Sabine Pfeiffer

Prof. Dr. Sabine Pfeiffer holds the Chair of Sociology (Technology – Work – Society) at the Nuremberg Campus of Technology, part of Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg. She is an active researcher and thought leader in the sociology of work, with particular expertise in digital transformation, Industry 4.0, and labor capacity. Her work bridges academic research and practical applications in industry, with significant collaborations including the Volkswagen study and advisory roles with government bodies.

Professor Pfeiffer's research interests focus on how digitalization transforms work structures and qualifications across various sectors including mechanical engineering, office work, and critical infrastructure. She has developed the Labouring Capacity Index (AV-Index) as a tool to measure living labor capacity and experience as resources for Industry 4.0 transition. Her work examines the intersection of technology, work organization, and social inequality, with particular attention to how workers navigate digital transformation in different occupational contexts.

Her recent publications reveal consistent research trends examining the dual transformation of digitalization and sustainability, with particular focus on Volkswagen as a case study. The work explores transformation experience, resources, and readiness across multiple dimensions. She also investigates how AI is perceived and integrated in workplaces, the evolution of office work in digital environments, and the measurement of work through wearables and digital assistance systems.

• Best Paper Award for keynote speech on 'Work 4.0' at VET Conference in Rostock (2017)
• Nominated for 'Influencer of the Year 2013' by the Strategy Circle for Mechanical and Plant Engineering

Professor Pfeiffer serves on the Council of the World of Work appointed by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, and recently joined the board of directors at bidt (Bavarian Institute of Technology Assessment). She previously served on the Research Advisory Board of the Industry 4.0 Platform and advisory boards at CIDAS. Her research is frequently funded through collaborations with institutions including BIBB (Federal Institute for Vocational Training), WZB Berlin Social Science Center, and industry partners like VDMA.

Her work is conducted through the Labouratory research group at the Nuremberg Campus of Technology, which focuses on empirical studies of work in the digital age. The team employs mixed methods approaches including representative surveys, qualitative case studies, and workplace observations to understand the changing nature of work. Recent projects include the diGAP project on good agile project work and studies on digital transformation in mechanical engineering and office work sectors.