Research

I study how strategy, organization, and innovation emerge from everyday practices and organizational routines. My research focuses on technology-intensive settings and explains how organizations respond to digitalization, sustainability, and technological change.

Organizing Digital and Sustainable Transformations

I examine how everyday practices shape digital, sustainable, and twin transformations. Drawing on practice theory and routine dynamics, this work explains how local action becomes embedded in organizational routines and contributes to broader transformation.

Managing Technology and Innovation

I investigate how people perform and change routines around emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence and the metaverse, as well as agile and self-managed forms of organizing. This work focuses on the coordination and experimentation through which technological innovation is sustained in practice.

Strategizing in Dynamic Environments

I examine how strategizing emerges from situated organizational action. This work explains how patterns of practice contribute to agility, dynamic capabilities, and strategic adaptation under conditions of uncertainty and change.

Methods: Combining Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches

I combine qualitative ethnographic fieldwork with quantitative analyses of digital trace data. This methodological approach makes it possible to study how practices and routines unfold over time while connecting qualitative depth with quantitative scope.

Research Communities

Research in Practice

I work with organizations on strategy, innovation, and digital transformation by translating research into evidence-based concepts and tools. My focus is on organizational change, agile product development, and technology-intensive work.

Offerings

• Speaking: Scientifically grounded talks on agile methods, digital transformation, and the future of work
• Consulting & Workshops: Hands-on support for agile organizing, HR competencies, and managing digital transformation
• Executive Training: Research-based frameworks and tools tailored for leaders and their organizations

Key Achievements

• 35+ scientific and practitioner publications, including internationally leading journals such as Academy of Management Journal, Journal of Management Studies, and Organization Studies
• 5 long-term collaborations with industry (3–12 months each), generating deep immersion and process improvements
• 50+ presentations at international conferences and industry events
• 200+ teaching sessions including lectures, seminars, and workshops across academic and professional contexts

Project Example: Partnering with Agile Teams to Shape Better Ways of Working

Over 12 months, I worked with agile software development teams in a medium-sized high-tech organization, spending 2–3 days per week in their everyday work. I combined observation with feedback workshops and developed reports and concepts to support improvements across teams. The collaboration generated research insights while also making learning impediments visible and supporting the structured scaling of agile methods.

About Me

Publications

Selected Publications

Provisional directionality: Unpacking the prospective dimension of organizational routines
Mahringer, C.A., Dittrich, K., & Renzl, B. (2026). Organization Studies, 47(6), 847–870.

Autonomous, yet interdependent: Designing interfaces across routine clusters
Mahringer, C.A. & Danner-Schröder, A. (2025). Academy of Management Journal, 68(6), 1300–1327.

Embodied connection work: The role of the lived body in routine recreation in extreme contexts
Sele, K., Danner-Schröder, A., & Mahringer, C.A. (2025). Journal of Management Studies, 62(3), 1300–1329.

Twin transformation in action: Conceptualising the entanglement of digitalisation and sustainability in organisational routines
Mahringer, C.A. (2025). International Journal of Innovation Management, 29(5/6), 1–25.

Tackling grand challenges: Insights and contributions from practice theories
Danner-Schröder, A., Mahringer, C.A., Sele, K., Feldman, M.S., Gehman, J., et al. (2025). Journal of Management Inquiry, 34(2), 143–166.

Process multiplicity and process dynamics: Weaving the space of possible paths
Pentland, B.T., Mahringer, C.A., Dittrich, K., Feldman, M.S., & Wolf, J.R. (2020). Organization Theory, 1(3), 1–21.

