The proposed thesis can build on two case studies that have investigated Digital Business Strategy and IT/IS Strategy development in practice with a special eye on how both strategies are conceived of and relate to each other (Bharadwaj et al. 2013; Teubner and Stockhinger 2020). The case studies were conducted in (1) a medium-sized company in the metal processing industry headquartered in the Münsterland and (2) a medium-sized trading company for windows, doors, and facility safety solutions located in Schleswig-Holstein. Both companies do business on an international scale and are currently actively digitalizing their businesses, e.g. by embracing IoT solutions.

The aim of the thesis is to distil some generalizable insights from a comparatitive analysis of the two case studies as concerns (a) how DBS is understood in practice, (b) why DBS are devised, and (c) how the DBS is demarcated from IT/IS strategy. Based on these insights, the thesis may (d) put to discussion propositions on when organizations should devise a DBS in addition to an IT/IS strategy and (e) how both strategies could be developed in relation to each other.

We can support the candidate with a detailed documentation of the case studies conducted and, if necessary, direct access to the companies.

The proposed thesis can build on two well-documented case studies that have investigated Digital Business Strategy and IT/IS Strategy development in practice with a special eye on how both strategies are conceived of and relate to each other (Bharadwaj et al. 2013; Teubner and Stockhinger 2020). The case studies were conducted in (1) a medium-sized company in the metal processing industry headquartered in the Münsterland and (2) a medium-sized trading company for windows, doors, and facility safety solutions located in Schleswig-Holstein. Both companies do business on an international scale and are currently actively digitalizing their businesses, e.g. by embracing IoT solutions.

The aim of the thesis is to distil some generalizable insights from the two case studies already conducted as concerns (a) how DBS is understood in practice, (b) why DBS are devised, and (c) how the DBS is demarcated from IT/IS strategy. Based on these insights, the thesis may (d) put to discussion propositions on when organizations should devise a DBS in addition to an IT/IS strategy and (e) how both strategies could be developed in relation to each other.

We can support the candidate with a detailed documentation of the case studies conducted and, if necessary, direct access to the companies.