A warm Welcome to my personal website at Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences! 

Let me briefly introduce myself to you: My expertise is the future of work, notably the transformation process thereof. I sometimes like to summarise it with a hashtag: #TheHotStuffinHR.
 
I am notably interested in Leadership and Organizational Development, Agility and Digitalization as well as People Analytics. I am a passionate university teacher with a very broad industry experience, and a focus on HRM. Given my professorship and experience, I love to work in international and interdisciplinary environments and teams. 

I have studied at Maastricht University, Sciences Po Paris and at the London School of Economics. My majors were Human Resource Management, International Employment Relations and European Studies. I completed my doctoral thesis at Freie Universität Berlin in International Relations with a quantitative study on the EU's external relations, notably to the People's Republic of China. 

My teaching and research is enriched by many years of practical work experience in leading positions in various international organisations: in start-ups, SMEs and large companies. I have worked in a variety of industries, such as retail, FMCG/chemistry, automotive, journalism, politics and private organisations of higher education.

You can find more details about me, my CV and what's currently on my mind on my LinkedIn profile. 
Feel free to connect there!

My current and future teaching portfolio consists of lectures and seminars, such as Human Resource Management, Sustainable HR, HR Admin & Analytics, or Digital Transformation. 

You can find all details about my teaching for the current semester in the official course catalogue of Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences. 

Here you find a list of research questions that I am currently interested in. If you are a student at Hochschule Niederrhein, please take this list as an inspiration for your own Bachelor or Master Thesis topic!

• 1) Skills management and data-based talent marketplaces: How can organisations use AI to make their personnel planning truly strategic?
• 2) Agile organisations and large companies: Why does the hierarchical organisational structure persist, although there is an urgent need for new structures that enable faster and more flexible decision-making and org development?
• 3) Leadership 4.0 – Part Time, Job Sharing, servant leadership etc..: Which leadership methods does a transformed working world need? 
• 4) Digitalisation and Agile methods: A question of culture? Based on Hofstede’s theoretical framework of intercultural management, as well as empirical findings, the cultural constitution of the People’s Republic of China is not necessarily conducive for successful digitalisation. Nonetheless, China is a digital forerunner by international comparison. How can we explain this puzzle?
• 5) Teaching & research 4.0: What does the job profile of a „professor“ look like in the future of work?
• 6) Why do small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) still rarely use Agile methods, despite the potential?

(Selection)
Keynotes, presentations and contributions in professional journals 

Austermann, Frauke, 28.11.2022. DGFP Konferenz „Cases aus der betrieblichen HR-Praxis - "HR Reporting One Entry Point: Wie sich bei Henkel HR-Daten für eine gute UX intern „ergooglen“ lassen", Deutsche Gesellschaft für Personalführung e.V.

Austermann, Frauke, 11.10.2022. „Using People Analytics to Identify and Reduce Bias”, London, CIPD People Analytics Conference of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.

Bertling, Carsten & Austermann, Frauke; 21.10.2022: „Wie Henkel HR-Daten analysiert und nutzbar macht“. Case Study in Personalwirtschaft.

Austermann, Frauke, 27.04.2022: “Google your HR Data: How a Good UX Can Make HR More Data-Driven” | (tucana-global.com). Vortrag auf der People Analytics World. 

Austermann, Frauke, 30.01.2019. „Kontinuierliche Verbesserung vs. Disruptive Digitalisierung – PVP: Der Porsche Verbesserungsprozess“ Berlin, 5. Jahresforum PEX Process Excellence DACH, 28-30.01.2019.

Austermann, Frauke, 14.03.2019. “Digitalisation and Agile Methods: A Question of Culture?” Singapore, 8th Workshop on EU-China/Asia Relations in Global Politics: “Coping with Disruption: Dimensions of Digitalisation in Europe and Asia”, 13.-15.03.2019.

Austermann, Frauke. 20.09.2016. „Führungsfrauen im interkulturellen Vergleich“ IHK Krefeld, IHK-Forum Unternehmerinnen. 20.09.2016.

