Thomas Clauß

To the WIFU Endowed Chair of Corporate Entrepreneurship and Digitalisation in Family Businesses in Family Businesses

My research focuses on the topics of innovation, transformation and digitalisation of small and medium-sized enterprises and family businesses in particular. Specifically, I am interested in the following questions, for example:

• How do companies successfully implement business model innovations?
• What distinguishes digital pioneers from those that are lagging behind in the digital transformation?
• What are the special features of family businesses when it comes to adopting digital technologies?
   

We recently completed a major project on the status of digital transformation in German SMEs. In current projects, for example, we are investigating the socio-cognitive determinants in the adoption of artificial intelligence by family businesses, the challenges faced by family businesses in the implementation of cyber security measures and the success factors of collaboration between family businesses and start-ups.

The topic of sustainability influences our research at all levels. In addition to studies on ecological and social business models, including in family businesses, we are currently working on a book project on "Family Firms and the Sustainable Development Goals". In addition to these specific activities, family entrepreneurship is inherently sustainable, as the desire of entrepreneurs for transgenerational handover and "grandchild ability" of the company can only be realised if at least the economic sustainability of the business model can be ensured in the long term.

• Nicola Mehringer (Secretariat)
• Dr Felix Lorenz (Post-Doc)
• Dr Matheus Franco (Post-Doc scholarship recipient)
• Marc André Scheffler (PhD scholarship holder)
• Julius Velz (student assistant)
• Jan Herwig (Student Assistant)
• Peter Harengel (External doctoral student)
• Maren Bendel (External doctoral student)
• Rebecca Kleine (External doctoral student)
• Matthias Breier (External candidate for postdoctoral lecturing qualification)

Academic career

12/2022 - today 
Witten/Herdecke University, Faculty of Management, Economics and Society - vice dean for research

04/2021 - today
University of Southern Denmark (SDU), Department of Technology and Innovation, Odense, Denmark - Adjunct Professor for Business Model Innovation

02/2020 - today
Witten/Herdecke University, Faculty of Management Economics and Society, Department of Management and Entrepreneurship, Endowed Chair for Corporate Entrepreneurship and Digitalisation in Family Businesses - W3 Professor and Chair

06/2019 - 02/2020
University of Southern Denmark (SDU), Department of Technology and Innovation, Odense, Denmark - Associate Professor (tenured) for Innovation and New Product Development

05/2013 - 05/2019
Philipps-Universität Marburg, Department of Economics Junior Professorship for Management, in particular Corporate Management with a focus on innovative value creation concepts - holder of the professorship

04/2013 - 05/2013
Philipps-Universität Marburg, Department of Economics Junior Professorship in Management, specialising in innovative value creation concepts - representative of the professorship

09/2008 - 03/2013
University of Hamburg, Faculty of Management, Department of Marketing and Innovation - academic staff and doctoral student
 

Research stays

02/2018 - 03/2018
Copenhagen Business School, Department of Innovation and Organisational Economics, Copenhagen, Denmark

09/2014 - 10/2017 
North Dakota State University, Department Management & Marketing, Fargo, USA (ND), annually, 4 months in total
 

Training programme

04/2016
Philipps-Universität Marburg, positive interim evaluation (habilitation equivalent) as junior professor for Management, in particular corporate management with a focus on innovative value creation concepts.

09/2008 - 10/2012 
University of Hamburg, doctoral studies (Dr. rer. pol.), PhD thesis title: Strategic Cooperation with Suppliers: An Examination of Governance in the Context of Objectives and Relationships, grade "summa cum laude", honoured as best of the year

10/2002 - 09/2008 
University of Kassel, degree programme in Industrial Engineering and Management

09/2008 
Diploma 2, Industrial Engineering (Dipl.-Wirtsch.-Ing.)

10/2007 
Diploma 1, Industrial Engineering (Dipl.-Wirtsch.-Ing.), honoured as best student of the year

10/2007 - 09/2008 
University of Kassel, degree programme in economics

09/2008
Diploma 1 in Economics (Dipl. Oec.)
 

