IU Discussion Papers and Reports

Permanent URI for this collection:https://repository.iu.org/handle/123456789/493

Browse

Now showing 1 - 20 of 107

Zwischen Kompetenzgefühl und Handlungssicherheit: Die Kompetenz-Anwendungs-Lücke in digitalen IT-Lernformaten
(IU Internationale Hochschule, 2026-07-27) Steinhardt, Sven; Dulgeridis, Marcel
Digital IT learning formats are often judged as successful too early. A format is used, content is understood, learners report an increased sense of competence, and initial tests produce positive results. However, this is not sufficient for vocational IT education. Acceptance, comprehensibility, and perceived competence are important intermediate steps. Yet they do not show whether learners will remain capable of acting later in ambiguous technical situations. This article addresses this threshold. Based on an exploratory quantitative study on digital IT learning formats, it introduces the competence–application gap as the perceived distance between perceived competence and expected application under realistic conditions. The study does not measure objective action security or actual transfer. However, it reveals a didactically relevant finding: perceived application competence does not automatically close the perceived application gap. Learners may feel more competent while at the same time recognizing more clearly that later application requires more than the learning moment itself can represent. Building on this, the article develops the principle of controlled application tension. Digital IT learning formats must not completely smooth out complexity if they are intended to prepare learners for professional action security. They must create situations in which learners work with incomplete information, contradictory indications, technical dependencies, and justified decisions. Not as a form of overload, but as targeted preparation for the realities of IT operations, security, infrastructure, and project work. The article does not provide conclusive evidence of impact but rather offers a didactic translation of an empirical impulse. Its core message is understanding does not yet mean being secure in action. Digital IT education must therefore not only convey content but deliberately shape the space between understanding and action.
KI-Impact-Scoring als Entscheidungsinstrument: Eine Priorisierungsmatrix zur Bewertung beliebiger KI- Anwendungen entwickelt am Use Case User Experience in Onlineshops
(IU Internationale Hochschule, 2026-07-27) Lange, Nico; Dulgeridis, Marcel; Cornelsen, Jens
Artificial intelligence applications increasingly promise efficiency gains, personalization, automation and improved user experiences. For medium-sized companies, however, the challenge is less the existence of potential use cases than the ability to prioritize them under resource constraints, heterogeneous data maturity and regulatory uncertainty. Building on a bachelor thesis on AI-supported user experience in online shops, this discussion paper reframes the developed prioritization matrix as a generic AI Impact Scoring Tool that can be applied to virtually any AI initiative. The proposed tool combines a value axis, a feasibility axis and a scenario-based sensitivity analysis. It draws on user-experience theory, technology acceptance, stimulus-organism-response reasoning, multi-criteria utility analysis and design-oriented model development. The e-commerce use case serves as a blueprint: AI-generated product imagery, personalized product recommendations and AI-based interaction systems are assessed to illustrate how different AI applications can be positioned as quick wins, strategic investments, experimental options or deprioritized initiatives. The central contribution lies in making AI investment decisions more transparent, comparable and adaptable. Rather than providing a one-time ranking, the model offers a reusable governance and decision framework for management teams that need to evaluate changing AI opportunities over time.
The Patagonia Vest as a symbol of status and group affiliation: A discussion of brand image, fashion communication and social identity
(IU International University of Applied Sciences, 2026-07-21) Schott, Franziska; Meißner, David; Schubart, Constantin
The Patagonia vest has increasingly moved beyond its original function as outdoor apparel and has become a visible symbol in business contexts, particularly in finance, consulting, and technology-related environments. This discussion paper examines whether the symbolic meaning of the Patagonia vest still aligns with Patagonia’s sustainability-oriented brand image or whether it is increasingly shaped by external social and professional influences. Drawing on concepts of fashion communication, social identity, brand image, and brand authenticity, the paper combines theoretical perspectives with findings from a quantitative online survey. The results indicate that the vest is perceived less as an expression of environmental consciousness and more as a marker of status, professional belonging, self-confidence, and success orientation. While Patagonia’s brand identity is strongly rooted in environmental responsibility, outdoor authenticity, and sustainable consumption, the vest’s meaning in business contexts appears to be shaped primarily by group affiliation and status symbolism. The findings suggest that symbolic meanings of branded garments can shift when products are adopted by specific professional groups and become embedded in social codes that differ from the original brand identity.
