DSP-College

Doctoral School for Organization Studies

The Doctoral School PLUS (DSP) “Organization Studies” is a research platform at the Paris Lodron University of Salzburg that focuses on institutional expectations and demands on organizations, as well as their responses to these challenges.

Illustration Word Cloud zu Organization Studies

Abstract

In interdisciplinary collaboration and based on a broad theoretical foundation from the fields of organizational and management research, communication science, psychology, and consumer behavior, the DSP “Organization Studies” examines the central role of organizations and organizational practices in shaping and adapting to dynamic challenges in the economy and society. A key goal of the DSP is to empirically review and further develop existing organization theories.

The five research focuses of the DSP for Organization Studies are:

Adoption of Structures and Practices: The DSP focuses on examining the adoption of structures and practices in organizations and the factors that influence the likelihood of adoption. The aim of this analysis is to understand the structural differences between organizations, the reasons for these differences, and their impact on the efficiency and effectiveness of organizations.

Circular Economy and Organizations: Within the DSP, the transition from a linear to a circular economic model and its effects on value chains and consumers are examined. This includes marketing-related issues such as collaborations and the role of digital platforms, product innovation and design, storytelling, or conscious consumption.

Psychological Diagnostics: In this research area, the DSP applies psychological tests and other instruments to predict human behavior in organizational contexts, with the goal of improving the understanding of the dynamics of diversity and inclusion in organizations. Additionally, biases in suitability assessments and new ways of talent management are developed and researched to promote organizational growth, productivity, individual career success and well-being, as well as a more inclusive organization and society.

Human Resource Management (HRM): This research area focuses on the interactions between individuals’ work and careers, HRM strategies and practices in organizations, and the institutional context of organizations. HRM research questions examined in this DSP focus on HRM practices that actively shape organizational structures and how HRM practices and structures are shaped by institutional pressures.

Organizational Communication: The DSP investigates the constitutive role of communication in the aforementioned organizational processes of adoption, transition, and behavioral adaptation. Specifically, the DSP is interested in the types of public communication that influence structural change at the field level (communication about organizations), the types of strategic communication that support the normative transition to sustainability in complex environments (communication by organizations), and the types of internal communication that influence sustainable behavioral changes in the everyday work context (communication within organizations).


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