Top

Published in:

2017 | OriginalPaper | Chapter

Industry Expertise and Dynamic Challenges: Perspectives of an Adopted Railwayman

Author : Rüdiger Grube

Published in: Evolving Business Models

Publisher: Springer International Publishing

Activate our intelligent search to find suitable subject content or patents.

search-config

AI-assisted search

Off

Abstract

This paper explores the role of industry expertise in senior management under changing conditions. It is argued that the quality of management decisions and the corporate culture always depend on an appropriate mix of specific industry expertise and transversal management skills. The optimum mix changes with the specific challenges presented by an industry at a given time. This is illustrated with the example of the railways in Germany, also in the light of the digitization of the mobility and logistics industry.

Dont have a licence yet? Then find out more about our products and how to get one now:

Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik"

Online-Abonnement

Mit Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik" erhalten Sie Zugriff auf:

über 102.000 Bücher
über 537 Zeitschriften

aus folgenden Fachgebieten:

Automobil + Motoren
Bauwesen + Immobilien
Business IT + Informatik
Elektrotechnik + Elektronik
Energie + Nachhaltigkeit
Finance + Banking
Management + Führung
Marketing + Vertrieb
Maschinenbau + Werkstoffe
Versicherung + Risiko

Jetzt Wissensvorsprung sichern!

inform now

Springer Professional "Wirtschaft"

Online-Abonnement

Mit Springer Professional "Wirtschaft" erhalten Sie Zugriff auf:

über 67.000 Bücher
über 340 Zeitschriften

aus folgenden Fachgebieten:

Bauwesen + Immobilien
Business IT + Informatik
Finance + Banking
Management + Führung
Marketing + Vertrieb
Versicherung + Risiko

Jetzt Wissensvorsprung sichern!

inform now

previous chapter Innovation for Health: Success Factors for the Research-Based Pharmaceutical Industry

next chapter The Airline Industry: Flying on Its Own Is not Enough

For the definition of a natural monopoly, see Knieps (2001), Chapter 2.

We can find the following statement as early as Sax (1879): “Having a monopoly is in the nature of rail transport (…).”

This can potentially be subdivided into many further areas, which is also reflected in the numerous professional magazines about railway transport and engineering.

Bill Gates (1999) presents various ideas on this question, showing how the flow of information can be managed, so that it reaches the right place within an organization at the right time. He also shows how interaction will change between an organization and its environment, its potential competitors, and its customers.

Michael Porter and James Heppelmann (2015) explain the enormous impact of the development of new, smart, and mutually networked products (the Internet of Things) on industry and point out the vast opportunities for the national economy arising from the expected increase in productivity and product developments. The authors also outline the areas of uncertainties, challenges, and management strategies.

See, for instance, Wilson III (2004) with a summary of the most important research issues arising in connection with digital leadership.

See, for instance, Herget and Mader (2008) on the problem of information overload and on possible solutions. The authors report that 43% of all managers in a survey feel that important decisions are delayed by irrelevant details.

An interesting introduction to the history of the railways can be found, for instance, in Rossberg (1999).

The history of rail transport started with the Stockton and Darlington Railway in England, where it opened on 27 September 1825. The Stockton and Darlington Company was the first public railway service to convey passengers. See Kirby (2002).

Following Germany’s railway reform in 1994, Deutsche Bahn AG was created through a merger between Deutsche Bundesbahn and Deutsche Reichsbahn. An overview and the results of the railway reform can be found in Schwilling and Bunge (2014).

The first chairman of the Management Board of Deutsche Bahn AG, Dr. Heinz Dürr, had a very clear business background and had worked for AEG and Daimler-Benz AG before joining DB AG. See also Sassmannshausen (2003).

See Schwilling and Bunge (2014).

The Service and Financing Agreement is a multi-annual contract between the German state and DB’s infrastructure companies and was concluded to ensure the long-term financing of the infrastructure.

In all, the DB Group has hundreds of digitization projects covering a wide range of purposes, and the volume of such projects is growing.

Custodio, C., & Metzger, D. (2013). How do CEOs matter? The effect of industry expertise on acquisition returns. The Review of Financial Studies, 26, 2008–2047.CrossRef

Gates, B. (1999). Digitales Business—Wettbewerb im Informationszeitalter. Munich: Heyne.

Herget, J. & Mader, I. (2008). Persönliches Informationsmanagement: Wege aus der täglichen Informationsflut. Konferenzbeitrag KnowTech 2008. Frankfurt am Main.

Kirby, M. (2002). The origins of Railway Enterprise—The Stockton and Darlington Railway 1821–1863. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Knieps, G. (2001). Wettbewerbsökonomie: Regulierungstheorie, Industrieökonomie, Wettbewerbspolitik. Berlin: Springer.CrossRef

Porter, M., & Heppelmann, J. (2015). How smart, connected products are transforming companies. Harvard Business Review, 114, 96–112.

Rossberg, R. (1999). Geschichte der Eisenbahn. Künzelsau: Sigloch Edition.

Sassmannshausen, G. (2003). Heinz Dürr. Annäherungen an einen neugierigen Unternehmer. Campus: Frankfurt am Main.

Sax, E. (1879). Die Verkehrsmittel in Volks- und Staatswirtschaft, Band II: Die Eisenbahnen. Wien: Alfred Hölder.

Schwilling, A., & Bunge, S. (2014). 20 Jahre Bahnreform und Deutsche Bahn AG—Erfolge und künftige Herausforderungen. Hamburg: DVV.

Wilson, E. (2004). Leadership in the Digital Age. In: G. Goethals, G. Sorensen, J. MacGregor Burns (eds.) The Encyclopedia of Leadership. Berkshire Publishing Group/Sage.

Title: Industry Expertise and Dynamic Challenges: Perspectives of an Adopted Railwayman
Author: Rüdiger Grube
Publisher: Springer International Publishing
Book: Evolving Business Models
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-48937-7

Electronic ISBN: 978-3-319-48938-4

Copyright Year: 2017
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-48938-4_8