Navigating Customer Experiences Across Physical and Digital Worlds

Quick Info: Master ׀ Seminar ׀ English ׀ Summer term

General Information

Course Description

In an increasingly interconnected world, customer experiences are no longer confined to either physical or digital environments—they exist at the intersection of both. This course explores the evolving landscape of phygital experiences, where brands integrate physical and digital touchpoints to create more seamless, immersive, and personalized customer experiences.

In a narrower sense, phygitality refers to the integration of physical and digital elements that provide customers with a seamless, omnichannel shopping experience. It also encompasses technologies that bridge these two worlds, such as blockchain-based assets, augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and extended reality (XR). In a broader sense, it reflects the ongoing morphing of physical and digital lives, raising questions, for example, related to consumer well-being, privacy, and sustainability.

The course will consist of discussions of current research in these fields. Student groups will be assigned academic papers to critically reflect on, particularly regarding their implications for business practice. Moreover, students will conduct their own analysis on a chosen topic, present their key arguments in class, and submit a final seminar paper. This course is designed to introduce students to emerging areas of consumer behavior research and to illustrate how academic insights can help navigate uncharted developments in business and society.

Assignment / Grading

Active class participation is mandatory. Students will be assigned to analyze, discuss, and present a research paper, and will prepare a seminar paper on a topic derived from contemporary research discussions. Grading will be based equally on the research paper presentation (50%) and the seminar paper (50%). Both tasks are typically completed in groups of 2–3 students, but each student must contribute a written section (22,200–33,300 characters) to the joint seminar paper and present a 10-minute part of the group presentation, followed by a 5-10 minutes Q&A session (per person).

Tentative Schedule Winter Term 2025

Further Information

• All sessions will be held in person.
• See guideline (PDF, 493 KB) for scientific paper.
• Please use the following template (PPTX, 1,680 KB) for presentations.
• The number of participants is limited to 20.
• Suggested readings for the course and a list of relevant literature will be given in class and included in the course material.
• The course can be selected as part of the elective modules “Advanced Elective Topics in Business Administration I bzw. II”