Research

#strategic change

Central to my research is the question of effectively managing strategic change within organizations. With the business environment growing increasingly dynamic, the ability to swiftly recognize and respond to external changes becomes paramount. The challenge lies in adapting the organization in a manner that not only accommodates these exogenous changes but also positions it for success amidst them. Organizations that consistently achieve this can be characterized as having cultivated agility. In my research, I examine the cultivation of agility through an organization's everyday routines, facilitating their ability to navigate and adapt to external changes. Here, my focus lies on the human resources that enable or constrain change in everyday routines.

#digitalization

Another theme in my research centers on the transformation of organizational routines driven by the emergence and evolution of digital technologies. The increasing availability and adoption of artificial intelligence, for example, has the potential to significantly impact how organizations operate. Within the scope of my research, I investigate how individuals engage with these technologies in their daily routines.

#sustainability

We are confronted with a growing array of grand challenges, spanning from the urgent need to address climate change and the proliferation of microplastics to the persistent issues of inequality. In my research, I examine how organizations contribute to these grand challenges and also how they can potentially play a role in mitigating them. Central to my work is the question of how grand challenges are influenced by daily routines.

#methods

My research focuses on two different methodologies. First, I use qualitative methods such as ethnography. This approach enables me to capture the mundane, lived experiences of organizational members, including product developers, sustainability experts, and middle managers. Second, my research employs the analysis of digital trace data. When organizational members use digital tools, these tools frequently record their actions in a database. These recorded data, commonly known as digital trace data, give rise to data analytics applications. In my research, I focus on how the analysis of this data can empower researchers to gain deeper insights into transformation processes. It’s worth noting that I incorporate a critical perspective in my approach, reflecting on the limitations and potential biases inherent in this type of data.

Vita

2021 - today

Leader of the interdisciplinary research project "Stabilizing and destabilizing processes of change" at the "Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities."

2020 - today

Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the "University of Stuttgart."

2015 - 2019

Research Fellow and PhD-Student at the "University of Stuttgart" in Germany, including research stays at the "University of Zürich" and the "University of Warwick."

2012 - 2015

Founder and Manager of the start-up "devega Steinboxen" and several internships in high-tech manufacturing companies.

2011 - 2015

Master of Business Administration and Business Psychology at the "Private University Seeburg Castle" in Austria.

2008 - 2011

Bachelor of Business Administration and Economics at the "University of Hohenheim" in Germany.

Publications

Scientific articles

Mahringer, C.A., Danner-Schröder, A., (In press). Autonomous, yet interdependent: Designing interfaces across routine clusters. Academy of Management Journal.
Mahringer, C.A. (In press). Twin transformation in action: Conceptualizing the entanglement of digitalization and sustainability in organizational routines. International Journal of Innovation Management.
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. (In press). Tackling grand challenges: Insights and contributions from practice theories. Journal of Management Inquiry.
Mahringer, C.A. (In press). Media review: The untapped power of discovery. Organization Studies.
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., 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), 1063-1345.
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.

Articles in practitioner outlets

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.

