The Economic and Organisational Research Group at iisys, Hof University of Applied Sciences, addresses practice-relevant issues at the interface between business, organisation, technology and society. The focus is on application-oriented research: scientific findings should not only be theoretically sound, but above all be of practical use to businesses, public institutions and organisations.

Alongside the research group leader, Prof. Dr Jens Kirchner, our research group comprises research staff, PhD students and undergraduates who are writing their final theses as part of our research projects or who are assisting as research assistants.

What we do

• Market and target group research: The focus is on analysing markets, target groups and customer needs. This leads to specific recommendations for action for companies, institutions and organisations.
• Customer experience and purchasing behaviour: We examine how customers perceive offers, brands, digital services and touchpoints along the customer journey – and which factors influence their decisions.
• Digital transformation and new technologies: We place particular emphasis on the effective use of digital technologies such as artificial intelligence, automation, chatbots, voice- and text-based assistance systems, and augmented reality.
• Strategy and organisational development: We address strategic and operational issues relating to business models, processes, organisational structures and new forms of collaboration.
• Needs and potential analyses: We identify the challenges, needs and development potential of companies, institutions and target groups – for example, in the areas of skilled labour, digitalisation, research, further education and cooperation.
• Practical application: The research findings are translated into clear, actionable and targeted recommendations for decision-makers in business, public administration and society.

Key Research Areas
A particular focus of the research group is on the study of target groups, consumer behaviour and digital transformation processes. The main focus is on how companies and organisations can respond to changing conditions: for example, through a better understanding of their target groups, through customer-centred digital offerings, or through the strategic use of new technologies.