Chair of Business Engineering

A central task of Business Economics consists in the analysis and the design of highly efficient information and communication systems in economy and administration. Methods and techniques in Business Engineering support both the analysis and the design and are gaining in importance in view of the constant change in business environments. In this context, business engineering takes different perspectives such as for instance the contemplation of operative processes, the static description of information structures (by way of data and object models), the representation of relevant aspects of the corporate strategy or the description of the architecture of information systems. At the same time it ensures the consistent development of the interdependent views.

Efficient information and communication systems have strategic importance due to the specific characteristics of financial services (e.g. the immaterial quality, the need of explanation). As for that financial services resp. financial service companies are not only an interesting field of application for business engineering, but business engineering is becoming more and more important for financial service companies, since it supports the analysis and the design of information and communication systems.

Research topics

The further development of the methods in business engineering, for financial services in particular, represents the central research objective; research in this context concentrates on

• Process Management
• Operational Excellence with specific emphasis on the application of Six Sigma at Financial Service Providers
• Information System Architectures
• Development and Construction of Methods (Method Engineering)

Teaching goals

The course of studies is geared to students who want to participate in shaping the changes occurring in business environments by analysing and developing efficient information and communication systems. It is our chief aim to deliver comprehensive skills in the methods and techniques as well as in the application of the latters to the students of Business Engineering.

Short biography

Susanne Leist took over the chair for Business Informatics, particularly Business Engineering, at the University of Regensburg in December 2004. Prior to her call she worked in several research and business projects and taught at Universities in Germany and Switzerland (Europa-University Viadrina in Frankfurt (Oder), University of St. Gallen/Switzerland, Goethe University Frankfurt/Main). Her main research and teaching fields include methods and techniques in Business Engineering especially Process and Quality Management, Method Engineering and Information Systems in the finance business. She is the member of the section "Information Systems in the Financial Management" of the Gesellschaft für Informatik, an associate of the Virtual Global University and a member of the Editorial Boards of both the quartely magazine `BIT Banking and Information Technology` and the research magazine of the University of Regensburg, “Blick in die Wissenschaft”. She acts as a reviewer in several international committees.