifer et al, 2022). Current studies indicate that the presence of AI in the work environment affects what expectations are placed on leadership e.g., managers must be able to listen and persuade more than decide and instruct (Watson et al, 2021), and, what responsibilities and tasks leaders have, e.g., leaders need to lead organizational AI initiatives to achieve the desired benefits while avoiding the negative consequences (Berente et al. 2021).

As part of this seminar paper, a systematic literature review / qualitative investigation will be conducted to assess the state of the art on academic literature on the influence of GenAI on leadership tasks based on Mintzberg (1973).

Berente, N., Gu, B., Recker, J., & Santhanam, R. (2021). Managing artificial intelligence. MIS quarterly, 45(3).

Mayer, H., Yee, L., Chui, M. & Roberts, R. (2025), Superagency in the workplace: Empowering people to unlock AI’s full potential. McKinsey & Company 

Mintzberg, H. (1973). The Nature of Managerial Work. New York: Harper & Row.

Peifer, Y., Jeske, T., & Hille, S. (2022). Artificial intelligence and its impact on leaders and leadership. Procedia computer science, 200, 1024-1030.

Watson, G. J., Desouza, K. C., Ribiere, V. M., & Lindič, J. (2021). Will AI ever sit at the C-suite table? The future of senior leadership. Business Horizons, 64(4), 465-474.

Research question 1: “What responsibilities and tasks do technical and managerial actors take on in different DT processes?” 

Research question 2: “How does this distribution of responsibilities and tasks influence the success of different DT processes?” 

 

The thesis aims to identify mechanisms that lead to lock-in in information systems at both the organizational and individual level. A systematic literature review will serve as the foundation to classify and structure known lock-in effects. Building on this, qualitative interviews with practitioners will be conducted to examine how lock-in arises in practice. The results from both phases will be combined into a conceptual model that outlines typical emergence and reinforcement mechanisms.

The topic is relevant from a governance perspective, as lock-in can influence strategic decision-making, vendor dependence, and long-term IT management.

Lightweight IT encompasses flexible, user-driven technologies like robotic process automation (RPA), bring-your-own-device (BYOD) strategies, mobile applications, and no-code/low-code development platforms that operate outside traditional IT infrastructures. Using a case study/case studies, the research will explore how the organization/organizations manage(s) these technologies, addressing key challenges like compliance, security, and scalability. Depending on the organization and your research interests, the focus can be discussed together.

Lightweight IT encompasses flexible, user-driven technologies like robotic process automation (RPA), bring-your-own-device (BYOD) strategies, mobile applications, and no-code/low-code development platforms that operate outside traditional IT infrastructures. This thesis will review and compare literature on governance approaches for these technologies, identifying best practices and challenges. The focus can be on how these tools differ from traditional IT governance or how governance strategies differ between specific lightweight technologies.

IT governance ensures alignment between IT and business strategies, yet, its effectiveness and how it is realized is shaped by contextual factors such as industry, organizational size, and culture. This thesis aims to conduct a literature review to identify and analyze these factors and their influence on IT governance models. Depending on your interests, the topic can be narrowed down to specific contextual factors.

Durch die enorm gestiegene Bedeutung von künstlicher Intelligenz in zahlreichen gesellschaftlichen Bereichen, der Arbeitswelt und immer mehr auch hoch sensiblen Branchen und Unternehmensbereichen, werden negative Effekte und Limitationen von künstlicher Intelligenz zunehmend diskutiert. Dies resultiert auch in regulativen Bestrebungen wie beispielsweise der deutschen KI-Normungsroadmap oder des EU AI Acts auf europäischer Ebene.

Vor diesem Hintergrund stehen Organisationen vor der Herausforderung, interne Regulierung und Richtlinien für den Einsatz von künstlicher Intelligenz zu definieren und KI Governance-Modelle zu implementieren. Durch den aktuellen Hype um generative KI, dem hohes disruptives Potenzial zugesprochen wird und durch besondere Charakteristika und Limitationen von generativer KI, gewinnt KI Governance an Bedeutung.

Im Rahmen dieser Abschlussarbeit soll eine systematische Literaturanalyse durchgeführt werden, um den aktuellen Forschungsstand zum Thema AI Governance im Kontext von GenAI zu analysieren und zu aggregieren. Darauf aufbauend sollen aktuell relevante Forschungsfelder für weitere gezielte Forschung hergeleitet werden.

This topic can be adressed in a thesis from different perspectives, such as:

• When does charisma uplift digital transformation? An analysis of charismatic behavior in different processes of digital transformation
• After vision comes implementation: What are the different leadership qualities/requirements between executives and middle managers for digital transformation success?

Empirical investigations are preferred such as quantitative research designs (e.g., survey, (online)experiments) or qualitative research designs (e.g., expert interviews).

This topic can be investigated from different specifications, such as: 

• The impact of daily stand-up meetings on project success and project team dynamics (quantitative research design, e.g., survey or experiment)

• The impact of retrospectives on project success and project team dynamics (qualitative, e.g., expert interviews or quantitative research designs, e.g., survey or experiment)

Diese Abschlussarbeit, die in Zusammenarbeit mit einem Unternehmen erstellt wird, befasst sich mit der Prozessoptimierung bei der Herstellung und Lackierung von Kunststoffteilen. Das Unternehmen produziert Kunststoffrahmen und Taster-Abdeckungen, von denen einige in Sonderfarben lackiert werden. Dabei entstehen an mehreren Punkten der Produktionskette Abfälle: fehlerhafte Spritzgussteile vor der Lackierung, misslungene Lackierungen (z.B. durch Blasenbildung) und Transportbeschädigungen an lackierten Teilen. Die Fehlteile müssen im SAP-System zur Nachproduktion (im entsprechenden Produktionsschritt) nach-gebucht werden, was derzeit händisch erfolgt.

Ziel der Arbeit ist es, zunächst einen Überblick über den Abschreibungsprozess der fehlerhaften Teile im Bestandssystem SAP zu schaffen und anschließend den Prozess zu optimieren. Dabei soll bewertet werden, ob eine Automatisierung in SAP oder per Robotic Process Automation (RPA) sinnvoll ist. Zusätzlich wird eine prototypische Automatisierung per RPA erstellt.