IU Docs Repositorium

IU Docs

Repositorium

Researchers from IU publish their research results in numerous formats. Through this repository, we aim to make as many publications as possible available via Open Access. Gain insights into the dynamic and diverse research being conducted at IU!

Recent Submissions

A three-perspective approach to organizational learning culture: a systematic scoping review, conceptual clarification and extension, and an initial empirical investigation
(Frontiers, 2026-09-30) Kortsch, Timo; Schmitz, Anja; Germanus, Rabea
Learning is a central concern in contemporary organizations, but the cultural conditions that shape it are still conceptualized too narrowly. This paper challenges the prevailing view of organizational learning culture (OLC) as a unified and consensual construct, showing that this conventional understanding aligns primarily with an integration perspective on organizational culture. Building on Martin's three-perspective approach to organizational culture—integration, differentiation, and fragmentation—we extend OLC by arguing that learning-related meanings may be shared organization-wide, consolidated within subgroups, or remain ambiguous and situational. A systematic scoping review of 210 publications reveals that the field still lacks conceptual clarity. Most studies do not explicitly address their perspective, many either omit a clear definition of OLC or introduce idiosyncratic ones, frequently conflating OLC with related constructs such as the learning organization or organizational learning (OL). We therefore propose a conceptually clarified definition of OLC that distinguishes it from organizational learning and the learning organization while encompassing all three cultural perspectives. A mixed-method case study in a German bank illustrates substantial organization-wide agreement, modest but systematic cluster differences, and qualitative evidence of subgroup-specific as well as ambiguous and situation-dependent meanings. The three-perspective approach thereby provides theoretical, conceptual, and methodological contributions and encourages practitioners to examine coherence, subcultural variation, and ambiguity when fostering learning-oriented practices.
Zwischen Kreuz und Community: Entwicklung einer Ziel gruppentypologie für christliche Personenmarken in Deutschland auf Instagram
(IU Internationale Hochschule, 2026-10-22) Mewing, Julia; Schaepe, Volker
Christian personal brands (Christfluencer) on social media platforms such as Instagram represent an increasingly relevant form of digital faith communication. To date, however, there has been no system- atic analysis of the various communication strategies they employ and the target audiences they ad- dress. This IU discussion paper examines how Christian personal brands in Germany design their verbal and visual communication on Instagram to engage specific audiences, deriving communicative types and audience approaches from these practices. Based on deductively developed coding schemes, 113 posts from five representative Instagram ac- counts were described and subsequently coded. The qualitative content analysis resulted in the devel- opment of the 3D Code, a framework for classifying communicative types of Christian personal brands. The framework is based on three dimensions with bipolar characteristics: self-presentation (institu- tional-authoritative to personal-authentic), tone/mood (objective-instructional to emotional-commu- nity-oriented), and narrative style (media-presentational to subjective-narrative). By synthesizing the findings with the Sinus Milieu Model and content marketing models, the study de- velops a practical audience typology that provides recommendations for recipient-oriented content design. The five communicative types identified — Intellectual Thought Leader, Public Proclaimer, In- stitutional Activist, Relatable Faith Coach, and Authentic Witness — differ in their hypothesised fit with the ten Sinus milieus. The Intellectual Thought Leader, for instance, shows the strongest conceptual fit with the Conservative Upper-Class and Post-Materialist milieus, whereas the Relatable Faith Coach cor- responds more closely to the Adaptive-Pragmatic and Consumer-Hedonistic milieus. As a content-ana- lytical study, the research identifies and classifies branding strategies; it does not provide evidence of their reach, effectiveness or actual reception, which remains a task for audience-side research. The resulting typology can serve as both an analytical and consulting tool for a wide range of Christian media practitioners, helping them ensure the strategic coherence of their content, reflect on organic reach strategies, and sharpen their positioning on Instagram.
Ludoratur: Zur ästhetischen Ereignisform des Spielvollzugs in digitalen Spielen
(IU Internationale Hochschule, 2026-10-22) Burbach, Jörg
