Univ.-Prof. Dr. Josef Zelger (Professor)

Total: 1-10  number of researches: 3

GABEK® is a tool for decision support, it aims at the integration of experiences and knowledge of many individuals.

The group Knowledge Organization applies the PC-supported method of research GABEK. More then 350 projects in 5 continents were realized or supervised. GABEK is a method to promote understanding of complex social phenomena and to facilitate decision-making that is accepted by those concerned. GABEK (Ganzheitliche Bewältigung von Komplexität - Holistic Processing of Complexity) was developed by Josef Zelger and implemented in the software WinRelan (Windows Relation Analysis) by Josef Zelger and Josef Schönegger in order to facilitate the analysis of large unstructured verbal data in everyday language. These are at first represented as a formal indexing system and then processed by means of a multidimensional content analysis. Automated computerized steps of data processing are accompanied by the semantical work of the researcher. The results are conceptual structures, association graphs, lists of assessments, nets of causal assumptions, trees of hierarchically ordered texts etc.

Research & Development

Evaluation of projects or products, Conflict processing, Organisational development, Market research, Innovation research, Research on cooperation, Customer satisfaction, CRM, Model development, Process planning, Community and regional development

The method is based on philosophical concepts of understanding, explaining, learning and the perception of gestalt. The personal opinions of people interviewed are superimposed, as it were, and structured by GABEK®. Opinions, knowledge, value systems and emotional attitudes are linked in the shape of ”language figures”, “hyperfigures”, “figure trees”, “association graphs”, “networks of effects”, “evaluation profiles” etc. Like maps, they make a meaningful orientation within the entire range of opinions possible. Every evaluation step can be reconstructed and reviewed inter-subjectively.

GABEK® projects are based on the conviction that the experience and knowledge of as many people as possible should be included in social and political decisions. GABEK® fosters mutual respect and distances itself from approaches where solutions are imposed solely through positions of power. A sincerely democratic attitude is the prerequisite for GABEK® projects. From there, the overriding goal of GABEK® can be derived. It is the attempt to include the human base of social organizations to an ever larger extent, in particular where modernization and reform are at stake. The knowledge competence and experience of many people should be collected and considered. The “exchange” of personal opinions builds up positive emotional relationships among the members of an organization, so that a sense of community can evolve.

„We believe that more profound conflict solving always implies an agreement, at least in parts, on values of the communities involved and their members. By means of GABEK®, the structures of a community and its values can be described. Taking them into consideration can be regarded as a fundamental prerequisite for conflict solving.” (Stanford University, Univ.-Prof. Dr. Julius Moravcsik, USA)

VIDEO
2min Film http://www.gabek.com/clip/english/

BOOKS
2007 Manual for GABEK® - WinRelan®., Vol.I, English, Innsbruck, Eigenverlag
2007 GABEK. Handbuch zum Verfahren GABEK® - WinRelan®. 5.5 Bd. II: Wissensorganisation durch sprachliche Gestaltbildung, Innsbruck: Eigenverlag
2002 GABEK-WinRelan Short Manual, englisch. Innsbruck: Eigenverlag
2002 GABEK. Handbuch zum Verfahren GABEK® - WinRelan®. Bd. I: Von der Problemstellung zum Zwischenbericht. Innsbruck: Eigenverlag
1988 Verfahren kreativer Selbstorganisation. Spardorf: Wilfer Publ. Co
1986 Konflikte und Ziele. Spardorf: Wilfer Publ. Co
1975 Konzepte zur Messung der Macht. Berlin: Duncker & Humblot

EDITED BOOKS
2008 Zelger, J. and Herdina, PH. and Oberprantacher, A.: Learning and Development in Organizations. Lernen und Entwicklung in Organisationen. GABEK. Beiträge zur Wissensorganisation, Bd. 2, Münster, LIT.
2008 Zelger, J. and Raich, M. and Schober, P.: GABEK III. Organizations and their Knowledge Nets. Organisationen und ihre Wissensnetze., Innsbruck, Wien, Studienverlag
2000 ZELGER, J. AND BUBER, R. (eds.): GABEK II. Zur Qualitativen Forschung. On Qualitative Research. Innsbruck/Wien: STUDIENVerlag
1999 ZELGER, J. AND MAIER, M. (eds.): GABEK. Verarbeitung und Darstellung von Wissen. Innsbruck/Wien: STUDIENVerlag


