Doctoral projects

Project description

China has developed rapidly in recent decades, not only economically but also scientifically, and has long since become an important international partner for Germany, particularly in the field of vocational education and training. The two countries also have many cooperation programs in the area of teacher training for vocational schools. A comparative study of teacher training for vocational schools in Germany and China can deepen mutual understanding.

This study focuses on 3 objectives: (1) Systematic insights and comparative observations on teacher education for vocational schools in Germany and China, as well as on examples of business education and metal technology; (2) Solutions for Chinese problems in teacher education for vocational schools and possible suggestions for German teacher education for vocational schools; (3) Review of past cooperation and outlook on future cooperation in teacher education for vocational schools in Germany and China.

Project description

The use of digital technologies has disruptive effects on the value creation of companies and the entire economic system. New business models are emerging, old ones are being transformed and partially or fully integrated into the digital world. This changes work and business processes and demonstrably leads to new skills requirements. The challenge for business administration - and, on a subject-specific level, also for commercial teacher training - is to analyze and re-model the economic domain and the economic requirements that describe it against the backdrop of digital transformation. The aim of the doctorate is to record these changes and to systematize them for the model of business digital literacy. On this basis, a test instrument for the diagnosis of digital competencies in the context of economic action requirements will be developed and validated.

Literature:

• Schlottmann, P., Gerholz, K.-H., Winther, E. (2021). Digital Literacy für Wirtschaftspädagog*innen – Modellierung des domänenspezifischen Fachwissens in der beruflichen Lehrerbildung. In: bwp@Berufs- und Wirtschaftspädagogik – online, Ausgabe 40, 1-20. Online: https://www.bwpat.de/ausgabe40/schlottmann_etal_bwpat40.pdf
• Schlottmann, P. (2021). Digital Literacy – was bedeutet es digital kompetent zu sein? In: berufsbildung. Zeitschrift für Theorie-Praxis-Dialog, 75. Jg./H. 188, 36-38.
• Gerholz, K.-H. & Schlottmann, P. (2020). Digital Literacy – die unsichtbare Hand des Erfolgs?! – Lernsituationen für die berufliche Unterrichtsarbeit. vlb-Akzente 10/2020, 14-18.

Project description

The implementation of digital media is a key challenge for vocational schools. In addition to integration at the didactic level in the classroom, the use of media requires change at the administrative, organizational and cultural level of the school (Blau & Shamir-Inbal 2017, Pettersson 2018, 2021, Zhang 2010). Promoters play an important role in the implementation process as part of school development (Rolff 2016, Schulz-Zander 2001) (Klieber 2012, Prasse 2012). This means that there is a need for participants - professional, power (Witte 1973), process (Hauschildt & Chakrabarti 1988) and relationship promoters (Gemünden & Walter 1995) - within the school organization who actively support the progress of an innovation and overcome and break down barriers and resistance. With the help of fuzzy-set QCA (Ragin 2000), the significance of the promoter roles for the implementation process of digital media in schools is to be investigated.  The aim is to identify different combinations of relevant conditions (promoters) that generate the outcome (sustainable school development). On the one hand, the question of what role promoters at vocational schools play from a theoretical-conceptual and empirical perspective in the implementation of digital media as innovations in the context of school development is investigated and, on the other hand, what significance can be attributed to the fuzzy-set QCA research approach, which has so far received little attention in vocational and business education, for general questions in the discipline.

Literature:

• Wagner, A. & Gerholz, K.-H. (2022). Promotionsaktivitäten bei der Implementation digitaler Medien an beruflichen Schulen. Empirische Ergebnisse einer Interviewstudie. In: MedienPädagogik 49 (Schulentwicklung): 22–47. https://doi.org/10.21240/mpaed/49/2022.06.21.X.
• Wagner, A. (2022). Jedem Anfang wohnt ein Zauber inne – oder doch ein Fluch? Eine Interviewstudie zu Barrieren im Implementationsprozess digitaler Medien an Schulen. In: Gerholz, K.-H., Schlottmann, P., Slepcevic-Zach, P. & Stock, M. (Hrsg.). Digital Literacy in der LehrerInnenbildung. Konzepte, Didaktik und empirische Ergebnisse im Kontext der Wirtschaftspädagogik. Wbv: Bielefeld, 257-270.

