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Algorithmic Management in the Food Delivery Sector – A Contested Terrain? Evidence from a Form-Level Case-Study on Algorithmic Management and Co-Determination
(Weizenbaum Institute, 2023) Wotschack, Philip; Hellbach, Leon; Butollo, Florian; Ziour, Jordi
Forms of algorithmic management (AM) play an essential role in organizing food delivery work by deploying AI-based systems for coordinating driver routes. Given the risks of precarity and threats posed by AM that are typically related to (migrant) platform work, the question arises to what extent structures of co-determination are able to positively shape this type of work and the technologies involved. Based on an intense case-study in a large food delivery company, this paper is guided by three questions: (1) How is algorithm-based management and control used by the company? (2) How is it perceived by the couriers, also in relation to other aspects of their work? (3) What are the works council’s priorities, strategies, and achievements regarding co-determination practices? Contrary to the prevalent perception in the literature on the subject of AM, our analysis shows that human agency is still pivotal when algorithm-based systems are used to manage work processes. While data- and AM-related issues do not represent a central area of conflict, we find that co-determination rights in this domain can translate into a powerful bargaining resource of the works council with regard to the companies’ digital business model. Our study also shows that algorithmic management poses problems of non-transparency and information asymmetry, which calls for new forms and procedures of co-determination.
COVID-19 and Platform Work in Germany: Lessons for the New Normal
(Weizenbaum Institute, 2024) Herzog, Lorena; Cooiman, Franziska; Gerber, Christine; Wandjo, David
During the COVID-19 pandemic, when public life was largely brought to a standstill by lockdowns and curfews, the vast presence of last-mile-delivery workers rushing to deliver parcels, grocery shopping or take- away-meals on the streets of German cities came to the fore. Platform-based service provision has become widespread in recent years. The platform economy more than quadrupled in recent years, reaching a size of 14bn EUR in 2020, compared to just 3bn EUR in 2016 (European Council 2023). COVID-19 has created an exceptional situation, both for platforms and platform workers: Platform companies faced unstable economic conditions and government restrictions. Meanwhile, many platform workers, especially in the delivery and mobility sector, were exposed to significant health risks as they ensured the upholding of social reproduction throughout the pandemic. However, public attention for the perils of platform workers has quickly died down again. Today, the platform economy continues to provide sought-after services and constitutes a source of income for a growing number of workers struggling with precarious employment conditions. It is crucial to take stock of the effects of COVID-19 on the platform economy and its workers – both to gain an understanding of the new normal of platform work in the post-pandemic economy and to determine the political changes necessary to shape this new normal in favor of fair and decent working conditions and a resilient economy.
Data and Digital Platforms in Industry: Implication for enterprises strategies and governance
(Weizenbaum Institute, 2021) Butollo, Florian; Schneidemesser, Lea
This article explores the position of industrial internet platforms (IIP) in manufacturing value chains. We develop an understanding of the role of data in global value chains (GVCs), referring to literature on intangible assets and theories on platform business models. We use data from a qualitative empirical study based on 45 interviews on platforms active on the German market to answer (1) whether there are tendencies of oligopolization that lead to an accumulation of power on the side of the platforms, and (2) whether it is the platforms that capture most of the gains derived from higher productivity or lower transaction costs. The analysis shows that platforms mainly act as service providers and/or intermediaries that support manufacturing companies in reaping benefits from data. While the relationship between platforms and manufacturers currently corresponds to a symbiosis, a stronger power imbalance could evolve in the future since processes of oligopolization are likely.
Deglobalization, Reconfiguration, or Business as Usual? COVID-19 and the limits of reshoring of globalized production
(Weizenbaum Institute, 2022) Butollo, Florian; Staritz, Cornelia
The COVID-19 pandemic has seemingly reinforced the need for geographic restructuring and a rehoring of production, as it has demonstrated the vulnerability of globalized production. This article provides an assessment of the impact of COVID-19 on the geographies of production, looking particularly at developments in the automotive, electronics, and clothing industries. Criticizing overly simplified prospects for deglobalization, we argue that the COVID-19 pandemic cannot be interpreted as a trigger for a general retreat from global manufacturing but rather as an event that is reinforcing long-standing shifts toward more multipolar production and consumption. While the issue of global production network resilience has attracted great attention in corporate strategies and industrial policies, re- or nearshoring of production networks is only one of several strategies and it has hardly been implemented so far. Ongoing disruptions and, above all, geoeconomically/-politically and environmentally motivated policies could well lead to a shift in investment and sourcing patterns. Political efforts in this direction are, however, limited by pre-existing global economic development paths and the balance of power associated with them.