SELECTED ARTICLES
2008 „THE REPRESENTATION OF VERBAL DATA BY GABEK-NETS“ IN: Zelger, J. and Raich, M. and Schober, P.: GABEK III. Organizations and their Knowledge Nets. Organisationen und ihre Wissensnetze., Innsbruck, Wien, Studienverlag, S. 93-120.
2008 „Kooperation durch Teambildung mithilfe von GABEK“ in: Zelger, J. and Raich, M. and Schober, P.: GABEK III. Organizations and their Knowledge Nets. Organisationen und ihre Wissensnetze., Innsbruck, Wien, Studienverlag, S. 221-254.
2008 with Fink, S. and Strickner, J.: „Darstellung von Erfahrungswissen durch GABEK“ in: Zelger, J. and Raich, M. and Schober, P.: GABEK III. Organizations and their Knowledge Nets. Organisationen und ihre Wissensnetze., Innsbruck, Wien, Studienverlag, S. 143-159.
2008 “EVALUIERUNG DER FORSCHUNG ANHAND VON GRUNDWERTEN UND OBERZIELEN” IN: Zelger, J. and Herdina, PH. and Oberprantacher, A.: Learning and Development in Organizations. Lernen und Entwicklung in Organisationen. GABEK. Beiträge zur Wissensorganisation, Bd. 2, Münster, LIT, S. 228-244.
2008 „Generierung regionaler Ontologien durch GABEK. Wittgensteins Bild-Ontologie im Nachlass“ in: Zelger, J. and Herdina, PH. and Oberprantacher, A.: Learning and Development in Organizations. Lernen und Entwicklung in Organisationen. GABEK. Beiträge zur Wissensorganisation, Bd. 2, Münster, LIT, S. 27-70.
2007 „Two Ways of Reducing Linguistic Complexity“ in: Richardson, K. and Cilliers, P. (eds.): Exploration in Complexity Thinking, Mansfield: ISCE Publishing, pp. 170-189.
2007 with Kurz, S. and Schulz, J.: „GABEK als Methode zur kollegialen Organisationsentwicklung“. Senartor für Bildung und Wissenschaft, Rembertistraße 8-12, D-28195 Bremen, Eigendruck, Bremen. (siehe auch: www.rebiz-bremen.de – Stand 15. 7. 2007)
2007 „Regionale Ontologien als Grundlage für das Marketing. Von offenen Interviews zur innovativen Produktgestaltung durch das Verfahren GABEK“ In: Buber, R. und Holzmüller , H.H. (eds.): Qualitative Marktforschung. Konzepte – Methoden – Analysen., Wiesbaden, Gabler, S. 507-523.
2007 „Kundenwünsche verstehen und gewichten durch das PC-untersützte Verfahren GABEK“ in:Buber, R. und Holzmüller , H.H. (eds.): Qualitative Marktforschung. Konzepte – Methoden – Analysen., Wiesbaden, Gabler, S. 697-712.
2007 “L’`ETRE HUMAIN EN TANT QUE PERSONNE DANS L’ESPACE SPIRITUEL” IN: ZOTTI, C. AND D’AGOSTINO, L. (EDS.): L’ESPACE SPIRITUEL. LA PENSÉE COMME PATRIMOINE, SERRE EDITEUR, S. 197-205.
2005 „GABEK®: HOLISTIC DATA PROCESSING FOR POLICY SUPPORT“, IN
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF KNOWLEDGE AND SYSTEMS SCIENCES, 3
(SEPT.): 44-49
2004 „Qualitative Research by the ‚GABEK®’ Method“, in Fikfak, J. Adam, F., Garz, D. (ed.): Qualitative Research. Different Perspectives – Emerging Trends. Lubljana: Zalozba Z R C: 231-264




2004 “Theoriebildung auf der Basis verbaler Daten durch das Verfahren GABEK”, in Frank, U. (ed.): Wissenschaftstheorie in Ökonomie und Wirtschaftsinformatik. Wiesbaden: DUV: 57-84
2000 „Grundwerte, Ziele und Maßnahmen in einem regionalen Krankenhaus – Eine Anwendung des Verfahrens GABEK”, in Stumme, G. and Wille, R. (eds.): Begriffliche Wissensverarbeitung. Methoden und Anwendungen. Berlin/Heidelberg/New York: Springer: 296 – 324
2000 “Parallele und serielle Wissensverarbeitung: Die Simulation von Gesprächen durch GABEK”, in Zelger, J. and Buber, R. (eds.): GABEK II. Zur Qualitativen Forschung. On Qualitative Research. Innsbruck/Wien: STUDIENVerlag: 31 - 91
1999 with Pothas, A.M., De Wet, D., Petkov, D.:
”Conceptualization with GABEK: Ideas on Social Changes in South Africa”, in Zadeh, L.A. and J. Kacprzyk (eds.): Computing with words in Information. Intelligent Systems II. Applications (Bd. 34 Studies in Fuzziness and Soft Computing). Heidelberg/New York: Physica Verlag: 484 –499
1999 ”Wissensverarbeitung in Organisationen durch GABEK”, in Markus Schwaninger (ed.): Intelligente Organisationen. Berlin: Duncker & Humblot: 339 – 356
1999 ”GABEK. A Method for the Integration of Expert Knowledge and Everyday Knowledge” in De Tombe, D. J. and Stuhler E. A. (eds.): Complex Problem Solving. Methodological Support for Societal Policy Making. München/Mering: Hampp Verlag: 20 – 45
1999 ”Wissensorganisation durch sprachliche Gestaltbildung im qualitativen Verfahren GABEK”, in Zelger, J. and Maier, M. (eds.): GABEK. Verarbeitung und Darstellung von Wissen. Innsbruck/Wien: STUDIENVerlag: 41 – 87
1999 „Zur Fakultätsentwicklung. Die Sollsituation“, Innsbruck, Eigenverlag
1998 “From Verbal Data to Complex Problem Solving“, in Trappl, R. (ed.): Cybernetics and Systems. Vol. 1(Austrian Society for Cybernetic Studies). Wien: 442-447
1995 “From Verbal Data to Practical Knowledge”, in Gaul, W. and Pfeifer, D. (eds.): From Data to Knowledge: Theoretical and Practical Aspects of Classification, Data Analysis and Knowledge Organization. Berlin: Springer: 458-466

“GABEK®-WinRelan® was selected from a field of 158 original entries by an international panel of jurors to participate in EASA 2002 Finals. The project was deemed by the jurors to be of exceptional quality.”European Knowledge Media Association

2004-12-07 / 2009-08-24