At the end of his "Rhineland-Palatinate Digital" tour, Rhineland-Palatinate's Minister of Labor and Digitization Alexander Schweitzer visited the Ludwigshafen University of Applied Sciences (HWG LU) on Friday, July 29, 2022, and learned about the work of the university's Institute for Management and Innovation (IMI) on site. In the process, Schweitzer was introduced to two qualification projects that deal with the application of digital work tools and the trend topic "New Work":
The institute's scientific director, Prof. Dr. Rainer Völker, together with Zaina Grätsch and Christina Niedenbrück, presented the projects "Your new toolbox: better understanding and effective use of digital work tools" and "Fit for New Work - mastering a transformation together." Both projects are scientifically based offers for employees to better cope with the digital transformation of the working world. "In interactive workshops with introductory keynote presentations, we want to take away employees' fear of the digitalization of the working world," explained Christina Niedenbrück, deputy project manager for "Fit for New Work." "We want to show employees that digital tools are not a burden, but rather can be an opportunity and make work easier," added Zaina Grätsch, project manager "Digital Work Tools." The projects are funded by the Rhineland-Palatinate Ministry of Labor as part of the ESF+ funding program "Support for Transformation Processes." "Supporting working people in the transformation of the world of work, making them aware of the opportunities that change offers them, and promoting professional development as individual advancement - these are important points of Rhineland-Palatinate's labor market policy," Schweitzer said.
At the same time, however, the institute also deals with issues such as the effects of home office on company performance, on the topic of the future of work, or on questions of ecological and social sustainability, Völker explained. Future trends such as Metaverse, a collective virtual space designed to expand people's living space, are also being kept in mind, the institute director said. Minister Schweitzer welcomed the broad thematic focus of the institute: "The various topics of transformation are mutually dependent. The institute covers them with its broad focus. In this way, companies and employees benefit from management consulting that is scientifically sound yet application-oriented," said the minister, inviting IMI to "intensify cooperation" as part of the state's transformation agency.
About the Institute for Management and Innovation:
The Institute for Management and Innovation (IMI), under the scientific leadership of Prof. Dr. Dieter Thomaschewski and Prof. Dr. Rainer Völker, stands for scientifically based research, a broad wealth of experience, close cooperation with partner companies and a strong network. The institute's core competencies lie in the areas of strategy and innovation, digitalization and transformation, and ecological and social sustainability. The range of services includes research and transfer projects, various working groups, market and competitive analyses, and various continuing education opportunities.
Specialist contact:
Ludwigshafen University of Applied Sciences
Institute for Management and Innovation
Prof. Dr. Rainer Völker
Chair of Business Administration, in particular Corporate Management
Scientific Director of the Institute for Management and Innovation
Tel. 0621 5203-286
E-mail: rainer.voelker@ 8< SPAM protection, please remove >8 hwg-lu.de
