Prof. Stephanie Reiner studied Business Administration (B.A.) and Human Resources Management (M.A.) at the OTH Amberg-Weiden and the OTH Regensburg. As an assistant to the board, manager and agile coach, she gained broad practical experience in the field of personnel and organizational development; she also worked as a lecturer and international senior researcher. Prof. Reiner is currently working on her doctorate at the Chair of Business Education at the Otto-Friedrich-University Bamberg in cooperation with the Business Psychology Department of the East Bavarian Technical University Amberg-Weiden on the topic of “Resource orientation in times of digital change: Innovative practices for operational personnel management”.
A junior professorship ...
... is a new model in which suitable applicants can acquire the missing qualifications for a professorship. In concrete terms, this means that the new professors take on their first teaching and research tasks while at the same time completing the outstanding qualification - i.e. either a doctorate or practical experience. The junior professorship (in german: Nachwuchsprofessur) was introduced at Bavarian universities of applied sciences in 2023 as part of the Bavarian Higher Education Innovation Act.
What is your research about and where do you focus?
In three key words, my research can be broken down into resource orientation, digital transformation and HR management.
In combination, this means that I am interested in what resources employees objectively have at their disposal in the digital work context. In other words, I want to understand what sources of resources exist that facilitate and support the handling of digital transformation.
These sources of resources can lie within the individual, such as professional behavior, resilience and technical self-efficacy expectations. However, environmental factors, such as a supportive manager, IT support or digital technologies that are easy to learn, are also crucial in terms of resources.
This is why I also like to use the term “resource repertoire”, which was coined by Dr. Bodo Klemenz in German-speaking countries. In English-speaking countries, Prof. Steven E. Hobfoll, the founder of the theory of resource conservation, uses a similar term: “armamentarium”, which translates as “tools of the trade”. The term resource repertoire therefore not only makes it clear that the resources available are diverse, but also implies that resources are used according to the situation and that their use can be learned. Employees can therefore develop resources and thus expand their resource repertoire in order to better manage the digital transformation. As part of positive psychology, the resource paradigm is becoming a central attitude and method for HR management. It emphasizes an understanding of the impact and importance of resources in development processes.
A diverse range of resources is crucial for employees to be able to cope with the digital transformation.
What fascinates you about innovative didactics?
On the one hand, I am a person who has always placed great value on further development - and that applies to my entire career. In my professional life, I have completed several further training courses, so I have basically never stopped studying. That's also what appeals to me about didactics as a science of teaching and learning: if I understand how didactics works, I can learn better myself. This gives me a higher degree of autonomy and certain freedoms in my own development. At the same time, it puts me in a position to pass on my knowledge and wealth of experience.
I am particularly interested in didactics in the corporate context, not only in personnel development, but also in organizational development - because not only people, but also organizations (can) learn. In research, this is often illustrated by the use of metaphors. Concepts that are applied to individuals are transferred and referred to as “just” or “mindful” organizations, for example. In any case, organizational resources are a dimension of resource endowment. This includes, for example, the learning culture in terms of values, learning structures and learning processes. However, didactics also plays an important role in change and knowledge management. Didactics is therefore not something that takes place exclusively in people's heads, between teachers and learners; it has to be thought of in a broader sense.
On the other hand - and in the spirit of resource orientation - I attach great importance to maintaining and strengthening what has been tried and tested, but I also like to explore new paths instead of just following the beaten track. I am enthusiastic about approaching things differently, adopting new perspectives and developing new learning content or deriving new qualification goals from this.
In summary, for me as a university lecturer, innovative didactics means not only enjoying teaching students, but also enjoying learning myself.
How did the junior professorship come about?
The first prerequisite for this career path is a love of academic work and a very good Master's degree from a university or university of applied sciences. Ideally, you should choose a topic that interests you and is suitable for a possible doctorate later on. When writing my thesis - which ended up being around 400 pages including the appendix - I realized that I can work intensively on a topic and am not afraid of writing, quite the opposite.
The second requirement for a junior professorship in the doctoral track is several years of practical experience after the Master's degree, at least five years. I have been working in various positions since 2015 and have already been heavily involved in the art of learning and teaching in my work as an executive assistant and later head of business organization and agile coach: I worked in the areas of HR management, project management, IT project work as well as quality and process management, where I worked in both a scientific-theoretical and application-oriented manner. In addition, I was able to gain extensive leadership experience in these positions, which is a source of resources for my doctorate. Being able to manage and motivate yourself and others is important for a multi-year doctoral project that doesn't just depend on you.
In my role as head of business organization and agile coach, I have initiated change processes, made strategic decisions, led teams and supported them in their development. This experience ultimately led to a teaching position at Weiden Business School, where I taught in German and English in the field of HR management on topics such as management and leadership, agile project management, international management and personnel and organizational development - in particular the design and support of digital transformation.
Teaching experience is another prerequisite for appointment as a junior professor. And I think that teaching experience is not only important for developing pedagogical skills, but also for finding out whether teaching suits you at all. Alongside academic self-administration and research, teaching is the central task of a W2 professorship at universities.
The current junior professorship would not have been possible if I had not focused on practice from the outset and become a kind of reflective practitioner. So the great advantage of my career path is certainly the practical perspective: I speak the language of practice and attach great importance to the exchange with practitioners. This dialog is very important to me because it enables me to understand their perspectives and needs and to respond to them in a targeted manner. Through the last few years at a non-university institute, where I led numerous international research and development projects, and of course through my doctoral thesis, I also have an additional scientific perspective on the problem areas of practice. In this respect, the junior professorship at HNU was not only a perfect match for me in terms of subject matter. I can gain further academic qualifications while gaining an insight into the day-to-day work of a professor - and I can develop and shape my own teaching and research area.
