How to Structure and Foster Innovative Research

Abstract

Innovative research structures provide the possibility to address new stakeholders on the topic Preventive Occupational Health and Safety. Therefore the stakeholder to the Preventive Occupational Health and Safety can be appealed, as for example health insurance schemes, chambers of commerce or ministries. This means, visibility of the research community can be raised at the network and society level ([HLBH09]:26). To reach the aim “better visibility of the research community”, “improving integration of the partners in the research groups” and the “avoidance of the "fragmenting" of a research community”, different network management methods were applied in the founding priority Preventive Occupational Health and Safety ([Hue03]:119). The choice of the methods of the network management bases on the needs of a research network in three specific network phases: phase of initiation, phase of stabilisation and finally the phase of increasing steadiness. Every phase puts different challenges to the network management.