Professor Portrait: Oliver Krancher explores knowledge and learning in the digital workplace
With a background in business information systems and a passion for understanding how organisations use technology, Professor Oliver Krancher has spent his career investigating the role of knowledge in digital work. On 14 November, he will present his inaugural lecture at ITU.
Oliver KrancherAbout ITUProfessor portrait
Written 3 November, 2025 10:41 by Theis Duelund Jensen
Professor Oliver Krancher’s inaugural lecture, titled Knowledge in Digital Work: Shifts in the Digital Age, will explore how knowledge flows through organisations as they adopt new technologies – from outsourcing and software development to AI and automation.
“Across all the topics I’ve studied, there’s a common thread: how knowledge is created, transferred, and used in digital work,” says Oliver Krancher.
His academic path began in Germany, where he studied business information systems. Before entering academia, he spent three years working for a global systems implementer, gaining first-hand experience with large-scale IT projects. One project, an outsourcing initiative for a major German car manufacturer, proved formative. Tasked with facilitating knowledge transfer between teams in Germany and India, Oliver Krancher witnessed the challenges of conveying complex software expertise across organisational boundaries.
“We failed miserably,” he says. “That experience became the foundation for my PhD.”
He subsequently pursued a doctorate in Switzerland, focusing on knowledge transfer in outsourcing. Using both qualitative and quantitative methods, he developed a framework for understanding how knowledge moves between people, teams, and systems – a framework that continues to inform his work today.
A broader lens on digital transformation
Since completing his PhD, Oliver Krancher has expanded his research to include project management, software development, and flexible technologies like SharePoint and Teams. More recently, his focus has turned to AI and automation, particularly in relation to how these technologies affect learning and collaboration. He’s currently investigating how domain experts and data scientists collaborate in machine learning initiatives, and how tools like Copilot impact software developers’ learning. Do such tools enhance knowledge, or do they risk deskilling?
“Our hypothesis is that it depends on how thoughtfully people use these systems,” he explains.
Krancher is also exploring algorithmic management – how AI is increasingly used to coordinate work in software development and other knowledge-intensive fields.
Teaching and impact
While research often informs teaching, Oliver Krancher finds the reverse is equally true. Engaging with students and practitioners frequently sparks new ideas and challenges existing theories. “Teaching is a dialogue – and that dialogue often leads to new insights,” he says.
Oliver Krancher’s teaching has been recognised with ITU’s Teacher Award, and he has previously served as Head of Study Programme from 2021 to 2024. Upon his return from a research sabbatical, he will lead the Digital Business Innovation section.
Throughout his career, he has placed strong emphasis on sharing knowledge with practitioners. He’s led industrial PhD projects and collaborated with organisations including Trifork, Vestas, Novo Nordisk, and the Danish Business Authority.
“One thing I really appreciate about Denmark is how interested practice is in research,” he says. “That’s incredibly fulfilling.”
As he steps into his new role as professor, Oliver Krancher continues to shape the conversation around digital transformation in pursuit of more intelligent and inclusive systems.
Theis Duelund Jensen, Press Officer, phone +45 2555 0447, email thej@itu.dk