AI as a Study Partner in Mathematics Education: Evidence from a Multi-Program University Survey
(IU International University of Applied Sciences, 2026-07-21) Altin, Mehmet Evrim; Jäger, Kirsten; Jütte, Silke; Schneider, Florian
The rapid diffusion of artificial intelligence (AI) tools is fundamentally reshaping learning practices in higher education, particularly in mathematics and statistics courses. This study investigates how undergraduate students across multiple programs at IU International University engage with AI-based mathematics tools, which applications they prefer, and how they evaluate their performance. Drawing on survey data from 174 students enrolled in mathematics lectures during the spring term of 2025, we analyze awareness, usage intensity, and perceived usability, understandability, correctness, and value for money of leading AI tools. The results reveal a highly concentrated market structure: ChatGPT, Photomath, and Gemini dominate student awareness and usage. While ChatGPT is perceived as the most user-friendly and offers strong value for money, Photomath receives the highest ratings for correctness of results. Gemini, in contrast, is evaluated more cautiously across dimensions. Differences in awareness between math- intensive and non-math-intensive programs are small and statistically insignificant, suggesting that AI adoption in mathematics is broadly distributed across disciplines. The findings indicate that students integrate AI tools primarily as complementary learning aids rather than replacements for traditional materials. Overall, the study provides an empirical baseline for understanding how AI functions as a study partner in mathematics education and highlights the growing importance of evaluating not only usage frequency but also perceived reliability and pedagogical value.
Zwischen Inszenierung und Echtheit: Digitale Markenwahrnehmung von OKTAGON MMA Deutschland in der Social-Media-Kommunikation
(IU Internationale Hochschule, 2026-07-21) Perst, Florian; Schubart, Constantin; Welsch, Valeria
Social media has fundamentally changed how brands communicate and are perceived by consumers, increasing the importance of authenticity and credibility in brand communication. This study examines how social media campaigns by OKTAGON MMA Germany are associated with perceived authenticity, credibility, and brand perception, and whether differences exist between MMA fans and individuals with a general interest in sports. A quantitative online survey with 181 participants was conducted and analyzed using statistical methods. The results show that perceived authenticity has a strong positive association with both credibility and overall brand perception. Contrary to common assumptions, perceived advertising does not negatively affect authenticity or credibility but shows a weak positive relationship with brand evaluation. Furthermore, no significant differences between the analyzed content formats were found regarding perceived authenticity. The group comparison reveals that MMA fans evaluate the content significantly more positively across all examined dimensions than individuals with a general interest in sports. The findings contribute to a better understanding of authenticity, credibility, and brand perception in the context of professional sports social media communication and highlight the importance of integrating commercial elements in a credible and context-appropriate way. For practitioners, the results emphasize the need to balance strategic communication with perceived authenticity in order to strengthen brand perception in digital sports environments.
Generative KI im Kundenservice der Fondsdienstleistungsbranche: Analyse der Servicequalität und Nutzungsbereitschaft
(IU Internationale Hochschule, 2026-07-21) Schubart, Constantin; Adorno, Giuseppe
Evolving customer expectations and increasing pressure for efficiency are accelerating the integration of generative artificial intelligence into customer services. This paper examines the perception and acceptance of AI-supported communication within the particularly trust-sensitive asset management industry. Based on an online survey incorporating a vignette experiment, the study analyzes perceived service quality, trust, and inteded use in this context. The findings indicate that AI-generated responses are perceived as equivalent in quality or slightly better than human-generated responses in certain dimensions. At the same time a preference for human operated channels seems to persist. The sample reveals different user segments ranging from digitally inclined and independent decision-makers to more traditionally oriented clients. These groups require differentiated implementation strategies. Accordingly, the primary challenge for financial service providers lies less in the technological capabilities of generative systems than in overcoming a trust- and context-dependent acceptance gap. A sustainable deployment of AI in customer service therefore does not call for a one-size-fits-all solution. This study recommends aligning the implementation with an analysis of the company’s own customer structure and their individual needs, and gradually adapting the business process landscape to the new technology.
