The key to scaling in the digital era: Simultaneous automation, individualization and interdisciplinarity

Figures & data

Figure 1. Theoretical framework.

Table 1. Data.

Reference	Source
I1	CEO, co-founder of Netural, between 45 and 55
I2	Director of new business & consulting, seven years with the firm, between 35 and 45
I3	Senior strategist, one year with the firm, between 25 and 35
P1	EU-Startups (July, 9, 2021) “It is safe to say that the martech industry as a whole is thriving”: interview with Storyblok’s founder Dominik Angerer. https://www.eu-startups.com/2021/07/it-is-safe-to-say-that-the-martech-industry-as-a-whole-is-thriving-interview-with-storybloks-founder-dominik-angerer/
P2	Deutsche Startups (May 2, 2021) StartupTicker. https://www.deutsche-startups.de/2021/02/05/startupticker-5-2021/
P3	CMS Wire (February 22, 2021) A Look at What’s Driving Enterprise Demand in the Headless CMS Market. https://www.cmswire.com/web-cms/a-look-at-whats-driving-enterprise-demand-in-the-headless-cms-market/
P4	APA OTS (April 28, 2014) Aufgeschlossenheit und Mut für den digitalen Wandel [Open-mindedness and courage for digital change] https://www.ots.at/presseaussendung/OTS_20140428_OTS0217/aufgeschlossenheit-und-mut-fuer-den-digitalen-wandel-bild
P5	EU-Startups (February 4, 2021) Austrian startup Storyblok raises €7 million Series A to fund its expansion to Germany and Ireland https://www.eu-startups.com/2021/02/austrian-startup-storyblok-raises-e7-million-series-a-to-fund-its-expansion-to-germany-and-ireland/
P6	Trending Topics (June 29, 2020) BlockHealth: Linzer Startup will die bessere elektronische Gesundheitsakte machen [BlockHealth: A startup from Linz wants to develop a better electronic health record] https://www.trendingtopics.at/vivellio-blockhealth-app/
P7	It-dayly (August 20, 2021) Digitale Transformation: So wird ihr CMS vom Bremsklotz zum Treiber [Digital transformation: How to turn your CMS from an obstacle to a driver] https://www.it-daily.net/it-management/digitalisierung/30005-digitaler-wandel-in-der-hr-cloud-computing-statt-on-premise-dinosaurier
P8	Innovationorigins (April 23, 2019) Eine App zur Ermächtigung von Patienten im Gesundheitswesen [An app to empower patients in healthcare] https://innovationorigins.com/de/eine-app-zur-ermaechtigung-von-patienten-im-gesundheitswesen/
P9	TechCrunch (May 14, 2021) Even startups on tight budgets can maximize their marketing impact https://techcrunch.com/2021/05/13/even-startups-on-tight-budgets-can-maximize-their-marketing-impact/
P10	LeadersNet (April 10, 2013) Staatspreis Wirtschaftsfilm 2013 verliehen [State Prize for Business Film 2013] https://www.leadersnet.at/news/8335,staatspreis-wirtschaftsfilm-2013-verliehen.html
P11	ExtraJournal (February 17, 2021) Storyblok holt frisches Geld mit Schönherr, Binder Grösswang [Storyblok gets fresh money with Schönherr, Binder Grösswang] https://extrajournal.net/2021/02/17/storyblok-holt-frisches-geld-mit-schoenherr-binder-groesswang/
P12	TrendingTopics (July 5, 2021) Storyblok startet globales Partnerprogramm für Agenturen [Storyblok launches global agency affiliate program] https://www.trendingtopics.at/storyblok-startet-globales-partnerprogramm-fuer-agenturen/
P13	TrendingTopics (December 2, 2019) Storyblok: 2,3 Millionen Euro Investment für Linzer Software-Startup [Storyblok: €2.3 million investment for Linz-based software start-up]. https://www.trendingtopics.at/storyblok-investment-netural-spin-off/
P14	TrendingTopics (February 4, 2021) Storyblok: Linzer CMS-Startup schließt 8,5 Millionen US-Dollar Series-A-Runde ab [Storyblok: Linz-based CMS startup closes $8.5 million Series A round]https://www.trendingtopics.at/storyblok-linzer-cms-startup-schliesst-85-millionen-us-dollar-series-a-runde-ab/
15	Die Presse (February 14, 2018) Virtuell planen: Per Mausklick das Sofa an die Wand rücken [Virtual planning: push the sofa against the wall with a click of the mouse] https://www.diepresse.com/5361145/virtuell-planen-per-mausklick-das-sofa-an-die-wand-rucken
P16	OÖNachrichten (September 23, 2021) Linzer Möbel-Start-up Roomle an deutsche Homag Group verkauft [Linz-based furniture start-up Roomle sold to German Homag Group] https://www.nachrichten.at/wirtschaft/linzer-moebel-start-up-roomle-an-deutsche-homag-group-verkauft;art15,3463589