Scientific articles

• Mahringer, C.A., Dittrich, K., Renzl, B. (2026). Provisional directionality: Unpacking the prospective dimension of organizational routines. Organization Studies, 47(6), 847-870.
• Mahringer, C.A., Danner-Schröder, A., (2025). Autonomous, yet interdependent: Designing interfaces across routine clusters. Academy of Management Journal, 68(6), 1300-1327.
• Mahringer, C.A. (2025). Twin transformation in action: Conceptualising the entanglement of digitalisation and sustainability in organisational routines. International Journal of Innovation Management, 29(5/6), 1-25.
• Danner-Schröder, A., Mahringer, C.A., Sele, K., Feldman, M.S., Gehman, J., Gherardi, S., Huysman, M., Jarzabkowski, P., Pentland, B.T., Rouleau, L., Sergeeva, A., Sutcliffe, K.M. (2025). Tackling grand challenges: Insights and contributions from practice theories. Journal of Management Inquiry, 34(2), 143-166.
• Mahringer, C.A. (2025). Media review: The untapped power of discovery. Organization Studies, 46(5), 771-773.
• Mahringer, C.A., Schmiedle, L., Albicker, L., Mayer, S. (2025). The iceberg model of change: A taxonomy differentiating approaches to change. Heliyon, 11(2), 1-10.
• Sele, K., Danner-Schröder, A., Mahringer, C.A. (2025). Embodied connection work: The role of the lived body in routine recreation in extreme contexts. Journal of Management Studies, 62(3), 1300-1329.
• Mahringer, C.A., Danner-Schröder, A., Müller-Seitz, G., Renzl, B. (2024). How does artificial intelligence promote change and stability of organizational routines? The role of automation and augmentation. Journal of Competences, Strategy & Management, 12, 1-17.
• Sele, K., Mahringer, C.A., Danner-Schröder, A., Grisold, T., Renzl, B. (2024). We are all pattern makers! How a flat ontology connects organizational routines and grand challenges. Strategic Organization, 22, 530-549.
• Mahringer, C.A., Pentland, B.T., Renzl, B., Sele, K., Spee, P. (2024). Routine dynamics: Organizing in a world in flux. Research in the Sociology of Organizations, 88, 1-15.
• Mahringer, C.A. (2024). Innovating as chains of interrelated situations. Scandinavian Journal of Management. 40(1), 1-8.
• Mahringer, C.A., Baessler, F., Gerchen, M.F., Haak, C., Jacob, K., Mayer, S. (2023). Benefits and obstacles of interdisciplinary research: Insights from members of the Young Academy at the Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities. iScience, 26, 1-6.
• Renzl, B., Mahringer, C.A., Rost, M. & Scheible, L. (2021). Organizational agility: Current challenges and future opportunities. Journal of Competences, Strategy & Management, 11, 1-10.
• Pentland, B.T., Mahringer, C.A., Dittrich, K., Feldman, M., & Wolf, J.R. (2020). Process multiplicity and process dynamics: Weaving the space of possible paths. Organization Theory, 1(3), 1-21.
• Mahringer, C.A., Rost, M. & Renzl, B. (2019). How individuals perform customer knowledge absorption practices – A contextual approach to open innovation. International Journal of Technology Management, 79(3/4), 274-298.
• Mahringer, C.A., & Renzl, B. (2018). Entrepreneurial initiatives as a microfoundation of dynamic capabilities. Journal of Accounting and Organizational Change, 14(1), 61-79
• Mahringer, C.A., & Gabler, M. (2018). Wie können Wissensmanagementsysteme nutzerorientiert gestaltet werden? Die Rolle organisationaler Routinen. HMD – Praxis der Wirtschaftsinformatik, 55(4), 791-800.

Scientific proceedings

• Gäckle, D., Mahringer, C.A., Renzl, B. (2025). Rethinking change in business process management: From prescriptive to explanatory research. European Conference on Information Systems Proceedings, 1-16.
• Mahringer, C.A., Dittrich, K., Renzl, B. (2024). Provisional directionality: How Scrum teams use organizational routines to accomplish agility. Academy of Management Proceedings.
• Mahringer, C.A., & Walleser, N. (2023). How process models change business processes in organizations: From planned to emergent change. European Conference on Information Systems Proceedings, 1-12.
• Mahringer, C.A. (2022). Analyzing digital trace data to promote discovery – The case of heatmapping. Lecture Notes in Business Information Processing, 436, 209-220.

