Maria Spante

I conduct research within the following research areas

My research focuses on organizational change in the context of digitalization and digital transformation. I adopt a human-centric perspective on innovation, examining how digital technologies shape and are shaped by learning, work practices, and decision-making in organizations. A central theme in my work is work-integrated learning and professional agency as drivers of sustainable change. I am particularly interested in innovationprocesses in support of sustainability, long-term value creation, and socially responsible transformation.

Research interest

My research focuses on collaboration, learning, and organizational change in real-world practice. I work from a human-centric and socio-technical perspective where digital systems are understood as embedded in everyday professional activities rather than as isolated technical solutions. A central concern in my research is how people collectively develop sustainable ways of working when technologies, organizational structures, and societal conditions change, and in particular when contradictions become evident.

How my research can make a difference

My research contributes to sustainable societal development by supporting organizations in navigating complex digital and organizational change. A specific interest is linked to supporting professional transformative agency linked to learning, care and production processes.

External assignments (within and outside academia)

• Global capacity builder within the CHAT research community
• National capacity builder within Information Systems through SISA
• Local capacity builder at University West in work integrated learning

 Keywords

Digitalization; Information Systems; Human-centric innovation; Sustainability; Work-integrated learning; Collaboration; Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT); Change Laboratory; Formative internvetion