Conference and workshop presentations

Mahringer, C.A., Dittrich, K., Renzl, B. (09. – 13.08.2024). Provisional directionality: How Scrum teams use organizational routines to accomplish agility. [Paper presentation]. Academy of Management Annual Meeting, Chicago, USA.
Danner-Schröder, A., Grisold, T., Mahringer, C.A. (09. – 13.08.2024). Organization studies and the metaverse: Facing ontological reversal [Paper presentation]. Academy of Management Annual Meeting, Chicago, USA.
Gäckle, D., Mahringer, C.A., Renzl, B. (09. – 13.08.2024). Enacting relations: the role of artificial intelligence for the stability of routines. [Paper presentation]. Academy of Management Annual Meeting, Chicago, USA.
Mahringer, C.A., Dittrich, K., Renzl, B. (04. – 06.07.2024). Provisional directionality: How Scrum teams use organizational routines to accomplish agility in practice [Paper presentation]. Colloquium of the European Group of Organization Studies (EGOS), Milan, Italy.
Sele, K., Danner-Schröder, A., Mahringer, C.A. (04. – 06.07.2024). Stopped in their tracks: The role of the body in (re-)creating routines after an extreme event [Paper presentation]. Colloquium of the European Group of Organization Studies (EGOS), Milan, Italy.
Rost, M., Mahringer, C.A. Walleser, N., Renzl, B., (01. – 06.09.2023). Collaboration in emerging ecosystems. [Paper presentation]. British Academy of Management Conference, Sussex, UK.
Gäckle, D., Mahringer, C.A., Renzl, B. (04. – 08.08.2023). That’s the way the routine crumbles. Why breakdowns do not materialize in routine change. [Paper presentation]. Academy of Management Annual Meeting, Boston, USA.
Mahringer, C.A. (06. – 08.07.2023). Routine transfer across similar contexts – The case of agile software development routines. [Paper presentation]. Colloquium of the European Group of Organization Studies (EGOS), Cagliari, Italy.
Gäckle, D., Mahringer, C.A., Renzl, B. (06. – 08.07.2023). That’s the way the routine crumbles. Why breakdowns do not materialize in routine change. [Paper presentation]. Colloquium of the European Group of Organization Studies (EGOS), Cagliari, Italy.
Rost, M., Walleser, N., Renzl, B., Mahringer, C.A. (19. – 21.06.2023). Configuring ecosystems: interorganizational collaboration practices in a software development project [Paper presentation]. R&D Management Conference, Sevilla, Spain.
Walleser, N., Rost, M., Renzl, B., Mahringer, C.A. (30. – 31.03.2023). Collaboration practices in emerging ecosystems — A case study in the mechanical engineering industry [Paper presentation]. Workshop of the Scientific Commission ‚Organization‘ of the VHB (WK ORG), Linz, Austria.
Mahringer, C.A. (30. – 31.03.2023). How do Actors Transfer Organizational Routines to Neighboring Teams? [Paper presentation]. Workshop of the Scientific Commission ‚Organization‘ of the VHB (WK ORG), Linz, Austria.
Danner-Schröder, A., Mahringer, C.A., Sele, K., Gehman, J., Sutcliffe, K.M., Feldman, M.S., Jarzabkowski, P., Pentland, B.T., Rouleau, L. (05. – 09.08.2022). Practice perspectives on grand challenges: Insights from SAP and routine dynamics research. [Symposium]. Academy of Management Annual Meeting, Seattle, USA.
Gäckle, D., Mahringer, C.A., Renzl, B. (05. – 09.08.2022). How do actors reflect on unfamiliar routine patterns? An ethnographic study of collective reflection. [Paper presentation]. Academy of Management Annual Meeting, Seattle, USA.
Mahringer, C.A., Schmiedle, L., Mayer, S. (28. – 29.10.2021). Welche wissenschaftlichen Communities beschäftigen sich mit Veränderung? Ergebnisse einer bibliometrischen Analyse [Paper presentation]. Workshop ‘Kohärenz und Umbrüche’, Heidelberg, Germany.
Gäckle, D., Mahringer, C.A., Renzl, B. (22. – 24.09.2021). Reflecting on multiple goals through meta routines – An ethnographic study of a high performance computing organization [Paper presentation]. Workshop of the Scientific Commission ‚Organization‘ of the VHB (WK ORG), virtual.
Mahringer, C.A. (06.09.2021). Analyzing digital trace data to promote discovery – The case of heatmapping [Paper presentation]. Workshop on Business Process Management and Routine Dynamics (BPM&RD), virtual.
Mahringer, C.A., Dittrich, K., Renzl, B. (01. – 03.09.2021). Organizational routines in innovation problem-solving [Paper presentation]. 12th International Symposium on Process Organization Studies (PROS), virtual.
Mahringer, C.A., Sele, K., Danner-Schröder, A., Grisold, T., Kremser, W., Renzl, B., Wurm, B. (08. – 10.07.2021). Understanding the continuity of grand challenges: A routine dynamics perspective [Paper presentation]. Colloquium of the European Group of Organization Studies (EGOS), virtual.
Mahringer, C.A. (31.03.2021). Innovation as a situated accomplishment [Paper presentation]. PDW of the Scientific Commission ‚Organization‘ of the VHB (WK ORG), virtual.
Mahringer, C.A., Renzl, B. (27.07.2020). How organizing for innovation addresses the generativity-coherence-paradox through situated actions [Paper presentation]. 80th Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management, virtual.
Mahringer, C.A., Dittrich, K., Renzl. B. (01. – 04.07.2020). How organizing for innovation addresses the generativity-coherence-paradox through situated actions [Paper presentation]. Colloquium of the European Group of Organization Studies (EGOS), virtual.