Contributions to managerial and public media

• Albicker, L., Renzl, B., Mahringer, C.A. (2025). Twin Transformation. Organisatorische Herausforderungen und Gestaltungsoptionen im Zusammenspiel von Digitalisierung und Nachhaltigkeit. Austrian Management Review, 15, 78-87.
• Danner-Schröder, A., Mahringer, C. A., & Sele, K. (2025). Wie wir alle zur Bewältigung globaler Herausforderungen beitragen können. Fostering Innovation Blog.
• Mahringer, C.A., Mayer, S. (2023). Veränderung verstehen: Die Relevanz konzeptioneller Klarheit. Athene – Magazin der HAdW, 1.
• Rost, M., Peter, M., Mahringer, C.A., & Renzl, B. (2020). Rollen-Anforderungen zur Zusammenarbeit in Scrum Teams. Austrian Management Review, 10, 36-46.
• Mahringer, C.A. (2017). Scrum. WISU – Das Wirtschaftsstudium, 12, 1345.
• Mahringer, C.A., Gabler, M., & Renzl, B. (2017). Agilität in wissensintensiven Organisationen. Von der Produkt- zur Dienstleistungsorientierung. IM+io, 1, 38-42.
• Mahringer, C.A., & Renzl, B. (2016). Employer Branding 2.0 – Change Smart! Austrian Management Review, 6, 48-55.
• Gabler, M., Mahringer, C.A., Metzger, P., & Renzl, B. (2016). Medicus Adaptabilis – Wenn Fachwissen alleine nicht mehr ausreichend ist. Zeitschrift für Führung und Personalmanagement in der Gesundheitswirtschaft, 2(3), 48-56.

Books and book chapters

• Renzl, B., Gäckle, D., Mahringer, C.A. (In Press). Agility. In Grossmann-Hensel, B., Jarzabkowski, P., Kratochvil, R., Seidl, D., Spee, P., Whittington, R. (Eds.). Elgar encyclopedia of strategy as practice. Edward Elgar.
• Danner-Schröder, A., Mahringer, C.A., Sele, K. (In Press). Routine dynamics. In Grossmann-Hensel, B., Jarzabkowski, P., Kratochvil, R., Seidl, D., Spee, P., Whittington, R. (Eds.). Elgar encyclopedia of strategy as practice. Edward Elgar.
• Leybold, M., Mahringer, C.A. (In Press). Social media. In Grossmann-Hensel, B., Jarzabkowski, P., Kratochvil, R., Seidl, D., Spee, P., Whittington, R. (Eds.). Elgar encyclopedia of strategy as practice. Edward Elgar.
• Brakemeier, M., Mahringer, C.A. & Renzl, B. (2022). Wie können organisationale Routinen Intrapreneurship nachhaltig fördern? In Kraus, R., Kreitenweis, T. & Jeraj, B. (Eds.). Intrapreneurship – Unternehmergeist, Systeme und Gestaltungsmöglichkeiten (pp. 61-75). Berlin: Springer.
• Mahringer, C.A., & Pentland, B.T. (2021). Sequence Analysis in Routine Dynamics. In Feldman, M.S., Pentland, P.T., D’Adderio, L., Dittrich, K., Rerup, C. & Seidl, D. (Eds.), Cambridge Handbook of Routine Dynamics (pp. 172-183). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
• Mahringer, C.A. (2019). Exploring routine ecologies – A characterization and integration of different perspectives on routines. Dissertation. Stuttgart: University of Stuttgart.
• Mahringer, C.A., & Renzl, B. (2015). Internationale Personalentsendungen als strategischer Erfolgsfaktor. In Urnik, S. & Pfeil, W. (Eds.). "Internationale Personalentsendungen": Chancen und Risiken aus Management- und Rechtsperspektive (pp. 1-26). Wien: Manz.

Publications List (PDF)

A complete version of my publications is also available as a PDF file.

Download Publications List (PDF)

Get in Touch