Social Innovation through transdisciplinary Research

Innovation processes now tend to run less and less along clear lines in consecutive phases but rather call for the openness that can deal with unexpected and surprising events and occurrences. Close cooperation between science and industry is at a particular premium when there’s a need to explore new and unknown territory. By joining forces, problematic points in actual practice can be defined and the latest methods and scientific concepts can lead tonew  solutions. Such co-evolutionary collaboration can bring tangible benefits and advancement for science and praxis alike. And there is a long tradition of such publicly funded collaborative projects in Germany. Transdisciplinary social scientific research in work and innovation can play an important role in specifying the challenges we face:

Current publications:

Howaldt, Jürgen, Heike Jacobsen (Hrsg.) (2010): Soziale Innovation. Auf dem Weg zu einem postindustriellen Innovationsparadigma. Wiesbaden: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften

Jostmeier, Milena, Heike Jacobsen, Arno Georg (Hrsg.) (2012): Sozialen Wandel gestalten – Zum gesellschaftlichen Innovationspotenzial von Arbeits- und Organisationsforschung, Wiesbaden: VS-Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften. (in Vorbereitung)

Current conferences:

Werkstatt: Transdisziplinäre Arbeits- und Innovationsforschung - Herausforderungen und Erträge von Verbundprojekten zwischen Wissenschaft und Anwendungskontext, Werkstatt Verbundprojekte: 29.6.2011, Link