Gaiser, S., Mahringer, C.A., Rost, M., Renzl, B. (18. – 19.03.2020). Organizational agility – A structured review of the literature [Paper presentation]. Workshop of the Scientific Commission ‚Organization‘ of the VHB (WK ORG), virtual.
Gaiser, S., Mahringer, C.A., Rost, M., Renzl, B. (26. – 27.09.2019). Organizational agility – A structured review of the literature [Paper presentation]. Strategisches Kompetenzmanagement Symposium (SKM), Stuttgart, Germany.
Mahringer, C.A., Dittrich, K., Renzl, B. (09. – 13.08.2019). Interdependent routines and innovation processes – An ethnographic study of Scrum teams [Paper presentation]. 79th Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management, Boston, USA.
Mahringer, C.A., Dittrich, K., Feldman, M., Pentland, B.T. (19. – 22.06.2019). Explaining emerging change: How process multiplicities generate possibilities [Paper presentation]. 11th International Symposium on Process Organization Studies (PROS), Chania, Greece.
Mahringer, C.A., Dittrich, K., Renzl, B. (26.03.2019). Routines and open-ended software development processes – An ethnographic study in Scrum teams [Brownbag]. John Moores University, Liverpool, England.
Mahringer, C.A., Dittrich, K., Renzl, B. (18.02.2019). Routines and open-ended software development processes – An ethnographic study in Scrum teams [Seminar]. Cologne Institute for Information Systems, Cologne, Germany.
Mahringer, C.A., Dittrich, K., Renzl, B. (13. – 15.02.2019). Multiple interdependent routines – Scrum routines orchestrating innovative processes [Paper presentation]. Workshop of the Scientific Commission ‘Organization’ of the VHB (WK ORG), Münster, Germany.
Mahringer, C.A., Dittrich, K., Renzl, B. (12.07.2018). Multiple interdependent routines and open-ended processes [Brownbag presentation]. BWI Brownbag, Universität Stuttgart, Germany.
Mahringer, C.A., Dittrich, K., Renzl, B. (05. – 07.07.2018). Multiple interdependent routines and open-ended processes [Paper presentation]. Colloquium of the European Group of Organization Studies (EGOS), Tallinn, Estonia.
Mahringer, C.A., Dittrich, K., Renzl, B. (20. – 23.06.2018). Multiple interdependent routines and open-ended processes [Paper presentation]. 10th International Symposium on Process Organization Studies (PROS), Porto Carras, Greece.
Mahringer, C.A., Dittrich, K., Renzl, B. (14. – 16.03.2018). Multiple interdependencies in routine networks – An ethnographic study of agile Scrum teams [Paper presentation]. 2nd Alpine PhD Conference in Management ‘Dynamic Capabilities, Organizational Learning & Change’, Obergurgl, Austria.
Mahringer, C.A., Dittrich, K., Renzl, B. (21.02.2018). Multiple interdependencies in routine networks – An ethnographic study of agile Scrum teams [Brownbag presentation]. University of Zurich Brown Bag Series, Zurich, Switzerland.
Mahringer, C.A. (14. – 16.03.2017). The entrepreneurial microfoundations of dynamic capabilities [Paper presentation]. 1st Alpine PhD Conference in Management ‘Dynamic Capabilities, Organizational Learning & Change’, Obergurgl, Austria.
Gabler, M., Mahringer, C.A., Renzl, B. (16. – 17.02.2017). Organizational transactive memory systems: A routine-based view [Paper presentation]. Workshop of the Scientific Commission ‚Organization‘ of the VHB (WK ORG), Hamburg, Germany.
Renzl, B., Mahringer, C.A., Gabler, M. (19.09.2016). Agilität in dynamischen Umwelten – Gestaltungsempfehlungen für komplexe Organisationen [Poster presentation]. Conference ‘Zukunftsprojekt Arbeitswelt 4.0’, Stuttgart, Germany.
Mahringer, C.A., Renzl, B. (07. – 09.07.2016). Microfoundations of performance: Linking entrepreneurial behavior, routines and firm performance in dynamic environments [Paper presentation]. Colloquium of the European Group of Organization Studies (EGOS), Naples, Italy.
Rost, M., Mahringer, C.A., Renzl, B. (01. – 04.06.2016). Linking individual competencies of sales people and absorptive capacity in an open innovation process – A case study of a firm for pharmaceutical packaging machines [Paper presentation]. European Academy of Management Conference (EURAM), Paris, France.
Mahringer, C.A., Renzl, B. (01. – 04.06.2016). How does individual-level entrepreneurial behavior impact firm performance in dynamic environments? A microfoundations approach [Paper presentation]. European Academy of Management Conference (EURAM), Paris, France.
Mahringer, C.A., Rost, M., Renzl, B., Kaschube, J. (22. – 23.03.2016). How sales people enhance absorptive capacity in an open innovation process – A case study of a pharmaceutical packaging machines firm [Paper presentation]. AIMS, Paris, France.
Mahringer, C.A., Rost, M., Renzl, B. (24. – 26.02.2016). The open innovation puzzle – Identifying firm characteristics leveraging the absorption of customer knowledge in a bio-pharmaceutical packaging machines firm [Paper presentation]. EURAM Early Career Colloquium (EECC), Halle, Germany.
Rost, M., Mahringer, C.A., Kaschube, J., Renzl, B. (21. – 22.09.2015). Linking individual competencies of sales people and absorptive capacity in an open innovation process - A case study of a pharmaceutical packaging machines firm [Paper presentation]. Strategisches Kompetenzmanagement Symposium (SKM), Bochum, Germany.

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