Teaching

We conduct research on the intersection between digital entrepeneurship, digital ecosystems, and organizing data and knowldedge. We will provide multiple courses that help to explain changes on firm- and ecosystem levels using multiple theories and methodologies. Our teaching is usually highly interactive and builds upon concepts of blended learning, oftentimes 'flipping the classroom'. It is important to us to not only reflect latest findings of information systems research with our students but also to work together on applying that knowledge.

Summer '26

Digital Resilience for a Vital Europe (BIP)

Lecturer:
Prof. Dr. Hannes Rothe
Albina Komysheva , M.A.
Term:
Summer Semester 2026
Start:
20th Apr 2026
End:
7th Jun 2026
Language:
English

Important Notes:

The course takes place at Place Beyond Bytes: Franz-Haniel-Platz 1
47119 Duisburg

Description:

In today’s digital landscape, the ability to withstand and adapt to technological, legal, and sociopolitical disruptions is essential. That’s why we at the Chair of Sustainability and Innovation in Digital Ecosystems are organising a Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) on Digital Resilience in partnership with Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Copenhagen Business School and Pavol Jozef Šafárik University.

This BIP is open to all students from Aurora universities. It follows an integrated blended-learning format that combines independent online preparation, an intensive project-focused week on site, and a concluding virtual reflection phase.

Learning Targets:

  • Fundamentals of digital resilience
  • Individual digital resilience
  • Private Sector/Business Digital Resilience
  • Public Sector/Institutional Digital Resilience

Upon successful completion, students will be able to: 

  • Understand and analyse socio-political, technological, and legal dimensions of digital resilience.
  • Gain insights into best practices and concrete examples of digital resilience, drawing on both technological and legal perspectives.
  • Apply digital resilience concepts at individual, organisational, and institutional levels.
  • Develop innovative solutions for digital disruptions using entrepreneurial, civic, and analytical approaches.
  • Collaborate effectively in international, interdisciplinary teams.
  • Reflect critically on their learning process and teamwork experience.

Literature:

Literature will be given in class next to video and audio material.

  • Boh, W., Constantinides, P., Padmanabhan, B., & Viswanathan, S. (2023). Building Digital Resilience Against Major Shocks. MIS Quarterly, 47, 343–361.
  • Kahn, W. A., Barton, M. A., & Fellows, S. (2013). Organizational Crises and the Disturbance of Relational Systems. Academy of Management Review, 38(3), 377–396. doi.org/10.5465/amr.2011.0363
  • Komysheva, A., Rothe, H., & Wessel, L. (2026). Entrepreneurial digital resilience in war: Lessons from Ukrainian SMEs. In Proceedings of the 59th Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences. Maui, HI, United States.
  • Krishnan, C. S. N., Ganesh, L. S., & Rajendran, C. (2022). Entrepreneurial Interventions for crisis management: Lessons from the Covid-19 Pandemic’s impact on entrepreneurial ventures. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 72, 102830. doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2022.102830
  • Lindström, N. B., Razmerita, L., Prokopenko, S., & Popovich, N. (2024). Building Digital Resilience in Major Shocks: How Ukrainian Organizations Enact Digital Transformation in Times of War. 6813– 6822. doi.org/10125/107202
  • Liu, Y., Xu, X., Jin, Y., & Deng, H. (2023). Understanding the Digital Resilience of Physicians during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Empirical Study. MIS Quarterly, 47(1), 391–422. doi.org/10.25300/MISQ/2022/17248
  • Mitaľ O. and Fečko M. and Ručinská S. (2025). Soft Factors Driving the Resilience of European Cities. Studia Europejskie – Studies in European Affairs, 3/2025, 233-247. DOI: doi.org/10.33067/SE.3.2025.13
  • Tim, Y., & Leidner, D. E. (2023). Digital Resilience: A Conceptual Framework for Information Systems Research. Journal of the Association for Information Systems, 24(5), 1184–1198. doi.org/10.17705/1jais.00842
  • Van Der Vegt, G. S., Essens, P., Wahlström, M., & George, G. (2015). Managing Risk and Resilience. Academy of Management Journal, 58(4), 971–980. doi.org/10.5465/amj.2015.4004

Methods of Assessment:

The assessment follows Aurora's LOUIS Framework and includes: Team Project & Final Presentation (70%): Problem analysis, solution design, evidence-based justification, teamwork, and presentation quality. Individual Reflection Paper (30%): A 1000–1500-wor

Formalities:

The in-person phase will begin on 18 May 2026 and conclude on 22 May 2026.

New Policy on LLMs and Transparency in Work Creation

We are implementing a new policy to ensure transparency and clarity in the creation of student works, especially those involving Large Language Models (LLMs) like GPT. This policy applies to all works, including seminar papers, thesis, and project reports, and is designed to foster academic integrity, rigor, and replicability in your research.

Key Changes:

  1. All works must present a clear and transparent account of the methods and tools used in their creation. This includes documenting any use of AI or LLMs in the process.
  2. When LLMs are used, students are required to submit the complete chat history. This includes both the prompts given to the LLM and its responses. Students should ensure that they use a single chat session, save it in its entirety, and send it separately along with their work. This will provide a comprehensive record of how the work was generated.
  3. In the methods chapter of your work, there must be a specific sub-chapter detailing the tools and methods used to support your writing and study. This is to ensure that all methods, including AI-based tools, are fully explained and their role in the creation process is clear.