Competence Development and Education

 Digitalization changes workplaces and work processes (e.g., from individualized to team based). Digital transformation thus redefines professions and competencies. Interdisciplinary thinking, higher-order capabilities, decision- and problem solving skills, intercultural and life-long learning might be critical factors for sustainable employability and competitive advantage of an industry 4.0. Further, digital transformation can result in a larger polarization of competencies; at the same time, new technologies allow to optimize processes within companies such that their competitiveness increases and new growth potentials can be realized.

The research area will explore the changes in the social and work environment of digital/digitalized workplaces in order to understand their impact on employees’ working and learning behaviors as well as on regions and organizations and their interrelations. The overall research question is: which competencies are needed by employees, free-lancers, organizations and/or regions to achieve sustainable employability, competitive advantage und innovation capacity? The consequences of digital transformation for education and the job market should be discussed and implications for educational policy, school, university and vocational training and for personnel and organizational development should be derived.

Possible Dissertation Projects:

• Effects of digital structural change on qualification and competencies at individual and group level (or for individuals and groups)
• Effects of digital structural change on competencies within companies or capabilities of companies
• Effects of digital structural change on capabilities and educational requirements of regions

Suggestions for own dissertation topics are highly welcome.