The University of Liechtenstein congratulates Sophie Hartl on the successful defense of her dissertation titled “Explaining and Understanding Organizational Dynamics Using Digital Trace Data.”

How do organizations change in the digital age, and how can these processes be made visible? This was the question Sophie Hartl explored in her dissertation under Prof. Dr. Jan vom Brocke at the Department of Information Systems at the University of Liechtenstein. The focus of the work is on the potential of digital trace data—process data from IT systems—for analyzing organizational dynamics.

Based on five scientific studies, Hartl developed structured methodological approaches to identify, interpret, and better understand changes in processes. The research combines computer-based analyses with context-specific, theory-based insights.

The findings provide new insights into how IT-driven changes influence process flows, which contextual factors should be considered in process analysis, and how data-based foundations for decision-making can be created. The work thus makes an important contribution to research in the field of process science and supports organizations in dealing with digital transformation.

The University warmly congratulates Sophie Hartl on the successful defense of her dissertation and thanks her supervisor Prof. Dr. Jan vom Brocke, co-supervisor Prof. Dr. Martin Matzner from the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, as well as the chair of the defense committee Prof. Dr. Leo Brecht for their valuable support.