On 27.8.2021 the Ernst Zander Prize 2021 was awarded. This prize, donated by Prof. Dr. Ernst Zander, is awarded annually for outstanding scientific achievements (primarily dissertations) from all faculties of the Ruhr-Universität, in particular from the faculties of economics, law and engineering. The selection of the prize-worthy works is made -on the suggestion of the Institute for Corporate Management (ifu) of the Ruhr-Universität Bochum- by the board of the Alwin Reemtsma Foundation, which includes the Chancellor of the Ruhr-Universität, who also performed this year's award ceremony.
This year the prize was shared, as it had been several times in previous years. Dr. Kristin Kalies ("Contributions to Tax Impact and Tax Planning", supervisor: Prof. Dr. Heiko Müller), Dr. Timo Klünder ("Significance and Assessment of Sustainability in the Context of Industry 4.0", supervisor: Prof. Dr. Steven) and Dr. Sebastian Wagener, ("Studies on Performance Measurement, Due Diligence and Information Systems", supervisor: Prof. Dr. Thorsten Knauer) were awarded.
Dr. Kristin Kalies has been working as a research assistant at the Chair of Business Taxation of Prof. Dr. Heiko Müller since October 2014.
Dr. Timo Klünder has been a research assistant at the Chair of Production Management of Prof. Dr. Marion Steven since October 2015.
Dr. Sebastian Wagener worked as a research assistant at the Chair of Controlling of Prof. Dr. Thorsten Knauer from March 2016 to June 2020. After completing his doctorate, Dr. Wagener took up employment as a business unit controller at dSPACE GmbH in July 2020.
The German tax system is not designed to be decision-neutral. Thus, it may be
the advantageousness of an alternative action in a world with taxes differs from that in a world
from that in a world without taxes. Insofar as the various
are affected by taxation to different extents, the consideration of taxes may lead to a ranking of the alternatives,
the consideration of taxes can lead to a change in the ranking of the advantageousness of the alternative
of the alternative courses of action. In this case, the taxation itself influences the
Decision on the choice of alternative, there is a tax effect.
Mrs. Dr. Kristin Kalies deals in her work with the decision effect of income taxation and tax planning arrangements. First, the tax effects and tax planning measures in connection with the special capital gains taxation according to § 34 EStG are analyzed. By means of tax burden comparisons and indifference equations, tax advantageous or disadvantageous income constellations of the special capital gains taxation are identified within the scope of a tariff analysis. Subsequently, the tax effects resulting from the taxation of investment funds under the Investment Tax Reform Act are examined. Using combined
income tax rates, permanent and temporary tax burden differences of the equity fund investment to the direct equity investment in private assets are calculated. Based on this, the effects resulting from the different taxation concepts are examined in a multi-period model and the key parameters for a tax advantage comparison are identified.
Significance and assessment of sustainability in the context of Industry 4.0
Challenges such as the United Kingdom's exit from the European Union or demographic change demand an increase in the economic performance of companies. Global climate change also poses a challenge to manufacturing. Increasing ecological performance is necessary to stabilize the temperature rise and meet the 1.5 °C target. For more than one third of all consumers, socially just production is a relevant consumption criterion. Increasing social performance is therefore also essential for many companies. Addressing these economic, environmental and social challenges is a complementary design task whose common goal is sustainable development. Such fundamental changes in production can be triggered by the so-called fourth industrial revolution, also referred to as Industry 4.0 due to its digital character in reference to the version designations of software. The transition to Industry 4.0 requires companies to create value cooperatively, in addition to sustainably.
Mr. Dr. Timo Klünder develops a holistic, application-oriented and empirically supported tool for the ad-hoc selection of the most suitable cooperative partner to maintain or establish sustainable production. After drawing an analogy between the production concept Lean Production and the production paradigm Industrie 4.0, the methodological, design and content principles of Lean Production are adapted. This analogous transfer forms the basis for the development of an application-oriented and an analysis-oriented benchmarking tool for selecting a suitable cooperation partner. While the application-oriented Industrie 4.0 sustainability cube represents a transparent, user-friendly and flexible way to select a cooperation partner, the analysis-oriented Industrie 4.0 sustainability benchmarking contributes to a deeper understanding of the decision-making situation. This procedure is made possible by interviewing twelve experts, applying the Analytic Hierarchy Process, and the outranking procedure PROMETHEE. The integration of these procedures enables cooperation decisions to be made in a more structured and sustainable manner than with purely intuitive decision-making.
Studies on Performance Measurement, Due Diligence, and Information Systems
Measuring success has traditionally been a focus of accounting. Key figures such as sales, annual result and productivity not only serve effective corporate management, but also as a continuous yardstick for decision-makers and companies alike. The data used to determine performance is correspondingly important. However, digitization is permanently changing data preparation and analysis in accounting, and thus at the same time the process of performance measurement.
Against this background, Dr. Sebastian Wagener illuminates different facets of this complex of topics in his cumulative dissertation. On the one hand, the motivating effect of feedback of simple performance indicators can be demonstrated on an individual level. On the other hand, the widespread use of accounting policy measures in middle management, with frequent efforts to achieve outcome targets, is outlined. Corporate performance also represents a central focus of investigation in buyer-side audits prior to corporate transactions (so-called due diligence), the prevalence and design of which are examined in more detail in the thesis.
Because of the significant changes in performance measurement due to digitalization, the thesis also analyzes the influence of IT systems in controlling. In particular, the focus is on the suitability of innovative technologies, such as blockchain and robotic process automation (RPA). These developments show the potential to contribute to significant process simplifications.
