How does the social and consumption-related behavior of individuals develop through new media, especially social networks, and what impact do these changes have on enterprises and society?

Hardly any technological developments have had economic and social impact as profound as digitization and internet-based networking. To study these effects, our Chair collaborates closely with McKinsey & Company. As part of the representative study 'iConsumer', McKinsey annually surveys about 70,000 individuals in the USA, eight European countries (Germany, France, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Russia and the UK), China, and Brazil on how and why they use new technologies, and particularly new media.

The Chair of Strategic Management, Innovation and Entrepreneurship cooperates with McKinsey regarding the content and the scientific design of the study. In cooperation with the Chair of Prof. Dr. Harald Hungenberg (FAU Erlangen-Nuremberg) we mentor a series of PhD projects that examine specific questions, such as 'What differences can be seen between men and women in the use of social networks and which role do an individual’s living circumstances (number and age of children, occupation and income etc.) play for their usage behavior?' or 'What role do social networks play in overcoming gender and political discrimination?'. In the end, the project will hopefully provide meaningful implications for business, politics, and society on how to shape, use, and control new media to enhance public welfare and reduce inequality.