Prof. Michael Dowling – Teaching old analog dogs new digital tricks and dealing with disruptive innovation

In our English Language Special episode of the DigiKompetenz
Podcast, we speak with the renowned innovation researcher and
fascinating US-American, Professor Dr. Michael Dowling, Chair of
Innovation and Technology Management in the Faculty of Business,
Economics, Information Systems and Real Estate at the University
of Regensburg and Chairman of the Board of MÜNCHNER KREIS e.V.,
an independent, interdisciplinary and international platform for
active and diverse discussions on digital transformation amongst
key players from business, academia and public policy.


We have all heard about innovation – or have we? Companies today
face the challenge of developing the right portfolio of new
competencies for their business for the future - and that in an
age where core businesses are more in the evolution process, than
they have ever been and where there are all kinds of different
innovation. The key to successful transformation is being open to
change. So can you teach an old dog new digital tricks? And do we
have to adopt new methods of doing business to survive?


For example, can we look to cooperations of competitors such as
Pfizer and BioNTech as examples of good ways to move forward? Or,
why do established companies have problems with disruptive
innovation? And what are the key reasons that trailblazing
innovation often gets blocked to the detriment of the company?
And what can we learn from past examples? How can you predict
disruptive innovation? These and many more fascinating aspects of
digital transformation and digital competency in our inspiring
conversation. Innovation through the eyes of the innovation
specialist and researcher, who authored a book chapter in
Handbuch Digitale Kompetenzentwicklung- Wie sich Unternehmen auf
die digitale Zukunft vorbereiten (Manual Digital Competence – How
Companies prepare themselves for the Digital Future) on this
topic together with the psychologist, Head of Digital Competence
Development & COO of i40.de, Martin Dowling, who we
interviewed in a previous podcast episode (in German).


From digital promoters at all levels of companies in all
departments, disruptive innovation and the role of communication
between marketing and technology via why solely thinking about
giving existing best customers better solutions is not the
complete key to the future, through to why the fear of
cannibalization of something a company is already doing
successfully can inhibit innovation and what we can learn from
Nokia, Apple and Microsoft. One thing is for sure. Mindset is
key. And this one will keep you thinking in and around digital
innovation and what it means for your business.


Would you like to know, what exactly “Coopetition” is, how to
break mindsets, why Lieutenant William Sims from the US navy
meeting Admiral Percy Scott from the UK Navy is important for
looking at disruptive innovation, who said “nobody will ever pay
800 Euros for a smartphone”, what a rock band named “Wise Noise”
and soccer have to do with digitalization and how an American
Professor ended up in Regensburg? – Then listen in!