sozialforschungsstelle dortmund

What sozialforschungsstelle dortmund does

Sozialforschungsstelle Dortmund (sfs) is a research institute operating within the Faculty of Social Sciences (Fakultät Sozialwissenschaften) at TU Dortmund University, founded in 1947. The institute's research focuses on social innovation theory and labor research (Arbeitsforschung), with active streams in digitalization of work, Industry 4.0, low-skilled work (Einfacharbeit), co-determination, sustainable mobility, and technology discontinuation governance. Its signature methodological capability is Agent-Based Modeling and Simulation (ABMS), used to study complex socio-technical systems across air traffic, energy supply, transportation, and industrial production contexts. The institute also participates in projects examining Big Data risks (ABIDA) and governance of complex systems (RisCSIM, KoRiSim).

The institute's scholarly outputs include the Encyclopedia of Social Innovation, A Research Agenda for Social Innovation (both Edward Elgar), and the two-volume Atlas of Social Innovation (oekom). sfs does not operate a commercial revenue model; it is funded through project-based grants from German federal ministries (BMAS, BMBF), state ministries in North Rhine-Westphalia, foundations including the Hans-Böckler-Stiftung, international funders such as FONCSI (Toulouse), and institutional support from TU Dortmund University. Research engagements are executed through commissioned policy studies, collaborative academic projects with the University Alliance Ruhr (TU Dortmund, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Universität Duisburg-Essen), and applied SME transformation programs in the Ruhr region.

Knowledge dissemination occurs via peer-reviewed academic publications, open-access repositories, conference presentations (R&D Management, EURAM, STS, Sustainability Transitions), institutional newsletters, and social channels (LinkedIn, Instagram). The institute's market consists of academic peers, federal and state policymakers, regional SMEs (particularly in transformation and diversity management), works councils, and trade unions including ver.di.

Name

sozialforschungsstelle dortmund

Legal name

Sozialforschungsstelle Dortmund (sfs)

Website

https://sfs.sowi.tu-dortmund.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1947

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sozialforschungsstelle Dortmund (sfs) is a TU Dortmund University research institute conducting social science research on social innovation, labor transformation, and agent-based modeling of socio-technical systems, serving academia, government ministries, and regional SMEs in Germany.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Science Research Services

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711)

akta.pro primary industry

Social Sciences & Public Policy Research Universities (EDAHABAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Research Universities with Multi-Campus Systems (EDAHAAAI), Policy, Regulatory & Public Affairs Research (BPAHALAF), Social Sciences Scholarly Publishing (EDAGAFAD)

Keywords

• Social innovation research
• Labor market research
• Agent-based modeling
• Socio-technical systems
• Policy research

Headquarters

HQ city

Dortmund

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Sozialforschungsstelle Dortmund (sfs) is a university-affiliated research institute within TU Dortmund's Faculty of Social Sciences that conducts applied social science research focused on social innovation and labor research. The institute produces commissioned research projects for government ministries and foundations, develops agent-based modeling and simulation (ABMS) tools for analyzing socio-technical systems, and publishes academic works including the Encyclopedia of Social Innovation, the Atlas of Social Innovation, and the Research Agenda for Social Innovation.

Product overview

Sozialforschungsstelle Dortmund (sfs) is a research institute within TU Dortmund University's Faculty of Social Sciences. The organization focuses on social science innovation research and labor research. Their offerings include research publications such as the Encyclopedia of Social Innovation, A Research Agenda for Social Innovation, and the Atlas of Social Innovation. The institute conducts various research projects, offers teaching services, and develops research methodologies including agent-based modeling and simulation for studying socio-technical systems.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Encyclopedia of Social Innovation A comprehensive encyclopedia covering social innovation concepts, research, and practices published by Edward Elgar Publishing, developed by sfs researchers as a key reference work for the social innovation field.
• A Research Agenda for Social Innovation A research agenda publication outlining key topics and future directions for social innovation research, published by Edward Elgar Publishing.
• Atlas of Social Innovation A two-volume publication documenting social innovation practices and new approaches worldwide, published by oekom Verlag.

