Will machines replace humans? That is the fear that is shaping current debates over modernization in relation to digitalization and ?industry 4.0=. In the long term, however, the way in which human work and digital technology interact and how this is likely to affect labour markets, jobs and qualifications is still a completely open question& since many ?smart= technologies are only just starting to be developed and implemented. This is precisely why the process of change needs to be shaped. Scientists and academics, companies, trade unions and politicians are therefore engaging intensively with the challenges involved in the digital transformation of work. In this context, this volume provides a compact and empirically well-founded survey of the basic principles, development prospects and design options for the world of digitalized work.

Prof. Hartmut Hirsch-Kreinsen is Senior Professor of Economic and Industrial Sociology at the Technical University of Dortmund.