Following the junior professorship, there are basically two paths open to you: On the one hand, you have the opportunity to stay in academia and apply for a W2 professorship. That's what I'm aiming for with my junior professorship, as I really appreciate the academic environment and enjoy working, teaching and researching in German and English. On the other hand, you can of course also return to practice to apply and pass on scientific findings directly if necessary. Both options offer valuable opportunities for my professional development, but my heart beats for an academic career and I am keen to pursue this path.
How was your start at HNU and what are you looking forward to in the near future?
I have never experienced such a good induction as at HNU - and as an HR manager I know all about it. The induction process was very structured and I had a mentor at my side, Prof. Dr. Claudia Kocian-Dirr, who accompanied me during the initial period and was always available to me as a contact person. The InnoPROF project team, through which my position is funded, including Vice President Prof. Dr. Julia Kormann, also gave me a lot of support. That was an enormously helpful factor for me, also because at the beginning you are naturally still a little unsure of what colleagues, the dean, the university management and administration expect of you. I already really appreciate the open and appreciative approach at HNU!
Overall, the HNU offers very good support structures in teaching and research. These include the faculty office and the HNU facilities, for example the Center for Digital Teaching, as well as specific offers such as coaching on academic writing, didactic seminars or peer case consultations. One highlight is that I will be attending a three-week intensive English language course for university lecturers in Cambridge during the semester break. It is important to me to use English as a teaching medium to prepare students for the globalized world of work.
Given my Swabian roots - I was born in the USA but grew up in Donau-Ries - I also think it's great that I can now eat spaetzle more often again. And my Swabian also comes through more often, which I like.
Last semester, I had my first teaching duties and was able to get to know our students - what makes them tick, what are their backgrounds? In the coming semester, I'm looking forward to getting more involved in teaching and structuring and coordinating two modules myself. I've already come up with something special for this: my students can look forward to a little creative experiment. I don't want to give too much away just yet, of course, but it will be about how business studies actually becomes a shoe - quite literally (too).
What has challenged, fulfilled and/or surprised you the most so far?
That's not an easy question! But I would say: the creative freedom and the interdisciplinarity - these two points also describe HNU very well for me - as well as the change in role.
In terms of freedom: as a professor, I naturally enjoy the freedom of teaching and research, but like any freedom, structuring your everyday (working) life on your own responsibility goes hand in hand with responsibility. This balance between freedom and responsibility is not only important, but also a prerequisite for innovative didactics.
On the subject of interdisciplinarity: although I most recently worked at a social science institute, my focus there was very much on general and vocational education. This means that I mainly exchanged ideas with people from my own department, albeit in an international context. Now I am in contact with colleagues from very different disciplines, which is what I had hoped for - after all, my doctoral thesis is at the intersection of health management, information management and business administration. This exchange has significantly broadened my view of science once again and is accompanied by many different opinions, ideas and feedback on my doctoral project. I find this view beyond the methodological horizon very challenging in a positive way.
Regarding the change in role: I have already said that I see myself as a kind of reflective practitioner and have always been embedded in this experiential space. As a professor, I now experience - also in discussions with practitioners - a completely different role expectation, which is associated with a different perception, both from the outside and from within. Perhaps this change in role is a mental hurdle for some people who are toying with the idea of a professorship. I see the junior professorship as an ideal format for learning to trust yourself to make this change. I am still in the middle of my qualification, I can and may grow into this new role.
What advice would you give to practitioners who are interested in an academic career?
In my opinion, the decision to pursue a doctoral project is not a one-off, but must be made again and again in order to make the most of opportunities and chances. I would recommend approaching it step by step: a teaching position can be a very good door opener and at the same time helps you to find out whether you are interested in teaching and whether the university environment - which is very different from the business world - suits you. In my opinion, getting to know this academic environment really well is crucial: What are the people like there? Do I feel comfortable here? Ideally, you should also look at your resources: what sources of resources can I draw on and which ones do I still need to tap into in order to successfully complete my doctoral project?
If you want to do a doctorate, you should really take your time with the exposé, because this is where the small details show whether you can handle the big things. You should be aware of how much time and money a doctorate costs. In the worst-case scenario, you might realize that you're not able to do it after all or that it doesn't fit in with your current life - but that's still not wasted time if you then turn it into a specialist article or publish a practical book, for example. In the best case scenario, it becomes clear that the doctoral thesis is the right path.
I'm currently right in the middle of my dissertation, which is an exhausting point. When I look back, I can see what I've already achieved - but when I look forward, I can of course also see what's still to come. It's a bit like hiking: You've already done a fair few kilometers and your feet are starting to ache, but there's still a climb to come. That's completely normal. It takes perseverance on the academic career path, but it's worth it. In any case, it is helpful to seek out networks early on in order to travel this path together - and to keep your eyes open for junior professorships.
Thank you very much for the interesting interview, Prof. Reiner!
At a glance
When I'm not doing research/work, I'm ... swimming, cycling or hiking. I also do a lot of art: during a dry spell in my doctorate, I started drawing little sketches that reflect my work and the process.
My current reading: At the moment, I'm primarily poring over literature for my doctoral thesis. Apart from that, I have a soft spot for natural history books, e.g. about jellyfish. In any case, it has to be specialist and non-fiction books that relax me, not novels.
My area of expertise in three words: resource orientation, digital transformation and HR management
My next publication ... will deal with the classification of resource constructs that are empirically significant for resource provision in the digital work context. The result is literature-based and represents a resource taxonomy.
