KüSTE

Project lead
Prof. Dr. Christian Gade

Project staff
Jennifer Pawliczek
Eric Schiller

Third-party funding partner
Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space
part of the funding programme "REGION.innovativ – Arbeitswelten der Zukunft in strukturschwachen Regionen (Working environments of the future in structurally weak regions)"

Project duration
August 2021 – June 2024

Coordinating institution
CIM Innovation und Technologie gGmbH

Project partners

• Hochschule Wismar
• S.K.M. Informatik GmbH
• IFQ Gm
• SUR Laser- und Metalltechnik GmbH
• MGT Maschinen- und Gerätebau GmbH
• Stieblich Hallenbau GmbH
• Kran- und Industrieservice GmbH
• Metallverarbeitung Kähler GmbH
• Kähler Metallbau und Umwelttechnik GmbH
• University of Applied Labour Studies (HdBA)

With regard to the economic connection of the Eastern regions, Western Mecklenburg plays a particular role in the development of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The region is characterised by its sparse population, fluctuation, emigration, overageing and a constant generational change in all areas of business, which concerns specialists and managers alike. Therefore it is necessary to support the receiving and transfer of experience and knowledge to junior staff and lateral entry employees.

The aim of KüSTE and the eleven regional partners is therefore to develop digital and adaptive methods by means of which the experience and knowledge in companies can be ensured and efficiently transferred to new employees. Selected company case studies allow new ways of recording and the provision of process knowledge tailored to requirements. This intends to increase the attractiveness and performance of Western Mecklenburg as a region and to guarantee this long term. 

With the focus on leadership and Human Resource Management the HdBA is developing a comprehensive occupational science concept to overcome problems of the generational change typical for the region. The collaborative project partner CIM is focusing on network management and supports the transfer of technology. The Wismar University of Applied Sciences looks at the perspective of academically developing methods to digitalise experience and knowledge. The situative, needs-based provision of knowledge of processes and methods, tools for human resources and skill development specific to a region, tools sensitive to demography and types of work as well as the encouraging of creativity in a company are the main focal points here. Based on the explanatory approaches of behavioural sciences and the findings from standardised surveys, guided interviews and the inspection of company data, a design conducive of the transfer of knowledge is implemented. The result is a modular system for documenting, updating and sharing the knowledge of processes and experience in SMEs, which comprises a technical as well as an occupational science dimension.