Contributions to the scientific community

Ad-hoc reviewer for scientific journals (selection)

IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, Journal of Business Research, Journal of Management Studies, Journal of Product Innovation Management, Journal of Supply Chain Management, Long Range Planning, Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, R&D Management
 

Other review activities

2019
Review of applications for doctoral scholarships at the German National Academic Foundation

2018 
Expertise for applications for funding of research groups at the Carinthia University of Applied Sciences

2017 
Member of the expert committee for the review of the Elite Graduate Programme "Honors Economics" at the University of Regensburg

2014
Review of project applications for the Austrian Research Funding Agency (FFG) as part of the programme line "COIN Cooperation and Networks, 7th call for proposals"

Further activities

2022 - today
Member of the Editorial Board, Management Review Quarterly

2021 - today
Co-Editor, International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour and Research (IJEBR)

2021 - present
Member of the Review Board, Journal for SMEs & Entrepreneurship (ZfKE)

2024
Proponent, review coordinator and chair of the session "Innovation Dilemmas for SMEs and Family Businesses: Navigating the New Platform Economy" at the R&D Management Conference 2024 in Stockholm, together with Dirk Lüttgens (RWTH Aachen University) and Marcel Hülsbeck (University of Applied Sciences Munich).

2023 - 2025
Book Editor: The Edward Elgar Companion on Family Business and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, with Andrea Calabro (IPAG Business School) and Anne Heider (Witten/Herdecke University).

2023 - 2025
Book Editor: Entrepreneurship in the Digital Age Case Studies, Approaches and Tools for Ecosystems, Business Models and Technologies, with Daniel Schallmo and Jens Pätzmann (both Neu-Ulm University of Applied Sciences)

2023
Proponent, review coordinator and chair of the session "Platforms, Ecosystems and Business model innovation in SMEs and family firms" at the R&D Management Conference 2023 in Seville, together with Dirk Lüttgens (RWTH Aachen University) and Marcel Hülsbeck (Munich University of Applied Sciences).

2022 - 2023
Book Editor: Entrepreneurship in the Digital Era Case Studies, Approaches, and Tools for Ecosystems, Business Models, and Technologies, Springer Management for Professionals, with Daniel Schallmo and Jens Pätzmann (both Neu-Ulm University of Applied Sciences)

2022
Proponent, review coordinator and chair of the session "Business model innovation in SMEs and family firms" at the R&D Management Conference 2022 in Trento, together with Dirk Lüttgens (RWTH Aachen) and Marcel Hülsbeck (University of Witten/Herdecke).

2021
Special Issue Editor on the topic: "Business Models for the Sharing Economy" in R&D Management, together with Marina Dabić (University of Zagreb), Sascha Kraus (Free University of Bozen-Bolzano), Alexander Brem (University of Stuttgart) and Paavo Ritala, (LUT University).

2021 - 2023
Book Editor: The Edward Elgar Handbook on Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Family Business, with Sascha Kraus (Free University of Bozen-Bolzano) and Andreas Kallmünzer (Exelia Business School).

2021
Proponent, review coordinator and chair of the session "Tradition is not a Business Model: Innovation Challenges for SME and Family Business" at the R&D Management Conference 2021 in Glasgow (virtual), together with Dirk Lüttgens (RWTH Aachen University) and Marcel Hülsbeck (University of Witten/Herdecke).

2020
Special Issue Editor on the topic: "Sustainability in Family Business: Mechanisms, Technologies and Business Models for Achieving Economic Prosperity, Environmental Quality and Social Equity" in Technology Forecasting and Social Change, together with Sascha Kraus (Durham University) and Paul Jones (Swansea University).

2017
Proponent, review coordinator and chair of the session "Business Model Innovation" at the R&D Management Conference 2017 in Leuven, together with Patrick Spieth (University of Kassel), Vivek Velamuri (Leipzig Graduate School of Management) and Dirk Schneckenberg (ESC Rennes).

2016 - 2017
Special Issue Editor on the topic: "Quo Vadis Entrepreneurial University: New Theoretical and Empirical Insights from an Inter- and Intra-Organisational Perspectives" in the International Journal of Technology Management, together with Tobias Kesting (Apollon University of Health Management), Kristel Miller (Ulster University) and Arno Meermann (University-Industry Innovation Network).

2016
Proponent, review coordinator and chair of the session "Business Model Innovation" at the R&D Management Conference 2016 in Cambridge, together with Patrick Spieth (University of Kassel), Vivek Velamuri (Leipzig Graduate School of Management) and Dirk Schneckenberg (ESC Rennes).