Zur Logik der Macht: Ein Plädoyer für eine Erweiterung des Kulturbegriffs im sozioökonomischen Kontext
(IU Internationale Hochschule, 2026-06-30) Wagner, Martin
The problem addressed in this discussion paper can be outlined in terms of the following contradictions: no rule can be justified without a breach of that rule; no legal binding force without privilege; no formal organizational structure without an informal one; no power without force. Every structure-stabilizing element derives its justifiability only through reference to its structure-destabilizing counterparts, as expressed in the principle of negative affirmation: Any system can be reduced to absurdity by taking its values and rules literally. In an economic context, this principle is known as “working to rule.” This raises the question: How can social systems be described, structured, and manifested without the very means of system description, structuring, and manifestation simultaneously having a destabilizing—indeed, system destroying—effect? Using the example of the conceptual pairing of “power” and “violence,” this problem is examined in order to derive categories for an expanded concept of culture; possibilities for appropriately addressing the problem are then discussed using the example of the socioeconomic context. Die Problemstellung dieses vorliegenden Discussion Papers lässt sich in folgenden Widersprüchen skizzieren: keine Regel lässt sich ohne Regelbruch begründen, keine Rechtsverbindlichkeit ohne Privileg, keine formale ohne informale Organisationsstruktur, keine Macht ohne Gewalt. Jedes strukturstabilisierende Element erhält erst durch Verweis auf strukturdestabilisierende Gegenstücke seine Begründbarkeit, ausgedrückt im Prinzip der negativen Affirmation: Jedes System lässt sich durch Wörtlichnehmen seiner Werte und Regeln ad absurdum führen. Im wirtschaftlichen Kontext ist dieses Prinzip als ‚Dienst nach Vorschrift‘ bekannt. Hieraus ergibt sich die Frage: Wie lassen sich soziale Systeme beschreiben, strukturieren und manifestieren, ohne dass sich die Mittel der Systembeschreibung, -strukturierung und -manifestation gleichzeitig destabilisierend, ja systemzerstörend auswirken? Am Beispiel der Begriffspaarung Macht und Gewalt wird diese Problemstellung erörtert, um Kategorien für einen erweiterten Kulturbegriff abzuleiten und am Beispiel des sozioökonomischen Kontextes Möglichkeiten eines geeigneten Umgangs mit der Problemstellung diskutiert.
Implementierung von Design Thinking bei Hidden Champions: Eine praxisorientierte Fallstudie mit dem Unternehmen EWM GmbH
(IU Internationale Hochschule, 2026-06-25) Rosbach, Johannes; Pur, Sabine; Bozyazi, Esin
This discussion paper examines how Design Thinking can be implemented as a user-centred innovation method within the product and innovation management of an industrial-technical company. Using the case of EWM GmbH, a manufacturer of comprehensive welding system solutions, the study explores how a newly established product management department introduced a customer-oriented innovation strategy as part of an organisational restructuring. Drawing on the theoretical framework of Design Thinking by Plattner et al. (2009), a practical guideline was developed and tested in a one-day workshop involving six participants from various departments. The workshop resulted in the development of a viable prototype concept of a TIG welding torch. Evaluation findings indicate that creative methods can be applied effectively in industrial-technical environments and that a purpose-designed M-Gate idea submission form provides a suitable interface for transferring workshop outcomes into the existing innovation process. The results also highlight that sustainably embedding Design Thinking within an organisation requires continuous application, iterative evaluation, and broader cultural change beyond initial workshop implementation.
