Prof. Dr. Helmut Krcmar, who until 2020 held the Chair of Information Systems at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), was awarded the Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany. The medal was presented by Bavaria’s Minister of Science, Bernd Sibler. “Prof. Krcmar is an essential developer of our digital future”, said Minister of State Sibler in his laudation. In his function as Founding Dean, Prof. Krcmar has been driving growth at TUM Campus Heilbronn since 2018.

State Minister Bern Sibler (left) and Prof. Dr. Helmut Krcmar (right) // Photo: Matthias Balk

Helmut Krcmar conducts research in the fields of digital transformation, information and knowledge management, platform-based ecosystems, management of IT-based services and e-government. In 2002, he was appointed to the Technical University of Munich, where he held the Chair of Information Systems until his retirement in 2020. An economist by training and interdisciplinary researcher, he was a member of both the Department of Informatics and the TUM School of Management.

Krcmar is a widely cited author in his field. In 2019, he ranked first in the “WirtschaftsWoche Ranking” of the most research-intensive economists in the German-speaking areas. In July 2018, he was appointed as Founding Dean of the new TUM Campus Heilbronn.

Potential of digitalization recognized early on

In his laudatory speech, Minister of Science, Bernd Sibler described Krcmar as a key developer of our digital future. “As early as the 1990s, you recognized: Digitalization has the potential to fundamentally transform our economy and society. For this to succeed, we need bright minds today and in the future to accompany this process.”

As a university professor, Krcmar passes on his expertise and supports young scientists in their advancement. Prof. Krcmar has guided more than 100 doctoral students to their dissertations, and his textbook “Information Management” is a standard work for students of information systems. However, Prof. Krcmar uses his cumulative IT expertise not only professionally, but also for extensive voluntary work.

Central function in the development of TUM at the Heilbronn Campus

As the Founding Dean and Delegate Officer of the President for the TUM Campus Heilbronn, Prof. Helmut Krcmar has played a key role in establishing and shaping TUM at the educational campus in Heilbronn since 2018. Research and teaching in Heilbronn aim to build bridges between economics, engineering and computer science, the disciplines that Prof. Krcmar has united in his decades of work. Modern research fields, such as those related to digital transformation and platform economy, are being applied in the innovative companies of the Heilbronn-Franken region, as well as worldwide. In direct dialog with the local economy, Prof. Krcmar understands the challenges companies face today as valuable impulses for research.

In addition to his work as a scientist, the best possible teaching is also an important concern for him. “With our students, we emphasize entrepreneurial skills by training them to become responsible business leaders. They should not only put what they have learned into practice, but also ask the right questions in their careers so that they can deal with the challenges of tomorrow in a solution-oriented manner,” says Prof. Helmut Krcmar.

With currently 230 students and nine professors, the TUM in Heilbronn is on a strong growth course. The two research centers are oriented toward the needs of the many small and medium sized enterprises in the region. At the Center for Digital Transformation, scientists research questions of digitalization, its challenges and opportunities. Practice-oriented research is thus used to develop solutions and generate direct benefits for business and society. The Global Center for Family Enterprise is unique in its focus. In their scientific work, the researchers explore a broad range of topics such as succession, strategy, innovation and governance in family businesses. In particular, the main interest is to better understand the interplay between family and business. “In this way, we can bundle our research even better and generate valuable synergies in the region,” says Prof. Dr. Helmut Krcmar.

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