Post by Mika Yasuoka-Jensen

日本語はこちら　https://lnkd.in/eFHgbCsp This semester, I had the privilege of supervising FIVE Master's thesis groups at #ComputerSicence and #digitalTranforamtion, #RUC. Each group explored an inspiring topic, but one thesis in particular gave me a new perspective on Digital Transformation. The topic was VAR (Video Assistant Referee) and the changing role of football referees. This is also very timely, isn’t it? As many football fans know, VAR continues to spark debate. We often discuss whether the technology improves accuracy or slows the game. Yet this thesis asked a far more interesting question: How does VAR reshape the authority, responsibility, and professional identity of referees? What impressed me most was that the candidate moved beyond the traditional technology adoption perspective. A typical study might rely solely on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and ask whether a technology is useful and easy to use. This thesis went further by combining TAM's rational perspective with the Kübler-Ross model's emotional and identity-related perspective. As a result, the students were able to explain an important paradox: - Referees may accept the technology, yet still struggle with it. - The system may improve decision quality, yet still create stress and tension. The empirical work was particularly strong. Through careful analysis, the students developed concepts such as: #mentalSnapshot, #hybridAuthority and #distributedResponsibility. These concepts helped explain a key insight: - VAR is not merely a decision-support system. It is a system of authority redistribution. - VAR may improve the accuracy of decisions, but it also changes the underlying logic of the profession itself. For me, this is one of the most important lessons in Digital Transformation research as Digital Transformation is not primarily about technology. It is about the redesign of human roles, professional autonomy, responsibility, and authority. As a supervisor, I was proud not only of the quality of the analysis, the theoretical framing, and the use of data. I was equally impressed by the students' willingness to challenge conventional assumptions and develop new conceptual perspectives. Every year, I enter the supervision process hoping to help students grow. Every year, I am reminded that I learn just as much from them. This thesis was one of those reminders. #MasterThesis #Speciale #DigitalTransformation #RUC #UniversityTeaching #VAR #Innovation