DiversitätsBILDUNG: Erziehungswissenschaftliche Perspektiven auf unternehmerisches Diversity Management
(IU International University of Applied Sciences, 2026-06-16) Gehl, Louisa
Der Beitrag untersucht das Diversity Management in gewinnorientierten Unternehmen unter Einbeziehung erziehungswissenschaftlicher Perspektiven. Ausgangspunkt ist die Fragilität unternehmensgesteuerter Diversitätspraktiken angesichts aktueller politischer Diskurse und Entwicklungen. Anhand einer Fallstudie wurde das Diversitätsverständnis zentraler Führungskräfte an einem Standort der Robert Bosch GmbH rekonstruiert. Während Diversität als notwendig und positiv bewertet wird, fehlen verbindliche Arbeitsbegriffe, strategische Umsetzung und bildungsorientierte Perspektiven. Vor diesem Hintergrund plädiert der Beitrag für einen transdisziplinären Ansatz von Diversity Management, der erziehungswissenschaftliche Konzepte integriert, statt bei betriebswirtschaftlichen Fokussierungen zu verbleiben. Die Ergebnisse der Fallstudie unterstreichen die Bedeutung von unternehmerischen Weiterbildungsmaßnahmen für eine nachhaltige und chancengerechte Organisationsentwicklung. The article examines diversity management in profit-oriented companies by incorporating educational science perspectives. The starting point is the fragility of company-driven diversity practices considering current political discourses and developments. Based on a case study, the diversity understanding of key executives at a Robert Bosch GmbH site was reconstructed. While diversity is considered necessary and positively valued, binding terminology, strategic implementation, and education-oriented perspectives are lacking. Against this backdrop, the article advocates for a transdisciplinary approach to diversity management that integrates educational science concepts rather than remaining focused on business economics. The case study results highlight the importance of corporate training measures for sustainable and equitable organizational development.
Jugendgerechte Messung extremistischer Einstellungen – eine qualitative Vorstudie zur Item-Interpretation bei Jugendlichen und jungen Erwachsenen
(IU Internationale Hochschule, 2026-06-16) Zimmer, Veronika; von Lautz, Yannick; Ostwaldt, Jens; Bergmann, Michel; Bongartz, Bärbel; Kart, Mehmet
Der Anstieg extremistischer und antidemokratischer Einstellungen unter deutschen Jugendlichen sowie die zunehmende Digitalisierung der politischen Sozialisation erfordern Messinstrumente, die sowohl psychometrisch robust als auch an die Lebenswelt von Heranwachsenden angepasst sind. Der vorliegende Beitrag stellt erste ausgewählte Ergebnisse einer qualitativen Vorstudie vor, die die Verständlichkeit bestehender Items aus nationalen Monitoring-Studien untersucht. Es wurden eine Fokusgruppe mit 7 jungen Menschen sowie 6 leitfadengestützte Interviews durchgeführt. Auf Basis dieser Befunde kann weitere Auseinandersetzung mit der Thematik empfohlen werden. Vor allem eine umfassende qualitative Exploration des Item-Verständnisses, jugendspezifische Adaptation der Items, kognitives Pretesting zur Verfeinerung von Formulierung und Skalierung, psychometrische Validierung sowie Mixed-Methods-Analysen zur Erfassung ideologieübergreifender, hybrider Einstellungsmuster. Die Umsetzung dieser Schritte würde die Entwicklung eines belastbaren, jugendgerechten Messinstruments ermöglichen, das antidemokratische Einstellungen zuverlässig erfasst und damit die evidenzbasierte Grundlage für Prävention, Bildung und Sicherheitsstrategien stärkt. The rise of extremist and anti-democratic attitudes among German youth, together with the increasing digitalisation of political socialisation, calls for measurement instruments that are both psychometrically robust and adapted to the lived realities of adolescents. This paper presents the first qualitative pre-study that examines the comprehensibility, relevance and scaling of existing item blocks from national monitoring studies. A focus group with seven young participants and six semi-structured interviews were conducted. Based on these findings, further work on the topic is recommended, in particular: (i) a comprehensive qualitative exploration of item understanding; (ii) youth-specific adaptation of the items; (iii) cognitive pre-testing to refine wording and scaling; (iv) psychometric validation using Item-Response Theory; and (v) mixed-methods analyses to capture ideology-spanning, hybrid attitude patterns. Implementing these steps will enable the development of a reliable, youth-friendly measurement instrument that accurately records anti-democratic attitudes and thereby strengthens the evidence base for prevention, education and security strategies.