Die Symbiose von generativer KI und Arbeit
(Weizenbaum Institute, 2024) Butollo, Florian; Gerber, Christine; Görnemann, Esther; Greminger, Lea; Katzinski, Ann; Kulla, Marlene; Sirman-Winkler, Mareike; Spott, Justus
Die Verbreitung von generativen KI-Anwendungen (GKI) in der Arbeitswelt führt zu weitläufigen Spekulationen über die Zukunft der Arbeit. In diesem Policy Brief formulieren wir auf Grundlage theoretischer Überlegungen und erster empirischer Eindrücke Thesen über das Verhältnis von GKI und Arbeit, die zugleich als Hypothesen des Forschungsprojekts GENKIA dienen, in denen wir die Veränderungen von Arbeit in Programmierung, Journalismus, Marketing, Personalmanagement und öffentlicher Verwaltung empirisch untersuchen. Die Thesen lauten: (1) Trotz technischer Durchbrüche stellt GKI kein Äquivalent zu menschlicher Intelligenz dar; (2) GKI wird durch menschliche Arbeit nutzbar; (3) GKI stellt eine neue Qualität der Interaktion zwischen Mensch und Maschine dar; (4) Die Einführung von GKI macht Arbeit; (5) Generative KI erfordert neue Antworten im Sinne guter Arbeit.
Digitalisierung und die Pandemie – aus der Krise lernen
(Weizenbaum Institute, 2024-04) Gerber, Christine; Cooiman, Franziska; Butollo, Florian; Krzywdzinski, Martin; Wandjo, David; Danyeli, Matthias; Delicat, Nina; Herzog, Lorena
Die vorliegende Studie skizziert, welche Technologien und Anwendungen im Zuge der Pandemie in Unternehmen an Bedeutung gewonnen haben und welche Ressourcen ihnen bei der Digitalisierung zugutekamen. Die Befunde basieren auf 34 qualitativen Fallstudien in sechs Sektoren (Maschinenbau, Logistik, Automobil, Chemie, Finanzen, Gesundheit) sowie einer quantitativen Befragung von 540 Betrieben. Die Pandemie hat v.a. die Virtualisierung von Kommunikation und Interaktion in Betrieben vorangetrieben. Auf Automatisierungsprozesse hatte die Pandemie wenig unmittelbaren Einfluss. Zugleich zeigen die Befunde, dass Digitalisierungsprozesse in komplexen und sozialen Kontexten verortet sind und vielfältige Ressourcen (technisch, organisatorisch, finanziell) und Bedingungen (Unternehmenskultur, regulatorische Rahmenbedingungen) benötigen. Vielmehr als einen allgemeinen Digitalisierungsschub verstärkte sich die Kluft zwischen Digitalisierungsvorreiter\*innen und -nachzügler\*innen. Abschließend formuliert die Studie Handlungsempfehlungen an Politik und Sozialpartner\*innen.
Editorial: Volume 2, Issue 1
(Weizenbaum Institute, 2022) Emmer, Martin; Krasnova, Hanna; Krzywdzinski, Martin; Metzger, Axel; Schimmler, Sonja; Ulbricht, Lena
This second issue of the Weizenbaum Journal of the Digital Society brings together four contributions that examine the role of actors and regulation in processes of digitalization from the perspective of different disciplines. The topics include the role of the Silicon Valley discourse on entrepreneurship in legitimizing a specific model of work in the IT industry, the particularities of the European platform regulation approach, the development and enforcement problems of copyright liability regulation in Germany, and the development and regulation of automation processes in the workplace.