Table 2. Analytical categories and representative evidence.

Themes	Representative quotes
Automation	”Eight to ten years ago, we had a much broader offering, which made it quite difficult to standardize our consulting and implementation process. That often led to quite serious inefficiencies. Today we are much clearer on our focus, which helps us develop and implement standards for our processes.” (I2) ”Because we were able to automate a lot, we didn’t have to increase our human resources for a long time.” (P13) ”We optimize processes so we can offer costumers flexible and individual packages. If we are too expensive, there is the possibility to say, ok, let’s reduce the scope, let’s start with agile development and see how far we come with your budget. In agile development, time and budget can be fixed as long as the scope is flexible.” (I3)
Individualization	”The market offerings for our customers are highly individualized. We analyze business cases and conceptualize and implement digital services with a high degree of individualization.” (I2) ”Our solutions are always user-centric. The applications therefore have to be individualized in any project. So, we provide mostly highly individualized services.” (I3) ”Our strategy here is that we deliver products which can be individualized by our clients based on a strong API-architecture and based on a standardized product.” (I1)
Interdisciplinarity	”Being best in class can only be achieved with passion, research spirit, and plenty of experience in communication, user experience design and technology.” (P4) ”We rely on knowledge from various disciplines.” (I2) ”Today, even the carpenter uses digital technologies, and Amazon has opened supermarkets. The entire economy is digital and non-digital at the same time.” (I3) ”We need process knowledge (i.e., experience from earlier projects that has been translated into procedural standards) for delivering our services, and we need the ability to quickly gain a basic understanding of our customer’s business.” (I2) ”Netural’s core knowledge includes (1) methodical knowledge in business case and user journey analyses; (2) an overview of digital business development and trends (e.g., which platforms are growing and why); (3) technical knowledge: system architecture and knowledge of system providers; (4) developing skills for different frameworks; (5) UX and design skills; and (6) project management knowledge.” (I3) ”[Working remotely] means that everyone brings different ideas and experiences to the table. As a result, we don’t (…) constantly challenge what we do and if it provides the best experience to our customers.” (P1) ”Storyblok comprises more than 40 employees with 18 different nationalities. Remote work works. We are able to hire people based on their talent and skills – no matter where they are. We have built a more diverse team than we ever could if we had physical offices.” (P1) ”The benefits of getting talented people from across the world are massive. You get the very best people, a plurality of experiences and backgrounds, and insights into different markets.” (P1)
Competitive strategies for scaling in the digital era	”Individualized market offerings and standardized processes are different sides of the same coin. Today, it is much easier to offer individualized services through standardized processes. Individualization does not only refer to the way in which things are done, but also to the decision what is done and the long-term strategy.” (I3) ”The products we deliver to our customers are highly individualized. The process of how to get there gets more and more standardized. We call this a 'Batch-Size ONE Factory'.” (I2) ”Some years ago, having an individual solution meant programming it from scratch and for a single firm. Today, no-code platforms allow for developing individual solutions.” (I3) ”How can we enhance a business to deliver value? That is the main question. The answer is increasingly digitalization. Around 1900, the answer was industrialization, using machines etc.” (I3) ”We replicate our business model across markets by providing country-specific language and buying options based on the same product.” (I1) ”There is a bigger market for the same product with lower marginal costs.” (I1) ”We can excel in delivering highly individualized solutions for unique and complex business cases in a very reasonable timeframe (e.g., 6–12 months compared to 2–3 years with a conventional software development approach.” (I2) ”We begin to get more and more customers who set the technology and systems they want us to use to implement a solution.” (I3) ”Internally we are able to grow without losing the necessary flexibility to deliver such a product/service.” (I2)