Los Santos als Sehnsuchtsraum. Ästhetische Erfahrung, In-Game-Fotografie und langsames Spielen in Grand The! Auto V
(IU Internationale Hochschule, 2026-06-09) Burbach, Jörg
The article examines Grand Theft Auto V not primarily as a phenomenon of violence, satire, or toxicity, but as a space of aesthetic experience. It begins with the observation that, despite its problematic and frequently discussed aspects, GTA V also enables positive, calm, and curiously enduring experiences: long drives through Los Santos, listening to the radio stations, observing changing light conditions, wandering aimlessly, and photographing street scenes, landscapes, or small details. The text asks how these forms of slow and aesthetic gameplay can be conceptualized theoretically and what role in-game photography plays within them. To this end, approaches from Game Studies, game aesthetics, gameworld tourism, spatial theory, virtual photography, and slow game time are combined with a close-playing-oriented analysis of GTA V. The article argues that Los Santos is not merely a backdrop for crime and escalation, but an inhabitable space of longing: a digital place that becomes lived space only through movement, routines, visual practices, and affective attachment. In-game photography and slow gameplay thus emerge not as marginal fan practices, but as forms of cultural appropriation that reveal GTA V as a complex, contradictory, and aesthetically effective media object.
Herausforderungen im Umgang mit Ernährungsinformationen und Beratung in der Onkologie: Patient:innenperspektiven und Optimierungsbedarf in der Beratungsrealität
(IU Internationale Hochschule, 2026-06-09) Menzel, Clara; Miersch, Claudia
Hintergrund: Ernährung spielt eine entscheidende Rolle für die Lebensqualität und die klinischen Ergebnisse bei onkologischen Patienten, ist jedoch nach wie vor nur unzureichend in die Routineversorgung integriert. Ziel dieser Arbeit war es, das Informationsverhalten von Krebspatienten, ihre Nutzung und Bewertung von Ernährungsinformationsquellen, ihre Erfahrungen mit Ernährungsberatung sowie wahrgenommene Unsicherheiten und Hindernisse bei der Umsetzung von Ernährungsempfehlungen zu untersuchen. Methodik: Es wurde eine quantitative Querschnittsstudie unter Verwendung eines standardisierten, anonymen Online-Fragebogens durchgeführt. Die Daten von 31 erwachsenen Krebspatienten in Deutschland wurden mittels deskriptiver Statistik analysiert, ergänzt durch eine qualitative Inhaltsanalyse der offenen Antworten. Ergebnisse: Fast alle Teilnehmer gaben an, sich nach ihrer Diagnose aktiv mit dem Thema Ernährung auseinanderzusetzen, wobei sich die Mehrheit auf digitale Informationsquellen, insbesondere das Internet, stützte. Diese Quellen wurden zwar häufig genutzt, waren jedoch auch mit Skepsis, Informationsüberflutung und Schwierigkeiten bei der Beurteilung der Glaubwürdigkeit verbunden. Medizinisches Fachpersonal und Ernährungsexperten wurden als äußerst vertrauenswürdig wahrgenommen, jedoch seltener konsultiert. Nur 29 % der Teilnehmer hatten eine professionelle Ernährungsberatung erhalten, die hinsichtlich Verständlichkeit und Empathie positiv bewertet wurde, jedoch Einschränkungen in Bezug auf Individualisierung und Kontinuität aufwies. Trotz guter Ernährungskompetenz berichteten die Patienten von erheblichen Herausforderungen bei der Umsetzung der Ernährungsempfehlungen. Zu den wichtigsten Hinder-nissen zählten therapiebedingte Symptome, strukturelle Einschränkungen, begrenzte Unterstützung so-wie widersprüchliche oder unklare Informationen. Die Unsicherheit wurde durch uneinheitliche Empfeh-lungen, auch von Seiten des medizinischen Fachpersonals, weiter verstärkt. Fazit: Die Ergebnisse verdeutlichen eine Diskrepanz zwischen dem hohen Informations- und Beratungs-bedarf und unzureichenden Strukturen. Um Unsicherheiten zu reduzieren und Orientierung zu schaffen, sind eine frühzeitige, kontinuierliche und patientenzentrierte Ernährungsberatung sowie qualitätsgesicherte Informationsangebote erforderlich. Darüber hinaus sollte die Rolle von Ernährungsfachkräften in der onkologischen Versorgung gestärkt werden.
