I am an independent researcher at the intersection of business administration, society and technology.I am passionate about the overall architecture and design of the social, technological and commercial aspects of enterprises. And I am equally intrigued by the challenges of investigating models that explain and applying these models to both companies as permanent and projects as temporary organisations. My theoretical interest and expertise are in management systems, such as quality and knowledge management, and in the application of technologies, particularly Internet and Web 2.0 technology.
My areas of practice are Fab Labs, Open Design and Creative Commons, More recently I have started to investigate and develop models and formats of co-creation, together with colleagues Abdul Samad Kazi (VTT, Helsinki, Finland) and Patricia Wolf (ETH Zurich, Switzerland). First results of this endeavour have been the development and delivery and evaluation of “unconference” and co-creation formats in academia and business.
I am also investigating how structural and societal conditions influence and are influenced by various forms of co-creation, one example being the current intellectual property and copyright regimes as opposed to commons-based peer-production.
In terms of formal credentials, I hold a Dr. sc. techn. and an MSc. in industrial engineering from ETH Zurich, and a certificate in International Copyright Law from the University of Amsterdam. I received formal training in online journalism, as a facilitator for Local Agenda 21 and for future workshops, in educational video production, and in sound engineering. I am proficient in German, English, Dutch and French and do read Italian, Portuguese and Spanish.