Previous calls and list placements

2019
Offer of a W3 professorship for Corporate Entrepreneurship and Digitalisation in Family Businesses, Witten/Herdecke University - accepted

2019
3rd place on the list, W3 Professorship for General Management, in particular Entrepreneurship and Innovative Business Models, Philipps University Marburg

2019
Offer of an Associate Professorship (tenured) in Innovation and New Product Development, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark - accepted

2019
Offer of an Associate Professorship (tenured) in Strategy and Entrepreneurship, Roskilde University, Roskilde, Denmark - declined

2018
2nd place on the list, Qualifying Professorship (W2 Tenure Track W3) for Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Family Firms, EBS University of Business and Law

2017
1st place on the list, Ozbun Entrepreneurship Endowed Chair (Rank: tenured Associate Professor), North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, USA - position was not filled

2017
2nd place on the list, Full Professor of Innovation Economics/Innovation Management, Private University Schloss Seeburg, Seekirchen, Austria
 

Continuing education

2015
Acquisition of the certificate: "Competence for Professional University Teaching" from the Central Hesse University Didactics Network

Teaching activities and module responsibilities

Module responsibilities in the Bachelor's and Master's degree programmes (selection)

Digital Transformation of Organisations (M.Sc.)

Business Model Innovation (M.Sc.)

Entrepreneurship (M.Sc.)

Corporate Entrepreneurship (M.Sc.)

Research seminar digital transformation in family businesses (M.Sc.)

Literature seminar Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship (B.Sc.)

Quantitative Empirical Research Methods (B.Sc.)

Start-up Creation and Management (B.Sc.)

Supervision of a total of 86 theses (as of 05/2022)

Teaching appointments

10/2022 - today
University of Kassel, Institute of Management Strategic Entrepreneurship (M.Sc.)

10/2015 - today
IHK Hessen Innovativ, certificate course Innovation Manager Development of Digital Business Models

09/2019 - today
University of Salzburg Business School - Analysing digital maturity and developing new business models (Executive Master in Digital Transformation)

10/2014 - 04/2021
University of Kassel, Institute of Management - Multivariate Analysis Methods (M.Sc.)

12/2019 - 02/2020
Witten/Herdecke University - Business Model Innovation (M.Sc.)

07/2019 - 09/2019
Philipps-Universität Marburg - Quantitative Empirical Research Methods (B.Sc.)

12/2017 - 04/2018
University of Liechtenstein - Cooperation & Partnerships (M.Sc.)

03/2017 - 5/2017
Handelshochschule Leipzig, Leipzig Graduate School of Management, Cologne site - Entrepreneurship (M.BA.)

03/2014 - 10/2016
University of Kassel, Institute of Management - Business Model Innovation (M.Sc.)

Doctoral training

Ongoing
Maren H. Bendel, M.Sc. - working title: Cybersecurity in Family Firms

Ongoing
Rebecca A. Kleine, M.Sc. - Working title: Technological Frames in Family Firms: How Family Firms Make Sense of Disruptive Technology

Ongoing
Marc Scheffler, M.Sc. - Working title: Technology Frames in Family Firms

Ongoing
Muhammad Anwar, M.Sc. - Working title: Business Model Innovation in Family Firms

Ongoing
Sebastian Döppe, M.Sc. - Working title: Mobility of the Future: Behaviors, Policy Implications and Business Models

Ongoing 
Dipl.-Kfm. Peter Harengel, M.Sc. - Working title: A Multi-level Investigation of Service Transitions in Manufacturing Firms

04/2019
Dr Marianne Hock, M.Sc. - Title: Enablers of Business Model Innovation - Theoretical Reflections, Empirical Analyses and Management Implications

12/2018
Dr Christian Klusmann, M.Sc. (second supervisor) - Title: Different perspectives on entrepreneurship and business models: Investigating entrepreneurial behaviour in startups, academia and corporations

05/2017
Dr Christian Rosenkranz, M.Sc. (second supervisor) - Title: Relational Governance in Family Firms - Theoretical Advancement and Empirical Evidence

05/2017
Dr Verena Joachim, M.Sc. (second supervisor) - Title: Competitiveness through front-end activities: How companies can steer new products to success

• Digitalisation / Digital transformation
• Artificial intelligence
• Business model innovations
• Start-ups
• Corporate cooperations

2024
Best Conference Paper Award of the ACIEK Conference 2024 for the paper: Franco, M., Quadros R., and Minatogawa, V., Blacksmiths' House, Wooden Knives: Why do Non-Digital Companies Succeed in Promoting Digital Outcomes While Failing to Organize Digitalisation?

