Digitalization
Digitalization is transforming business models and society at breathtaking speed. We support companies in the development and implementation of digital and sustainable value creation strategies.
Digitalization has become an indispensable part of our lives. More efficient and intelligent processes can solve resource problems; significantly lower transaction costs make common goods such as information, education, financing, or even aspects of health care consulting available in an unexpected way. Innovations such as artificial intelligence or block-chain technologies enable completely new applications, e.g. in the automotive industry, in financial services, in healthcare, or in industry.
However, new possibilities and freedoms also create new responsibilities. The risks and challenges of digitalization are very present in our society. Only companies and organizations that think “responsibility by design” can build sustainably successful business models. They are rewarded with trust, they can serve deeper customer needs and open up new markets.
We consider technology and values together. If technology has developed for its own sake, it is not future-proof. If values are discussed but never implemented, it is idle at best and misleading at worst. The value chain hast to work without interruption. To achieve this, the strategy, including the companies positioning in terms of values, has to fit to technology and customer experiences; inconsistencies are always expensive.
Our team of specialists combines these different disciplines; as experienced managers, we know how to ensure the success of individual projects as well as strategy and transformation processes.
Each project is individual, but the instruments and procedures are tested. They are structured in four subject areas:
CDR study
CDR, short for Corporate Digital Responsibility, is a relatively young term. Internationally, it was applied by Accenture in 2015, in Germany, Dr. Esselmann and Prof. Dr. Dr. Brink are among the first sources. The thesis is clear: In terms of digitization, responsibility issues will develop similarly as they have in the field of classic sustainability. But what does that mean exactly? Digital questions are very specific, despite all the similarities. How can companies deal with growing expectations in a field that is not yet well defined and is perceived very heterogeneously by the public, and how can they deal with such immense significance?
Privacy strategy
Data is the basis of the insurance business; it is the data that enables the formation of risk collectives and the organization of fair burden-sharing. Increasingly, they are also the basis for new added value – from claims settlement to prevention issues. At the same time, consumers are skeptical about the way financial service providers handle data in particular.
The Data Process Modeler – concept and software for confidence-building data transparency
Data scandals are now even finding their way into tabloid press coverage. The protection of sensitive data is being stylized into a confrontation of political systems – a perception of danger is developing that is becoming a serious threat to innovation and even the basic idea of data-based optimization in general. That goes as far as issues of health and prosperity – as the fundamental debate on the “Corona Warning App” has shown.
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Brink, A. (2019): Wirtschaftsethik und Digitalisierung, Zeitschrift für Wirtschafts- und Unternehmensethik, 20(2) (gemeinsam mit M. Hübscher und C. Neuhäuser); Inhaltsverzeichnis
CDR-Studie 2019, in: CSR News, 33(1), 31 (gemeinsam mit D. Golle und F. Esselmann) (2019)
Dr. Frank Esselmann
Partner, concern GmbH
Tel +49 (0) 221 630 606 300
Mobile +49 (0) 163 4892844
frank.esselmann(at)concern.de
Prof. Dr. Dr. Alexander Brink
Founding Partner, concern GmbH
Tel +49 (0) 921 554 122
Mobile +49 (0) 170 5100949
alexander.brink(at)concern.de