The research network on old-age provision (“Forschungsnetzwerk Alterssicherung, FNA) finances co-operation between the Helmut-Schmidt-University and the University of Graz.
The project, led by Prof. Dr Tanja Klenk (Helmut-Schmidt-University), Prof. Dr Juliane Jarke and Dr Anja Eder (University of Graz), examines the opportunities and challenges of digitalization using the German pension system as a case study. It focuses on a key organizational feature: self-administration as a participatory governance model.
The administrative model of statutory pension carriers relies on various mechanisms that help insured persons cope with administrative burdens and voice their concerns. Two key areas of self-administration are particularly relevant: objection committees, where elected representatives review cases in which the administration has denied claims by insured persons, and voluntary advisors, who assist insured persons in navigating administrative processes. In both cases, these actors operate on a voluntary basis, are delegated by trade unions or other organizations recognized as legitimate representatives of the insured, and gain individual legitimacy through election.
Over the two-year project period, the project will investigate (1) how the structures, processes and practices of self-administration are changing as a result of digitalisation, (2) opportunities and challenges associated with this transformation and (3) the potential contribution social self-administration can make to an inclusive and citizen-oriented digital pension insurance system.
To investigate these research questions, the project studies the impact of digitalization on voluntary advisory services and objection committee procedures using a mixed-methods approach. Qualitative methods, such as exploratory interviews, are combined with quantitative methods, such as a questionnaire survey, to provide multifaceted insights into how digital transformation affects (or does not affect) participatory governance.
Letzte Änderung: 6. March 2025