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Tilburg, 12 January 2026
Tilburg University has appointed Michiel van Genuchten as Professor of 'Impact of Software' at TIAS School for Business and Society, effective January 1, 2026. This chair focuses on studying the influence of software on organizations, industries, and economies, as well as the impact of digitalization on society. Michiel van Genuchten's research is crucial now that software and digitalization are transforming virtually every sector of the economy worldwide.
Research
"Software has profoundly changed organizations and their products in recent decades," says Van Genuchten. Software has dominated the computer industry since the 1990s, and since the beginning of this century, its influence has been growing in the mobile, automotive, financial, defense, and healthcare industries. "It is essential that we investigate the impact of software at various levels – from the internal organization to the broader economy."
The research of the Impact of Software chair focuses on various issues, such as the growth of software, the shift to digital platforms, the influence of artificial intelligence, and the growing impact of software on the success of companies as well as economic regions. The question is how companies and organizations can operate in a world dominated by software. A bank, a defense organization, and an automotive company will have to determine which software to develop in-house and which is better purchased. These are important decisions because software often determines customer interaction. It is now clear that volume (the number of users) and market leadership determine long-term success. It also appears that the size of software applications continues to grow by approximately 20 percent per year. A development budget and skilled developers are therefore absolutely no guarantee of success. Access to the market and investments in marketing and software sales are at least as important.
"With this chair, we want to contribute to understanding how software influences the operation of organizations, as well as the economic structures of sectors," explains Professor Jenke ter Horst. The role of the European software industry in a digital world is crucial for ensuring future prosperity.
Education and Impact
In his role as Academic Director, Van Genuchten will contribute to the development and implementation of the curriculum for the Master of Information Management and Digital Transformation (MIMDT) and other executive programs at TIAS. These programs help future leaders of software suppliers and users to jointly shape the digital future. In addition to teaching, the chair will be an important resource for supervising PhD research and initiating empirical research with companies and institutions.
Social Relevance
The appointment of Michiel van Genuchten strengthens the academic position of TIAS School for Business and Society in the field of digital transformation and the economics of software. The chair aligns with the mission of TIAS and Tilburg University to connect science and practice and to educate leaders who are capable of understanding and realizing the changes in the world of digitalization.
About Prof.dr.ir. Van Genuchten
Van Genuchten received his PhD in 1991 from Eindhoven University of Technology and was a professor there from 2002 to 2011. He has worked as executive for software start-ups and publicly traded companies, both in the Netherlands and abroad. Since 2009, he has been a member of the editorial board of IEEE Software and co-edited a series of 60 articles titled "Impact of Software." He has also published in journals such as MISQ, IEEE Computer, IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering, IEEE Transactions on Professional Communications, Information Systems, and the Journal of Management Information Systems.