VHB establishes Open Science working group
The new working group is to investigate the potential for business administration, identify structural barriers and draw up recommendations for action by the end of 2026
“Open Science is coming. Open Science is not an either/or proposition. Open Science is a strategic issue relating to quality and expertise that will bring about lasting change to business administration in terms of its research practice, teaching and social responsibility.”
With these words, the Association of University Lecturers in Business Administration (VHB) outlines the significance of Open Science for business administration in its newsletter dated 18 June 2026.
The VHB aims to strengthen business administration through a research culture that promotes transparency, traceability and shared responsibility. In the association’s view, the implementation of Open Science is not so much hampered by a lack of fundamental willingness on the part of researchers. Rather, the challenges lie in the structural framework conditions. These include a lack of incentives, inadequate infrastructure, a shortage of skills, unclear procedures, legal restrictions and high costs.
Recommendations for action in research and teaching
Against this background, the VHB’s Executive Board has set up an Open Science working group. It held its first meeting on 11 June 2026.
The working group is examining how Open Science can contribute to transparent, traceable and collectively accountable research practices in business administration. On this basis, concrete recommendations for action are to be developed. These are intended to help break down structural barriers and promote Open Science in business administration research and teaching.
For the ZBW, participation in the working group is important because it enables the organisation not only to contribute its expertise on Open Science and scientific information infrastructure, but also to identify the needs of the business administration community and develop practical solutions in collaboration with it.
The working group has four objectives:
- to systematically strengthen Open Science within the VHB,
- to identify the potential of Open Science for business administration,
- to identify barriers to implementation,
- and to develop concrete recommendations for action by the end of 2026.
The spokesperson for the working group is
Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Marko Sarstedt
Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich
The contact person on the Executive Board is
Prof. Dr. Christian Koziol
Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen
Members of the working group
Prof. Dr. Joachim Gassen
Humboldt University of Berlin
Prof. Thomas Gehrig, Ph.D.
University of Vienna
Prof. Dr. Maximilian Heimstädt
Helmut Schmidt University, Hamburg
Prof. Dr. Matthias Klumpp
University of Bremen
Dr. Ulrich Krieger
Mannheim University Library
Dr. David Rößler-von Saß
Free University of Berlin
Prof. Dr. Christopher Schlägel
Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg
Prof. Dr. Ute Schmiel
University of Duisburg-Essen
Dr. Doreen Siegfried
ZBW – Leibniz Centre for Business Information
Prof. Dr Matthias Söllner
University of Kassel
Prof. Dr Nancy Wünderlich
Technical University of Berlin
Initial areas of focus defined
At its first meeting, the working group has already discussed several areas of focus. Among other things, a panel on issues relating to the theory and philosophy of science is planned for the upcoming VHB Annual Conference. In addition, a nationwide study on Open Science is to be launched. It aims to provide insights into the current state, potential and barriers to Open Science in business administration.
Another key focus is on the topic of Open Science Education. Existing content, materials and approaches for teaching Open Science skills in business administration are to be collated, harmonised and adapted for use in research and teaching. This coordinated consolidation of content is intended to lay the foundations for embedding Open Science more firmly in business education and continuing professional development.
This text was translated on 25 June 2026 using DeeplPro.