Peter Kels

Peter Kels is a Professor of HRM, Leadership, and Innovation at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, affiliated with its Business school and the Institute for Business and Regional Economics. He co-leads the 'Human Resource Management' major in the Bachelor of Business Administration program and directs research projects at the Competence Center for Corporate Development, Leadership, and Human Resources (IBR).

His academic background includes a Diplom-Sozialwissenschaftler (Dipl.-Soz.) in sociology, psychology, business administration, and education from universities in Frankfurt am Main and Darmstadt. He earned his doctorate from TU Darmstadt focusing on HRM and career development, supported by a DFG fellowship.

Kels' research explores the intersection of organizational dynamics and technological change, with emphasis on:

• Knowledge work in digital transformation contexts
• People analytics and algorithmic decision-making
• Generational shifts in workplace values
• Organizational learning and renewal capabilities
• Leadership in expert-driven organizations

His publications (2013-2024) predominantly address human resource innovation, organizational change, and technology's impact on work. Recent works emphasize data cultures, generational turnover psychology, and adaptive leadership frameworks.

Awards include the 2019 Publikationspreis for the book 'Experten führen' and the 2015 Publikationspreis der Hochschule Luzern for 'Innovationsorientiertes Personalmanagement'.

He leads 15+ applied research projects, including studies on data cultures, organizational resilience, SME internationalization, and agile leadership. Kels frequently contributes to industry discourse through interviews and advisory roles on generational workforce trends.