Darstellungsästhetiken der Animation in Games - wie Bewegung und Timing das Spielgefühl beeinflussen
(IU Internationale Hochschule, 2026-05-15) Möller, Michael; Trautzsch, Nadine
Dieses Discussion Paper untersucht die Bedeutung von Animation im digitalen Spiel und argumentiert, dass sie nicht als visuelles Add-on verstanden werden kann, sondern wesentlich auf Wirkung, Steuerung und das Empfinden des Gameplay einwirkt. Neben der visuellen Gestaltung ist Animation untrennbar mit dem Feedback an die Spieler:innen verbunden: Während das Erscheinungsbild und Atmosphäre den „Look“ prägt, ergänzt Animation der Interaktion mit dem Spiel das „Feel“ (Rehfeld, 2020, S. 46). Ausgehend von der Hypothese, dass Animation ein wesentliches Element digitaler Spiele darstellt, beschreibt der Beitrag, wie sie virtuelle Räume als reaktive und manipulierbare Umgebungen erfahrbar macht, Spielgefühl, physikalische Plausibilität und narratives Feedback vermittelt sowie die Spielwelt belebt und Erwartungshaltungen strukturiert. Anhand realistischer, ikonischer und abstrakter Darstellungsformen wird gezeigt, wie Bewegungslogiken an stilistische Entscheidungen gebunden sind. Im Zusammenspiel von Darstellungsstil, Abbildungsgrad und technischer Umsetzung trägt Animation so zur Bedeutungsproduktion, Glaubwürdigkeit und Immersion virtueller Welten bei.
UMUKITA – Vorstellung des Forschungsprojekts: Deutschlandweite Studie in Kindertagesstätten
(IU Internationale Hochschule, 2026-05-11) Voss, Rebecca; Ulrich, Immanuel
Musikalische Erfahrungen für Kinder in Kindertagesstätten stellen sowohl nach den Bildungsplänen der Länder als auch nach den Empfehlungen musikpädagogischer Fachkräfte ein erstrebenswertes Ziel dar. Dies wird auch durch Forschungsergebnisse unterstützt, nach denen musikalische Tätigkeiten u.a. Stresserleben reduzieren und die Fähigkeiten zur Selbstbeherrschung fördern. Um jedoch Fachkräfte in der Kita für das Musizieren mit Kindern musikpädagogisch zu qualifizieren, zeigen unsere Recherchen in der Vorbereitung der geplanten Studie, dass in Deutschland möglicherweise zwei musikpädagogi-sche Szenen parallel nebeneinander existieren, zwischen denen kaum Austausch zu bestehen scheint. Da zugleich zum Grad der realen Umsetzung musikpädagogischer Angebote in der Kita noch keine deutschlandweiten Evidenzen vorliegen, wird unser abschließend detailliert vorgestelltes Umukita-Projekt diese Forschungslücke in den Fokus nehmen. Musical experiences for children in preschools are a desirable goal, both according to state education plans and the recommendations of music education professionals. This is also supported by research findings, which show that musical activities reduce stress and promote self-control, among other things. However, our research in preparation of the research project shows that in order to qualify daycare professionals to teach music to children, there seem to bee two parallel music education scenes in Germany with assumed little exchange between them. Since there is still no Germany-wide evidence on the degree to which music education programs are actually implemented in preschools, our Umukita project, which will be presented in detail at the end, will focus on this research gap.