2024
IEEE Technology and Engineering Management Society, 2023 IEEE TEM Best Publication Award for the paper: Klos, C., Spieth, P., Clauss, T., Klusmann, C. (2023), Digital Transformation of Incumbent Firms: A Business Model Innovation Perspective, IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management 70(6). 2017 - 2033.

2023
Schulze Publication Award 2022 by FamilyBusiness.org for the Paper: Breier, M., Kraus, S., Clauß, T., What the Pandemic Has Taught Us About Crisis Management,https://familybusiness.org/content/what-the-pandemic-has-taught-us-about-crisis-management.

2023
IEEE Technology and Engineering Management Society, 2021 IEEE TEM Best Publication Award for the paper: Clauss, T., Abebe, M., Tangpong, C., Hock, M. (2021), Strategic Agility, Business Model Innovation, and Firm Performance: An Empirical Investigation, IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management 68(3). 767-784.

2022
Best Paper on Conference Theme at the International Family Enterprise Research Academy (IFERA) Conference 2022, for the paper Issah, W., Anwar, M., Clauss, T., Kraus, S., Managerial Capabilities and Strategic Renewal during the COVID-19 Crisis: A Generational View.

2021
Emerald Literati Outstanding Paper Award 2021 in the International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour and Research, for the paper: Kraus, S., Clauss, T., Breier, M., Gast, J., Zardini. A., Tiberius, V. (2020), The economics of COVID-19: initial empirical evidence on how family firms in five European countries cope with the corona crisis, International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior and Research, 26(5), 1067-1092.

2020
FGF Norbert Szyperski Technology and Innovation Management Award 2020 for the paper: Menter, M., Göcke, L., Zeeb, C., Clauss, T., Disentangling the complex longitudinal relationships between business model innovation and firm performance.

2018
Best Paper Award of the Department of Economics at Philipps-Universität Marburg for the paper: Spieth, P., Schneider, S., Clauss, T., Eichenberg, D. (2018), Value drivers of social businesses: A business model perspective, Long Range Planning, 52(3), 427-444.

2017
Nomination for the teaching award of the Department of Economics at the Philipps University of Marburg with the course "Entrepreneurship"

2017
Best Young Researcher Award of the Department of Economics at the Philipps University of Marburg for the paper: Clauss, T., Döppe, S. (2016), Why Do Urban Travellers Select Multimodal Travel Options: A Repertory Grid Analysis, Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Vol. 93, pp. 99-116.

2017
Nomination for the teaching award of the Department of Economics at the Philipps University of Marburg with the course "Quantitative Empirical Research Methods"

2017
Conference travel grant of the German Academic Exchange Service in the amount of 2300€

2016
Nomination (top 4 articles) for the KSG Award for the best conference contribution of the G-Forum 2016 with the article Clauß, T., Kesting, T., Naskrent, J. (2016), Does business model innovativeness trigger customer value co-creation? The moderating role of frequency of interaction and knowledge transfer, G-Forum 2016, Leipzig, Germany, 05-07 October 2016.

2016
Academy of Management Annual Meeting 2016 - Best Paper Award and inclusion in the Best Paper Proceedings (top 10% of accepted papers) with the article: Clauss, T., Bouncken, R. B. (2016), Spark a fire? Buyers' Social power and alliance governance, Academy of Management Annual Meeting 2016, Anaheim, USA, 05-09 August 2016.

2016
Conference travel grant of the German Academic Exchange Service in the amount of 2200€

2015
Nomination for the teaching award of the Department of Economics of the Philipps University of Marburg with the Bachelor course "Quantitative Empirical Research Methods"

2015
Conference travel grant from the German Academic Exchange Service in the amount of € 2200

2014
Award and promotion of research in the field of business model innovations by Lexware in the amount of 2500€

2013
Award for the best PhD thesis in the Faculty of Management at the University of Hamburg in 2012.

2010
Best Paper Award 2010 of the Deutsche Werbewissenschaftliche Gesellschaft (DWG) and the Österreichische Werbewissenschaftliche Gesellschaft (WWG) for the article: Clauß, T., Teichert, T., Staupe, P. (2010), Suchmaschinennutzung als Prädiktor der Produktnachfrage - Eine Längsschnittanalyse auf Basis von Daten aus Google Insights for Search, transfer - Werbeforschung & Praxis,4/2010, S. 6-20.

2009
Award for the best advanced dissertation outline in 2010 from the VHB Young Talent Commission, Technology, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (TIE)

2007
Award for the best graduate in industrial engineering at the University of Kassel in 2007.