Possible Research Gaps/Questions:

 Whether the use of legacy systems in the German case is due to their positive
effects or it simply stems for cultural rigidity.
In this case it might be a good idea to use mixed analysis, with quantitative for
showing the effects on the companies, and qualitative showing the
businesses/industries opinion on the matter.

 Exploring the contradiction between legacy systems possibly being strategic

assets according to SKM which should lead to increased Market Performance
and possibly better knowledgebase hance better innovation. At the same time
there seems to be an opinion whereby legacy systems are outdated and
therefore should stifle innovation, and market performance.

 Whether the legacy systems in the German case are a persistent problem (Tjerk
Jan Schuitmaker, 2012) or a feature, can be connected to: P. Holland, 1999;
Cabrilo, 2017 (for measurement of innovation).
Preliminary Exploration:

1. Conduct an initial survey of advanced-economy enterprises in Germany to identify the

most used outdated technologies, not limited to fax machines.
2. Review media reports, anecdotal evidence, and preliminary academic literature to gain
an initial understanding of the scale and impact of the issue.

3. Introduction:
Highlight the paradox of some of Germany's leading enterprises relying on outdated
technologies.
Discuss the broader implications of this phenomenon on operational efficiency,
competitiveness, and unrealized gains.

4. Literature Review:
 Delve into the history and evolution of enterprise technologies globally.
Document instances and reasons for the persistence of certain technologies within
advanced economies, especially Germany.

5. Theoretical Framework:
Seamlessly integrate Path Dependency Theory, Diffusion of Innovations Theory, and
Organizational Inertia Theory to understand resistance to technological transitions.

Research Objectives
Identify outdated technologies in major German enterprises based on secondary data
sources.
Estimate unrealized gains and efficiency losses from this technological inertia using
existing research findings.
Propose modern alternatives based on global tech adoption trends in similar economies
.
Methodology:
Rely exclusively on secondary data sources: industry reports, enterprise tech trends,
academic papers, and other relevant databases.
Use a comparative approach to highlight disparities in operational efficiencies across
enterprises relying on outdated vs. modern technologies.

Data Collection:
Aggregate existing data on the usage of outdated technologies in German enterprises
from secondary sources like industry reports, research publications, and news articles.
Review international datasets to understand global trends in technology adoption and
transitions, ensuring contextual relevance to Germany.

Data Analysis:
Analyze the assembled data to pinpoint patterns of technological inertia in German
enterprises.
Calculate potential efficiency gains by contrasting the status quo with benchmarks set by
enterprises that have transitioned to modern solutions.

Findings & Discussion:

Provide a comprehensive review of outdated technologies' prevalence in German
enterprises based on secondary data.
Analyze underlying factors such as organizational structures, cultural norms, or
regulatory frameworks that may explain this inertia.
Estimate the larger economic implications of this inertia on Germany's economy.

Conclusion and Recommendations:

Summarize key findings derived from secondary data sources.
Propose transition strategies based on successful transitions observed in comparable
economies or industries.

Future Research:
Suggest detailed studies using primary data collection methods to delve deeper into
specific technological inertia instances.
Explore measures to expedite technology transition in large enterprises, emphasizing
potential regulatory or incentivization strategies.