Student on IMC Campus Krems

Digital Business Innovation and Transformation master degree programme

Become a change agent! After your master degree, you'll lead your company into the future. You'll be able to coordinate and direct digital transformations, no matter what the industry. Because the future is digital.

The part-time master programme focuses on key business administration skills combined with expertise in digitalisation and innovation, as well as the ability to understand, motivate and lead people.

The degree programme: Master of Arts in Business (MA)

Big data, the Internet of things (IoT), artificial intelligence, blockchain technology and robotics: just a few examples of digital innovations that are permanently changing the rules of the game for organisations.

Companies must be well-prepared for new challenges in order to ensure their continued success and take advantage of the opportunities offered by digitalisation. Digital transformation shouldn't be a mere buzzword – it has to be reflected in the strategy, structures, corporate culture, and processes of a company.

And this is exactly what our programme prepares you for. As a graduate, you'll act as an ambassador for digitalisation and innovation: you'll see digitalisation as an opportunity and be able to show companies where potential for networking and ongoing development lies.

The master programme equips you with the skills you need to successfully manage digitalisation processes in companies. A powerful combination: business administration, digital and data expertise, and an understanding of the behavioural and sociological aspects of transformation.

Since digitalisation continues to increasingly connect the world, the degree stands out for its strong international focus. Just a few examples: English as the language of instruction, countless international teachers, and the opportunity to spend semester 3 at one of our 157 partner universities.

What makes the degree unique is our holistic approach to digitalisation. On the one hand, critical and analytical thinking are needed to fully exploit existing processes digitally. On the other hand, creativity is called for to explore potential and develop, test and, if necessary, integrate innovative products, services, and business models into the company. We call this process transformation. The challenge lies less in mastering the new digital technologies or ensuring profitability, but rather in bringing the human factor to the fore and incorporating it into the process. Our focus here is on customer-centric innovation using approaches such as design thinking, as well as on human-computer interaction, human development and communications, change and transformation management, leadership, and ethics.
Programme director Roger Hage

A formula for success: theoretical knowledge + practical experience

The programme is built on three pillars.

1

The business basics

Semesters 1-4

The programme starts by covering business basics with a special emphasis on the strategic focus of companies. You'll deal specifically with corporate structure and prepare yourself to assume management tasks in digital settings.

You'll develop a deep understanding of the importance of continuous optimisation processes, but risk management is also an important element of the curriculum. You'll learn how to implement proactive company-wide risk management systems. In addition, you'll become familiar with tools for identifying and assessing risks. This will enable you to objectively assess opportunities and risks and therefore reach sustainable corporate decisions.  Since technologies are developing rapidly, often exponentially, the degree prepares you for future scenarios and building corporate foresight: you learn how to continuously develop forward-looking strategies to prepare for future contingencies.

2

The core topics

Semesters 1-4

Innovation and digitisation have already become important corporate success factors and will become increasingly decisive for companies in the future.  During your studies you'll learn how to embed these elements in your company and successfully transform existing processes.  After graduation, you'll be excellently positioned to initiate and implement a transition from analogue to digital organisational structures.

In other words, you'll focus on how to make companies sustainable and competitive in the long term. You'll become an expert in ongoing change processes.

Digitalisation is a new discipline and as such is unable to tap into widely proven best practices. You will therefore learn how to experiment creatively and skilfully, and how to make evidence-based decisions, i.e. ones which are well-founded and data driven. You will gradually advance to become a data expert after taking a number of courses in data management and analysis, using statistical and programming tools such as R and SAS.  You won’t be a fully-fledged data scientist or programmer, but by the end of the programme you'll be capable of working effectively alongside IT engineers and data scientists.

3

The practical training

Semesters 1-4

A practical focus is more than just a buzzword at IMC Krems; our lecturers share their real-life professional experience. Many of the programme’s lecturers are regarded as experts in the digital economy and can draw on international experience. Problems are discussed and dealt with on the basis of case studies. And the Innovation Lab, a joint project with companies in semester 3, gives students practical insights into the topics they have covered.  You can select your project based on your interests and industry preferences. You can also learn from your fellow students by working in groups, all of whom can share their valuable experience from everyday professional settings.

In semesters 3 and 4 you will also be working on your master thesis.  Depending on your interests, your thesis will focus on a research-related or practical question. Ideally, your theses will examine a real-life project at your company. You can enhance your expertise on a topic of your choice and pick up valuable input from our experts.

Curriculum

What can you expect from your studies? The curriculum provides an overview.
Click on the individual courses for further information.

CourseSWSECTS
Digital Business Processes and Strategies
Digital Business Essentials
Strategy and Organisational Design 23
Digital Trends 24
Business Models and Analysis
Global Business Models 24
Digital Business Analysis 24
Digital Trends and Digital Innovation
Innovation Theories 23
Digital Process Management & Innovation 24
Data Management and Data Analysis
Data Management and Data Analysis I 24
Research and Master Thesis
Research Methods 24
CourseSWSECTS
Leading Digital Transformation and Innovation
Transformation Management
Change and Transformation Management 24
Project Management 24
Digital Business Processes and Strategies
Digitalisation of Value Chains 24
Digital Trends and Digital Innovation
Digital Transformation and Process Management 24
Data Management and Data Analysis
Data Management and Data Analysis II 24
Transformation Methods
Innovation Methods and Controlling
Human Centred Innovation 24
Innovation Controlling 24
Research and Master Thesis
Master Thesis Coaching Seminar 12
CourseSWSECTS
Digital Business Processes and Strategies
Human Development and Communication 23
Leading Digital Transformation and Innovation
Innovation Lab 46
Data Management and Data Analysis
Data Management and Data Analysis III 23
Human-Computer-Interaction 23
Research and Master Thesis
Master Thesis (I) 012
Transformation Methods
Corporate Foresight 23
CourseSWSECTS
Digital Business Processes and Strategies
Risks and Laws
Corporate Risk Management 23
Legal Awareness 12
Digital Trends and Digital Innovation
Culture, Leadership and Attitude
Digital Leadership 23
Ethics 12
Digital Trends and Innovation 22
Data Management and Data Analysis
Data Management and Data Analysis IV 23
Research and Master Thesis
Master Thesis (II) 010
Master Exam 05

Core topics

Re-imagine the business world! During your studies you'll ask yourself how you can advance digitalisation and innovation in your company based on basic economic principles.