Proceedings of the Weizenbaum Conference 2023. AI, Big Data, Social Media and People on the Move
(Weizenbaum Institute, 2023) Berendt, Bettina; Krzywdzinski, Martin; Kuznetsova, Elizaveta
The contributions focus on the question of what role different digital technologies play for “people on the move” - with “people on the move” being understood both spatially (migration and flight) and in terms of economic and social change (changing working conditions, access conditions). The authors discuss phenomena such as disinformation and algorithmic bias from different perspectives, and the possibilities, limits and dangers of generative artificial intelligence.
Stellungnahme zum BMBF-Eckpunktepapier für ein Forschungsdatengesetz
(Weizenbaum Institute, 2024-05-23) Kammerer, Dietmar; Schimmler, Sonja; Shala, Kaltrina; Vuorimäki, Julian
Das Weizenbaum-Institut begrüßt das vom Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF) vorgelegte Eckpunktepapier zum Forschungsdatengesetz. Damit es zum Wohle der Allgemeinheit wirksam werden kann, sollte es den Bedarfen der öffentlich geförderten Forschung angemessen sein. Das Weizenbaum-Institut möchte mit der vorliegenden Stellungnahme hierzu einen Beitrag leisten. Im Folgenden wird deshalb zu den Datenbedarfen der Forschung, der Auffindbarkeit von Forschungsdaten, dem Zugang zu und die Verknüpfung von Forschungsdaten, den Ressourcen und der Anerkennung für die Forschung sowie Verbesserungen im Datenschutzrecht Stellung genommen.
The COVID-19 Crisis, Digitalization, and Organizational Change
(Weizenbaum Institute, 2025-01) Krzywdzinski, Martin; Butollo, Florian
The study explores the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the digitalization and organizational changes in companies across different sectors in Germany. The research addresses the extent to which the pandemic accelerated digitalization, the variations in digitalization focus among companies, and the interplay between technological and organizational changes. Data were collected through surveys conducted in two waves in 2021 and 2022, encompassing 540 and 605 companies, respectively. The research employed ordered logistic regression to analyze the factors influencing digitalization investments. Key findings indicate that the pandemic acted as a catalyst for digitalization, with management awareness and employee acceptance being significant drivers. Notably, there were disparities in digitalization efforts, influenced by the economic impact of the pandemic, sectoral differences, and prior levels of digitalization. While companies with existing digital infrastructure initially led the way, less digitalized companies began to catch up over time. Organizational changes, such as new leadership concepts, cross-functional cooperation, and flexible working hours, were also linked to increased digitalization efforts. The study concludes that the pandemic has not only accelerated technological changes but also necessitated parallel organizational transformations to support these developments.
The Rebound Effects of Automation
(Weizenbaum Institute, 2024-04) Butollo, Florian
This contribution argues for a shift in the paradigms by which we assess the impact of automation on work. The suggested theoretical lens provides an explanation for the paradox of rising employment figures despite continuous automation. Capitalist development entails tendencies of rising complexity and acceleration of economic relationships, tendencies that are taken to extremes in digital capitalism. Therefore, we need to acknowledge countertendencies to a substitution of work, framed as three rebound effects of automation: rising complexity of production and the division of labour, work related to the introduction of automation and work needed to mitigate the societal consequences of capitalist development. Using short case studies on work in logistics, industry and care, the implementation of digital technology is shown to be partly motivated by the labour market situation – automation technologies are introduced to mitigate labour shortages. However, the case studies also illustrate the exuberant expectations about the effects of digitalisation in this respect. While the narratives behind the introduction of digital technologies are heavily shaped by the motivation to combat labour shortages, the actual technologies are barely equipped to do so. Conflicts about the (relief from) an excessive burden at work begin to take on centre stage in industrial relations.
The Symbiosis of Generative AI and Work
(Weizenbaum Institute, 2024-11) Butollo, Florian; Gerber, Christine; Görnemann, Esther; Greminger, Lea; Katzinski, Ann; Kulla, Marlene; Sirman-Winkler, Mareike; Spott, Justus
The proliferation of generative AI (GenAI) applications in the workplace has led to widespread speculation about the future of work. In this discussion paper, we formulate five theses on the relationship between GenAI and work, based on theoretical considerations and initial empirical impressions. They also serve as hypotheses for the GENKIA research project, in which we empirically examine changes in work across programming, journalism, marketing, HR management and public administration. The hypotheses are as follows: (1) Despite technical breakthroughs, GenAI is not an equivalent to human intelligence; (2) GenAI becomes usable through human labor; (3) GenAI represents a new quality of interaction between humans and machines; (4) The introduction of GenAI creates work; (5) Generative AI requires new answers to ensure good working conditions.