Austermann, Frauke. 14.03.2014. “Labour Market Integration of University Graduates in China and Europe: A Case for Regionalism?” Guangzhou, China, Third Workshop on Europe-China Relations in Global Politics, 2014.

Austermann, Frauke. 04.04.2009. “Towards a Sustainable Chinese Economy: Can the European Model of CSR Help Improve Labour Standards in China?” Brügge, Belgien, Europakolleg Internationale Konferenz: Prospects and Challenges for EU-China Relations in the 21st Century: the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement.

Book chapters

Austermann, Frauke. 2022: Beitrag zum Buch “Vertrauen. Macht. Wirtschaft”. Nicole Bogott & Branko Woischwill. Springer/Gabler.

Austermann, Frauke. 2015. “Representing the EU in China: European Bilateral Diplomacy in a Competitive Diplomatic Environment.” In The European External Action Service. European Diplomacy Post-Westphalia, Herausgeber David Spence und Jozef Batora, 288-305. Houndmills: Palgrave Macmillan.

Austermann, Frauke. 2013. “Economic Dwarf, Political Giant? China-EU Relations in Light of the Euro-Crisis.” In The European Sovereign Debt Crisis and EU-China Relations (in Chinese: 欧债危机与中欧关系), Herausgeber: Lihua Zhang und Jan van der Harst, 80-97. Beijing: Intellectual Property Publishing House.

Austermann, Frauke. 2012. “Towards a ‘Unitary Actor?’ Perceptions of China’s Role in Africa across EU Institutions.” In China and the EU: Concord or Conflict. Herausgeber: Jan van der Harst und Pieter Swieringa, 13–35. Maastricht: Shaker Publishing.

Austermann, Frauke. 2012. “Mit Struktur Zum Doktortitel? Promovieren an Graduiertenschulen.” In Gut Beraten durch die Promotion. Best Practice für Promovierende, Herausgeber: Stephan Peters, 35–42. Wiesbaden: Springer Gabler.

Austermann, Frauke. 2010. “The European Model of CSR and Labour Standards in China.” In Prospects and Challenges for EU-China Relations in the 21st Century. The Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, Herausgeber: Jing Men und Giuseppe Balducci, 81–102. Brussels: P.I.E. Peter Lang.

Austermann, Frauke und Branko Woischwill. 2010. “Generation P – Von Luft Und Wissen Leben.” In: Zwischen Prekarisierung und Protest. Die Lebenslagen und Generationenbilder von Jugendlichen in Ost und West, Herausgeber: Michael Busch, Jan Jeskow und Rüdiger Stutz, 275–304. Bielefeld: Transcript.
 

Articles in peer-reviewed journals

Austermann, Frauke; Wei Shen und Assen Slim, 2020. “Governmental Responses to COVID-19 and its Economic impact: A Brief Euro-Asian Comparison”, Asia-Europe Journal, 18: 211-216.

Austermann, Frauke. 2016. “The European Union’s Actorness towards China: Declining Economic Player, Rising Political Player?” Review of Global Politics 1/2016: 81-96.

Austermann, Frauke. 2015. “The European External Action Service and its Delegations: a diplomatic service of different speeds.” Global Affairs Januar 2015: 51-57.

Austermann, Frauke. 2012. “Towards One Voice in Beijing? The Role of the EU’s Diplomatic Representation in China over Time.” Journal of European Integration History Juni 2012: 83–102.

Austermann, Frauke. 2011. “Political Theory versus Diplomatic Practice: Bridging the Sovereignty-Gap of EU-China Relations.” EU External Affairs Review Juli 2011: 37–59.

Books

Austermann, Frauke. 2014. “European Union Delegations in EU Foreign Policy: A Diplomatic Service of Different Speeds” (Monographie). The European Union in International Affairs Series. Houndmills: Palgrave Macmillan.

Austermann, Frauke, Anastas Vangeli und Xiaoguang Wang. 2013. „China and Europe in 21st Century Global Politics: Partnership, Competition or Co-Evolution” (Sammelband). Newcastle: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.