Project description

The digitalization of the German economy continues to advance. Our private lives are already largely shaped by digitalization and digital media have become an integral part of our everyday lives. But more and more companies are also using the new opportunities in communication and collaboration. The digitalization of the economy is associated with far-reaching transitions and upheavals, the consequences of which for the labour market are the subject of controversial debate. The use of digital technologies has disruptive effects on the value creation of companies and the entire economic system. Digitalization is transforming old business models or creating completely new business models. Companies must develop the ability to adapt quickly to new competitive situations and technological standards. The changes to business processes in companies are also constantly creating new skills requirements for employees, the digitalized world of work is changing the professional playing field and, last but not least, is also having an impact on customer behaviour and therefore on management consulting and project management. Changes in companies due to innovation and networking and, not least, digitalization have always been the driving force behind the consulting industry. In order to cope with the complexity of strategy development and corporate management, innovative and digital consulting approaches and thus new skills are required.

The aim of the doctorate is to analyze the effects of the digital transformation on the competencies required in project management in management consulting and to model a new competence structure model.

Project description

The internet enables the worldwide networking of machines and companies on a global level. The decisive difference lies in the dynamics and rapid development and evolution due to digitalization, which no longer allows companies to prepare and adapt for years. The digitalized world of work is changing the professional playing field and has disruptive effects (see Harwardt et. al., 2020, p.29). The effects lie not only in changing business models, competition and customer behaviour, but also in the way organizations work and operate - for both management and employees. Management is confronted with self-managing, often virtual teams and demands rapid, often data-driven decisions and adaptable implementation. Employees are confronted with a high level of self-organization, learning skills, technical interaction and working in virtual contexts (see Schmutte in Harwardt et al. 2020, p. 43 ff). The buzzwords home office, flexible working time models and virtual connection and collaboration characterize the ongoing process of digitalization and the global labour market and remote working. The aim of the doctorate is to detach the previous studies in the field from the university environment and to carry out surveys in a practical environment and to analyze how leadership is shaped in remote companies.

Literature:

• Harwardt, Mark; Niermann, Peter F.-J; Schmutte, Andre M.; Steuernagel, Axel (Hg.) (2020): Führen und Managen in der digitalen Transformation. Trends, Best Practices und Herausforderungen. Wiesbaden: Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden GmbH; Springer Gabler.

Projektbeschreibung

The elderly care sector is faced with a complex situation that is causing increased stress levels among caregivers, particularly at middle management level. In addition to an ever-increasing number of people in need of care, there is also a multifactorial decline in the number of nursing staff. A particularly relevant phenomenon in this context is the high proportion of nursing staff who leave the profession early compared to other sectors, as well as the proportion of those who are absent due to burnout or other consequences of psychological stress. As part of the dissertation project, interviews conducted with nursing staff at middle management level were evaluated using Bohnsack's reconstructive social research method with the aim of reconstructing any specific orientation patterns that may exist. It was shown that middle management nurses who exhibit a high level of stress regularly rate their options for action in the respective situation as lower than those nurses who do not exhibit corresponding stress patterns. A total of four sensory-genetic types could be distinguished. As part of the relational type formation, it was also possible to derive a connection between the assessment of the nursing staff with regard to the work they perform and the level of self-efficacy of the managers.

Literature:

• Aichinger, Jens (2021): Berufliche Orientierung und Stressentstehung im mittleren Management des Altenpflegebereichs. Dissertation.

Projektbeschreibung

Die Medienkonzeptinitiative ist ein Innovationsvorhaben des Bayerischen Kultusministeriums, das u.a. mit dem Ziel initiiert wurde, die bayerischen Berufsschulen auf die Herausforderungen der digitalen Transformation vorzubereiten. Die Studie untersucht anhand dieser Initiative die Sicht von Akteuren der Makro- und der Mesoebene auf das Innovationshandeln des Bayerischen Kultusministeriums und rekonstruiert im Zuge dessen auch den Kontext und die Entstehung vor dem Hintergrund aktueller Erkenntnisse der Governance-Forschung.