Societal Transformation: Transformation Research, Transformational Research, Research Transformation: A Novel Framework from RWTH Aachen University

Springer eBooks, pp. 3–38

Abstract

Abstract The global environmental crisis, technological developments, the COVID-19 pandemic, and ongoing economic and political globalization are just a few of the developments that are massively increasing the pressure for transformation on regions, companies, and society as a whole. In addition, the digital age is accelerating transformation processes that are already underway. This introductory article addresses these developments and presents a new framework for transformation research and practice that has been developed and already validated by researchers of the RWTH Aachen University. The RWTH way includes inter- and transdisciplinary approaches from many disciplines, looking at technological and societal change from different perspectives. A distinction is made between analysis, i.e. research on understanding societal transformation processes, impact, i.e. transformational research that aims at real-world impacts, and research transformation, i.e. paradigm changes in research methods and processes that increase the degree of innovation and the impact of research.

Authors 15

1. Peter Letmathe corresponding Aachen Institute for Technology and Innovation Management Chair of Management Accounting

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute for Technology and Innovation Management, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

   Chair of Management Accounting, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

2. Maren Paegert Aachen Institute for Technology and Innovation Management Chair of Management Accounting

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute for Technology and Innovation Management, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

   Chair of Management Accounting, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

3. Christine Roll Aachen Institute for Technology and Innovation Management Teaching and Research Area Early Modern History

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute for Technology and Innovation Management, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

   Teaching and Research Area Early Modern History, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

4. Almut Balleer Aachen Institute for Technology and Innovation Management

   TU Dortmund University · RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute for Technology and Innovation Management, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

   Applied Macroeconomics, TU Dortmund, Dortmund, Germany

5. Stefan Böschen Aachen Institute for Technology and Innovation Management

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute for Technology and Innovation Management, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

   Chair of Society and Technology at the Human Technology Center (HumTec), Aachen, Germany

6. Wolfgang Breuer Aachen Institute for Technology and Innovation Management Chair of Business Administration and Finance

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute for Technology and Innovation Management, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

   Chair of Business Administration and Finance, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

7. Agnes Förster Aachen Institute for Technology and Innovation Management Chair of Planning Theory and Urban Development

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute for Technology and Innovation Management, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

   Chair of Planning Theory and Urban Development, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

8. Gabriele Gramelsberger Aachen Institute for Technology and Innovation Management Käte Hamburger Kolleg "Cultures of Research" (Core)

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute for Technology and Innovation Management, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

   Käte Hamburger Kolleg "Cultures of Research", RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

9. Kathrin Greiff Aachen Institute for Technology and Innovation Management Department of Anthropogenic Material Cycles

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute for Technology and Innovation Management, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

   Department of Anthropogenic Material Cycles, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

10. Roger Häußling Aachen Institute for Technology and Innovation Management Chair of Sociology of Technolgy and Organization

    RWTH Aachen University

    Affiliation as printed

    Institute for Technology and Innovation Management, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

    Chair of Sociology of Technolgy and Organization, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

11. Max C. Lemme Aachen Institute for Technology and Innovation Management Chair of Electronic Devices

    RWTH Aachen University

    Affiliation as printed

    Institute for Technology and Innovation Management, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

    Chair of Electronic Devices, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

12. Michael Leuchner Aachen Institute for Technology and Innovation Management Department of Physical Geography and Climatology Institute of Geography

    RWTH Aachen University

    Affiliation as printed

    Institute for Technology and Innovation Management, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

    Department of Physical Geography and Climatology, Institute of Geography, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

13. Frank Thomas Piller Aachen Institute for Technology and Innovation Management

    RWTH Aachen University

    Affiliation as printed

    Institute for Technology and Innovation Management, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

14. Elke Seefried Aachen Institute for Technology and Innovation Management Chair of Modern History and Knowledge Cultures

    RWTH Aachen University

    Affiliation as printed

    Institute for Technology and Innovation Management, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

    Chair of Modern History and Knowledge Cultures, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

15. T. Wahlbrink Aachen Institute for Technology and Innovation Management AMO GmbH

    AMO (Germany) · RWTH Aachen University

    Affiliation as printed

    Institute for Technology and Innovation Management, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

    AMO GmbH, Aachen, Germany