Digital transformation

Where are we headed in this digitalised world? Get a holistic perspective of new technologies and work out how you can use digitalisation to add value to your business.

Opportunities of digitalisation

Developments such as automation, the sharing economy, prosumerisation – the growing professional demands of users on products and services – as well as smart services are only a few of the trends you'll deal with in depth. You'll also learn how to integrate digital processes into your corporate strategy and how your company can benefit from continuous improvement processes, right through to the development of innovative business processes.

On the other hand, you will also deal with the effects of digitalisation on society and the economy and learn to assess the associated opportunities and risks.

In this regard, you'll discuss how you can ensure that today's workforce meets tomorrow's needs. This means taking a close look at the conditions for digital work. For example, you'll deal with communication and collaboration among remote teams.

The power of data

During your studies you will come to realise the importance of data for the digitalisation of business models. You'll look at data generation, data management, data analysis and data visualisation. But data protection and governance play equally crucial roles, as do the appropriate tools and processes for optimal data management.

Let the data speak to you!  You will naturally also learn how you can benefit from data – especially for Industry 4.0, the Internet of things (IoT) and digital services. Big data analysis and data mining are two terms that come up a lot.

Innovation 4.0

It will soon become obvious to you that digitalisation and innovation go hand in hand. That's why you'll also deal with the key well-established and new innovation models. You'll learn digital approaches that you can use to increase innovation in your company.

Digitalisation calls for change

You'll deal with organisational forms that promote innovation, and learn to transcend restrictive structures in traditional organisations. During your studies you'll acquire tools that will help you to successfully manage digital change processes. Because professional project and change management are indispensable when implementing a digitalisation process.

You'll also learn how to make the most of internal and external trends and developments. Based on your analyses, you'll design scenarios to ensure that your company is well-positioned to face the future.

Embedding innovation in your corporate culture

You'll also study human-centred innovation – especially design thinking – and learn about the underlying process in depth. Learn to walk the walk - that's the idea! It's a matter of identifying non-intuitive behaviour and reacting to it as quickly as possible with a prototype or a minimum viable product. Then you ask your users for feedback – and incorporate it immediately. This succinct process is then repeated several times.

In the Innovation Lab, you and your classmates will apply this approach to creatively, efficiently and effectively solve problems for real-world projects.

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Career options

After completing the Digital Business Innovation and Transformation master degree programme, you will have a solid understanding of the unique challenges and key success factors of digital business models.

You'll therefore be able to plan, direct, and drive production, service, or sales digital transformation processes.

After graduation, you'll enjoy new career opportunities because you'll be optimally positioned for an international career. You can use your newly acquired expertise to benefit your current company, or you can switch to another post in Austria or abroad.

The professional areas open to graduates include
change management with a focus on digital technologies
design and implementation of digital business models
digital supply chain management and logistics
big data analysis using digital technologies (e.g. optimisation of production lines by digital simulation of the production process)
project management
innovation management
business-oriented IT management
strategic management with a focus on digital business management
digital transformation consultancy
chief digital officer (CDO) responsibilities

10 good reasons


What makes us special? We are more than happy to tell you about the aspects of our university, which we are especially proud of.

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Krems


Friendly and cosmopolitan: The city attracts students from all over the world, who come to study, research and work together.

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Our university has removed a host of administrative hurdles, leaving you free to concentrate fully on your studies.

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Opinions: Digital Business Innovation and Transformation

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Our team

Get to know the core team of our master degree programme Digital Business Innovation and Transformation.

  • Prof.(FH) Mag. Gerhard Kormann-Hainzl - IMC Fachhochschule Krems
    Prof.(FH) Mag. Gerhard Kormann-Hainzl
    K
    Professor Department of Business
  • Dr. Dipl.-Wirt.-Inf. Helena Lovasz-Bukvova, MRes - IMC Fachhochschule Krems
    Dr. Dipl.-Wirt.-Inf. Helena Lovasz-Bukvova, MRes
    L
    Professor Department of Business
  • Prof.(FH) Mag.(FH) Dr. Manfred Pferzinger - IMC Fachhochschule Krems
    Prof.(FH) Mag.(FH) Dr. Manfred Pferzinger
    P
    Head of Institute Health Management / Deputy Academic Head / Programme...
  • Prof.(FH) Dipl.-Ing. Dipl.-Wirtsch.-Ing. Michael Bartz - IMC Fachhochschule Krems
    Prof.(FH) Dipl.-Ing. Dipl.-Wirtsch.-Ing. Michael Bartz
    B
    Professor Department of Business

Application and admissions – the next steps

You've found a course that's a perfect fit? Great – you’ve already taken the most important step! We’ve put together an overview to guide you through the next steps.

1

Admission requirements

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2

Admissions procedure

Preparation is everything – read up on the admissions procedure in detail.

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3

Important dates and deadlines

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4

Apply online

You've decided for one of our degree programmes? First of all: congratulations and thank you for choosing us! We’ll be happy to guide you step-by-step through your online application.

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Study-relevant dates

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