Key Takeaways
- Technology rarely enters a company through strategic processes. It usually arrives through personal channels – in the video, Thorsten Jekel calls this the route via the golf course.
- A practical example: once the BlackBerry was considered uncool on the golf course, bosses called and asked for the then-new iPhone – triggered by their surroundings, not by a business need.
- The pattern repeats with every product launch: people ask for the top model, in the video the iPhone 14 Pro starting at 999 euros and running up to around 2,000 euros.
- For everyday business use, Thorsten Jekel argues that an iPhone SE would be enough for most users.
- The result is more devices than anyone can use productively. The decisive question remains: does the technology actually make the work easier?
Unfortunately, technology often enters the company via the golf course. Does that make sense? I think not and you are welcome to book me as a speaker for your event.
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Update September 2026: Where Does New Technology Enter the Company Today?
The route described in this post still exists: someone gets to know a technology privately and brings it into the company. Today, though, it runs through software rather than hardware, and it no longer starts only at management level. The term for it is shadow AI: employees use AI tools that the company neither knows about nor has approved.
Survey numbers vary considerably depending on method, but they are consistently high. In October 2025 the German industry association Bitkom surveyed around 600 companies, 42 percent of which suspect shadow AI in their own organisation. That carries the conclusion of this post even further than in 2023: bans only move the problem. Instead, approve a vetted, official route quickly, or every department will decide for itself where your data goes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean for technology to enter the company via the golf course?
It describes the route by which a technology arrives through a personal recommendation rather than a professional review: someone hears about a solution privately, is impressed, and then pushes it through at work. The decision is driven by rapport and coincidence instead of by actual business need.
Why is that route a problem?
Because it reverses the order. The tool comes first, the task second. That produces solutions nobody asked for, isolated systems alongside the existing IT, and follow-up costs for interfaces, training and maintenance. The department expected to work with it every day was often never consulted.
What is shadow AI?
Shadow AI is the use of AI tools that the company neither knows about nor has approved, usually through employees' private accounts, in order to work faster. In October 2025 the German industry association Bitkom surveyed around 600 companies, 42 percent of which suspect shadow AI in their own organisation. It is the same movement as the old device purchases, just at the software level.
Do bans stop shadow AI?
Only to a limited extent. A ban does not remove the time pressure that drives the behaviour, it merely pushes it out of sight. You then lose exactly the transparency you need. An official, vetted route that is quickly available and covers the common tasks works far better.
How should you introduce new technology instead?
Start with the task, not the product: which process currently costs unnecessary time? Involve the affected employees early, run a small and clearly defined pilot, and decide on a rollout only afterwards. A recommendation from your personal network may be the trigger, but it must not be the justification.