Messung der gefühlten Inflation in Deutschland
(IU Internationale Hochschule, 2022-11-12) Treu, Johannes; Hartwig, Johannes
This paper shows that there is a very large difference between the official measured inflation rate with its basket of 650 types of goods and perceived inflation in Germany. While the inflation rate in Germany was 10.0% in September 2022 and 10.4% in October, a nationwide survey revealed that respondents perceived inflation to be 34.15%. At the same time, the paper provides an explanatory approach to explain the perceived inflation using a regression model. It becomes clear that all independent variables are highly significant and provide an explanatory contribution. It also shows that higher inflation concerns lead to a higher estimate of perceived inflation.
Finanzielle Bildung in Deutschland: Eine explorative Analyse
(IU Internationale Hochschule, 2024-02-07) Treu, Johannes; Elss, Valerie
Financial literacy is playing an increasingly important role in today's complex world. Since the beginning of the new millennium, more countries and international organizations have recognized the importance of measuring and educating people about financial literacy, for example, to guide their market behavior. Using the OECD understanding of financial education and with the help of the OECD toolkit for this, the current state of financial literacy was recorded as part of a Germany-wide representative survey. Methodologically, the aim is to use exploratory data analysis to present an initial analysis and evaluation of the primary data collected. This is also linked to an investigation into whether differences can be found regarding financial literacy, whether correlations exist between the various variables, and which factors can explain financial literacy in Germany.
Finanzielle Allgemeinbildung, Finanzielle Inklusion, FinTech und SDG: Ein holistischer Rahmen
(IU Internationale Hochschule, 2023-04-05) Treu, Johannes
Financial literacy, financial inclusion, FinTech, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have so far only been examined in pairs or individually. A consideration of all four points with their interrelationships and impacts has been lacking. With the help of a deductive argumentative approach, an attempt will be made to take a coherent look at all four aspects. The aim is to develop a holistic framework for achieving the SDGs through financial literacy, financial inclusion, and FinTech. The argumentation shows that there are multilayered theoretical as well as empirical relationships between all four objects of investigation. A previous silo thinking or a bilateral approach does not go far enough to comprehensively understand the effects. The starting point of a holistic view in this paper is financial literacy because, without it, no positive relationship between financial inclusion, FinTech, and the SDGs can be achieved. Financial literacy thus promotes the use and application of fintech, contributes to financial inclusion, and supports the achievement of the SDGs. The holistic framework can also be used to derive policy recommendations. Decision-makers should take a holistic view of all four points and start with the promotion and expansion of financial education.