Toward a Socioeconomic Company-Level Theory of Automation at Work
(Weizenbaum Institute, 2022) Krzywdzinski, Martin
The current understanding of automation is dominated by “routine-biased technological change” (RBTC). This theory predicts a strong automation dynamic in jobs with high routine-task share and a polarization of employment structures. While RBTC theory has many merits, this paper develops a systematic critique of the theory and a counter-proposal of a socioeconomically grounded company-level theory of the automation of work. It distinguishes between feasibility conditions of automation, technology choices, and social outcomes. With regard to feasibility conditions, the relevant factor is not routine-task intensity but the interaction between product architecture (product complexity) and process complexity. Which technology choices are made in this feasibility space is in turn influenced by companies’ profit strategies and power relations between management and labor. The social outcomes of automation depend on these technology choices, but also on managerial strategies pursued in the restructuring of organizational roles and skills. These managerial strategies are shaped by national institutional systems.
Uncertain futures of work: The perception of generative AI in knowledge professions
(Nomos, 2025) Butollo, Florian; Haase, Jennifer; Katzinski, Ann-Kathrin; Krüger, Anne K.; Kox, Thomas; Ullrich, André; Zech, Herbert
The application of generative AI (GenAI) tools has led to widespread speculation about the implications of technological change for the future of cognitive work. This article provides insights on how the use of GenAI affects work practices in the fields of IT programming, science and coaching based on expert interviews and a quantitative survey among users of GenAI. Specifically, we ask about perceptions on skills, creativity, and authenticity, which we regard as key qualities of cognitive work. Contrary to widespread expectations that AI use would hollow out or substitute aspects of cognitive work, we find that there is a strong awareness for the meaning of the professional core in each field. We conclude that the use of AI provokes reflections about the meaning of human work in operating AI tools adequately and taking on responsibility for their results, thereby rather reinforcing its relevance.
Zwei Welten der KI in der Arbeitswelt: Wie Management und Betriebsräte die Einführung und Nutzung von KI-Anwendungen gestalten
(Weizenbaum Institute, 2024) Krzywdzinski, Martin; Wotschack, Philip; Butollo, Florian; Ottaiano, Mario; Schneidemesser, Lea; Schneiß, Daniel
Die vorliegende Befragung von 385 Managern und 224 Betriebsräten in besonders KI-affinen Branchen und Betrieben zeigt, dass der Einsatz von KI-Anwendungen dort immer mehr an Dynamik gewinnt. Etwa die Hälfte der befragten Betriebe nutzen mindestens eine KI-Anwendung im Regelbetrieb. Wenn Pilotprojekte berücksichtigt werden, steigt der Anteil der Betriebe mit KI-Anwendungen auf etwa zwei Drittel. Besonders verbreitet ist der Einsatz von KI-Anwendungen in den Funktionsbereichen IT, Verwaltung sowie Vertrieb und Marketing. Die zentralen Ziele der Einführung von KI sind die Automatisierung von Arbeitsschritten und Stärkung der Effizienz der Prozesse. Fast zwei Drittel der befragten Betriebe experimentieren allerdings auch und führen KI-Anwendungen zur Erprobung des Potentials der Technik ein. Die zentralen Herausforderungen für die Unternehmen beziehen sich auf die Rekrutierung qualifizierten Personals und Fragen der Datenbereitstellung, wie die Absicherung gegen Datenschutzrisiken oder Sicherung der Datenqualität. Es wird zudem ein dringender Handlungsbedarf bei den Ausbildungsinstitutionen gesehen, um der rasant steigenden Nachfrage nach KI-Fachkräften zu entsprechen.

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Auflistung Weizenbaum Publikationen nach Forschungsbereichen "Organisation von Wissen"

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