Prof. Manuel Wiesche Takes Top Position in Economist Ranking

Prof. Wiesche’s research focuses on the most pressing issues of digital transformation. Among other things, he examines the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in organizations. Wiesche explores how trust is built in AI systems, even when people do not interact with them directly. “AI is permeating all areas of life and presenting us with socio-technical challenges,” explains Wiesche. “We are researching how the interaction between humans and AI is changing, whether in companies, schools or the healthcare sector.” He also analyzes how organizations deal with a loss of trust in AI and which strategies can help rebuild trust.

Digital platform ecosystems

A focus of his research is on digital platform ecosystems. Wiesche researches how companies such as Apple, Google, and SAP create ecosystems in which third-party providers drive innovation. However, other industries, such as transportation logistics and automotive engineering, are also increasingly using digital platforms to connect suppliers and customers. The increasing integration of generative AI into digital platform ecosystems is changing their design and functionality. On the one hand, it opens up opportunities for third-party providers – for example, to create new user experiences – but it also presents them with challenges: For example, the use of generative AI could fundamentally question the role and value creation of third-party providers, as generative AI has the potential to bring almost unlimited variations of content and applications to the platform. Against this backdrop, Prof. Wiesche is conducting a study on how third-party providers create added value in generative AI platform ecosystems in new ways.

Use of immersive technologies

Prof. Wiesche’s research also focuses on the use of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR): “Our aim is to simplify the use of new technologies such as immersive systems, especially for small and medium-sized companies.” For example, together with partners such as the Port of Hamburg, solutions have been developed for the use of AR or VR glasses for measuring water depth. Interpersonal interaction, for example in service processes in hospitals and care facilities, can also be improved through the use of AR. Caregivers can obtain additional information about patients and thus respond more efficiently to them. “In areas where it is usually assumed that technology will replace people, it can in fact improve the interaction between people,” adds Wiesche.

Working environments of the future

So what might the digital workspaces of the future look like? The business informatics specialist imagines that the use of new technologies, as well as the technologies themselves, will become much more intuitive in the future. “The coronavirus pandemic was a massive accelerator for the digitalization of work. In addition, technologies will also become more embedded in other areas of our lives. This will also make it much more difficult to escape technology,” explains Wiesche. It is therefore up to researchers to design these technologies more consciously to ensure that users also have the opportunity to learn, use and create digital content on their own.

Prof. Wiesche is particularly excited about his professorship, since it allows him to work on and help shape current digital transformation topics. “I’m very happy about the good position in the ranking,” he says. “This was only possible thanks to my great team and the fantastic research environment here.”

About Prof. Wiesche

Prof. Manuel Wiesche is a business informatics scientist and holds the professorship “Digital Transformation” at the Department of Business and Economics since May 2020. In the research ranking of the Association for Information Systems (AIS), an international comparison of publications in leading journals in business informatics, he is ranked 6th worldwide for 2024. He is co-initiator of the new Bachelor’s degree program Information Systems, which started at TU Dortmund University in the winter semester 2024/25.