How can organizations promote the environmentally friendly behavior of their employees in the workplace? Our research addresses this question, in particular by investigating the potential of information systems (IS) to support the environmentally friendly behavior in the workplace.
The project ESPEBO examines the interrelated areas of competing institutional logics, psychological dynamics, and motivational affordances from a socio-technical perspective. Thereby, the project provides theoretical contributions in the areas of business informatics and organizational behavior. In order to achieve this, Prof. Dr. Marina Fiedler and Prof. Dr. Johann Kranz (Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich) formed an interdisciplinary cooperation project. Jointly with researchers from both chairs, we conducted interviews, surveys, and experiments. In doing so, the research project was supported by well-known German companies. Thus, the research group was able to collect attitude and behavioral data of employees in diverse and real working environments and to test experimentally the effects of IS-based interventions on environmental behavior. This allows us to capture the specific characteristics and regularities, both theoretically and empirically. Overall, the project provides a better understanding of individual sustainable behavior and how this behavior can be technically supported. From a practical perspective, the project helps organizations to become more sustainable and how to involve employees in sustainability change effectively.
New web-based platforms such as MTurk, Clickworker, Freelancer and Upwork increasingly mediate work assignments. From small writing and translation services, logo and graphic design, to complex IT projects, these platforms increasingly shape the daily work of millions of people worldwide. But what does this mean for contractors and how does it change work in general?
The associated research projects examine the effects and conditions of platform work on the work motivation and perception of contractors and the emerging trade-off relationship with conventional employment relationships. At the same time, the virtually traded orders are detached from fixed physical work locations and predefined circles of colleagues. In this context, Dr. Strunk, Ms. Mayer (M.A.), Dr. Ihl and Prof. Dr. Fiedler investigate the work experience and networking of crowdworkers in qualitative forum analyses and quantitative surveys. Thereby, attitudes, expectations and behavior will be investigated and better understood in order to understand how virtual working conditions can be designed and improved. Platforms offer great potentials for self-determined work, the development of personal holding environments and a comprehensive integration of disadvantaged groups of employees who only get few chances in classical organizations. The research provides new insights into motivation in virtual work, the mutual development of crowdworkers among themselves and a more inclusive work organization. In practice, a better understanding of work on platforms will be gained to facilitate targeted use and more efficient regulation. The goal is to improve the work experience of contractors as well as to simplify the use of this virtual and efficient work system for organizations.
In an age of ubiquitous smartphones, computers, and tablets, conscious management practices such as mindfulness are increasingly becoming the focus of attention for organizations and management. Mindfulness is used by companies, for example, to counteract the increasing sources of constant distraction and the more hectic everyday working life. Although conscious awareness of situations in everyday working life leads to better decisions and reduces individual stress, there are still many reservations in European companies about introducing conscious management practices.
The research project described examines the changes in human resources work caused by the introduction of conscious management practices. Building on this, conscious management methods are examined as a means of supporting employees in a digitalized work environment. In addition, the project considers how mindfulness is interpreted and what obstacles, depending on understanding and expectations, stand in the way of its introduction. Conflicting interpretations and their impact on the diffusion and adaptation of management practices are brought together.
Using qualitative interviews and field observations in multinational companies, Dr. Ihl, Dr. Kim Strunk, and Prof. Dr. Fiedler examine the framework conditions, changes, and resistance to mindfulness practices. This enables the research group to analyze employee behavior and the effects of management practices in a real work context. From a practical perspective, the project leads to a better understanding of mindfulness and human resources work in the digitalized work environment.
