Hartmut Schulze

Arbeits-, Organisations- und Wirtschaftspsychologie

Die Arbeits- und Organisationspsychologie (AO-Psychologie, fruher zusammen mit der Betriebs- oder Ingenieurspsychologie, heute zunehmend mit der Wirtschaftspsychologie) ist ein Sammelbegriff fur verschiedene uberlappende Felder der Angewandten Psychologie, die sich mit der Situation und Rolle des Menschen im Arbeits- und Wirtschaftsleben befassen. Sie lasst sich von psychologischen Teildisziplinen abgrenzen, die sich auf andere Funktionssysteme der Gesellschaft richten (Verkehr, Umwelt, Recht, Bildung, Gesundheit, Gemeinde, Medien). Subsumierte Bereiche sind die Personal-, Markt-, Finanz- oder Berufspsychologie. Wichtigste Nachbardisziplinen sind die Wirtschafts- und Ingenieurswissenschaften, die Industriesoziologie und die Managementforschung. Gemeinsam mit technischen, informatischen und medizinischen Subdisziplinen bildet sie die Arbeitswissenschaften.

Designing Rooms for Virtual, Informal Communication: Reciprocal Awareness as a Central Criterion

The trend towards decentralized collaboration in companies leads to challenges for informal communication because spatial proximity is missing. This is a problem since informal communication is considered to be key for successful collaboration. Telepresence systems, which connect distant places, are potential solutions. However, little is known about which conditions are beneficial and which ones detrimental to informal communication. In this qualitative study, conditions which further informal communication, were examined in different virtual cafe settings. A method was developed which combined participatory design with a qualitative experiment. In the Usability Lab of the University of Arts and Sciences Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW), 19 people (N = 19) tried out various virtual cafe settings, analyzed requirements for optimization and subsequently tested them. At the same time, 20 group interviews were conducted and analyzed according to the principles of heuristic-detecting social research. Three subcategories which influence each other were identified as key results (awareness, privacy and control). These three subcategories need to be balanced when a virtual cafe (room and technology) is designed. Furthermore, encouraging (reciprocal) awareness could also be a possible solution.

Boundary Management as a Crucial Success Factor for Flexible-Mobile Work, Demonstrated in the Case of Home Office

The compatibility of work life and family life is a key factor in today’s modern work arrangements, particularly with regard to the increase of transition to flexible working hours and places. The herein presented research study considers the question, whether the boundary-types proposed by the boundary-theory [cf. Ashforth et al. Acad Manag Rev 25(3):472–491, 2000; Nippert-Eng, Home and work: negotiating boundaries through everyday life. University of Chicago Press, Chicago 1996]. can be ascertained within flexible-mobile working, notably upon working in home office. Furthermore which difficulties the distinct boundary-types have with these new work styles and which boundary-tactics are promising in regard to those difficulties. Based on a mixed method approach consisting of an online survey (N = 395) and subsequent semi standardised interviews (N = 9) the boundary-types segmentor and integrator could be confirmed. In addition an intermediate mix type was found and empirically proven. Moreover, there is evidence that this newly described mix type has the most difficulties with his boundary-management within flexible-mobile work styles. Based on these findings the article concludes in guidance suitable for each boundary-type in favour of working in home office.