Background to the research project

The digitalization and networking of production processes (Industry 4.0) has ushered in a phase of fundamental transformation for the manufacturing industry. So far, the discourse on Industry 4.0 has focused on concrete technical solutions and improvements in productivity to support the transformation. The possible ecological consequences of digitization play a rather subordinate role. Yet it is undisputed that industrial production has a significant impact on the environment.

The central research question of ProMUT

The central research question of ProMut examines how the increasing digitalization and networking of production can be used to improve corporate social responsibility (CSR) management.

What is the research objective of ProMUT?

The central result of the project will be an overall concept for improved sustainability management in digitized production. From this, recommendations for action for business and society will be derived. The most relevant solutions will be transferred into a demonstrator that combines different media such as video sequences, presentation or software elements in order to present the results to a broad public in an understandable way using an application example.

What exactly is the Chair of Processes and Systems investigating?

The transformability research group aims to redesign human-machine interaction based on the new requirements arising from Industrie 4.0. The focus is on preventing the operator from being overtaxed, making information available in a way that is appropriate to the task, gender-specific aspects in the interaction and operation of machines, increasing the mobility of the operator, and the operator's acceptance of technology.

Project partners, funding and data

Corporate sustainability management affects technology, employees and the organization in equal measure. For this reason, an interdisciplinary research team has been set up that relies on the close involvement of companies, trade unions, politicians, environmental organizations and other civil society players. The BMBF-funded research project is divided into four work packages. In addition to the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS), the Chair of Information Systems at the University of Potsdam has taken on its own work package (People in Digitalized Production).
Funding: 2018-2023