Systemic Perspective on Companies and the Digital Transformation: A Prototypical Methodological Approach as a Solution to Complex Business Problems

Due to changing market conditions, customer needs and environmental influences, organisations are facing increased pressure to transform in today’s world. The consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic have made many organisations aware of the importance of digital transformation in order to remain successful even in times of disruptive change. However, the pandemic has also shown how connected and complex the world is. The aim of this work is to answer the question of what a possible systematic method for dealing with complex business problems might look like. Dealing with complexity is a critical factor for any organisation and determines how resilient it can position itself in the face of dynamic environmental influences. To answer the research question, a prototype was first developed based on Niklas Luhmann’s systems theory, from which a systematic method was derived. The prototypes were then further developed and validated in qualitative expert interviews. A systems theory approach was chosen because it claims to construct a holistic picture of the company as a social system and thus to capture the interactions of all system components. Qualitative interviews based on a semi-standardised approach were used to test the prototypes for comprehensibility, applicability, and validity. German experts in the fields of system technology, change management and digital transformation were interviewed.