What is the purpose of the CC BIE?
Digital Transformation encompasses the strategic renewal of business models, operating models, and digital platforms. This requires far-reaching changes across organisational, technical, and cultural boundaries.
The CC BIE develops models and methods that enable organisational management to approach transformation with confidence and which support the implementation of complex transformation programmes.
In addition, the companies and individuals participating in the CC BIE exchange experiences and good practices.
Who is the CC BIE aimed at?
The CC BIE brings together researchers with C-level executives and experts from business and IT who want to advance the transformation of their organisations.
Typical drivers of transformation in industry & commerce include:
• Integration of international corporate groups
• Digitalisation of business models
• Extension of the value chain
• Company mergers
• Growth and scaling
• Development of data-driven business models
• Harmonisation of global ERP landscapes
• Standardisation / harmonisation of processes
…and in the public sector:
• Introduction of digital citizen services
• Development of digital business administration
• Integration of data and processes between authorities
• Replacement of fragmented specialist systems
…as well as in healthcare:
• Business model adjustments due to new reimbursement models
• Need for transparency around services, costs, and processes
• Implementation of clinical information systems (CIS) and introduction of electronic patient records (EPR)
• Data-driven management of resources (beds, operating theatre capacities)
What are the key instruments of the CC BIE?
Over recent years, the CC BIE has conducted intensive research together with partners from practice on the success factors of digital transformation and transformational projects. This work has produced two key frameworks:
The Digital Transformation Orchestrator (DTO),
explained in: Schröder, D., Kiselev, C., Rohner, S., Kautz, T., Rohner, P., Entwicklung, Einsatz und Wirkung des Digital Transformation Orchestrator, in: Controlling (2022), H. 1, pp. 56–61.
…and the Value Stream Orchestrator (VSO),
here in the version for manufacturing with the value streams Lead-to-Cash, Plan-to-Produce, Source-to-Pay, Supply Chain Management, Record-to-Report, and Hire-to-Retire, published in: Schröder, D., Kiselev, C., Rohner, S., Schneidinger, C., Rohner, P., Neue QS-Ansätze als Erfolgsfaktor für SAP S/4HANA-Einführungen in der Industrie, in: Controlling (2024), H. 5, pp. 69–76.
What is the practical impact of the CC BIE?
Two HSG spin-offs have emerged from the CC BIE environment:
BEG Analytics AG (analytics.beg.swiss) led by HSG alumnus Dr. Lars Baacke
BEG Impact AG (impact.beg.swiss) with HSG alumna Dr. Caroline Kiselev as a member of the management team
Concepts, methods, and tools based on the DTO and VSO from the CC BIE have been applied in the following organisations (selection):
• Accelleron Industries
• Arbonia Group
• Claraspital
• Geberit
• Georg Fischer +GF+
• Helvetia Insurance Group
• Canton of Basel-Stadt
• Canton of St. Gallen
• Canton of Zurich
• Lucerne Cantonal Hospital
• Rieter
• Schwarz Group (Lidl)
• Swiss Federal Chancellery
• Swiss Federal Office for Information Technology and Telecommunication (BIT)
• Swiss Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy, and Communications
• V-ZUG
The results of the CC BIE are regularly presented at practitioner conferences and events, for example:
• Rohner, P., Kiselev, C.: Success with large, complex projects. Armasuisse, Bern, 3 March 2026.
• Rohner, P.: Leading Transformation. Lead26, Zurich, 19 November 2025.
• Rohner, P.: C-level strategies for industry and commerce of the future. Morning Meetup, Zurich, 23 October 2025.
• Rohner, P.: Integrative Digital Business Organisation as a success factor for Digital Transformation. Mercer Business Breakfast, Munich, 2 July 2025.
• Langenegger, P., Rohner, P.: New QA approaches as a success factor for SAP S/4HANA implementations in industry. IG SAP, Zurich, 14 November 2024.
• Rohner, P.: How to make SAFe (even) more successful. SAFe® Leadership Forum, Zurich, 19 September 2024.
• Rohner, P.: The significance and logic of new forms of collaboration and organisation for Digital Transformation. CC BIE Roundtable, Winterthur, 20 May 2022.
• Rohner, P., Schröder, D.: SAP S/4HANA transition with strategic ambition. DSAG, St. Gallen, 18 November 2021.
• Rohner, P., Schröder, D.: Challenges & solutions for the board in Digital Transformation. Swiss Board School, St. Gallen, 20 November 2020.
What is the research impact of the CC BIE?
Under the supervision of the CC BIE professors, a number of exciting doctoral projects have been conducted in recent years, resulting in a wide range of publications and conference contributions:
• Resilience Capacity and Organisational Outcomes Under Uncertainty (Dissertation, University of Liechtenstein)
• Securing the Future: An Exploratory Study on the Impact of Cybersecurity Capabilities on Strategic Innovation (Dissertation, HSG University of St. Gallen)
• Identifying patterns of innovation-efficient firms: Practices, processes and techniques (Dissertation, University of Liechtenstein)
• Agility Transformation Excellence: Guiding Organizations Towards Corporate Agility (Dissertation, HSG University of St. Gallen)
• A Prioritization Method for Scaled Agile Environments (Dissertation, HSG University of St. Gallen)
• Data Analytics in External Auditing (Dissertation, HSG University of St. Gallen)
• Essays on Open Government Data (Dissertation, University of Lausanne)
• Longitudinal Evaluation of Organizational Effects in Swiss Public Administrations (Dissertation, University of Lausanne)
• Progressing with Digital Transformation Endeavors – Towards Improved Governance (Dissertation, HSG University of St. Gallen)
• Understanding Open Government Data through a User-Oriented Perspective (Dissertation, University of Lausanne)
What are the topics and projects currently being pursued in the CC BIE?
• Enterprise Automation in industry (jointly with PSCM-HSG; Prof. Dr. Thomas Friedli and practice partners)
• Digital Sovereignty in the age of cloud and AI (jointly with the Institut de hautes études en administration publique – IDHEAP – of the University of Lausanne; Prof. Dr. Tobias Mettler and practice partners)
• Project / Product Success (jointly with practice partners)
How can organisations collaborate with the CC BIE?
The CC BIE regularly organises meetings with practitioners on current topics and works with individual organisations or groups of organisations on specific themes and projects.
How can I get in touch with the CC BIE?
Please write to peter.rohner@unisg.ch.