Digitale Spiele erzeugen Erfahrungen, deren konkrete Form weder vollständig im Spielartefakt angelegt noch allein den Spieler:innen zuzuschreiben ist. Regeln, Räume, Mechaniken und audiovisuelle Gestaltung eröffnen einen Möglichkeitsraum, der erst im Spielen aktualisiert wird. Dabei können Ereignisfolgen entstehen, die als komisch, spannend, tragisch oder melancholisch erfahren werden, ohne in dieser Form vorab gestaltet worden zu sein. Die Game Studies haben dieses Phänomen aus verschiedenen Richtungen beschrieben: als emergente Narration, als Alterbiographie, im Verhältnis von Mechanics, Dynamics und Aesthetics des MDA-Modells oder als Ästhetik des eigenen Handelns. Der Beitrag bündelt diese Ansätze im Begriff Ludoratur und gewinnt damit eine Analyseeinheit zwischen Spielartefakt und Rezeption, die sich über Kriterien prüfen lässt. Ludoratur bezeichnet weder eine Gattung noch eine Eigenschaft des Spielartefakts, sondern eine ästhetische Ereignisform: eine im Spielvollzug entstehende, als zusammenhängend und prägnant erfahrene Konfiguration, deren konkrete Gestalt nicht vorgeschrieben war. Der Beitrag grenzt den Begriff systematisch ab, formuliert vier Kriterien, unter denen ein Spielverlauf zur Ludoratur wird, erprobt sie an zwei Beispielen, diskutiert das Verhältnis von Vollzug und nachträglicher Erzählung und skizziert methodische Zugänge sowie Anschlussfragen für Forschung und Game Design.
Lebensbewältigung im Übergang in die Selbständigkeit
(IU Internationale Hochschule, 2026-10-22) Bandura-Grosse, Karolina; Brück, Jasmin
Junge Erwachsene im Übergang aus stationären Erziehungshilfen stehen durch fehlende familiäre Netzwerke vor einer komplexen Anforderungsdichte, die eine erzwungene frühe Selbständigkeit verschärft. Diese qualitative Studie untersucht ihre individuellen Bewältigungsprozesse und die Wahrnehmung von Unterstützungsangeboten. Auf Basis von fünf leitfadengestützten Interviews und einer qualitativen Inhaltsanalyse nach Kuckartz werden die Erfahrungen im Rahmen des Lebensbewältigungskonzepts nach Böhnisch analysiert. Die Ergebnisse zeigen ein Bewältigungshandeln zwischen Konstruktivität und Regression. Es wird deutlich, dass gelingende Autonomie im Leaving Care keine absolute Unabhängigkeit bedeutet, sondern als relationales Gefüge verlässlicher pädagogischer Beziehungen zu verstehen ist. Young adults transitioning out of residential care face a complex array of demands due to a lack of family networks, which exacerbates the pressure to become independent at an early age. This qualitative study examines their individual coping processes and their perceptions of support services. Based on five guided interviews and a qualitative content analysis following Kuckartz, the experiences are analysed within the framework of Böhnisch’s concept of life coping. The results reveal coping strategies that oscillate between constructiveness and regression. It becomes clear that successful autonomy in leaving care does not mean absolute independence, but should be understood as a relational framework of reliable educational relationships.
Gesund führen im Change. Die Pufferwirkung von Health-oriented Leadership auf Unsicherheit und Widerstand
(IU Internationale Hochschule, 2026-09-30) Reinhart, Sophia Valentina; Berghammer, Anja
Organizational change frequently triggers psychological uncertainty among employees which can manifest as destructive resistance. Utilizing the concept of health-oriented leadership (staff-care), this article investigates the extent to which health-oriented leadership behavior can act as a buffer to mitigate the negative effects of uncertainty on active and passive resistance during change processes. Within a quantitative research design, an online survey was conducted, resulting in a finalized net sample of N = 121 employees. The statistical testing of the hypothesized moderation effects was carried out using Hayes’ PROCESS macro (model 1). The regression analyses provided highly consistent results across the three examined dimensions of staff-care (awareness, value, behavior). No significant interaction effects buffering mechanisms could be detected. Consequently, the moderation hypotheses had to be rejected. However, explorative post-hoc analyses revealed a significant mediation effect (PROCESS, model 4). Staff-care directly reduces organizational uncertainty, which in turn leads to a significant decrease in both active and passive resistance. These findings suggest that health-oriented leadership does not operate reactively as a buffer once uncertainty has manifested. Rather, the statistical mediation pattern illustrates the role of health-oriented leadership as a lever that directly reduces the emergence of uncertainty. For business psychology practice, this study highlights the crucial importance of implementing health-oriented leadership early on to actively reduce uncertainties and minimize resistance in change management.