Structures, Not Symptoms: What Makes Transformation Truly Effective

In this episode, Torsten talks with Oliver Sowa about how transformation can truly take effect in companies. The focus is on why change begins with structures: processes, responsibilities, collaboration, and everything else within the company that creates value or hinders progress. Oliver Sowa provides insights into the turning point of a failed ERP project, the subsequent overhaul of structures that had evolved over time, the reduction of departmental silos, and the elimination of commissions in sales. The discussion also covers clarity over control, trust in leadership, and the question of why digitalization and AI only become effective once processes and data are properly organized.

Our guest is Oliver Sowa, CEO of the Beutlhauser Group, a family-run retail and service company with approximately 1,500 employees at about 27 locations. Together with Wolf Lotter, he has published the book *Transformation*—a conceptual framework for anyone who approaches change by addressing the root cause and wants to make organizations truly more effective.