Vom Management zum Unternehmertum: Wertschöpfung in komplexen Gesellschaften als zentrale Herausforderung für den regionalen Mittelstand
(IU Internationale Hochschule, 2024-11-01) Wagner, Martin
Peter Kruse (1955-2015), a cognitive scientist and complexity researcher, said in an interview: ‘We need to be more on the side of entrepreneurship and less on the side of management. It's not about getting from A to B in an orderly fashion and achieving goals, but about being part of the social dynamic.’ This points to the central problem of this discussion paper, which focuses on the plannability of value creation based on the division of labour in complex societies, both in its microeconomic and macroeconomic dimensions. This problem is particularly important in view of the main task of company and political decision-makers to avoid operational and economic emergencies. The increasing share of the service sector in overall economic growth, which has inflationary but also deflationary consequences and is increasingly jeopardising the existence of small and medium-sized companies in the manufacturing sector, is a sign of such an emergency. It is important to develop suitable ways of dealing with this. Peter Kruse (1955-2015), ein Kognitionswissenschaftler und Komplexitätsforscher, sagte in einem Interview: „Wir müssen uns wieder mehr auf die Seite des Unternehmertums [stellen] und weniger auf die Seite des Managements. Es geht nicht darum, geordnet von A nach B zu kommen, Ziele zu erreichen, sondern es geht darum, Teil der gesellschaftlichen Dynamik zu sein.“ Damit deutet er auf das zentrale Problem dieses Discussion Papers, welches die Planbarkeit arbeitsteiliger Wertschöpfung in komplexen Gesellschaften fokussiert, sowohl in ihren mikroökonomischen als auch makroökonomischen Dimensionen. Gerade vor dem Hintergrund der Hauptaufgabe betrieblicher und politischer Entscheidungsträger, den betrieblichen und ökonomischen Ernstfall zu vermeiden, zeigt sich dieses Problem als relevant. Ein solcher Ernstfall deutet sich im zunehmenden Anteil des Dienstleistungssektors am gesamtwirtschaftlichen Wachstum an, der inflationäre aber auch gleichzeitig deflationäre Konsequenzen zeigt und zunehmend die Existenz kleiner und mittelständischer Unternehmen des Produktionssektors gefährdet. Hierfür gilt es, geeignete Umgangsformen zu entwickeln.
Markenpolitik in übersättigten Märkten: Zur soziotechnischen Logik der Markenentwicklung
(IU Internationale Hochschule, 2024-11-01) Krahnert, Fiedrich; Stangl, Luca; Wagner, Martin
Complexity and structurally oversaturated goods markets make it harder to plan social and operational development processes. Brand policy is particularly important in this context, as it has the task of providing all stakeholders with equal guidance. In this discussion paper, a proposal is developed, referred to as the socio-technical logic of brand policy, which can be used to describe and discuss interactions between social value systems and product-related functional promises. Using two case studies, this logic is demonstrated, criticised and ultimately summarised in five theses. Komplexität und strukturell übersättigte Gütermärkte sorgen für abnehmende Planbarkeit gesellschaftlicher und betrieblicher Entwicklungsprozesse. Hierbei kommt der Markenpolitik besondere Bedeutung zu, hat sie doch die Aufgabe, allen Stakeholdern gleichermaßen Orientierung zu bieten. Im vorliegenden Discussion Paper wird ein Vorschlag erarbeitet, als soziotechnische Logik der Markenpolitik bezeichnet, mit dessen Hilfe Wechselwirkungen zwischen gesellschaftlichen Wertesystemen und produktbezogenen Funktionsversprechen beschrieben und diskutiert werden können. Anhand zweier Fallstudien wird diese Logik demonstriert, kritisiert und letztlich in fünf Thesen zusammengefasst.
Führungskommunikation bei Unternehmensnachfolgen: Einfluss auf Vertrauen und Motivation von Mitarbeitenden
(IU Internationale Hochschule, 2026-05-06) Hoffmann, Elke; Fischer, Helge; IU Internationale Hochschule
This study examines the role of leadership communication in the context of corporate succession and its influence on employee trust and motivation. The aim is to identify those communicative dimensions that particularly promote motivation and trust during phases of transition. The study is based on a quantitative survey with supplementary open-ended questions among employees who have experienced leadership succession. The theoretical basis is provided by Elving's (2005) Change Communication Framework and Deci and Ryan's (1993) self-determination theory. On this basis, the di-mensions of transparency, consistency, respect & dialogue, trust, and motivation were theoretically de-rived, operationalized, and empirically tested in hypotheses about their interrelationships. The results show that communication directly strengthens trust, while motivation is predominantly con-veyed indirectly via trust. Trust thus acts as a psychological link between communication and motivation. Qualitative feedback also makes it clear that communication is always embedded in cultural, structural, and psychological contexts. Practical recommendations for succession processes are derived from the findings and grouped into six areas: consistency, transparency, dialogue and respect, visible leadership, organizational support, and dealing with uncertainty and emotions.

Browse

Recent Submissions