Quantifiable outcome

• Development of comprehensive frameworks for social innovation research including the Encyclopedia of Social Innovation and Research Agenda for Social Innovation published by Edward Elgar Publishing
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability5 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Klinikum Dortmund gGmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Large company partner in the SEDiMA project developing diversity management concepts tailored to different career stages, where unskilled workers comprise over 90% of the workforce.
• rku.it GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Medium-sized company partner in the SEDiMA project participating in learning partnerships for diversity management development.
• Massmann Malereibetrieb (Painting Company)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Small business partner in the SEDiMA project contributing to diversity management concepts through learning partnerships.
• Offensive MittelstandcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2025Strong transfer partner in SEDiMA project for disseminating project results and diversity management tools to SMEs across Germany.
• Betriebsrat der ServiceDO gGmbH (Works Council)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Works council partner at Dortmund Hospital for co-determination research in low-skilled service work environments.
• ver.di WestfalencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Trade union partner in low-skilled work research, supporting regional dissemination of findings through union networks.
• Wirtschaftsförderung DortmundcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Regional economic development agency supporting sfs research on low-skilled work dynamics in the Dortmund region labor market.
• University Alliance RuhrcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Multi-university partnership including TU Dortmund, University of Duisburg-Essen, and Ruhr University Bochum for collaborative research in the Ruhr region. sfs participates in joint projects like InnaMoRuhr on sustainable mobility and collaborative research initiatives.
• Institute for Work and Technology (IAT) - Westphalian University of Applied SciencescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Cooperative partner in the Ch@nge Ruhr project for strengthening SME transformation capabilities in the Ruhr region. IAT serves as project coordinator with sfs as one of four partner institutions.
• Institute for Work and Qualification (IAQ) - University of Duisburg-EssencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Research partner in the Ch@nge Ruhr project focused on digital transformation support for SMEs in the Ruhr region.
• Joint RUB/IG Metall Working Group and Chair for Production Systems - Ruhr University BochumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Partner in Ch@nge Ruhr project providing expertise on production systems and industrial relations for SME transformation support.
• Institute for Energy Systems, Energy Efficiency and Energy Economics - TU DortmundcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2015Interdisciplinary collaboration in the KoRiSim project developing simulation frameworks for future electricity grids combining electro-technical and sociological modeling approaches.
• intrestikminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Project partner in the AktOr (Mindfulness Training for Organizations) project focused on crisis prevention and management training for organizations.

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung (WZB): Large German social science research center conducting policy-relevant empirical research on labor, education, and inequality — directly comparable mission and funding model to sfs as a publicly funded social science research institute serving German federal and state policy makers.
• IÖW – Institut für ökologische Wirtschaftsforschung: Berlin-based sustainability research institute applying social science methods to innovation, corporate sustainability, and labor — closely comparable applied social science research model and policy-oriented output portfolio.
• Leibniz-Institut für Raumbezogene Sozialforschung (IRS): Leibniz Association social science institute researching spatial dimensions of social change — comparable German publicly funded social science research institute with policy-relevant applied research output.
• Institut Arbeit und Technik (IAT), Westfälische Hochschule: Regional research institute focused on work, technology, and structural change in the Ruhr area; already a strategic partner of sfs in Ch@nge Ruhr, with directly overlapping research themes on labor transformation, digitalization, and SME development.
• Institut für Sozialforschung (IfS), Frankfurt: Frankfurt University institute with a long tradition in critical social science research and contemporary work on digitalization, labor, and social transformation — historically and methodologically a near-equivalent academic social science research institute.
• ISOE – Institut für sozial-ökologische Forschung: Frankfurt-based social-ecological research institute combining social science and transdisciplinary methods on sustainability, mobility, and water — comparable niche research profile and funding model to sfs, with overlapping mobility and sustainability research.
• Institut Arbeit und Qualifikation (IAQ), Universität Duisburg-Essen: University-based research institute studying labor markets, work, and qualification — an existing sfs partner within University Alliance Ruhr with directly overlapping research on labor market transformation and digitalization.

Broad incumbents

• Deutsches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung (DIW Berlin): Major German economic and social research institute producing policy-relevant research on labor markets, digitalization, and industrial transformation — overlapping analytical focus with sfs but with broader economic research mandate and much larger scale.
• Fraunhofer-Institut für System- und Innovationsforschung (ISI): Larger applied research institute with a broad systems and innovation research portfolio including Foresight, industrial transformation, and technology assessment — overlapping topics with sfs's socio-technical systems analysis but at much greater scale and with industry-driven funding.
• Fraunhofer-Institut für Arbeitswirtschaft und Organisation (IAO): Stuttgart-based Fraunhofer institute researching the future of work, digital transformation, and organizational change — direct topical overlap with sfs's labor and Industry 4.0 research, but as a much larger incumbent with industry consulting as a core business.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sozialforschungsstelle-dortmund
• Instagraminstagram.com/sfs.sowi.tudortmund

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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