Sven-V. Rehm
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#Inference matters...
I’m a researcher working at the intersection of management, information systems, and the systems sciences. My work explores Collective Intelligence — the evolving dynamics of how groups act and perform together, especially when shaped by artificial intelligence and digital technologies.
As a cybernetician, I believe that “inference matters” — it’s our ability to draw meaning, make sense, and take action that determines how technologies influence communication and understanding. I’m particularly interested in how organizations, open initiatives, and cities can harness AI to enhance innovation and decision-making.
I strive to make research actionable. That’s why I collaborate with firms and public institutions — through future foresight workshops, digital transformation coaching, and the co-design of research-intensive projects.
RESEARCH
Collective Intelligence
My research centers on hybrid collectives — teams, networks, and organizations enhanced by digital technologies. I study how these collectives structure themselves, adapt, and improve communication and decision-making in complex environments.
DIGITAL PLATFORMS & INFRASTRUCTURES
Digital platforms and infrastructures are the scaffolding of modern
ecosystems
— civic, business, or otherwise. My research examines how these systems support collective growth, learning, and reorganization, especially in areas like
urban sustainability and smart city development.
METHODS
I apply a wide range of research methods, including: Qualitative empirical research, Design Science, System Dynamics, Natural Language Processing (e.g., Knowledge Graphs and GraphRAG). These approaches help me capture both the nuance and the structure of complex socio-technical systems.
RECENT ACTIVITIES
COOPERATION
I focus on creating real-world impact by translating research into managerial and strategic practice. Since 2000, I’ve worked on over 40 digitalization projects with private companies and public organizations across Europe — helping them enhance their capabilities in information management, innovation, and digital transformation.
I have led and acquired more than a dozen cooperative research projects, with a combined budget exceeding €30 million EUR.
Let’s talk about how AI and systems thinking can support your organization’s goals. I'm open to various forms of collaboration:
Workshops
- Future Foresight
- Networked Innovation Management
Coaching
- Digital Transformation
- Systems Thinking and Managerial Cybernetics
Cooperations
- Development of research-intensive projects to advance managerial or organizational capabilities
- Acquisition of third-party funding (EU)
EDUCATION
Diploma in Cybernetics Engineering
University of Stuttgart, Germany, 1995-2000
Doctor of Engineering
University of Stuttgart, Germany, 2001-2006
Habilitation in Business Administration
WHU - Otto Beisheim School of Management, 2014
AWARDS & NOMINATIONS
TUM Global Visiting Professor 2020-2021
at Technical University of Munich, I have researched with the Chair of Software Engineering for Business Information Systems on digital infrastructures
Best Paper Awards and Runner-ups at AMCIS 2019, ACIS 2018 & ICEIS 2018
MISQE nomination for the AIS Senior Scholar’s Best Paper in IS award 2015
with article “Role of Information Systems in Empowering Innovation Networks” Rehm, Goel, Junglas, 2015, MIS Quarterly Executive, 14(3), 87-103.