Management of Uncertainty : Theory and Application in the Design of Systems and Organizations

Gudela Grote has been full Professor of Work and Organizational Psychology at the ETH Zürich in the Department of Management, Technology, and Economics since 2000. Previously, she was Assistant Professor (since 1992) and Associate Professor (since 1997) at the ETH Zurich. She studied psychology at the University of Marburg and at the Technical University in Berlin. She received her doctorate at the Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, in 1987. Since 1988 she has continued her research at the ETH Zurich.

The main objective of Gudela Grote's research is to provide psychologically-based concepts and methods for integrative job and organizational design, taking into consideration the changing technological, economic and societal demands and opportunities. A special interest are the increasing flexibility and virtuality of work and their consequences for the individual and organizational management of uncertainty. Application fields for Prof. Grote's research include teamwork and standardization in high-risk systems, management of the psychological contract, career development, effects of new technologies on work processes, and collaborative planning within an between organizations.

Prof. Grote is associate editor of the journal Safety Science and member of the editorial board of several other journals. She has published widely on topics in organizational behavior, human factors, Human Resource Management, and safety management. She has worked with companies such as the Swiss Railways, Swiss Re and various public organizations. Together with Prof. Bruno Staffelbach from the University of Zurich she publishes annually the Swiss Human Relations - Barometer.