Digitalization and Dispute Resolution of an Enterprise
Module 8
International Dispute Resolution
Prof. Dr. Karsten Thorn
The course will deal with the peculiarities of international dispute resolution. It will concentrate on litigation but systematically show the congruences with and differences from international commercial arbitration. The course will take a comparative approach embracing different legal sources such as EU law, common law and international conventions, for example the recent Hague Conventions on Choice of Court Agreements (2005) and on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Judgments in Civil or Commercial Matters (2019). Major topics include jurisdiction issues, especially the admissibility of choice of forum agreements, the coordination between parallel proceedings, procedural issues like the service of documents, the taking of evidence and collective remedies and last but not least the recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments. Special attention will be paid to the protection of structurally weaker parties. Finally, the participants’ awareness of how to influence the substantive result of a lawsuit by procedural means will be sharpened.
Digitalization of an Enterprise
Prof. Dr. Dries Faems
The rise of digital technologies has further increased the strength and speed of disruption in a wide variety of industries. These changes do not only imply challenges, but also create opportunities for companies to innovate in terms of novel products, processes and business models. In this course, we provide a comprehensive overview of how companies can successfully manage digital transformation. To do so, we offer insights, tools, and practices from a strategic, organizational as well as innovation perspective.
From a strategic perspective, we will address questions such as (i) How to identify valuable digital transformation opportunities? (ii) What is the role of internal and external strategies in implementing digital transformation? (iii) How can I create and appropriate value from digital transformation?
From an organizational perspective, we will discuss issues such as (i) Do we need to generate a separate digital transformation unit or should digital transformation activities be fully integrated? (ii) How to structure teams that are responsible for digital transformation?
From an innovation perspective, the following topics will be addressed: (i) The role of open innovation in digital transformation, (ii) the need for novel business models to address digital transformation, (iii) the role of agile new product development in digital transformation.
In the lectures, participants will get advanced and state-of-the art knowledge on these issues. To do so, we rely on recent academic insights and case material. Moreover, participants will actively use novel tools and methodologies to execute assignments on how to successfully innovate for digital transformation.
Blockchain Law
Dirk Hartung
With progressing digitalization in the economic as well as social context, new business models and technologies have emerged. One of them is the distributed ledger technology (or: Blockchain). This course aims at providing participants with the necessary knowledge to understand the potential of Blockchain from a technical, legal and business perspective. The course will begin with a detailed introduction to encryption and other technology foundations for Blockchains. On this basis, use cases of Blockchains in the financial and art market will be discussed. Drawing upon these case studies the course will raise awareness both for benefits as well as potential risks of Blockchain applications and present the relevant legal, economic and social questions for discussion.
